Would you ride an Electric Motorcycle? Electric Motorcycles; now there’s a novel concept. When I go riding and we stop for a coffee, I ask that question to those who I ride with. Most motorcycle riders usually say they wouldn’t.
They like the sound and rumble of the exhaust and the engine. Then again I find a lot of people say one thing then when they try it, change their perception.
On the other hand, being a Tech Guy, I reckon riding an Electric Motorcycle would be great. Why? The noise factor.
Being an acute sufferer of Tinnitus due to my early years in manufacturing engineering, the dreaded ringing of the ears is aggravated with loud noise and tiredness so the idea of an electric motorcycle kinda makes sense.
There’s also the curiosity of the enormous torque. I have a diesel car, and I love the torque it offers, then there’s my BMW K1300GT it has loads of torque, that pulling power from whoa to go.
It’s early days for electric motorcycles.
As you’ll see in the video below, you’ll see Jay Leno taking the Harley Davidson Electric Motorcycle for a ride. Jay has some interesting stuff to say about it.
[youtube width=”640″ height=”480″]http://youtu.be/lyJr8BoklC0[/youtube]
Other new companies in the mix are Zero Motorcycles.
More recently, the Isle of Mann TT (Tourist Trophy) race now includes a class for Electric Motorcycles. This is gaining popularity quickly. This year (2014) John McGuinness rode the lap in this video below.
[youtube width=”640″ height=”480″]http://youtu.be/vlxZs2-gICc[/youtube]
It wasn’t the fastest lap ever set on a motorcycle but it’s within a couple of kilometres per hour of riders competing in the ‘Lightweight’ TT class.
At the moment, the battery and distance has limitations, however, to think that in 1903 Orville and Wilbur Wright recorded the first powered flight and that only 12 years after that time, aircraft had established themselves as war machines in the First World War, I wonder what we will be saying about electric motorcycles in 2026.
If your waiting to ride an electric bike, there is already one in production. The Zero Motorcycle is on the street and has several models, including a police version. I think they get about 100 miles on a charge. I love Harleys, but they have some catching up to do in this market.
Hey Chris!
I agree with what you just said “1903 Orville and Wilbur Wright recorded the first powered flight and that only 12 years after that time, aircraft had established themselves as war machines in the First World War, I wonder what we will be saying about electric motorcycles in 2026.” Very well! I think you made a very good point.
Walter