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[flar]

With all due respect I do not get it.

It's been frustrating as well...

Why do they show a bike (and advertize it), that in the end it will be totally different?

The bike they've been showing was announced two years ago without a gearbox and it has taken them that 2 years of engineering to deliver on those promises, including redesigning it from the prototype to include a gearbox.

That doesn't necessarily explain the change in handlebars, though, but since the prototype has been shown for 2 years while they've been redesigning it I don't think anyone familiar with the bike will be surprised that the final form has some changes (not the least of which are clutch and shift levers and a bulge next to the engine).  The early model was clearly a "prototype" and not a "marketing sample".

Luckily, I've only been following this saga for the past month or so, so I haven't had to deal with the long wait that the original fans have had to endure.

[protomech]

The original advertising wasn't "use this bike on a track, it'll kick a 600cc RR's ass". It was 100 mph, 100 miles. In short.. a pretty rough bounds of the performance many of us would like in a motorcycle, or at least the closest thing yet on a mainstream electric bike. Certainly well beyond anything mainstream electric bikes of 2 years ago offered, which was 60-70 mph / 30 miles range.

Clipons and sportbike ergonomics are sexy to look at, a pain in the ass in actual practice. Some people will want that, and the Empulse will have clipons as an option. They may even be default for the Empulse R. I suspect most Empulse buyers will opt for the higher bars and the less aggressive pegs.

[Lipo423]

This business reminds me what happened with Mercedes at the end of the 80's when they were working on the 500 "series" model for such a long time (they wanted to make it perfect), and when they actually launched the car, the design was obsolete so they have to change the whole thing 

Not the same case -no question-, but just a little of history...it is really amazing how things have change in NPD (for the good, and the bad)

[CliC]

This brings to mind a phrase from my work life, that goes something like this :

"There comes a point in every project when it's time to shoot the engineer and start production."

[dkw12002]

It is hard to put a price tag on a bike without knowing its capabilities, but if it has a 0-60 of 3.5 seconds and then accelerates fast up to 95 mph, does 50 miles range or more at 75 mph (actual), I would definitely be interested. I think they will offer it at $15,995. I would still wait to see the 2013 Zero before buying a Brammo. Also, unless a local dealer sold Brammo, I still wouldn't buy one. What I am hoping is that Zero puts out a bike that performs as I indicated for 2013.

[protomech]

95 mph and 0-60 in 3.5s will either require a multi-gear transmission, or a much more powerful motor.

The 2012 Zeros should do 0-60 in about 9s if the motor response wasn't blunted below 20 mph. Double the power and bump up the gearing slightly and it should be able to do 0-60 in about 4.5s.

The Empulse R at least should do 50+ miles at 75 mph.

[flar]

70 - 70MPH increases drag by 14.8%.

The Empulse R does 56m@70MPH which is only 12% more range than 50.

So, if air resistance is its only drain at speed then it would come up short, but I'm guessing it is only part of the equation and so it depends on how the other terms fair from 70 to 75.

[dkw12002]

$16,995. Watch the YouTube video. 0-60 is just over 5 sec. Needs a special plug like the Volt.

[dkw12002]

If they didn't have to go to that big plug, why did they? It's a deal breaker for me. Hard enough to find a 110 outlet. I'll stick with the Zero. 

[Brammofan]

If they didn't have to go to that big plug, why did they? It's a deal breaker for me. Hard enough to find a 110 outlet. I'll stick with the Zero. 

That "big plug" is the industry standard for EVs, the J1772, and it allows for Level 2 charging.  Using it, you could charge the Empulse from empty to full in 3.5 hours vs. 8 hours if you used a 120V outlet.  Also, the Empulse specs indicate that it comes with a 120V adapter, standard.

[rotoiti]

I actually would like to have that "big plug" on my Zero and ability to quickly charge the battery anywhere a charging station is available.

Regardless, I don't think Empulse R adds $5k of value over Zero S ZF9. And it still is pretty much "vaporware" since no machines have shipped yet. Oh, and why do they use a chain and not a belt?

[Richard230]

My guess is that a chain is used on the Empulse for a number of reasons.  It is less expensive, readily available, easy to change the gearing and the sport bike market expects chain drive.  The last one may be the most compelling reason for Brammo to use a chain on the Empulse.

[dkw12002]

 Maybe they could stick a Two Brothers exhaust on there somewhere too. LOL.  I'll reserve judgement about the clutch until I see it in action, but I can't imagine someone being able to acclerate faster with a clutch than the controller could program it with the flip of a switch. A few years ago, they outlawed automatic transmissions and CVTs in Formula 1 cars cause it would give the user an unfair advantage.  I think they will change their mind about the chain too. A big part of the noise from the video I saw and heard was chain noise.

[flar]

I'll reserve judgement about the clutch until I see it in action, but I can't imagine someone being able to acclerate faster with a clutch than the controller could program it with the flip of a switch.

What are you imagining that the controller would program?  You need gears to get this acceleration.  How is the controller going to program away the need for gears?

A few years ago, they outlawed automatic transmissions and CVTs in Formula 1 cars cause it would give the user an unfair advantage.

An automatic transmission is different - at least it has gears.  But, single speed EV bikes are not going to get this acceleration for a number of years unless they add gears.  And a clutch and manual gear shift is the lightest and cheapest and most efficient way to add that.

[dkw12002]

They could have gone to a CVT and forgot the gears to save weight and expense, then just mapped out the fastest safe acceleration possible for the motor in sport mode.