| Author | Message | ||
     Danger_dave |
First time I've been on one. Cruiser style machine with lithium batteries. Pretty impressive it was too. DR650-like performance - 150km range. Pics at 9.00 | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
The range is always the main problem. Alcohol fuel cells in the future perhaps? I personally would rather drive a 50cc gas bike than any electric bike I have seen. Not trying to bash here! I am watching the tech grow and innovate with keen interest. | ||
| Danger_dave |
http://kiwiridermagazine.blogspot.com/2010/06/gree tings-earthling.html | ||
| Greg_e |
Well that is certainly a different approach to e-cycles. Not something I would buy, but we are at least getting closer as the battery and motor tech evolves. | ||
| Sifo |
Getting closer to what? A commuter bike maybe? A vehicle that can replace what I drive now? Not even closing the gap. Until you can charge it in minutes there is a real problem and in my view can only be an addition to the garage, not a replacement for anything. | ||
| Fast1075 |
It is 1885....Rudolf VonDoubtful is looking at his neighbor Karl Benz's latest creation... "That thing will never replace a horse, it is too slow and it has horrible range and handles poorly and will most likely catch on fire in a spill...it will never work" Ole Karl says..."with development, I think it is a valid idea as soon as technology catches up".....yah think so??? | ||
| Fahren |
There's no "real problem" with it for millions of commuters in sunny, dry areas who commute withing the range of the battery, and leave the bike parked at work all day and in the garage at home for the night. Obviously, though, not right for everyone. I think the quiet of it would be un-nerving, though. Anyone ever been snuck up on by a Prius or other hybrid? | ||
| Greg_e |
Maybe they stuck a hellatious speaker and amp in there so that it would produce the 120db noise so people could feel like they fit in. And maybe they stuck on off center flywheel on it so that it would vibrate like crazy too. They could call the noise a warning system for the blind. Or of course they could just put a card in the spokes  And Sifo, if you don't like the idea of an electric cycle, don't f'ing buy one! What's your problem with the concept?!? Electric vehicles still do have a long way to evovle before they fit in with 90% of the people using liquid fuels, no shit! People like you make it next to impossible for these ideas to come to fruition and push the limits of technology to get to the point where it might be more feasible. If they use A123 batteries, and had the correct charger, they could fill them in 15 minutes. That is the normal zero to 95% charge time that you can give those cells, the RC hobby guys do it days on end for plenty of cycles to know that it can work. Slower changing and balancing the packs is still recommended, and that's what sleep time is for or maybe even parked at work time. | ||
| Sifo |
When they put out an EV that can be charge in 15 minutes or less then there will be something to discuss, like cost. I really have no problem with the concept at all. I actually looked into converting my 1964 VW to electric decades ago. It isn't me that keeps it from being feasible, it's technology. I am very against promoting these schemes through tax breaks and evading paying road taxes that are collected at the gas pump though. On a level playing field EV's just are not anywhere near where they need to be to compete with internal combustion. EDIT: Yes I'm aware that battery technology has advanced and am familiar with electric RC. I've been in RCM for my involvement in an electric ducted fan airplane quite some year ago. (Message edited by SIFO on June 04, 2010) | ||
| Sycho |
I test rode one of the Zero S bikes in July of last year. Set up is similar to a supermotard bike and wasn't a good fit for me. My commute entails going to work, then going home so as a commuter these things are perfect. I just wish Zero Motorcycles would make a street bike that is modeled after the one Shawn Higbee is racing.  | ||
| Sifo |
So using the Zero as an example vs. a Suzi Gladius... You could buy the Zero for about $10,000. You could by the Gladius for about $6,900. Buying the Gladius leaves me with enough money to buy over 1,000 gallons in gas. That's probably good for somewhere around 50,000 miles of commuting. It also gives me a bike that I can thrash on the weekends for as many miles as I care to instead of something that takes up garage space when I want to ride longer. | ||
| Xb12xmike |
50,000 miles of commuting = 50,000 miles of polluting. (not taking sides...I am just saying) | ||
| Sifo |
Commuting by battery is still polluting though. Our electricity mostly comes from coal and oil. Then you have the issues of the heavy metals involved in battery technology. Sure they are mostly recycled, but certainly not zero impact on the environment. Then there is the question of are there even enough of the exotic materials being talked about in new battery technology to power the worlds vehicles. The answer to that question that I've seen is "NO". I'm not really taking sides either, but the facts mostly stack up on one side. | ||
| Xb12xmike |
Right!! Plant a tree every 10k and your good!! Gladius wins!! What about Nuclear powered vehicles? | ||
| Sifo |
When did nuclear become accepted as "green"? Seriously though, out power grid is nowhere near capable of supplying the power needed for transportation. Sure it can be upgraded/replaced but to keep honest all of that cost needs to be added into the equation. | ||
| Glitch |
The technology is happening pretty rapidly, relatively speaking. How long have we had fast and reliable motorcycles? How long have we been flying? They have to start out with commuter bikes, anything else would be foolish. One must crawl, before one can run. | ||
| Xb12xmike |
