I would love an electric sport bike. Ride to work, charge, ride home...repeat. If it's $20k, can go 200kms on a charge, and weigh's less than 500lbs, I'm in. My only dislike regarding electric bikes is the lost clutch/shifting.
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Why your next bike might be electric...
- Thread starter CafeRay
- Start date
And free road side assistance in the event of running out of juice. It's not like you can have a service vehicle bring out a battery or charge on the side if the road.
I've run out of gas and at least I could have someone bring me some fuel.
I'm pretty good with watching my fuel gauge and knowing my range but I always seem to under estimate the battery life of my electronic devices. Phone and laptop for example.
Brammo has clutch and 6 speeds.
BrownBrady
Well-known member
I'll be that guy who used to ride with a loud exhaust. XD
NordicMan
Member
Wow that's a really interesting documentary, thanks for mentioning it! We watched it last night.
I can easily see how each successive year from now on the electrics are going to get better & better. And yes they will surpass the gas bikes someday I am sure
"A 2014 U.S. tour – kicking off with a journey down Route 66 – will visit more than 30 Harley-Davidson[SUP]®[/SUP] dealerships now through the end of the year. In 2015, the Project LiveWire Experience will continue in the U.S. and expand into Canada and Europe."
You ride over 250km a day? Most people don't. you leave it plugged in all night.
Dresden
Well-known member
That documentary illustrates how even only 4 years ago, they thought a 100mph lap would be impossible.
The power, range, and speeds have exceeded what anyone predicted back then.
You have to consider that no one cared about battery research until about 2009. Batteries will be fundamentally different in a few years, the next challenge is a proper transmission, which Tesla failed to do. You can gear a bike for city or highway, but not really both.
By 2014, Honda is now in with a $125M program, and they hired McGuiness, which says they are serious about an electric bike.
While "Charge" focused on that British inventor and Agro motors...I don't think anyone used Agro motors after 2010.
Motoczysz had no apparent business plan, and while making cool bikes, they didn't show up this year.
No but I go ride places where I can't plug in. Even at home would be a challenge (apartment). Most workplaces don't have parking outlets either.
That said, Zero has a model that has OK range, is around $10k, and has a removable battery you can charge pretty much anywhere.
If you like them so much why don't you already have one? There are several models available...
On the car side Honda, Toyota and Hyundai are all coming out with hydrogen fuel cell vehicles next year. Toyota has also left their deal with Tesla. All of this means that the so called charging infrastructure (stations) will have an uphill battle. Tesla has made their patents free, which seems to me as a move out of desperation.
Looks to me like some big players are going hydrogen, which has its issues but you can fuel up more like LPG etc.
A big problem with electric is how do they collect road taxes? Hydrogen can be taxed like fuel....
Looks to me like some big players are going hydrogen, which has its issues but you can fuel up more like LPG etc.
A big problem with electric is how do they collect road taxes? Hydrogen can be taxed like fuel....
Don't worry, they'll get their pound of flesh. IIRC some districts are encouraging separate metering for charging stations (to allow load balancing and provide a special electricity rate to encourage electric vehicle uptake). In a few years, they just increase the electricity rate to the charger to cover the road taxes.
Assume that a gas vehicle uses 10L/100km, road taxes are roughly $1.50/100 km (or $2.50/100 if you want to cover excise tax too). A tesla is ~16 Kwh/100 km, so roughly $1.70/100 km in electricity. To collect the road taxes, they will need to double (or more) the electricity rate to the charger. Just make it illegal to run a 220V charger without a separate meter and their won't be many ways around the tax.
-D-
Banned
and you just answered my question...convert or add on to current gas stations
plutoz
Well-known member
I'm already riding electric. Picked up a 2012 Zero XU (Urban Crosser) in spring of 2013. Use it to commute to work daily (round trip 40km) with no range anxiety. I can plug it in at work for an hour or two if I need to make a side trip. Have done about 5000km to date.
Still have my gas bike for longer rides on the weekend.
It is not Zero's fastest bike but I'm more than satisfied with the performance. Not to mention the handling is superb. I really don't miss the clutch and gears. Belt drive, zero maintenance besides brakes and tires.
Battery is estimated to last 180,000+ km while maintaining 80% capacity. I'm sure by the time I get that far I will be able to swap it out for a bigger battery for a reasonable cost.
There is already a huge market for used / recycled lithium cells.
Still have my gas bike for longer rides on the weekend.
It is not Zero's fastest bike but I'm more than satisfied with the performance. Not to mention the handling is superb. I really don't miss the clutch and gears. Belt drive, zero maintenance besides brakes and tires.
Battery is estimated to last 180,000+ km while maintaining 80% capacity. I'm sure by the time I get that far I will be able to swap it out for a bigger battery for a reasonable cost.
There is already a huge market for used / recycled lithium cells.
Face
Well-known member
What's your insurance cost for the Zero? I pay more to insure my bike than I do for my car. Adding a 2nd bike just for commuting is not in the cards, unless they'll ensure it for $200 a year.
plutoz
Well-known member
Peanuts. Actually I believe it around $200 a year. They asked me what the equivalent was in cc and I said it was like a 150. I think I'm paying less than I do for the wife's CBR250.
Sadly, they don't make the XU model anymore. The FX has replaced it. Specs are similar... but not quite.
My 2012 XU has a 3kWh battery, whereas the 2013 XU / 2014 FX come with either a 2.8 or 5.7. So the range with the base model is not as good as mine.
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Just done a google on these as I have never heard of them before and it seems that Oakville Yamaha are the nearest GTA Dealer. I may well have a look next time I'm in the area.
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