http://lightningmotorcycle.com/#prettyPhoto This Lightening bike is something I would definitely consider....
I know electric is currently viewed as the future but I am not sure about bikes, and not for the normal I would miss the sound reason. I ride for fun/pleasure and often go to places that wouldn't fit charging stations. That would mean I would need to keep the journies short or alternatively stop somewhere to charge up, which even if they could do it in 15 minutes would be a pain. Unless battery tech improves considerably, and it may do, I don't see a future for it in bikes, and even for cars people will have to realise that the electricity needed still needs to be generated somewhere, which means more power stations need to be built which won't be cheap, and the emissions merely move from the vehicle to the power station.
Come 2030 Germany will implement a ban on internal combustion engine (production)...there is pressure on UK to lower their date from 2040 to 2032. Electric is the future.
I would like to ride one just for the experience. I had looked around at second hand stuff earlier in the year, but none of them is cheap. And now I have to keep 'reserve funding' in case the Triumph Daytona Moto 2 bike materialises. As BSS says, part of the enjoyment of motorcycling is the brute power and music (noise to fuddy duddies) our machines make. As for fearing 2032, I'll be celebrating my 80th that year - probably do a double 30-mile loop on whatever I have in my lounge room at the time!
There is a video on MCN of a test ride on John McGuiness Mugen electric bike...bloody thing sounds awful; hideous electric whine ...no match for the mighty Racefit. Also when the ban on internal combustion comes into place...does that mean an end to MotoGP/WSB/BSB racing? ...also F1? What about exhaust manufacturers like Akra, Yoshi and the like? It's going to be a massive upheaval....and 2030 is only 11 years away. Not that long really
The good news on the plans to ban new engines from 2030 is the thought that the ban is being delivered by governments which historically never deliver on time Can't see them building enough power stations by 2030 to allow for this. Don't forget all the UK coal fired ones are due to be decommissioned by then, and the building of a new nuclear plant has been cancelled as it won't make any money unless the Government promises to guarantee a high price for the electricity it produces. Back on thread the instant torque of electric bikes would be fun, think they will be great on track but not convinced about on road.
I've ridden a Zero DSR - it was GREAT. So quick, amazing around town. Nimble, incredible acceleration. If motorcycles were purely a rational purchase driven by maximum practicality, effectiveness and economics we'd all be electric already. But they're not, they're emotional and primal, and engines just have that certain something electric power doesn't...
Tin foil hat time again folks: Electric bikes are not the future - it is a trap imposed on the population by a dictatorial government. This is how it works: Central government wish to control the masses of the population (that's us !). They cannot do this effectively if we have access to cheap reliable transport - free to come and go as we please with a little car and a tank of petrol we can come and go as we wish. So central government has to take this away from us using a rational that will be accepted slowly over time - that will not cause widespread revolt. And they have to promise an alternative in the form of a shiny lecky green vehicle that everyone can feel all good about. This transition period only has to last about +20 years until the memory of mass privately owned cars fades forever. The lecky revolution will not need to be implemented - it just needs to be a promise, and then not even a promise any more. Then, after about 20 years you will look around and find that the public have lost their means of cheap reliable independent transport, and decent lecky vehicles will be much fewer. It is about personal freedom and those that wish to take it away from you - so wake up.
I was lucky enough to do product testing on a couple of zero electric motorbikes a couple of years back, good bikes fairly nimble and quick, my only reservation is the lack of noise from them It’s bad enough if you have a standard pipe on petrol bikes to have someone pull out or cross your path when filtering, at least with a fairly noisy exhaust that can hear you coming, have seen plenty of idiots with earphones walk out infront of electric cars let alone bikes then look at the person as if it’s the drivers fault Only let down will be charging points, can’t see bike cafes putting them in due to costs, most don’t make a great profit in the first place
Humans conspire with each other all the time - from who is going to sit next to who at a dinner party - to political parties conspiring to keep rivals out. Other forms of conspiracy are illegal. Socialism and communism are criminal conspiracies that people are fooled into going along with - and then find it is a dead end when it is too late and the damage done. Sorry if you find this boring
I saw an interview with Jay Leno years ago when he was asked about electric transport. He said he imagined electric travel will not be the death of the internal combustion engine but more its saviour. He invisioned a world where our boring day to day travels were taken up by electric cars but we are left with our toys for the weekend. That's alright for him with a huge garage full of cars and bikes to choose from....as for us mere mortals I suggest on the eve of any potential ban we all go full on @nigelrb and buy 3 brand new Fireblades for our living rooms, that should last us a good 30 years.
I worked for Zero Motorcycles at the NYC INTERMOT last year. It was a blast riding the Zero. I was able to ride an unrestricted one for a bit and they are instant torque wheelie machines. I have test ridden an Alta as well. They are a lot of fun, but have extreme limitations. I wouldn't buy one, but I would defo wring the piss out of one given the chance.
