Would you buy an electric bike?

[michael]

Some of the ideas coming out are pretty cool (IMO). Check this out.
"the bike is a "laptop on wheels that runs on the Linux OS, comes with with integrated IP connectivity and a USB based system bus for open source engine management (http://www.gizmag.com/mavizen-ttx02-electric-motorcycle/13321/)"

So if you had a choice of a petrol bike or an electric what would you choose?

[p.dath]

Petrol at the moment but that will change in the next 10 years.

[vtec]

Yeah, but at the moment, I'm trying to get in stacks of km's on my bicycles. So it's either the fast VFR400 motorbike. The versatile but traffic hindered Honda Prelude. Or one of my bicycles. If fuel goes up heaps I'd probably sell the VFR get a decent electric bike for those times when I don't want to arrive sweaty from cycling. I'd also sell the car and get a diesel van which I plan to do soon anyway.

[rainman]

Petrol at the moment but that will change in the next 10 years.

Yup indeedy, but I'd give an electric bike a go too. Hard to see how one could get a decent V-Twin growl out of an electric though. Might need a noisemaker on the side...

[slofox]

Might need a noisemaker on the side...

I usta poke a topsy stick into the spokes - held on with a rubber band...that makes a noise...of sorts

[ICE180]

you do realise that when you pay for ya rego on an electric bike you get stung with an extra ACC levy as you are not giveing them a top up in there fuel % surcahge BASTARDS

[wysper]

you do realise that when you pay for ya rego on an electric bike you get stung with an extra ACC levy as you are not giveing them a top up in there fuel % surcahge BASTARDS

I think you have to pay RUC too.

Fekkers.

But I would ride an electric. Think of the torque.

[Motu]

After being forced to use an electric lawn mower recently,I would definitely have an electric motorcycle.I can't believe how much grunt this stupid little thing has - I used to have a Victa 550 Professional,a pretty serious mower...but this little electric thing goes straight through stuff that would have the Victa slowing down at. Best thing is it starts again by pressing a switch.

[Flatcap]

Might need a noisemaker on the side...

Yes, a claxon would be interesting

[EgliHonda]

Ooh, like they had on the Stuka's...

Bike sounding like a Dive-bomber,
Sweeeet...

[vifferman]

I'd have one for communtering, but only if it wasn't restricted to 50km/h.
And didn't look too ghey.
And wasn't too expensive.
And I could plug it in at work (my power bills are too high already).
And it had a built-in coffee machine.

[ready4whatever]

petrol motorcycles are still common in 2018


http://wearemoviegeeks.com/wp-content/terminator-salvation-motorcycle-560x273.jpg

http://thinkcommon.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/terminator-salvation-concept-2.jpg

[Skyryder]

The will come about, on that I have no doubt. Won't be todays riders that get off on these bikes but a new generation. That may or may not yet be born

They will be fast, silent, and with the right kind of styling the chicks will go nuts. I'd go as far as to say they will generate a whole new style of biker.

The trick is will the elctric bike last the distance or become a fad for a generation who will then go onto the 'real thing.':2guns:

Skyryder

[huff3r]

The will come about, on that I have no doubt. Won't be todays riders that get off on these bikes but a new generation. That may or may not yet be born

They will be fast, silent, and with the right kind of styling the chicks will go nuts. I'd go as far as to say they will generate a whole new style of biker.

The trick is will the elctric bike last the distance or become a fad for a generation who will then go onto the 'real thing.':2guns:

Skyryder

If it comes with some insane electric motor wine i'd almost be keen! But if its completely silent... no thanks

[scissorhands]

I like the sound of the electric Killacycle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDHJNG2PngQ


or the economy of the the Honda Cub in electric 2WD

http://pictures.topspeed.com/IMG/crop/200910/honda-s-ev-cub-brags-1_460x0w.jpg

[george formby]

I would have a look at a electric/petrol Piaggio Mp3 for tootling about if it were'nt $15'000. It would cost me less than $2 a week in petroil & will do stoppies in the rain. I like that.

[AllanB]

petrol motorcycles are still common in 2018

Nah - it will be nuclear powered like Anrie Terminator was. Suck on that petrol stations - no filling up for 100 years!


Electric. In the future yes - I can see the technology getting so good relatively rapidly that the raw linear torque these things will put out will make a big-block Harley appear like a starter motor.

If fact there may be a global issue with them being too grunty at the rear wheel, and during race meetings there could be a possibility of the bikes altering the speed of the rotation of the earth.

[george formby]

A few years ago a BMW development engineer commented that the biggest problem they had with an electric X5 (lrg 4wd urban assault vehicle) was pulling away without lighting up all four tyres! Thats grunt! The future looks fun.

