I mean to post about this when it came out, but did anyone else catch the November issue of Motorcyclist? Virtually the entire issue was dedicated to electric motorcycles and the TTXGP.

It appears we might be witnessing the very beginning of an era where electric bikes may eventually replace gas bikes, similar to what may be happening in the automotive world.

Some may lament this, but I think its very exciting. The performance of some of these bikes is quite impressive considering the technological limitations. We aren't yet at the point where these could replace gas bikes, but we can at least see that point on the horizon now.

What do you guys think?

Some of the bikes talked about and/or reviewed:

Mission One:

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/fi...ike/index.html

Motoczysz E1PC:

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/fe...ike/index.html

Brammo Empulse:

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/ne...ook/index.html

Roehr eSuperbike:

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/fi...ike/index.html

 

High performance electric motos are nice, but I rather have a $4000 electric moto that can sustain 60 mph and have a true 200 mile range than $12000 electric moto that can to 120 mph and only 50 mi range.

ZERO Electric moto not quite $4000 nor 200 mi. range but it's a start.

 

Any chance for a hybrid motorcycle?

 

isn't the bike that dude was showing off at an event a hybrid? he was doing a burnout. the back wheel caught, and he QUICKLY shot into a car or something. it's been about a month since i saw the video, or i would have more details. he was the architect or lead engineer, and it killed him

talk about a monday morning pick up

 

x that last comment. it was electric, and he didn't die

Bill Dube, .97sec 0-60mph, 158mph.

if they could turn that motor into a hybrid to give it some more mileage....

 

sorry about the off topic, rochester...

i did find this in the second article:

Further advances in battery chemistry could reduce weight by as much as 100 pounds without sacrificing range or power, bringing it down to 425 lbs.-essentially equal to a current 600cc sportbike. But what excites Czysz even more is the possibility of a hybrid version combining the best aspects of the C1 and e1pc

it looks like they're working on it. the bike has 135hp and 250lbs/ft already. 250 freakin lfs/ft on a bike. how ridiculous is that? i may buy that bike so that i can tow my car.

it is UGLY to me, though

 

Such performance is a little ways off, but the exciting thing about these bikes is that it shows it may be possible in the not too distant future.

Long range may end up being less important than charging speed. Limited range isn't such a big deal if you can recharge the bike in the same amount of time it takes to fill up with gas. Advances in both aspects would be great though, obviously.

Its funny you mention the Zero. In the same issue, they have an article where they take a couple of the dirt models on some trails at high altitude. It points out other advantages of electric bikes, like no power loss due to altitude and you can actually talk to other riders in your group at a normal speaking voice while riding.

 

I believe ZERO has the best chance. AMA magazine did a feature not too long ago about the same topics, featuring Brammo, ZERO and Mission. With a range of about 50 miles at fwy speeds, farther at lower speeds, ZERO's thinking is the average commuter travels about 42 miles round trip, so they designed a bike to work for those parameters. Now they have off road bikes and other street bikes in the works. Also, KTM is building a racing electric dirt bike. Do we here the future arriving? Well it would be hard to hear these bikes coming

 

They're too quite.

 

What a shame, no loud, ear splitting, angry bee powered lawn mower noises to accompany the flip-flop equipped riders atop them.

 

lol...

 

I'm actually a little irritated that congress recently passed a law requiring all electric vehicles to have noise makers installed to operate at low speeds. Perfect example of people panicking over something so small. The funny thing is that there are plenty of gas cars out today that produce almost no sound at low speed as well, but no mention is made of them.

The only reason this MAY be a problem is that electric cars are not yet common place, so blind people(and regular pedestrians) don't know to listen to the more faint sounds they make.

 

This is the same govt. who advises consumers not to use the hair dryer while in the shower ,

 

Imo electric bikes are blasphemy and deserve a place among the wall o shame right along with midwestern jesus mandal wearimg smug prius driving wussies. Bikes are supposed to be loud, fast, and dangerous. Seriously the "cool" factor is what attracted all of us at some point and the thrill and love is what hooked us for life. I cant even imagine if my first rm80 would have been electric.

 

May you live long enough to stare at everyone riding by on their electric bikes as you sit on the porch twiddling your thumbs because you refuse to adjust to advances in technology.

 

^^

 

Here is a quote from the article about Motoczysz:

If you want to know the context of that, read the small sub-article I pulled it from here:

http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/fe...uperbikes.html

 

This is getting off topic but with motoGP going back to the larger engines I still think they should give the C1 another shot.

 

The change in MotoGP engine size wasn't his only problem with that bike though. Even during good economic times, he was having a hard time getting investors for that project.

 

i'd rather see a production diesel bike at a reasonable price. there was that one military contractor who built one based on the klr, but they never did put it in to production for the general public... and if they ever do, they're supposedly going to want something like 15k for it.

 

Yeah, but what a shame. I really wanted to see that thing succeed.

OCC will build you one. lol