Practical electric bike?

[manxie49]

Electric bikes are certainly not for me, ridiculous charge times, restricted range, which basically knocks touring on the head, most of them look pig ugly and worst off all .... NO NOISE!.....In fact, to celebrate the invention of the internal combustion engine, I'm gonna go sit on the drive and rev my engine just to P--s off my greeny neighbours "who incidentally drive a big diesel motorhome to attend ER rallies in the UK", Go figure!!

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I'll just say very quietly that most electric bikes have a greater range than the Bobber. Fill the tank to the brim and the computer tells you you've got 88 miles to the next petrol stop.

Mind you, with just a few inches of suspension travel you're pretty damn glad when the fuel warning light comes on.

[manxie49]

I'll just say very quietly that most electric bikes have a greater range than the Bobber. Fill the tank to the brim and the computer tells you you've got 88 miles to the next petrol stop.

Mind you, with just a few inches of suspension travel you're pretty damn glad when the fuel warning light comes on.

 

On the up side they do sound pretty damn good though

[geofferz]

I'll just say very quietly that most electric bikes have a greater range than the Bobber. Fill the tank to the brim and the computer tells you you've got 88 miles to the next petrol stop.

Mind you, with just a few inches of suspension travel you're pretty damn glad when the fuel warning light comes on.

 

I get 100 miles max but I can refill in 5 hours 57 minutes less then this electric thing.

[onesea]

75mph top speed?

I'd rather walk.

If it can hold that up a hill, it will be quicker than most 125cc out there..

[Guest]

This may well be how they resolve the battery range issue

https://www-motorcyclenews-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.motorcyclenews.com/amp/news/new-tech/yamaha-honda-kawasaki-suzuki-battery-project/?amp_js_v=a3&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.motorcyclenews.com%2Fnews%2Fnew-tech%2Fyamaha-honda-kawasaki-suzuki-battery-project%2F

"Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki have put aside their rivalries to work together on developing a standardised set of specifications for electric bike batteries – with a trial starting this month."

Pop in a service station and quickly swap battery and you are off.

[bonio]

Nice idea.

Years ago I had a go a Zero S - it was huge fun - loads-a-torque on a really light bike. But it all came to sad end when the batteryometer said I had to go home and I'd not yet done 50 miles. Once they sort out the recharging times they'll be a serious option.

[geofferz]

75mph top speed?

I'd rather walk.

If it can hold that up a hill, it will be quicker than most 125cc out there..

 

It will be quicker than 50ccs too

[geofferz]

This may well be how they resolve the battery range issue

https://www-motorcyclenews-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.motorcyclenews.com/amp/news/new-tech/yamaha-honda-kawasaki-suzuki-battery-project/?amp_js_v=a3&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.motorcyclenews.com%2Fnews%2Fnew-tech%2Fyamaha-honda-kawasaki-suzuki-battery-project%2F

"Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki have put aside their rivalries to work together on developing a standardised set of specifications for electric bike batteries – with a trial starting this month."

Pop in a service station and quickly swap battery and you are off.

 

Now you're talking. But how would they manage old ones vs new ones and who gets what?

[Guest]

This may well be how they resolve the battery range issue

https://www-motorcyclenews-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.motorcyclenews.com/amp/news/new-tech/yamaha-honda-kawasaki-suzuki-battery-project/?amp_js_v=a3&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.motorcyclenews.com%2Fnews%2Fnew-tech%2Fyamaha-honda-kawasaki-suzuki-battery-project%2F

"Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki have put aside their rivalries to work together on developing a standardised set of specifications for electric bike batteries – with a trial starting this month."

Pop in a service station and quickly swap battery and you are off.

 

Now you're talking. But how would they manage old ones vs new ones and who gets what?

 

I'm just the ideas man Geofferz, I let someone else sort the detail.

[dynax]

This may well be how they resolve the battery range issue

https://www-motorcyclenews-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.motorcyclenews.com/amp/news/new-tech/yamaha-honda-kawasaki-suzuki-battery-project/?amp_js_v=a3&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.motorcyclenews.com%2Fnews%2Fnew-tech%2Fyamaha-honda-kawasaki-suzuki-battery-project%2F

"Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki have put aside their rivalries to work together on developing a standardised set of specifications for electric bike batteries – with a trial starting this month."

Pop in a service station and quickly swap battery and you are off.

 

Now you're talking. But how would they manage old ones vs new ones and who gets what?

