I've been enjoying the scooter. I
wrote up my excitement and experiences with the scooter when it was fresh and new, but as riding it became routine, there became less and less noteworthy to write about.
The effective range of the scooter is a little bit further than my round-trip to work, so I can't stray too far from the commute without recharging at work. However, my workplace recently replaced the Level 1/Level 2 ChargePoints with Level 2-only EVSE, so I can't recharge at work anymore.
I don't have the Level 2 charging solution that Terry is using on his scooter, so I charge to full at night in 2-3 hours at home at 120V.
Acceleration is weak under about 15 mph, so facing uphill at a stop sign or light requires some patience from the drivers behind me. However, it can climb a 15% slope from a running start and reaches 55 mph on level ground.
Down hill or slowing down, regenerative braking only happens with a squeeze of the brakes, so without accelerating or braking, the scooter coasts. I prefer coasting to engine braking on my cruiser, so I really enjoy the coasting feature of the scooter. In contrast, the lack of coasting on the Zero S I test rode was a little unnerving. The Brammo Empulse has a clutch, so if necessary, I can coast just like I am acustomed to.
The stock headlights make it difficult to see far enough ahead on unlit rural roads, but I had them replaced with aftermarket LED emitters that are a significant improvement. Replacing them meant that there were no changes needed to the outside of the scooter, so the scooter still looks stock but with brighter headlights.
The tail case is lockable and large enough for my helmet, so I'm happy to not have to carry that to and from my office from the garage.
There aren't any interesting riding destinations within the scooter's range, so commuting is pretty much its sole use. I'm satisfied with how well it fills that role, though.
Still, I'm here to learn about products with more range and faster charging. Touring doesn't seem to be possible with stock bikes this year, but who knows what next year will bring...or what tomorrow's surprise from Harley-Davidson will bring?