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Electric Motorcycle

danmcdermott

Member
Member
What are the opinions about electric motorcycles out there? Personally I have followed the development and improvements in electric motorcycles for a few years and always seem to focus on mileage per charge. I am excited at the possibilities and potential for electric motorcycles, however they are not quite there yet, for me. I cannot consider an electric motorcycle until the recharge time is close to a petrol/gas refill. I want to go on long rides, and hour long fuel stops is not my vision of a road trip.

While motorcycle manufacturers are looking to marked e-Motorcycles I am wondering about others opinions???
 
I think they might make sense on a motocross track where perhaps you could swap batteries out and range is not an issue.

Otherwise, there's a lot of hype, but they fall into the expensive toy category for me. Politicians made promises they didn't have to keep, and now the manufacturers have to figure out how to make it happen. I read today where Ford is losing billions in its electric vehicle division. The other car manufacturers are as well. Another article said there aren't enough raw materials to make all the batteries that will be needed. And then insurance companies are scrapping vehicles that get in a minor fender bender because the batteries might catch fire...which destroys the entire "green" idea because the initial production of an electric vehicle makes far more pollution than an ICE vehicle does.

Granted, that whole paragraph is about 4 wheeled vehicles, but I see electric motorcycles in the same light. Just a subset of the larger EV group.

Chris
 
Not ready for prime time,

I had a ZERO S with the 14,2 battery. 7.2 is stock

The battery needs to hold twice the power than they do now,

In a few years, they promise a better battery until then, not for me.

Today I bought a KTM 390, said to get over 60 miles per gal with 44 hp and do 100MPH.

Gas for now

 
Someday I will remember the throaty sound my C14 (Blue) as the ear piercing electric whine slowly dies after I’ve outridden the useful charge of the battery.

But for now - I’m planning on only ripping with an ICE.

To be fair - the performance is crazy of electrics and longevity improving. Watched a few non-bias programs on electric motorcycles and man those things had some serious, rip your arms out of their sockets, torque.

Wayne, Carol & Blue (ICE)
 
Not interested in the EV1 of the modern era. A battery must be developed that does not involve slave labor mining rare elements by hand while ravaging the countryside. Also must pack much more energy density per volume and mass to be viable for a motorcycle. Have not even touched the stress on a power grid becoming increasingly questionable due to taking proven generation off line. Hydrogen might hold promise; however, the whole picture must be considered. ICE still hold huge promise for increased efficiency. Too bad that so many executives are chasing windmills with development dollars instead of further improvements on a proven concept.
 
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