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[Crissa]

After repairing the plastics on my Zero, I'd say the Zero generally suffers less costly damage from being dropped than other bikes.  My plastics cost about the same at other bike's sliders.

Now if only I had front fork sliders it would be about immune to drops.

-Crissa

[TheRan]

In regards to crashing, unless it's a higher speed crash that completely writes off the bike with major damage (cracked frame for example) the fact that it's more expensive than a gas bike doesn't really matter. In a low speed drop it's going to suffer less damage, no clutch lever to snap, no gear lever and shift mechanism to bend, no engine cases to get scratched or cracked. Because it lacks some of those parts that can be damaged it's also more likely that you'll be able to ride the bike home after a crash. The parts that would be damaged are going to be the same as on a gas bike and a similar cost to replace, snapped foot pegs, bent bars, scuffed axle nuts (if you don't fit sliders), scratched plastics.

[MrBlc]

Well, electric bikes don't have any point in their cycle where the torque lets off and lets the tyre grip. This means that if you open the throttle just a tiny bit too far, the tyre will lose grip permanently, and it will instantly spin up, never regaining traction. The S/DS/SR/DSR don't have any electronic intervention to counter this - like most petrol bikes now seem to be coming with.

I'm sorry, but this is simply not true.. I got a spinup some months back, doing a turn on wet road. My instant reaction was turning the throttle all the way back, making the engine go into regen mode instead of throttle, easing the spin. Secondly i tucked in and down, and turned the steering to counteract and managed to regain traction and keep the bike upright while getting onto the road i was aiming to turn into.

TLDR: Spinups can happen yes, but throttle control pacifies "the problem".

[flattetyre]

The whole electric wheelspin thing has been hugely overblown by incompetent riders. The actual problem is the bike makes huge torque from a dead stop with no warning whereas with most gas bikes you have to rev em up at least a little. This isn't an issue for a competent rider who is always calculating where the traction is and how much is available. But since that's a difficult skill you will only learn riding on track we are hearing many many tales of unqualified users dropping electric bikes after an ambitious throttle twist and blaming the machine.

[Crissa]

Of course, those who have experience with electric, or learn electric, aren't going to have that problem.  If it's what you started on, you're just going to expect that.

-Crissa

[princec]

No, really... this is why there are no inline fours off road. It's why Yamaha's crossplane 4 is so devastating out of corner exits compared to the other inline 4s. It's why Ducati has a particularly curious firing order on their V4, and why Honda used a different crank on their RC30s back in the day compared to the VFRs. This stuff actually makes a huge difference on bikes. The difference on bikes not being "ooh a bit of wheelspin, titter chortle that was fun" but instead "er ARGH <skrrrk> FUCK <kkksssss> FUCK ouch ouch". I've ridden every type of engine there is for a motorcycle (except a 6) and the difference in traction for different engine configurations is stark. The electric motor immediately made me feel uneasy when I road it - there is no warning, no feel of traction. Modulation of throttle control will not help you - instead of lowsiding you will highside which is considerably worse.

Anyway... you don't have to believe me, carry on finding out the expensive and painful way But if you've got the cash... get the SR/F.

Cas

[Crissa]

Thank you for providing evidence for my assertion, Cas.  Every configuration is different, and what you're used to is what you're used to.  I'm used to electric.  There's no delay.  You can't rev the motor because that's bad on an electric.

I also have my own spouse, who spun it up and out pulling out of our neighborhood.  She low-sided.

You're no more likely to high-side; although the regen bounce might do that, that's why traction control and control over the regen are features we should look for in the future.

-Crissa

[princec]

I wonder though, how do you get used to electric, when the margin for error is so narrow? Which is what I'm getting at... are you used to it, or just lucky so far?

Cas

[TheRan]

I don't think it's that narrow, spinning up the rear wheel doesn't mean you'll automatically go down. I've done it a few times and I wouldn't say my recoveries have been down to luck, it's a combination of quick reactions (closing the throttle) and favourable conditions (not being leaned over too much). I think riding a bit off road can also help, you can purposely and easily get the wheel spinning at low speeds to see what it's like and regaining traction isn't as abrupt.

[Crissa]

And knowing that it will spin up quickly - you're used to that effect, so it's not an edge you push.  You turn down torque as conditions require, or just be easier on the throttle.

And this risk comes only with the older models, but the reactions come with any instant-on EV.  While EVs come with tons of safety advantages like no chance of selecting the wrong gear or clutching wrong or being unable to request the power you need going up or down hills...

-Crissa