200hp, 168lb-ft, 218mph production bike

[gjm]

Sounds mental. Well, the description does... The bike itself could be a bit quiet. I don't know.

Whatever - it's a reality. All-up weight of 495lbs, but a sub-3s 0-100km/h isn't hanging about. Öhlins FGRT fork and TTX36 shock, billet aluminum swing arm, 320mm Brembo discs and radial calipers, 17" Marchesini forged magnesium wheels... The spec is good. It is even has a decent range: up to 250 - 290km, depending on specific model.

The manufacturer holds records at Pike's Peak and Bonneville, and has won at Le Mans.

Oh. It's electric. Yup. No petrol whatsoever, just a few batteries.

And it's not cheap. A touch under US $39k.

Lightning Motorcycle (http://lightningmotorcycle.com/)

[sil3nt]

I do like electric bikes. They just need to sort out the weight issues.

[MVnut]

Unfortunately hit with a big ugly stick

[James Deuce]

Not interested. I'll just get a pushy. To understand the implications of that statement, please see my signature.

[bogan]

I do like electric bikes. They just need to sort out the weight issues.

While I think 225kg is a bit portly, when 150kw comes with, and that weight will be stacked well down the bottom, and it can't be a 'dry weight' :bleh: that ain't half bad.

And it looks fucking brilliant.

[Hitcher]

I despair. The SI (metric) system of measurement has only been legal in New Zealand since 1967 and yet people still take every possible opportunity to resist it, including those born well after that date. That's two generations.

I blame women and Americans.

[Drew]

290k range? That's fucken SHITHOUSE!

Factor in charge time, it's three friggin days to ride the ugly bit of shit to Aukland from Wellington.

[bogan]

290k range? That's fucken SHITHOUSE!

Factor in charge time, it's three friggin days to ride the ugly bit of shit to Aukland from Wellington.

Just a minor point, but their target market might not be wombles wobbling their way to aucks from weli... Betcha that thing would be a hell of a laugh on the track.

[AllanB]

Jeepers - this could up the anti in the battery threads ..............

[Dave-]

Jeepers - this could up the anti in the battery threads ..............

For this application ultrabatt should win.

power to weight and power to volume ratio wins (see graphs in....that....thread)

[Mike.Gayner]

Sweet, so if I feel like doing a ride around the Coro loop I just need to divide it into a two day journey :rolleyes:

Oh, and pay $40k for the privilege.

[Mike.Gayner]

Just a minor point, but their target market might not be wombles wobbling their way to aucks from weli... Betcha that thing would be a hell of a laugh on the track.

You know what else is a laugh? Riding one of the many amazing supersport bikes available to a track, spending the day on the track, and getting home all in one day, for a tiny fraction of the cost.

Realistically this thing will give you an hour of run time on the track. What a fucking waste. At that price and that range, you're not buying a bike, you're buying a carnival ride.

[bogan]

You know what else is a laugh?

Curmudgeons?

[Dave-]

Realistically this thing will give you an hour of run time on the track.

Over 2 hours at Ruapuna if you average 1:30 a lap (you wont) which is more than a days racing.

[ducatilover]

While I think 225kg is a bit portly, when 150kw comes with, and that weight will be stacked well down the bottom, and it can't be a 'dry weight' :bleh: that ain't half bad.

And it looks fucking brilliant.

That's actually not too heavy isn't it? Pretty sure a 2010 R1 wet is around the 210kg mark. And in the real world that is pretty light

[bogan]

That's actually not too heavy isn't it? Pretty sure a 2010 R1 wet is around the 210kg mark. And in the real world that is pretty light

Mate, more heavier than is my personal preference is what I mean, hence the not-half-bad thingo...

[ducatilover]

Mate, more heavier than is my personal preference is what I mean, hence the not-half-bad thingo...

Probably similar in weight to that female I "met" in Levin :shutup::scooter:

[Ocean1]

Probably similar in weight to that female I "met" in Levin :shutup::scooter:

And how fast was she?

[Erelyes]

It's a cool bike, but yeah, a bit of money. Taking cues from Tesla perhaps.

Personally I'd be quite happy with something that has half the power, weighs 30kg less, has the same charge, and suspension that does't ream you in the ass.

I do 200k a week commuting, fill up with petrol once a week... that thing would need charged once a week on the same kilometer-age with the midrange battery.

Of course, would be shit for touring.

[Rhys]

And if you charge it at work it cost you nothing !

[ducatilover]

And how fast was she?

Not very, but she handled like shit. Comfy though

[gjm]

We need bikes like this.