[FROSTY]

I rode a electric scooter up and down the road a few weeks back. i was pretty impressed by the amount of grunt it had for the equivilant of a 50cc scooter.
and because all the weight is so darned low it handled pretty darn good.
If you're in auckland and want to try a fun electric vehicle try the electric indoor karts down ascot ave -now that electric vehicles that are fun

[Ooky]

If you're in auckland and want to try a fun electric vehicle try the electric indoor karts down ascot ave -now that electric vehicles that are fun

yeah but there power is turned right down :( would be cool if un restricted!<_<

I wouldn't buy a electric bike but i might buy a four stroke:laugh:

[Skyryder]

If it comes with some insane electric motor wine i'd almost be keen! But if its completely silent... no thanks

All it would take is for some manufacture to spend up big time on some movie where their electric bike features in some sort of spectacular scene and whammo every smart arse kid on the block wants to be the movie hero.

'Eltric' bikes will happen; it's not if but when.:msn-wink:


Skyryder

[Pedrostt500]

I used to work for NZ Ecobikes in Upper Hutt a few years back, we brought in a range of various electric bikes and electric Motor kits for push bikes, Shaun who ran NZ Ecobikes now works from home, he is still developing some motor kits for push bikes and mountain bikes.

[scracha]

206978206979

Yes sir, I'd have this electric bike if I could afford it.

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/05/yes-the-mavizen-electric-superbike-is-hot/

[Taz]

I would buy an electric adventure bike but it would need a lot better battery range than they currently have.

[Toaster]

Electric bikes? No thanks.... I couldn't imagine riding the two wheeled equivalent of a Toyota Prius and still managing to grin from ear to ear.

Make some noise and to heck with global warming!

[trailblazer]

whats the point in BP destroying the oceans off mexico if we go electric.

[quickbuck]

Electric bikes? No thanks.... I couldn't imagine riding the two wheeled equivalent of a Toyota Prius and still managing to grin from ear to ear.

Make some noise and to heck with global warming!
Actually, i was having a discussion with the other half today.... and she would get her own bike again, if I bought an electric one...

I digress. If the electricity comes from a Coal Fired Power Station... Well, there is no advantage.
Also, imagine adding your fuel bill to your power bill..... and ouch!
As well, you would still need the petrol powered bike to do those 10 day tours through the back roads of a fantastic island 25k over the ditch.....

[Brian d marge]

have been watching this space ( electric bikes ) and I am quite excited about them , here the company's name is called Prozza ( hell of a name Stan)
but with a scooter costing new 205 000 yen and from what i can see a similar build quality as some jap bikes ( from what I can tell )
A running cost of 3 yen per kilometre

shes looking good!

and then there is the KTM and the Australian MX bike

That little DC motor is a toruey wee byatch

Stephen

IF IF I was ever to open a bike shop it might just be one specializing in Electric bikes !!!

[blackdog]

100% torque at zero revs. that has some appeal!

maintenance costs would be small compared to what we're used to aswell.

yeah, bring em on i reckon

[blackdog]

Electric bikes? No thanks.... I couldn't imagine riding the two wheeled equivalent of a Toyota Prius and still managing to grin from ear to ear.

Make some noise and to heck with global warming!

forget the prius, look at the tesla

0-100 in 3.9 seconds (whats the 'busa, about 3.5? this is a car remember!)
300 ft-lb of torque 100% of the time (from 0 rpm)

and it certainly aint ugly........

http://www.teslamotors.com/

wouldn't you consider an electric bike if it could run a 1/4 mile 2-3 seconds faster than the bike you ride now? or would you you be happy letting all the young 'uns on their top o' the line lecky's laughing at that slow old man on his geriatric hayabusa?

[Toaster]

forget the prius, look at the tesla

0-100 in 3.9 seconds (whats the 'busa, about 3.5? this is a car remember!)
300 ft-lb of torque 100% of the time (from 0 rpm)

and it certainly aint ugly........

http://www.teslamotors.com/

wouldn't you consider an electric bike if it could run a 1/4 mile 2-3 seconds faster than the bike you ride now? or would you you be happy letting all the young 'uns on there top o' the line lecky's laughing at that slow old man on his geriatric hayabusa?

A Busa is faster than that on 0-100km/h.

If they bring out bikes that can beat a Hayabusa over a 1/4 mile by 2 to 3 seconds as you say, I will eat my hat*.



*hat is defined as a chocolate hat, er, cake.

[Toaster]

I digress. If the electricity comes from a Coal Fired Power Station... Well, there is no advantage.

Quite correct. Many non-renewable energy sources pollute like mad and use too much energy to produce the electricity than is either economically or environmentally sensible, especially in the case of producing bio-fuels. There is a lot of work going into wind and wave electricity development and generation. Why they want to build a gas fired powerstation the size of Huntly near Helensville on SH16 is beyond me.

