Behold! The electric motorcycle cometh

[TonyB]

Electric motorcycles? Got to be a joke! Bound to be completely bloody useless! Right? Erm.... aparently not.
Have a look at this and this

Still a way to go me thinks, but if they're making the rapid advances they claim, then a rapid electric powered track bike is not far away at all. And if you can't be bothered reading it all, take a look at the attached vid... It's a minibike race, but one of them is electric with a maximum power output lower than it's petrol powered competition

[James Deuce]

They can go "blah, blah, blah" about electric vehicles as much as they want, but when electric motorcycles are the only option, I'm riding a mobility scooter into a sewerage treatment pond so I can be electrocuted up to my neck in poo.

[nicmotors]

mmm i don't really know what to say.
They seem to claim that they can pull higher power to weight ratios with more ease, proving better on the race track,
But really? It just wouldn't sound the same!!

[SPORK]

Do they have gears?

[VasalineWarrior]

Looks like they've still got a ways to go yet. Besides, how would we all get by without our morning dose of partly combused hydrocarbons? Mmm carcenogenic diesel and two stroke fumes ...

[Aiolos]

It's a minibike race, but one of them is electric with a maximum power output lower than it's petrol powered competition

The reason it wins is the reason they use electric motors (powered by diesel engines) in trains - Full torque at any rpm.

[Ixion]

Do they do a two stroke version?

[Pixie]

Do they have gears?

No because they don't have the disadvantages that require a gearbox.

[TonyB]

So having an electric motor is kind of like having a large capacity engine in a lower state of tune- more down low but torque but less peak HP. Hmmm, maybe Yamaha are on to something with the MT01.

And I reckon Jims comments hit the nail on the head. Would a bike that makes no noise at all be appealing in any way shape or form, no matter how fast it goes? Does this mean that humans are doomed?

[Coyote]

I reckon electric powered bikes would make awesome race bikes. Would be good if they had a few in the MotoGP. That way they would put more development into making them faster

[nicmotors]

However i think they must certainly have their perks, maintenance might be a dream, and the like, but could you pull up to a power station for a 'fill' up on your way down to wellington?? doubt it my friend.

[gamgee]

So having an electric motor is kind of like having a large capacity engine in a lower state of tune- more down low but torque but less peak HP. Hmmm, maybe Yamaha are on to something with the MT01.

And I reckon Jims comments hit the nail on the head. Would a bike that makes no noise at all be appealing in any way shape or form, no matter how fast it goes? Does this mean that humans are doomed?

i'm sure someone will find a way to modify them to make more noise, you could always peg a plastic card to your forks to hit the spokes as the wheel turns oldschool style clickclickclickclickclick haha

[T.W.R]

HOW ABOUT HYDROGEN-CELL BIKES (CHECK THE PIC)

[James Deuce]

i'm sure someone will find a way to modify them to make more noise, you could always peg a plastic card to your forks to hit the spokes as the wheel turns oldschool style clickclickclickclickclick haha

LolI was going to suggest that and a banana seat and an orange flag as well.

[parsley]

They can go "blah, blah, blah" about electric vehicles as much as they want, but when electric motorcycles are the only option, I'm riding a mobility scooter into a sewerage treatment pond so I can be electrocuted up to my neck in poo.

Not sure if they'll ever be the same as riding a "classic" bike, but let's face it the way oil prices are heading we might not have a choice. Most experts reckon we're over the hump in terms of oil supplies. Will we end up riding electrics, hydrogens (hydrogenated?), some artificial fuel or a variation on natural fuel (rape, alcohol, chicken shit)? Time will tell.