Electric Motorcycles

[vfx]

The Zero was at the Alt car expo. Besides a booth they also had a shared fenced area for letting people ride. Anyone with a Motorcycle license was allowed to circle around at 1/4 power. Once the felt comfortable they pulled in for a switch to full power.

The sales guy said on Friday they gave 50 or so rides and had 6 spills.Getting used to the brakes was part of it but mostly because the power is more than anyone expects. I think the bike's silence is deceptive.

I found the strangest thing was watch riders do wheelies right in front of me with no noise. Felt like a real life with the mute on.

 

[vfx]

KTM joining the fray.

Race ready electric dirtbike coming from KTM - AutoblogGreen
Motorbikes are probably going to get product out much faster than cars (not as many DOT regs) and increase acceptance among "cool" people because they are buying them like mad. The quiet operation allows them to ride in all new and nearby places. Any 1/2 acre now becomes a place to steal from bicycle moto.

 

[dpeilow]

TG Daily - TG Video: Electric motorcycle inventor crashes at Wired NextFest - Updated video

 

[graham]

That was seriously scary acceleration. I hope he is okay.

 

[TEG]

That is an old video from 2007. Yes, he was OK. That video really made the rounds last year when it was first posted.

 

[dpeilow]

Electric Bikes Pose Environmental Dilemma - 40 million people use them in China - Softpedia

 

[dpeilow]

KillaCycle electric-motorcycle sets new drag record

 

[graham]

October 28, 2008 The KillaCyle has again caused record-keepers to reach for their erasers with a world beating run of 7.890 seconds for the quarter mile at the Bandimere Speedway in Colorado. The day out for owner/designer Bill Dube’ and his team was topped off by an earlier run in which the 500hp two-wheeler set a new top speed mark 174.05 mph.

The bike's performance in conventional terms is 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 0.97 seconds, and it only uses around $0.07 worth of electricity for each run.

That is just crazy acceleration! I like speed as much as the next guy, but I would be scared to death trying to do that!

 

[vfx]

I wonder when the electric Bikes and cars will pass the ICE versions of the classes.


That will be cool.

 

[Bob Smith]

Poor guy. He was so excited too. I hope he was not hurt, especially since not wearing a helmet!!?
I expected the acceleration to be fast just from the stats and the look of the bike, but that was insanity. It looked like the video was sped up! (I know it wasn't)

Is there any news if he is ok? If it only takes .97 seconds he must have been going at least 60 M.P.H.!

 

[doug]

I went grocery shopping at the Safeway in Menlo Park yesterday afternoon. As I left, I saw a motorcycle pull up absolutely silently. You think it's strange to see a silent car... seeing a silent motorcycle in motion really causes some cognitive dissonance.

 

[graham]

What type of electric motorcycle was it?

 

[vfx]

I... seeing a silent motorcycle in motion really causes some cognitive dissonance.

Uh Huh. Like I said in the first post here. Wait until you see them doing wheelies. Freaky.

 

[doug]

What type of electric motorcycle was it?

I don't really know bikes, so I couldn't tell you. I only got a glimpse at it. It wasn't a scooter, though. Definitely looked more like a sport bike.

 

[domenick]

I don't really know bikes, so I couldn't tell you. I only got a glimpse at it. It wasn't a scooter, though. Definitely looked more like a sport bike.

It didn't look something like this, did it?

There is an electric motorcycle developer in stealth mode in the area.

 

[TEG]

Or this:

Or this:

 

[doug]

It didn't look something like this, did it?

There is an electric motorcycle developer in stealth mode in the area.

Yeah, I thought Ducati when I saw it, and it was red btw. I suppose it could be Hum Cycles. I just didn't get a good enough look at it. (That ABG article was based on this thread: http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/off-topic/1203-hum-cycles.html) I suppose it could just as easily (and more likely) been one of the larger scooters, out on a quick grocery run.

 

[graham]

First rendering of the street bike from Zero on Autoblog Green:

Zero Motorcycles takin' it to the streets with new Zero S - AutoblogGreen

Expected to launch this Spring, the first rendering has been released and some numbers announced.

The answer to the first question everybody will want to know is 70 mph. That is the top speed of this lithium-powered machine. The other important electric vehicle question is "How far can I go on a charge?" and, according to the company, the Zero S will quietly roll for up to 60 miles.

 

[dpeilow]

Motorcycles: Honda Plans To Build All-Electric Motorcycle By 2010

 

[vfx]

Motorcycles: Honda Plans To Build All-Electric Motorcycle By 2010

A great way for a car company to do (justify) a "Bottom Up" program.