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[Red Clay]

This seems like a good place to ask the question:opinion on an electric motorcycle tour business in the southern appalachians? Ever been on a ''guided'' tour? What would draw people to a tour? One day? Multiple days? Forest roads...of course. To be honest, the silence and simplicity of an emoto is the future! Build it...but...will they come?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts. Red Clay

[ashnazg]

I reckon the big question would be how a group of e-bikes together could recharge... where on the tour, and if the charging spots could accommodate the group size without much of an overall time delay.

[Fran K]

I have never been on a guided tour.

I have contemplated a bed and breakfast type of operation for horse and electric motorcycles.  I am more off road oriented than most anyone else here.

You could get motorcycles that have swap able batteries and a chase vehicle.

You might also investigate how dangerous electric motorcycles are in a rental sort of environment.  The zero test ride I took made me stay in eco mode so there may well be more danger than ice.  Do you have an e-bike?

[Red Clay]

Thanks for the input Ashnazg and Fran K. I do not YET own an electric motorcycle but I have been for a test ride several times and I AM THOROUGHLY IMPRESSED. As I see it, this is the future of motorcycle riding and I want to be a part of promoting this future in the present. We all have different styles of riding, mine is dualsport, be it local, trailer & ride, or 2 month long cross country adventure riding. Granted, the long distant rides will have to wait for more battery capacity but the local and trailer & ride has great potential for personal use and possibly for commercial endeavours. My honda xr650r has been a great friend over the years but riding an electric motorcycle has opened my eyes to what I have been dealing with, the list is long; oil, gas, filters, radiators, heat, NOISE, etc. My beloved ICE motorcycle is a rattling, smelly and, though with a stock muffler, obnoxious bucket of bolts with hundreds of moving parts all trying to tear each other to pieces. I know because I work on those pieces constantly. We ride to see the world, be it local or far away, and the simplicity and SILENCE of electric motorcycles make riding more possible and enjoyable for us and future generations. I endeavor to become a silent rider and to prove that silence is golden by creating a touring business. Well on the way, I have slogged through a years plus worth of effort and am nearly to the point of opening for business. I plan to share how this slog is done so that my fellow riders can be a part of the future, through going for an electric ride or opening a business of their own.

Both of you, out of 100+, have made great points about the logistics of an e-moto tour. The plan is like you stated: hot swappable batteries exchanged at midpoint of a 100+ mile ride. Concerning Fran's point about the safety, there are aspects of the electric motorcycle that are different from the norm, be careful of pedestrians who cannot hear the motorcycle, 100% torque? best hold on tight, better yet, use good judgment as to how much power is enough. The fact that the torque is adjustable is amazing and makes the motorcycle even more practical and versital than an ICE. The logistics of travel is always a challenge, the next question is: How to spread the word about this exciting new way of traveling? What would convince you or your friends to travel across the state, country or world to witness electric motorcycle riding in a beautiful place, wherever that may be?

Thanks again for your input and the hope is to further this discussion and share some ideas.

Red Clay

Who am I? This will help.
https://advrider.com/f/threads/sharing-my-dualsport-long-list-plus-tips.1230150/

[NEW2elec]

Red Clay.   GA?
The idea sounds very nice but the real world makes it a tough business venture.
I've thought how great they'd be beach side too.
In the mountains you need a certain skill level rider and at an age that enjoys nature and quiet.
I did some bicycle races in Dahlonega and going down the back side of Blood Mountain was some scary stuff.
An all electric dirt bike park would be great too.

[heroto]

ICE and Zero electric experience here, including lots on the Blue Ridge Parkway and side roads.

Bottom line: You might have a business model that could work, but there are asterisks.

The Zero is wonderful for slow, contemplative, zen-like riding on the parkway and side roads. Just chilling, I really love it when the traffic is light. And mellow riding extends the range. The electric also is great for tearing it up if in the mood. But either way, fast or slow, range is an issue.
 
Also, weather in the southern Appalachians is variable. Rain and cold are common. The Zero is fine on a decent day, but rider protection is nil, and the battery doesn't like cold weather. OTOH, in hot weather, it's a pleasure to ride a moto that does not fry the rider. There are more cold or cool days than hot days on the BRP.

And as already noted, charging multiple bikes at one time might be an issue.

If you get up and running, I will check out your tours. It likely will be fun, pleasant, and a bit nerdy :-)

Good luck!