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[MVetter]

Had an absolute blast and wrote up a blog thing with pictures. Started as a business trip on the way down, ended up as an EV race with an ending neither of us predicted. Next time we want to do something like race to the Golden Gate Bridge and back. Here's a link to the writeup:
https://morganvetter.tumblr.com/post/184868335147/zero-sr-vs-energica-ss9-ev-race

[NEW2elec]

I was waiting for something like this from one of the big motorcycle review channels (and still am) but this was interesting if not really fair.

A few quick questions though.

What is the battery size and highway range for both bikes as tested?

How would it have gone if you both would have stayed at each station to charge to 80%?  Likely what someone would do on a trip and for sure outside of CA where stations are much farther apart.

I would have said the Zero would win with it's longer range and your Superchargers hands down without the "getting lost" and other issues.

Maybe a (hopefully) 4 way race with the Livewire, SRF, Ego, and Strike.  Say 300 miles in a random direction. 

[MVetter]

The Energica Esse Esse 9 battery is 11.7kWh nominal, while the Zero batteries were a 13kWh monolith and a 2.8kWh power tank which adds up to 15.8kWh marketing numbers and a 12.8kWh nominal. Similar. Brandon feels that the Energica battery feels about the same as the SR's 13 monolith without the power tank. Range is, of course, going to be a bit subjective on all the variables we've come to know and love like speed, weight, aero, etc. Both bikes were naked, and while the Energica is a bit heavier, Brandon is also much lighter than me and I was carrying a Givi case full of his backup portable charging stations in case he got stuck. Also my SR has the aforementioned Power Tank and 4 SuperChargers.

I'm pretty sure we normally charged up to 90% or more at each station. I was going until I hit voltage cutback unless it was a place I *knew* I needed every last watt. Likely the same for Brandon

You really have to acknowledge the cooling factor at play. Zero batteries retain heat because of the potting compound. The Energica ones do not, and in fact cool off rather quickly. Therefore Brandon was regularly punching it from station to station at 90+mph with not so much as a warning about battery temperature. I probably never went above 75 the whole trip home and my batteries were within 15 degrees of the bike shutting off.

I definitely want to see more bikes participate as well. It's a really fascinating time to be alive.

[NEW2elec]

Thank you, that's very interesting.  I guess I read between the lines that you were just charging enough to get to the next station.  Also if you use the word "race" with Brandon all controlled comparison tests go out the window. 

I had seen an older Ego 45 for sale and a picture with the dash display on showed an est 50 miles of range at 100% SOC so I figured much less range from Energica.  Very interesting to hear his Esse Esse 9 has about the same real world range as Zero's 13 kWh battery.

I saw the Ego has air channels through the middle of the battery "slabs" which could help cool it a bit as well.

What a harsh life though speed and range testing electric motorcycles all day. 

[Curt]

That was a fun read. Brandon is disqualified for drafting because he was sometimes using at least 25% ICE energy -- wasn't he then?

Never having done this, I bet the best strategy would involve taking the straightest freeway at a slow, steady 55 mph. That's always going to be rather boring. And if you only have L2, charge to 100% at every stop except the last -- also boring.

L3 charging strategy is a more interesting problem in discrete math and optimization and chance. You'd want to charge fully at any L3 station, but charge either minimum or full at L2 stations depending on the next station distance/type/risk.

[DonTom]

Never having done this, I bet the best strategy would involve taking the straightest freeway at a slow, steady 55 mph. That's always going to be rather boring. And if you only have L2, charge to 100% at every stop except the last -- also boring.

You save time by going even slower. The time wasted by going faster will be well proven by a much longer charge. What I do, to make the best time on a E-MC long ride where I must take the freeway is to  get behind a slow truck--easy to do on I-80 in the hills of CA as well as some other places.

-Don- Reno, NV

[MVetter]

You save time by going even slower. The time wasted by going faster will be well proven by a much longer charge.

Normally yes. But when you start to approach 3C charging it doesn't matter so much. At 1C definitely. That's sort of the sweet spot because after 3C the massive amount of extra power required only returns a couple extra minutes, whereas at 1C and below we're talking hours.

[Richard230]

Never having done this, I bet the best strategy would involve taking the straightest freeway at a slow, steady 55 mph. That's always going to be rather boring. And if you only have L2, charge to 100% at every stop except the last -- also boring.

You save time by going even slower. The time wasted by going faster will be well proven by a much longer charge. What I do, to make the best time on a E-MC long ride where I must take the freeway is to  get behind a slow truck--easy to do on I-80 in the hills of CA as well as some other places.

-Don- Reno, NV

I used to do that while riding my Vespa 125 scooter on the freeway, when it was legal to do so during the early 1960's.  That would boost its top speed from 50 to 55 mph.  But eventually, I realized that tucking in behind a semi-truck was not a safe thing to do.  Most of those trucks could stop faster than my scooter. Besides who wants to ride for hours at a time seeing nothing but a wall with signs asking for new drivers and a number to report unsafe driving? Also, the back draft from a truck will suck up all sorts of dirt and debris on the freeway, which will end up coating you and your bike.  Finally, other truckers may get kind of aggressive with their driving if they think that you are in a dangerous location relative to another trucker. 

[DonTom]

I used to do that while riding my Vespa 125 scooter on the freeway, when it was legal to do so during the early 1960's.  That would boost its top speed from 50 to 55 mph.  But eventually, I realized that tucking in behind a semi-truck was not a safe thing to do.  Most of those trucks could stop faster than my scooter. Besides who wants to ride for hours at a time seeing nothing but a wall with signs asking for new drivers and a number to report unsafe driving? Also, the back draft from a truck will suck up all sorts of dirt and debris on the freeway, which will end up coating you and your bike.  Finally, other truckers may get kind of aggressive with their driving if they think that you are in a dangerous location relative to another trucker. 

I stay way back behind the truck and I can see everything. Cars do not want to get behind a slow truck so it's safe to stay even a quarter mile behind the truck without anybody cutting in front of me or  following me too close.

I mainly do this on I-80 between Auburn and Reno. I could make the 99 mile trip on a single charge, but there is a charging station right at the half way point (Boreal Springs Ski Resort) that I use for a while.  And all downhill from there. I have more than half my charge left when I get there and I have already gone more than half way, which was mostly uphill.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[Electric Cowboy]

Hey Don, I'll be heading through Auburn and Reno on my ironbutt run. We should meet up.

[DonTom]

Hey Don, I'll be heading through Auburn and Reno on my ironbutt run. We should meet up.

Sure, but if you're on an ironbutt run, doesn't that mean you will be in a big hurry?

Anyway, I expect to stay here in Reno until the end of this week. But I could leave for Auburn (on my SR) as soon as this coming Thursday.

You may send me an e-mail with your plan of when you expect to be where when.

DonTom3@aol.com

-Don-  Reno, NV

[Electric Cowboy]

Hey Don! I totally missed your reply! Yes I was in a hurry, though, I did end up going through Reno actually. The Test was very good. So much construction!

I'll shoot you an email now. IDK how to get updates when there are new replies without coming to  check manually.