OK. It is expensive, it is perhaps heavier than would be preferable, and the styling isn't to everyone's taste. Range isn't there, and 'refuelling' will take longer than filling with petrol.

But without these, there will never be a lighter, cheaper, longer-range version. It may be expensive, but if you can charge this from solar or wind power, you'll never pay anything for fuel. It still doesn't quite add up, but if you paid for all the fuel you would use during your ownership, when you bought a new bike, how many new bikes would be sold?

There's a way to go, but this is a great start. (imho, etc, blah, blah, blah... :))

[george formby]

I despair. The SI (metric) system of measurement has only been legal in New Zealand since 1967


South Island system of measurement? New one on me. Owt to do with that Rutherford chap?

[skippa1]

We need bikes like this.

OK. It is expensive, it is perhaps heavier than would be preferable, and the styling isn't to everyone's taste. Range isn't there, and 'refuelling' will take longer than filling with petrol.

But without these, there will never be a lighter, cheaper, longer-range version. It may be expensive, but if you can charge this from solar or wind power, you'll never pay anything for fuel. It still doesn't quite add up, but if you paid for all the fuel you would use during your ownership, when you bought a new bike, how many new bikes would be sold?

There's a way to go, but this is a great start. (imho, etc, blah, blah, blah... :))
Nah......fossil fuels the way to go...

[GrayWolf]

While I think 225kg is a bit portly, when 150kw comes with, and that weight will be stacked well down the bottom, and it can't be a 'dry weight' :bleh: that ain't half bad.

And it looks fucking brilliant.

Portly? Not really, Hayabusa? ZX14? Both are heavier than that. The 'Grandaddy' ZZR1100 is around 260kg wet, there's a lot of 250kg+ bikes around. Probably not a good weight for the track as in 'flickability'... But hell it's 40 odd Kg lighter than my MT... so it's a 'lightweight' :cool:

[bogan]

Portly? Not really, Hayabusa? ZX14? Both are heavier than that. The 'Grandaddy' ZZR1100 is around 260kg wet, there's a lot of 250kg+ bikes around. Probably not a good weight for the track as in 'flickability'... But hell it's 40 odd Kg lighter than my MT... so it's a 'lightweight' :cool:

Mate, just cos some things are obese, doesn't mean lower weight stuff can't still be fat.

http://global3.memecdn.com/fat-people_o_1225786.jpg

http://www.mgtowforums.com/forums/attachments/shits-n-giggles/4901d1377313869-another-reason-not-date-fat-chick-no-fat-chicks1.jpg

Simple rule of bike weight classification, divide by 2.5 and think of a chick of that weight. 90kg is a bit portly...

[GrayWolf]

Mate, just cos some things are obese, doesn't mean lower weight stuff can't still be fat.


Simple rule of bike weight classification, divide by 2.5 and think of a chick of that weight. 90kg is a bit portly...


Maaaate,
if you go onto the NZ online dating site? You've just 'insulted' 95% of the 'curvy/voluptuous' average size females in NZ :clap::clap:

[bogan]

Maaaate,
if you go onto the NZ online dating site? You've just 'insulted' 95% of the 'curvy/voluptuous' average size females in NZ :clap::clap:

Mate, nah mate, 90kg is about the upper limit for curvy... Guess I should sign up using a different alias then :laugh:

[Brett]

You homo's are missing the point...it's the start. Imagine what can come in the future? I say good on them, personally I will stick to petrol powered crotch rockets...for now, but once battery technology improves, electric motor's might just prove to be something quite cool.

[ducatilover]

Portly? Not really, Hayabusa? ZX14? Both are heavier than that. The 'Grandaddy' ZZR1100 is around 260kg wet, there's a lot of 250kg+ bikes around. Probably not a good weight for the track as in 'flickability'... But hell it's 40 odd Kg lighter than my MT... so it's a 'lightweight' :cool:

They're all as heavy as fuck :msn-wink: My GN600 is 140 wet

[buggerit]

At the least it will make a magnificent mobility scooter repower for for our old age:crazy::eek5::beer:

[10bikekid]

Amazing feat, but watching the Vidios seems a bit soulless to ride with little sensory feedback.

Crazy fast though, Imagine twisting the throttle and no gear changes to 345kph :crazy:

http://lightningmotorcycle.com/

[digger02]

Amazing feat, but watching the Vidios seems a bit soulless to ride with little sensory feedback.

