LIGHTNING LS-218 - thoughts? | GTAMotorcycle.com

LIGHTNING LS-218 - thoughts?

Do you like electric superbikes?

  • Yes

  • No

  • Undecided


Results are only viewable after voting.
zero appeal to me
engine noise and rowing gears are an essential part of riding

has impressive specs
but personally I'd wait a bit as the industry is maturing very quickly
what is the best this year will be obsolete next year

in a few years we should have a clearer picture what an e-motorcycle will be
 
I would love to own one of these... freaking amazing bikes....
A cheaper version is the "Lightning Strike" version. Much more attainable than the full on LS-218.
Or even better, the Canadian version.... if it was readily available that is.
 
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Not in this bike as I'm not riding SS bikes anymore but when range increases and electric moves into ADV rides I'll fore sure be interested. I'll happily trade rowing through gears for the massive amounts of grin inducing torque coming out of the corners.
 
I was able to get track side to a Formula E race in LA - it was ... like listening to vacuum cleaners spooling up ...but wow could they accelerate and stop at an insane pace.

A few thoughts to consider ... motorcycle sales, particularly in the US have been struggling ever since the Great Recession. As older riders lose interest, or simply become unable to ride any longer, the younger generation hasn't been showing the same kind of enthusiasm.

Electric motorcycles -- with a quieter, simpler experience -- might be a key to finding a new population of riders.
For one thing, electric motorcycles are easier to ride.

With an electric motor, there's no need to shift gears.

To experienced riders, that's no big deal, but most drivers today have become accustomed to automatic transmissions and don't know how to shift gears.

Think about it - they are less noisy than gasoline-powered motorcycles. I get it - for many veteran riders, the roar of the engine is part of the excitement. But a lot of other people would prefer to enjoy their surroundings much more peacefully. Electric motorcycles also don't have hot engines and exhaust pipes that can become burn hazards, especially when parked around kids .

My prediction - electric motorcycles combined with wide spread adoption of ride-sharing apps (like Truro, and other manufacture sponsored options to ride but not own a bike) will make electric bikes an undeniable wave of the near future.

Growing markets in south east asia (China/India) are all it takes to move markets - and they are primed for this jump.

I am seriously considering this - keep the comments coming & thanks !
 
I had a chance to hop on a Zero DS a couple of years back. It was awesome. The torque and the silence were amazing. I love cruising around the countryside on my KLR. On the Zero I could even hear the birds singing. The only downside is range. If someone can come up with a battery/energy storage device with a 2-300% improvement in energy density over current tech, I'd go electric in a second. If I commuted on my bike or only did short trips I would seriously consider an electric bike today.
 
I'm moving to an urban area where this makes total sense. I'll be a customer of one of the technologies by spring.

It will not be my only bike....
 
I expect my next new motorcycle purchase will be electric, but I still think they need a clutch and at least 2 speeds.
Totally silent would be nice, I want to ride it not listen to it.

+ it never needs to achieve 200+mph :/ for a street bike that is just dumb, trade some of that crazy speed for better range and give it enough reserve that it can still pull the speed limit when the battery gets low.
 
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Electric off road bikes could potentially open up a lot of riding areas because of the noise reduction.
Awesome for sneaking up on people or animals walking in the woods too (y)
scares the heck right out of them :LOL:
 
I work in future product planning for a luxury automobile OEM. We constantly ask ourselves this question and whether we ourselves (the auto enthusiasts) are ready for Electric powertrain. Especially with the race to EV that's going on now in the industry. Over last few years having worked on a few future electric 4-wheeler's, i am slowly getting convinced and can see myself driving a performance EV car one day. However, motorcycles for me will always be too sacred. I won't want to subjectively ruin the experience by taking an ICE and conventional transmission away. No electric motorcycles for me. Ever. Just my opinion. ?
 
Electric off road bikes could potentially open up a lot of riding areas because of the noise reduction.

your exactly right, already exists with small bodies of water being electric outboards only. The environmental impact (of where your riding) is almost zero so you wont be any worst than a Mtn bike or a horse. As long as the 'idots' dont wreck it before it gets going this could keep continued access in a lot of places.
 
I thought I'd be the last person to be interested in such a thing. The noise, shaking, & smell of oil & petrol were/are so much part of the experience.
Still... I'm openminded & interested. The" loud pipes save lives thing" is just such a pathetic excuse for those that ride a bike just to try to get attention.

I'm enjoying my Suzuki GSX 1250 FA with huge/silent exhaust can so much that I've christened it "Quiet Riot". I got tired of those who would say "that's really quiet" & "that's a big muffler". Got decals made up so they know, I know already !!.

I once reluctantly towed a friend of mine on his H-D with my car for quite a distance. He told me it was such a strange feeling to be going at highway speeds with no sound but the wind. I've wondered about that ever since.

I can see myself flying on the backroads in complete silence . That's where I usually ride . For those that like to pull into taverns with patios, revving as often as possible to announce their arrival, or cruise the drag for some recognition, perhaps it's a non-starter.
 
your exactly right, already exists with small bodies of water being electric outboards only. The environmental impact (of where your riding) is almost zero so you wont be any worst than a Mtn bike or a horse. As long as the 'idots' dont wreck it before it gets going this could keep continued access in a lot of places.

Let's not overlook the fact that electrical energy has to come from somewhere. If it's not solar, hydro, or wind, it's going to be atomic or coal !!. :(

Too many people seem to think "Electric" is completely clean. They have no idea that is has to be generated some how. Perhaps the acceptance & development of electrical powered vehicles will be in conjunction with the development of the means to generate electricity cleanly, efficiently, & hopefully economically too !!
Otherwise... it will be the same shite all over again. But much quieter .
 
Definitely in. If you haven't driven or ridden an electric, go try it. Tesla does test drives and they arent pushy about sales.

The instant torque and acceleration can't be compared to unless you go up to supercar or turbo-busa, H2R territory.
But even with those, lag is still there.
Nice exhausts and sound is nice, but that ease of acceleration is really satisfying.

More interested in the Damon Hypersport more than the Lightning though
 
They have no idea that is has to be generated some how. Perhaps the acceptance & development of electrical powered vehicles will be in conjunction with the development of the means to generate electricity cleanly, efficiently, & hopefully economically too !!

Ummm last time I checked Ontario is 99% zero carbon for electricity
......

Still a ways off for replacing ICE mcycles across the board tho for urban it's just a matter of price dropping and range....competing with eBikes tho for commute.....no license or insurance is a big advantage. Might be a gateway tho.
 
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Well, not quite, there is a fair bit of natural gas in the mix, and that's going to go up when Pickering Nuclear closes without a replacement and with the current provincial government's disdain for wind and solar. It'll still be about half nuclear and a quarter hydroelectric, in rough numbers.
 

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