[davereid]

Quite correct. Many non-renewable energy sources pollute like mad and use too much energy to produce the electricity than is either economically or environmentally sensible, especially in the case of producing bio-fuels. There is a lot of work going into wind and wave electricity development and generation. Why they want to build a gas fired powerstation the size of Huntly near Helensville on SH16 is beyond me.

I hope they don't start using wave generation. The sea and coastline will end up cluttered with generation equipment.

IMHO, N.Z. has more than 500 years of coal reserves. We should build and operate the cleanest coal fired stations we can, as a temporary alternative to filling the sea and hills with windmills, and flooding all our valleys for Hydro.

Clean, safe, nuclear fusion is on the way - its going to be available within a few decades, and will offer safe. clean and renewable energy. We should resist destroying our environment with the current crop of "renewable" energies when we can just patch the gap with coal in the meantime.

Electric vehicles ?

Here in NZ, some world leading research into super conductors is being done. The super conductor, and its stable mate, the super insulator, may lead to the super capacitor. This is the invention required to make electric vehicles practical. Until then, battery technology will limit them to being short range, low power devices.

I also think that until we get cheap electricity from nuclear fusion, that we should just use the fossil fuels. Technology will solve the problem of fossil fuel depletion long before it becomes an issue.

[bogan]

pffft, fuck buying one, I'm building one :D hoping to start testing it this month too.

But yeh, would buy one as a second bike when they start making good ones (though by then it'll probly be my twenty second bike!)

[avgas]

A Busa is faster than that on 0-100km/h.
If they bring out bikes that can beat a Hayabusa over a 1/4 mile by 2 to 3 seconds as you say, I will eat my hat*.
*hat is defined as a chocolate hat, er, cake.
They have done same 1/4. Worth googling.
But if your want 2-3 faster than stock busa, you are talking 7 seconds. Which is 400+hp methanol bike range.
So your expectation is a little out of reach from the us folk in the real world.

[avgas]

petrol motorcycles are still common in 2018


http://wearemoviegeeks.com/wp-content/terminator-salvation-motorcycle-560x273.jpg

http://thinkcommon.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/terminator-salvation-concept-2.jpg
Your argument is flawed - apparently "Guns and Roses" songs and Ghetto blasters are also common.

[FlangMasterJ]

If I had the bunce.

[blackdog]

A Busa is faster than that on 0-100km/h.

If they bring out bikes that can beat a Hayabusa over a 1/4 mile by 2 to 3 seconds as you say, I will eat my hat*.



*hat is defined as a chocolate hat, er, cake.

lol prepare for chocolate rush

an electric bike out-performing the 'busa is inevitable, and in the not too distant future

[DougB]

I helped to build an electric bike back in the 1980's. We used an old LE vellocette, the water cooled machines used by the British Police. They had twin opposed motors with shaft drive. We removed the motor, fitted a electric motor in its place and used the built on pannier boxes to hold the batterys. Had to alter the angle of the front forks a bit to fit the motor. It went alright but as with all electric vehicles built then the heavy lead acid batteries made them impractical for general use. Now with the new lighter and better batteries electric bikes could be made to work well.

[Brian d marge]

Another thing they are just so quiet , really is nice not to hear traffic noise in a big city
all the boy racers will be fitting playing cards to the spokes , as big exhaust ,,,just ,,,no point !

Bikie gangs will be a thing of the past , no more Thunder down under , more like a wine in Wiapara

Loud pipe save lives ,,,,,, umm that ain't going to work either

Looks like Ill be keeping me enfield and using me electric scooter for a daily run about

be nice if they did an electric Bergman or silver wing

Stephen

[bogan]

Another thing they are just so quiet , really is nice not to hear traffic noise in a big city
all the boy racers will be fitting playing cards to the spokes , as big exhaust ,,,just ,,,no point !

Bikie gangs will be a thing of the past , no more Thunder down under , more like a wine in Wiapara

Loud pipe save lives ,,,,,, umm that ain't going to work either

Looks like Ill be keeping me enfield and using me electric scooter for a daily run about

be nice if they did an electric Bergman or silver wing

Stephen

I dunno, mine makes a shitload of chain noise, and will be trying to program a nice electric whine into it too :P Usually one of the design points of having electric is that it is quiet, if that ain't a design point you can make them make a bit of noise, no nice burble at idle though :no:

[blackdog]

I dunno, mine makes a shitload of chain noise, and will be trying to program a nice electric whine into it too :P Usually one of the design points of having electric is that it is quiet, if that ain't a design point you can make them make a bit of noise, no nice burble at idle though :no:

mmm something like a nice supercharger sounding whine actually kinda appeals :)

[mashman]

I think I could be tempted...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4EPFhQpooA

[oldguy]

Would I buy an electric Bike Hell No

Long live Fossil Fuel