 

This makes better sense, but they would probably need some kind of smart battery which can keep logs of how many times it's been charged/discharged, temperature during use and maybe even gps to track it's mileage and speed

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

Having interchangeable batteries would be a better idea than the buyer owning their own batteries. The replacement cost of batteries is a significant cost factor.

The question is what they'd charge for a charged pack and how frequent the stations are. It would be frustrating to have to replace a half full battery before setting out on a journey.

[S-Westerly]

I've no problem with an electric bike in principle although I'd miss the sound of the exhaust. My issues are firstly the range is too short and secondly the charging time is too long. Battery technology is improving but as yet imo it hasn't improved enough for a bike. Until it does I'm sticking with my ICE and a pox on Greta.

[Tiggie]

The charging time is a big issue for electric vehicles. No-one wants to go on a long journey and then have to sit around for hours waiting for it to "fill up" before they can carry on

[dynax]

Induction charging is possible but how feaseable it would be is anyones guess

[Throttled]

Interchangeable batteries is the way forward;

1 - petrol stations gradually switch to battery exchange stations, keeping people in work and the advantages of a 24 hour shop

2 - range is not so much of an issue any more.

3 - second hand values are retained, since no one is going to end up having to buy a new battery for their vehicle once the old one finally runs out.

If I can pull into what was my local battery station and in 5 minutes, the battery is switched, whilst I pay for it, buy a pint of milk and pop to the toilet, I would switch to battery powered for car and bike.

[geofferz]

This may well be how they resolve the battery range issue

https://www-motorcyclenews-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.motorcyclenews.com/amp/news/new-tech/yamaha-honda-kawasaki-suzuki-battery-project/?amp_js_v=a3&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.motorcyclenews.com%2Fnews%2Fnew-tech%2Fyamaha-honda-kawasaki-suzuki-battery-project%2F

"Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki have put aside their rivalries to work together on developing a standardised set of specifications for electric bike batteries – with a trial starting this month."

Pop in a service station and quickly swap battery and you are off.

 

Now you're talking. But how would they manage old ones vs new ones and who gets what?

 

I'm just the ideas man Geofferz, I let someone else sort the detail.

 

It's a sterling idea mate. Haven't heard it before.

[Guest]

Now you're talking. But how would they manage old ones vs new ones and who gets what?

 

I'm just the ideas man Geofferz, I let someone else sort the detail.

 

It's a sterling idea mate. Haven't heard it before.

 

I'm the Leonardo da Vinci of regurgitating ideas.

[DJP]

72mph top speed, roughly equivalent to a 125cc but nigh on £13,000.

So for the same money you could buy a 125 and about 150,000 miles worth of fuel (except that most of us would never use that much fuel in the bike's lifetime so the electric bike would never actually pay for itself).

They will get there but probably not until the mainstream manufacturers get all over it.

[James in Brum]

I’d have the Zero electric bike if I could afford it.

It makes sense for my fifty miles a day. I just can’t spend the money at the moment.

If I had the dosh for new I would spend more and buy electric now (probably keep the zzr) but I can’t see me spending more than a grand on a bike until I become sepreme head chief of the Homeopaths and more income.

[Davidtav]

I’m thinking this should be the way forward. Good range and replaceable batteries. And it’s a British invention I believe

https://steelguru.com/auto/uk-inventor-mr-trevor-jackson-inks-deal-for-electric-car-battery-with-austin-electric/551716

[geofferz]

I’m thinking this should be the way forward. Good range and replaceable batteries. And it’s a British invention I believe

https://steelguru.com/auto/uk-inventor-mr-trevor-jackson-inks-deal-for-electric-car-battery-with-austin-electric/551716

 

Let's await a working concept before we get too excited shall we?

[S-Westerly]

Believe that when I see it. Probably related to that loon last year with his amazing battery-less bike.

[James in Brum]

That article is a year old and we still do not have any further development towards them happening

[The Hitcher]

I’d have the Zero electric bike if I could afford it.

It makes sense for my fifty miles a day. I just can’t spend the money at the moment.

If I had the dosh for new I would spend more and buy electric now (probably keep the zzr) but I can’t see me spending more than a grand on a bike until I become sepreme head chief of the Homeopaths and more income.

 

I’m not sure I’d want an electric bike, I don’t think they’re quite there yet, especially not at the performance end of the market.

Saying that having driven all the different versions, I’d buy a Tesla as my car if I could afford one in a heartbeat, love the quiet and making most other things look silly at the traffic lights .