When did nuclear become accepted as "green"? here: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/alte rnative-fuels/nuclear-powered-car.htm Nuclear power is the future... nothing else matches it..., and whomever owns it...,owns the world. As far as the spent fuel problem... design dispoable rockets to carry it into the sun. The spent fuel fron vehicles will be small. (I think?) yea... in 100 years maybe huh? the sun is only about 3x the distance to mars. Or we could also just send it and all our other non-biodegradable trash into outer space... using the universe as our garbage can. (a place we can never ever fill) I invision large "Space-Fills" (like Land-fills) of garbage floating for all eternity. Or until we figure out a way to send it into the sun to vaporize. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Renault & Nissan already have an EV that can recharge in minutes with their "Quickdrop" system. You drive into your "service station" & onto a ramp. Battery unit is swapped for a charged unit & you're away. More info here. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2009/09/renault-ze -20090915.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkCWjjtKiLE&feature =channel | ||
| Glitch |
I invision large "Space-Fills" Or possibly a Moon Fill? We could make the Moon glow on it's own! Green cheese indeed... | ||
| Sifo |
Mr Grumpy, got a map of "service stations" across the US? I don't think environmentalists are really on board with the nuclear option yet. Personally I think it's a very good option. Disposal of spent fuel by blasting it into space isn't a good idea though. One accident and the current oil spill will seem like nothing. Fuel can be recycled however and the waste after that is a fraction of the original and has a much shorter half life. IIRC it brings the storage problem down from millenniums to a matter of decades. No science fiction, the French are doing it now. We should be, but for some reason politics gets in the way. Cool videos! LOL though. At the end of the first one they are charging from a gas powered generator! I wonder how many MPG they get out of that system? No doubt that the first markets will be in commuter bikes, just as with the cars. Few people want to lay out the cash for a spare vehicle though. For the support Froggy has given to electrics I'm surprised he hasn't gotten one yet. He has plenty of bikes and loves electronic farkles, it seems right up his alley. Has any BadWeb member bought one yet? That's what will make the technology move forward is people actually making the purchase. If the advocates won't lay out the cash who will? Oh, wait... We expect the government to lay out the cash, don't we. | ||
| Glitch |
I don't think environmentalists are really on board with the nuclear option yet. Yeah, they really dropped the ball with that one. They were demonizing Nuclear weapons, and Nuclear power was collateral damage. Disposal of spent fuel by blasting it into space isn't a good idea though. Well we can't send it to Yucca Mountain can we? What a freaking waste. I'm optimistic that when the current administration is gone, Yucca will be brought back online. Hell they just finished it. Kentucky wants the waste, not sure what they can do with it though. At the end of the first one they are charging from a gas powered generator! Oh the irony! At least it's not a coal driven generator? I'm not as interested in these electric vehicles on an environmental angle, the technology is amazing to me. Also, almost anything that will bring the demand for gasoline down is ok in my book. I hate paying the price we've got to pay now. Just look at laptop batteries. Ten years ago, how long could a laptop last on battery power? I'd sure like to throw a leg over on of those TTXGP bikes. That would be awesome! Imagine railing in the hills while not making hardly any noise! | ||
| Sifo |
Don't even try to convince me with laptop batteries. When I bought my lap top it was good for about 2 hours. Six years later it's good for about 10 minutes. That's one of the reasons I'm very skeptical about the claims of EV's range. What happens to an EV's range here in Chicago after a couple of years, now it's 10 below and snowing on your way home from work with the heat/defrost on full blast where your normal 30 minute commute has just become 2 1/2 hours. Not that I've ever been caught in a scenario like that. At least not with an EV. They really need to start up some electric racing series to push the technology. It would also get the public used to the idea of the performance of electrics. I would think that battery manufactures would be all over sponsoring EV racing. I can't wait to hear stories of kids burning up their mom's EV trying to hot rod it. I envision some great YouTube videos coming from that! Who knew you couldn't push that much power through those wires! | ||
| Xb12xmike |
Yea.. battery packs are ok but I'd rather have a nuclear pack that lets my vehicle ride for weeks or months between charges/replacement not hours. | ||
| Glitch |
They really need to start up some electric racing series to push the technology. It would also get the public used to the idea of the performance of electrics. I would think that battery manufactures would be all over sponsoring EV racing. Google is your friend. I can't wait to hear stories of kids burning up their mom's EV trying to hot rod it. I envision some great YouTube videos coming from that! Who knew you couldn't push that much power through those wires! You should see what Pete is up to with hot rodding one of his electric wheel chairs! Evidently it's the gauge of the wire you use in the motor, and how you wind it. The YouTube videos are going to rock! | ||
| Sifo |
More windings does make more power. It also leads to thinner gauge wire. Then you can play with the timing in the motor. Slot cars can be a blast to play with. You can get a slot car to absolutely smoke just about any bike in a 1/4 mile. 0 to 100 in about 25 feet! | ||
| Glitch |
Too bad when you scale it up it weighs 8 ton! | ||
| Sifo |
Only if you add batteries! On a full scale slot car track you could keep the weight down pretty well. Just don't stand on the power braids!  | ||
| Glitch |
On a full scale slot car track... Insane amusement park ride! | ||
| Sifo |
People would never survive the g-force though. I guess there is an up side to this!  | ||
| Fast1075 |
World's quickest electric motorcycle. |
