EV motorcycle has arrived

[V8Cobrakid]

http://zeromotorcycles.com a local company i hope to start working for. it should be fun.

[jhinton]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(V8Cobrakid @ Aug 9 2007, 11:15 PM) [snapback]493385[/snapback]</div>

http://zeromotorcycles.com a local company i hope to start working for. it should be fun.
[/b]

Also the similar Blade for $5995:



http://www.electricmoto.com/electric...id=intro_blade

It tops out at 45 mph

[PriusMatt]

i know that many folks here only care about the notion of getting off of fossil fuels at ALL costs, but one thing that concerns me about ev motorcycles is . . . they're quiet.

no hold on partners, i'm not saying that i'm in favor of noise pollution, or the hogs that set off car alarms as they go by. however, i am a motorcycle rider, and i can tell you first hand that the single most concern of most motorcycle riders is not being seen or heard (aka - being run over and perhaps killed).

so, there is a reason for having a moderate amount of noise, if only to make folks aware that you are there, because 85% of the time, you are CERTAINLY NOT SEEN. i know this from experience.

i guess my point is, yes, i LOVE the idea of an electric or hybrid motorcycle, however, i would be VERY concerned about their safety. it seems to me that accidents and/or fatalities would increase.

that's my 27 cents worth.

matthew

[jhinton]

[quote=PriusMatt @ Aug 10 2007, 05:33 AM) [snapback]493455[/snapback]</div>

i know that many folks here only care about the notion of getting off of fossil fuels at ALL costs, but one thing that concerns me about ev motorcycles is . . . they're quiet.

no hold on partners, i'm not saying that i'm in favor of noise pollution, or the hogs that set off car alarms as they go by. however, i am a motorcycle rider, and i can tell you first hand that the single most concern of most motorcycle riders is not being seen or heard (aka - being run over and perhaps killed).

so, there is a reason for having a moderate amount of noise, if only to make folks aware that you are there, because 85% of the time, you are CERTAINLY NOT SEEN. i know this from experience.

i guess my point is, yes, i LOVE the idea of an electric or hybrid motorcycle, however, i would be VERY concerned about their safety. it seems to me that accidents and/or fatalities would increase.

that's my 27 cents worth.

matthew
[/b]

In my opinion the whole "loud pipes save lives" thing is BS. I've been riding for about 10 years and over 100K miles on many types of bikes. I rode my motorcycles as my only vehicle from 2001 to Nov 2006. I've seen no difference in people noticing me with a loud bike or quiet bike.
My last bike a ZX-7rr came with a Muzzy exhaust measured] 109 dB
My current bike is a R1150R with the stock exhaust measures @ 67 dB

The reason that there is no difference is that motorcycle exhausts exit to the rear of the motorcycle while most threats come from the front. Even a very loud motorcycle like my former ZX-7rr was relatively quiet when I was coming at you, it was when I pulled even with you or after I passed you that it became obnoxiously loud.

If the loud pipes crowd really wanted to save their lives they would point their exhaust forward so everyone would know they are coming instead of leaving.

[Ichabod]

I think I might still go for an electric scooter some day... if my commute were more than 5 miles. As is, it's still faster for me (healthier too!) to ride my bike to work.

I know scooters have an image problem here in the U.S. but I see that as similar to the image problem certain cars face against other, bigger, more guzzly cars. Somehow the Italians have made scooters cool, so why not start a trend here?

Jhinton, good point about sound not being the first of your worries on a bike. It doesn't exactly equate, but being on a bicycle, nobody hears or sees me ever, so I've adopted a defensive riding style and always assume that drivers, pedestrians, et al. don't see me. That should be lesson #1 for bikes whether they're gas, electric, or human powered.

[Vagabond]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusMatt @ Aug 10 2007, 03:33 AM) [snapback]493455[/snapback]</div>

i know that many folks here only care about the notion of getting off of fossil fuels at ALL costs, but one thing that concerns me about ev motorcycles is . . . they're quiet.

no hold on partners, i'm not saying that i'm in favor of noise pollution, or the hogs that set off car alarms as they go by. however, i am a motorcycle rider, and i can tell you first hand that the single most concern of most motorcycle riders is not being seen or heard (aka - being run over and perhaps killed).

so, there is a reason for having a moderate amount of noise, if only to make folks aware that you are there, because 85% of the time, you are CERTAINLY NOT SEEN. i know this from experience.

i guess my point is, yes, i LOVE the idea of an electric or hybrid motorcycle, however, i would be VERY concerned about their safety. it seems to me that accidents and/or fatalities would increase.

that's my 27 cents worth.

matthew
[/b]

On the freeway people can't hear me coming even on my current bike. It takes a REALLY loud exhaust to be heard when you both are doing 75+

Lights and a good riding position make a much better difference.