| Author | Message | ||
     86129squids |
Diggin' the news and the vid, especially the custom... Bet Frogs gets a chubby tadpole! http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2012/12/zero-motorc ycles-introduces-2013-line-to-press-assembled-at-l ong-beach/ VERY interesting! | ||
| U4euh |
Couple of good looking bikes displayed there | ||
| Rex |
they are getting better...Zero and Brammo, probably the two top electric manufacturers... | ||
| Cityxslicker |
side saddle bags mounts for battery spares and swapouts. Nothing worse than getting out in the he middle of bfe nowhere and not being able to get home the stealth of sneaking up out in the woods is nice though. maybe an optional ADV recharging back pack | ||
| Reepicheep |
Zero needs to just put a transmission in those things, then we will be talking. | ||
| Jima4media |
Yes, both Brammo and Zero bikes are getting better every year, but they are also getting more expensive. Zero S = $13,995 Brammo Empulse = $16,995 to $18,995 Once you can buy an electric bike that will go 200 miles at highway speed for $10,000, I'm there. Jim | ||
| Aeholton |
Once you can buy an electric bike that will go 200 miles at highway speed for $10,000, I'm there. And a 15 minute recharge time. | ||
| Reepicheep |
I'm with Jim. At at that range, I don't even care if it has to charge over night. | ||
| Slaughter |
My commute to work is 37 miles. It is now becoming "do-able" on an e-bike. | ||
| Xdigitalx |
Won't registration and sales taxes eventually have to increase to make up for the states lost gastax$$?? So then it may not save that much money compared to a comperable gas bike?? just a thought outloud.... | ||
| 46champ |
I think you are on to something Xdigital. There will be a point that the tax collectors will increase the registration fees to make up for the loss fuel taxes. But it will probably never be as much as the fuel taxes because registration fees are a upfront tax that the enduser/taxpayer will see in its full entirety when he writhes his check. Fuel taxes on the other hand is one of those things that gets lumped in with everything else and gets blamed onto the oil industry. Kind of like the difference between income tax being deducted from your paycheck and writing a check for your quarterly tax payment. | ||
| Davegess |
If electric really takes off than a new form a revenue will be needed to keep up the highways. The gas tax has been pretty easy; the more you drive the more you pay. The heavier vehicles pay usually pay more. Not sure how you work it with electric, hybrids, etc. | ||
| Ferris_von_bueller |
Those dudes look like some Eastern European gangsters. | ||
| Etennuly |
Don't worry about the gobm'nt.....those folks don't miss a beat. One of my trucks ran alternative fuel, propane. No tax at the pump, but you are required to buy a $100 sticker and track your use to pay the tax at the end of the year. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I'd love an electric bike. They are closing in on that elusive 200 mile range mark. They are also starting to look like proper motorcycles. | ||
| Jima4media |
As I see it, for an electric bike to be successful, it needs to come off the grid. And that means having an exchangeable battery. Buy a $10,000 or less solar charger and spare battery. Charge it during the day, and use it the next day. Then the TCO, or total cost of ownership, starts to make sense. Cost of bike + cost of spare battery and solar charger + insurance on the bike = TCO. Over a 10 year period it could pay off, but that model is only good in about 3 or 4 states, with enough sunshine and mild enough winters. .02 | ||
| Jima4media |
Today, there are enough ChargePoint charging stations in my area - SF Bay, that I could realistically buy an electric bike and use it as a commuter. That is why I bought a Buell X-1 back in 1998 - as a commuter. Jim | ||
| Reepicheep |
Jim, in terms of raw power, you would need a solar collector about the size of the roof of an average house just to handle a short commute. (Sorry I didn't save the derivation, I just spent 30 minutes doing the math at my desk one afternoon and recall the result). |
