ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
General Category => Electric Motorcycle Events => Topic started by: Alan Stewart on May 09, 2017, 10:30:33 PM
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https://electrek.co/2017/05/08/motogp-all-electric-2019-bike-racing-season/ (https://electrek.co/2017/05/08/motogp-all-electric-2019-bike-racing-season/)
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That would be great - especially if the big manufacturers get involved.
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It'll be nice to watch a race without having to stuff my ears with earplugs. Ever go to a MotoGP race? The noise is MIND BOGGLING! even if you're nowhere near the track, you can tell when the Superbikes are on the track and when the MotoGP bikes are on the track.
I saw an eBike race at Indianapolis when they were one of the support classes for MotoGP. Unfortunately there were only like a half dozen bikes on the grid but it was fun to watch. One of the Bostrom boys (Eric, maybe?) ran away with the race but it was fun having a normal conversation with my friends as the race progressed. That was also the year we met and befriended Shelina Moreda, who was racing a Brammo in the eBike race, and an XR1200 in that series. Very nice lady; as pleasant as she is attractive.
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Here is another article regarding this subject. Nothing new, though:
http://www.autoblog.com/2017/05/09/motogp-all-electric-support-class-2019/ (http://www.autoblog.com/2017/05/09/motogp-all-electric-support-class-2019/)
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FIM tried this a few years ago and had little financial support behind it, almost as if they wanted it to fail. Let's hope they do it right this time. I'm not going to hold my breath, though.
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The time might be ripe this time, Formula E is also taking of quite well and on events such as the Isle of Man electric bikes haven proven they're well worth.
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The main problem with all motorsports racing is that the fans really like to hear all of the noise (and of course watch the crashes) during the race. But will they be as excited just watching electric vehicles racing without all of the related noise? That is going to determine if the series is successful or not. Right now I am not so sure if quiet racing will attract fans. Can you imagine NASCAR racing without the noise - and beer, of course. ???
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The main problem with all motorsports racing is that the fans really like to hear all of the noise (and of course watch the crashes) during the race. But will they be as excited just watching electric vehicles racing without all of the related noise? That is going to determine if the series is successful or not. Right now I am not so sure if quiet racing will attract fans. Can you imagine NASCAR racing without the noise - and beer, of course. ???
I would point out that there are PLENTY of racing series that aren't nearly as loud as motorcycle or auto racing:
Bicycling
Track & Field
Horses
And they all have their fans.
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I covered one of the first e-motorcycles races and indeed, the lack of noise was strange. But on the other hand, it brought another item to the race; the shouting between the racers could be heard. At one stage you could clearly hear one racer "say get out of the way, I'm faster".
They weren't as fast as the ICE ones, but fast enough to make it interesting. Too bad the races are always very short...
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I covered one of the first e-motorcycles races and indeed, the lack of noise was strange. But on the other hand, it brought another item to the race; the shouting between the racers could be heard. At one stage you could clearly hear one racer "say get out of the way, I'm faster".
They weren't as fast as the ICE ones, but fast enough to make it interesting. Too bad the races are always very short...
In Indianapolis, the announcers were saying the racers liked it because they didn't have to look up at the Jumbotron to see where their opponents were... they could CLEARLY hear the announcers telling them (and the entire audience) where each racer was on the track and the time/distances between them. Who needs in-helmet radios or pit boards?
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The main problem with all motorsports racing is that the fans really like to hear all of the noise (and of course watch the crashes) during the race. But will they be as excited just watching electric vehicles racing without all of the related noise? That is going to determine if the series is successful or not. Right now I am not so sure if quiet racing will attract fans. Can you imagine NASCAR racing without the noise - and beer, of course. ???
I would point out that there are PLENTY of racing series that aren't nearly as loud as motorcycle or auto racing:
Bicycling
Track & Field
Horses
And they all have their fans.
Ah, but did those fans have rednecks? ;)
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Too bad the races are always very short...
They could have pit stops with replaceable batteries for extended races.
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Too bad the races are always very short...
They could have pit stops with replaceable batteries for extended races.
Indeed. FIM had that idea, but since there were only bikes racing at that time, the race series died. Maybe with Dorna's deep pockets things will pick up. eFormula have a car swap towards the middle of the race, so why not have a bike swap?
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Here is a story about Sarolea's entry. It looks really nice. That sure is a strange looking headlight, though. It looks like a USB port to me. ;) : https://www.asphaltandrubber.com/bikes/2017-sarolea-sp7/ (https://www.asphaltandrubber.com/bikes/2017-sarolea-sp7/)
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They could have pit stops with replaceable batteries for extended races.
I've always thought the same thing. The ICE bikes have to stop to refuel, why shouldn't the electrics?
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Too bad the races are always very short...
They could have pit stops with replaceable batteries for extended races.
Indeed. FIM had that idea, but since there were only bikes racing at that time, the race series died. Maybe with Dorna's deep pockets things will pick up. eFormula have a car swap towards the middle of the race, so why not have a bike swap?
Swapping bikes is a good intermediate solution for now, and the cost? Believe me, for a travelling racing team an extra bike isn't that big of a portion of the cost.
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The main problem with all motorsports racing is that the fans really like to hear all of the noise (and of course watch the crashes) during the race. But will they be as excited just watching electric vehicles racing without all of the related noise? That is going to determine if the series is successful or not. Right now I am not so sure if quiet racing will attract fans. Can you imagine NASCAR racing without the noise - and beer, of course. ???
Why not have Electric vs Gas races with equivalent HP and TQ ratings? When electric starts winning all the races due to improving tech, it will prove the dominant configuration. Then those who want to watch racing just for the noise, can watch the slower ICE racers and enjoy the exhaust vibrations to their hearts content. Besides, a bunch of electric motors going by sounds cool in its own way, like a bunch of Tie fighters.
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They could have pit stops with replaceable batteries for extended races.
I've always thought the same thing. The ICE bikes have to stop to refuel, why shouldn't the electrics?
Do they? Other than endurance racing, ICE bikes do NOT stop to refuel. They are all allotted the same amount of fuel at the start of the race and it is up to the engineers and the riders to manage that fuel to the end of the race. There is no refueling pit stops in World Superbikes, MotoGP, Supersport, Moto2, Moto3 or Superstock racing.
The only motorcycle races that have pit stops are the endurance races like the Daytona 200, the Suzuka 8-hour, etc.
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In their recent announcement of "100 new models in the next 10 years", Harley mentioned something about the sound of an electric bike, and of course Harley knows very well how much its riders love noise. It was a short quote, hard to figure out exactly what was meant, but I got the impression they were intrigued by the sound of an electric bike and wanted to go with it and see what they could do with it.
It's an interesting thought. I've had people say the characteristic whine of my bike is a little bit like a jet, and I have to admit it's not a bad sound, very high-tech. I don't know exactly what causes it (just the magnets and stator pushing and pulling on the each other perhaps?), but it it could be emphasized instead of focusing on noise reduction, that might not be such a bad thing. There's even an electrical crackling sound I'd swear was associated with brushes arcing if I didn't know better. I love the nearly silent operation of my bike, but I can see the opposite argument. Even to me, a drag race wouldn't be half the spectacle it is without the violent and nearly explosive sound of nitro-burning engines launching.