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[Richard230]

I had no idea fairings were the hard part of motorcycle design.

They might require some expensive wind tunnel time to make sure that they are stable at all speeds and the production molds are also expensive.

It also requires heavyweight computer modeling of air flows, which done by aerodynamics experts; Zero presumably doesn't have any on staff and doesn't want  to hire them fulltime for a project or two, but surely they could cooperate with someone who does have the expertise -- I'm puzzled they haven't done that yet. Sure, the fairings would be expensive but it would (IMHO) expand the market significantly. Maybe they're waiting for 5-digit annual sales...

If they ever see 5-digit sales, one of the Japanese motorcycle companies will be knocking on their door to either buy the business or some of their tech.  Right now Honda is planning to enter the electric scooter market with a 50cc-class step-through within a couple of years, according to an article that I just read.

[wavelet]

I had no idea fairings were the hard part of motorcycle design.

They might require some expensive wind tunnel time to make sure that they are stable at all speeds and the production molds are also expensive.

It also requires heavyweight computer modeling of air flows, which done by aerodynamics experts; Zero presumably doesn't have any on staff and doesn't want  to hire them fulltime for a project or two, but surely they could cooperate with someone who does have the expertise -- I'm puzzled they haven't done that yet. Sure, the fairings would be expensive but it would (IMHO) expand the market significantly. Maybe they're waiting for 5-digit annual sales...

If they ever see 5-digit sales, one of the Japanese motorcycle companies will be knocking on their door to either buy the business or some of their tech.  Right now Honda is planning to enter the electric scooter market with a 50cc-class step-through within a couple of years, according to an article that I just read.

Yes, interesting to speculate whether the big brands might up having "buy rather than self-develop" approaches.
Anyway, Yamaha's apparently going to start sooner, with a swappable-battery scooter in Taiwan this summer (it was co-developed with Gogoro). All the Big Four are part of a partnership aimed at reaching a standard for swappables; I wonder if it's something that might be suitable for e-motorcycles as well, though I suspect it might not be.

That said, I expect that at least a few of the top 10 makers have internal development projects going on, for basic prototypes, just to be ready if/when an electric revolution comes along. I can see ICE scooters being outlawed in some European cities, as has happened in China.

[Jarrett]

Right now Honda is planning to enter the electric scooter market with a 50cc-class step-through within a couple of years, according to an article that I just read.

It's going to be a little sooner than that:

https://motocrossactionmag.com/first-video-of-the-honda-cr-e-shinden-all-electric-prototype-being-ridden-in-japan/?fbclid=IwAR2Hl2y4G7244lN5S_BOG1hNNNhtnyp0w7gSRJeY7rsAh-Rrt4EJZjaWwvs

[Richard230]

Right now Honda is planning to enter the electric scooter market with a 50cc-class step-through within a couple of years, according to an article that I just read.

It's going to be a little sooner than that:

https://motocrossactionmag.com/first-video-of-the-honda-cr-e-shinden-all-electric-prototype-being-ridden-in-japan/?fbclid=IwAR2Hl2y4G7244lN5S_BOG1hNNNhtnyp0w7gSRJeY7rsAh-Rrt4EJZjaWwvs

Prototypes are one thing, but actually putting an electric motorcycle into the consumer market is another.  Right now the Japanese appear to have cold feet about selling anything but low-power electric scooters for short distance city transportation (perfect for congested Asian cities).  I think they prefer to let the European manufacturers and start-ups, like Zero, take the risk.  If the market ever takes off, then they will jump in, either with a home-grown EV, or a company that they bought into.

I also suspect that the Japanese will be keeping an eye on LiveWire sales.  If they go down the tubes, like I suspect many of us believe will happen, their cold feet might turn to ice.   

[BrianTRice@gmail.com]

I don't care what fairing the OEM makes or doesn't, and I don't care what particular model they make or what style it has in particular. I care about overall capabilities and ride quality.

Regarding a fairing, I just want a cockpit that is fixed to the frame instead of way down at the head tube where I can't see it, and where it interferes with a fairing one might want to place over the bike. Hollywood Electrics' fairing makes the bike feel like a sport-touring model for that reason alone.

Zero could do that and slap a bikini fairing on it, and it would make aftermarket fairing fitment 80% easier than it is on the S and FX platforms.