Electrics are taking hold...

[Smaug]

...at least in urban markets where the value proposition is important. They're all over Chinese cities now, and Cuba has been assimilated. (LINK)


Look for Honda and Yamaha to up their electric game in the next 5 years for urban scooters/motorcycles.


It'll be awhile longer until bigger, longer-range motorcycles will be changed to electric, but the Big 4 Japanese makers are collaborating on a standardized removable battery pack for city bikes. The idea is that you wouldn't have to find a charging station while out and about. You'd just pay to swap your battery with a charged one of known quality/life. Maybe have an extra and charge them at home. (LINK)


If range anxiety wasn't an issue, would you buy an electric?

[bcd]

If I were younger, I'd jump on getting a Zero for commuting. As it is, I'll retire before I recover the investment with reduced operating costs.

To meet my recreational needs, an ebike would need a 300+ mile range at highway speeds to make day rides viable. I don't see that happening soon. 300 city might happen in a few years.


That said, I do find electric bikes interesting. Given silly levels of money burning a hole in my pocket, I'd have one just to play with.


The folks at Aerostich commuted all winter long  in Duluth on one a couple years ago: [size=78%]https://www.aerostich.com/blog/category/zero-below-zero/[/size] .

[stevegrab]

I don't commute by bike, that would be a good use of electric. I agree with Byran for trips I need 300+ miles at highway speed. And then of course you need to recharge over night, does the hotel (or campground) have what I need?

I'd also miss the sound of the engine, thru a nice aftermarket pipe.

[Smaug]

I'd also miss the sound of the engine, thru a nice aftermarket pipe.

At first, you would. But you would soon forget about the sound and smells of IC engines, after having become addicted to electric torque and silence.

[roginoz]

I've ridden the Zero SR and DR.  Great bikes, but I'd need 200 miles at highway speeds to handle lunch rides.  (I can always use the ST for longer trips.)  Somehow, I didn't miss the sound or the clutch lever.

[Smaug]

Here's another one. I've never heard of the company Energica, but they seem to be the electric motorcycle equivalent to Tesla.


The author of this blog post is the founder of advrider.com



https://www.cake.co/conversations/GKcsKDB/i-got-to-test-ride-an-energica-electric-motorcycle