Charge

[slofox]

Did anyone else see the doco, "Charge" t'other night on sky? About electric powered bikes doing the IOM circuit.

The odd decent performance but a few woeful ones as well (especially when they ran out of batteries part way through...)

Opinions anyone?

[Ruahine]

Enjoyed the doco.

Have to say most of the bikes weren't up to much, running out of batteries half way up the hill or burning out their motors. But I was impressed with how much they improved from 2009-2010, much faster and more reliable. I supose there is no reason why they can't eventually match petrol engines with improvements in technology.

Still can't get over how quiet they are, the riders kept getting hit by birds!

[slofox]

Enjoyed the doco.

Have to say most of the bikes weren't up to much, running out of batteries half way up the hill or burning out their motors. But I was impressed with how much they improved from 2009-2010, much faster and more reliable. I supose there is no reason why they can't eventually match petrol engines with improvements in technology.

Still can't get over how quiet they are, the riders kept getting hit by birds!

Agreed. Reliability is an issue still.

However, there was one lap at an average speed of 96.summat mph. Which ain't too bad.

[Berg]

Thoroughly enjoyed it. Quite impressed with the development in the following years as well.

[Swoop]

Still can't get over how quiet they are, the riders kept getting hit by birds!
Wonderful.

"Green" technologies "saving the environment" while killing off other areas of the environment. A bit like the prius really.:tugger:

[slofox]

So when are we getting into steam powered bikes then? :devil2:

[bluninja]

Agreed. Reliability is an issue still.

However, there was one lap at an average speed of 96.summat mph. Which ain't too bad.

Michael Rutter went round at 104 mph average...you must have nodded off before the end :)

Couldn't understand why they were using motors with brushes. No wonder they kept failing.

[pzkpfw]

Michael Rutter went round at 104 mph average...you must have nodded off before the end :)

Couldn't understand why they were using motors with brushes. No wonder they kept failing.

The motocyz (sp?) team in their second (more successful) attempt did use (U.S. sourced) brushless motors.

(They seemed to develop a feeling against the Agni (sp?) motors most people were using. Though the Agni guy (Cedric Lynch) thought the motocyz guys were using theirs wrong.)


I missed the start, and in the credits saw a thanks for a picture of a Britten. What was that about?


Also noted: deaths of about 3 or 4 riders during the making of the doco.

[Ruahine]

I see MotoCzysz broke the 100mph average lap time this year.

[The End]

Wonderful.

"Green" technologies "saving the environment" while killing off other areas of the environment. A bit like the prius really.:tugger:

That whole "green" argument is utter bull IMO. What about the methods used to create the energy needed to charge the car/bike?

Not every country has sustainable power generation; most use a combination of coal and gas.

[Fryin Finn]

See the guy with the big penis commentating again - how about jobs for the less well hung eh?

[tigertim20]

So when are we getting into steam powered bikes then? :devil2:

Theyve been done!

There are plenty of people out there creating innovative electric bikes in their sheds! - looking at the IOM bikes and complaining about reliability issues isnt really a fair complaint - they are designing bikes to go at full noise, 100% of the time - there was a cash prize at the last IOM for the first electric bike to do a 100mph lap - clearly the emphasis wasn't on long term reliability or high milage capability.

There are several options out there though if a lekky bike is what you want for commuting - I remember a yard in Blenheim having lekky scooters for sale back on 2006 or 2007, they werent terrible looking, and I think had a travel distance of 50km on a single charge. That was a small bike, several years ago, plenty of gains have been made.

I was discussing options on electric bikes with Jantar at a rally a year or two ago, and even then there were several options available (albeit mostly ones that would need to be bought from overseas and shipped over) that would have been legitimate choices for a commuter. I recall (sort of, I was drunk!) discussing at length the options, including how far they could go on a charge and cost etc etc.

There are options out there if you look, but you arent likely to see them at your local Kawasaki or Harley dealership

[Oakie]

- they are designing bikes to go at full noise,

I don't think that description works in this case ...

I've got it recorded to watch should it rain this weekend.

[sil3nt]

Good doco. Got a bit gay at the end with the patriotic american shit :tugger:

[bogan]

That reminds me, have to track down a copy of that....

[raziel1983]

Check this out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVv0NVLFPig

[Smifffy]

I nearly got hit by a bird today. F%&^%&n hawks not holding their lines....:mad::mad::mad::mad:

[slofox]

Good doco. Got a bit gay at the end with the patriotic american shit :tugger:

Yer...well that's 'merkins for ya...

[Oakie]

I nearly got hit by a bird today. F%&^%&n hawks not holding their lines....:mad::mad::mad::mad:

Did he wave?

A friend of a friend got dumped on his arse on the road once after he got a black backed gull (they are the big ones) full in the chest.

[Woodman]

Great doco, even Mrs woodman who has no interest in motorcycles at all really enjoyed it.

Cedric is certainly a unique character.

The guy fron Cyz(sp) was inspired by the Britten story to build bikes and to be the first US bike to win a moto gp. For whoever was asking.

[pritch]

Not something I'd have chased after, but stumbled across it and enjoyed it.

[Grizzo]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.
Electric:crazy::sick::sick::sick::sick::sick:

No need for this electric crap, this global warming shit is the biggest fuckin scam out.

[bogan]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.
Electric:crazy::sick::sick::sick::sick::sick:

No need for this electric crap, this global warming shit is the biggest fuckin scam out.

Somehow, I don't think electric bikes going 100mph round a circuit to finish back where they started is based on need, or global warming.

[Grizzo]

Somehow, I don't think electric bikes going 100mph round a circuit to finish back where they started is based on need, or global warming.

Dont mind me, I just hate greenies:mad:

[bogan]

Dont mind me, I just hate greenies:mad:

Yeh, these guys seem all about the environment...

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Q-j7ocPep_4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[slofox]

Anybody else notice the guy explaining about how riding a bike is like flying a metre off the ground? Banking for corners and stuff?
Thought he was right on the nail there.

[sil3nt]

I love the electric bike concept and would happily own one. Trouble is NZ has no quick charging stations. I dont understand the hatred for them. There is no law saying you can't ride both!

[Grizzo]

[QUOTE=bogan;1130517007]Yeh, these guys seem all about the environment...

Yep, tyres probably made out of tofu:bleh:

[gammaguy]

That whole "green" argument is utter bull IMO. What about the methods used to create the energy needed to charge the car/bike?

Not every country has sustainable power generation; most use a combination of coal and gas.

Fact:energy cannot be created or destroyed

Fact:to have a clean green bike in one place,often means a dirty black energy source somewhere else

Still as long as its not messing up the back yard of anyone important,no worries right?

[roogazza]

Great doco, even Mrs woodman who has no interest in motorcycles at all really enjoyed it.

Cedric is certainly a unique character.


Same, other half told me it was on and even watched it.

Cedric ..... A smart guy, little bit of a cross between Mr Bean and Rainman. I saw him put one guy in his place who was being a dick.

[Dave-]

The national ignition facility in the states are hoping to kick off a fusion reactor in the next few years which would generate more energy than it consumes, and the half life of the material is like 3 days.

This could really bring about a new era of unlimited power, it could also bring about huge problems in dealing with the excessive heat, but we'll worry about that when we get to it.