By sensory I assume you are talking about hearing, which is well down the sensory ladder when compared to vision and touch, & if that bike can go that fast ie: acceleration forces, speed sensation, wind buffeting, I would say my sensory feedback would be working overtime.
But that's just me

[jonbuoy]

380 V battery pack. I hope someone wrapped some tape around those terminals for wet weather riding :shit:

[corsaro128]

"Bucky paper" will revolutionise how fast we can charge something up.
Check it out! Its rad tech

[Big Dog]

You know what else is a laugh? Riding one of the many amazing supersport bikes available to a track, spending the day on the track, and getting home all in one day, for a tiny fraction of the cost.

Realistically this thing will give you an hour of run time on the track. What a fucking waste. At that price and that range, you're not buying a bike, you're buying a carnival ride.

Surely if racing was your thing spending 50k a season to be in a premier class is not unusual. Surely having a race team themselves there will be a track version available and with that would be a cartridge style battery you swap out when performance starts to drop.

I am pretty sure most of the team owners consider that the bar for how much is too much for a win is pretty high. You might not get a seat next year if you can't win though.

Also some of that cost difference would be offset by the less moving parts bit. Lower servicing costs etc.


Stupid phone / Tapatalk, apologies in advance.

[Dave-]

"Bucky paper" will revolutionise how fast we can charge something up.
Check it out! Its rad tech

Far out.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013468612011905

"The corresponding specific energy is 1067 Wh/kg based on the total weight of the sulfuric acid."

According to wikipedia, Lithium-ion based battiered are 100–265 W·h/kg.

I'll have a read of that paper tonight.

[george formby]

$38'000 US. The tester loves it.
http://www.gizmag.com/lightning-ls218-review-ls-218/36470/?utm_source=Gizmag+Subscribers&utm_campaign=804995b978-UA-2235360-4&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_65b67362bd-804995b978-91449109

[Banditbandit]

$38'000 US. The tester loves it.
http://www.gizmag.com/lightning-ls218-review-ls-218/36470/?utm_source=Gizmag+Subscribers&utm_campaign=804995b978-UA-2235360-4&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_65b67362bd-804995b978-91449109

For that money you'd want to love it !!!!

[Reckless]

Imagine if some one had of told you when you 30 years ago you'd be riding something that uses the same power as a light bulb. :no:

Little more advancement in batteries and power station fill points! Free fuel in solar power to ;) Done deal!
They'll have to change the race classes to kilowatts :sick:

Wont be long now lads :soon: you wont be goin ring a tingting or Vroom anymore :)

[James Deuce]

Lithium ion battery tech has peaked. It is only going to improve in very tiny increments. Manufacturers always quote range figures that make the product look attractive but forget to tell you that 40% of that range will have to undertaken at less than NZ's open road speed limit. Throw in a 75km commute like mine with the Rimutakas in the middle and lots of traffic lights and the manufacturers go pale and stop talking to you.

There is a new Li-ion battery tech with an anode that doesn't aggregate crap or shed recyclable lithium ions to the same extent as current battery packs, but it's an incremental improvement of a tech at its peak. It's also "5-10 years away" in terms of being in production, so it's vaporware in effect. As they lose efficiency and impedance increases they generate more and more heat, especially as the anode surface passivates. It eventually turns into a toxic block of ground water poisoning waste products.

Those of you suggesting stealing electricity off your employer are dicks. At least ask before you plug the high amperage 3 phase plug in, yeah?

[smmudd83_1999]

There is a new Li-ion battery tech with an anode that doesn't aggregate crap or shed recyclable lithium ions to the same extent as current battery packs, but it's an incremental improvement of a tech at its peak. It's also "5-10 years away" in terms of being in production, so it's vaporware in effect. As they lose efficiency and impedance increases they generate more and more heat, especially as the anode surface passivates. It eventually turns into a toxic block of ground water poisoning waste products.

Those of you suggesting stealing electricity off your employer are dicks. At least ask before you plug the high amperage 3 phase plug in, yeah?

Yeah there's some truth there. But the battery lifetime/lifecycle is actually quite impressive these days. I know that Zero state that in something like 300,000 kms the cells retain 80% of charge compared to when they were new. That's a lot of commuting kms (or track kms in the Lightning case).
I agree that battery recycling technology is a key green issue. If everybody turns to 100% EVs, where are all these rare elements going to be mined from? We are struggling to keep up due to increase in demand for laptops and smartphones in developing countries alone. So recycling will start to become an increasingly contentious issue in the future.

And I agree with asking your employer first. That's just plain good manners. It won't cost much to charge, so maybe work a few bucks to your boss.

I like the way the tech is heading. And $39k USD is out of reach for me personally, but not as expensive as I imagined. I wonder how long the rear tyre lasts with a torque delivery like that :)