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Electric Motorcycle News / Eric Bostrom writes on Electric vs. Gas.
« on: June 08, 2014, 09:28:11 PM »
Electric Vs. Gas AMA champion makes his case for the future of motorcycling.
http://www.cycleworld.com/2014/06/06/electric-vs-gas/
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Electric Vs. Gas AMA champion makes his case for the future of motorcycling.
http://www.cycleworld.com/2014/06/06/electric-vs-gas/
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Electric Motorcycle Events / Re: Great eSuperSport race at Sonoma!
« on: May 17, 2014, 11:35:05 PM »Quote from: BrammoBrianHis consistent laps of 1:57.9 - 1:59.06 on Friday would have had him challenging (or at least closely tailing) Steve Atlas for the win here on the High Voltage, Direct-Drive RR prototype back in 2011
I think that is the most impressive part of electric motorcycle development right there. The performance of the race bikes of form a few years ago are available in production now. If that progress keeps on for a few more years the performance of production electric motorcycles will be very attractive to racers and I think these kind of events will have many more entries, and much greater interest from racers.
Thanks Brian for doing awesome stuff, and sharing it with all of our community.
-ryan
Thanks, Ryan, and I agree! Even though the racing is not as high profile as it has been in the past from a Marketing perspective, it still allows us the perfect opportunity to continue to push and develop the technology. Many of the "fixes" found at the track have become innovations or enhancements for our production vehicles. I get excited just achieving lap times that seemed so far out of reach just a couple of years ago. This is a key to understanding why we race - We race because it remains the best and toughest proving grounds to put our tech to the test against an incumbent technology that has had 100+ years of development and millions of participants in driving product improvements.
“The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.â€
― John Wooden
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Electric Motorcycle Events / Re: Great eSuperSport race at Sonoma!
« on: May 16, 2014, 08:45:55 PM »
Dang. Tough crowd here. 
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Electric Motorcycle Events / Great eSuperSport race at Sonoma!
« on: May 15, 2014, 07:27:47 PM »
For those that missed it... What a great weekend of racing with the AHRMA and www.eMotoRacing.com crew! We've done a lot of racing over the past several years and I must admit that this was one of the most fun couple of days of racing we've had. It was awesome to watch 6 electric bikes (5 Brammo Empulses, 1 Zero S) battle with each other and the gas bikes throughout the race.
Here's a great on-board video of Friday's race from Ricky Orlando's Empulse R:
Shelina Moreda rode my personal Empulse R (with her signature pink body panels) to a hard fought 3rd place finish on Friday. This was a great "shake down" and inaugural race for the bike as I've sold it to a racer in Florida who intends to race it with AHRMA beginning with the Road America round in June. Shelina ran a 2:05.7 lap in the race on a nearly stock production bike and Ricky Orlando managed a 2:06.3 on lap 6. Very impressive and competitive!
The 650+ ft-lbs of rear wheel torque of the Empulse R in 1st gear is a valuable weapon in an 8-lap "sprint" race coming off the start line! Eric was shifting down to 2nd to get a good drive out of the 2 slowest corners on the track, so the Empulse gearboxes were getting a good workout at this track!
Eric ended the 2 day event with 2 wins after clearing off at the front on our factory TTX bike. He also managed to finish 5th overall on Thursday and 4th on Friday among the 19 bikes on the grid, racing with Sound of Thunder twins and Next Gen Superbikes. His consistent laps of 1:57.9 - 1:59.06 on Friday would have had him challenging (or at least closely tailing) Steve Atlas for the win here on the High Voltage, Direct-Drive RR prototype back in 2011.
Eric had a lonely race, but the gap gave him the clear track needed to focus on his riding and what the bike was doing well (Eric said it was magical through the long left hand "carousel") and what needed further improvement for the future.
Note the new tail section on the bike - mostly designed to provide a more solid surface to transmit feedback so that Eric could "feel" what the rear tire was doing. Eric reports that the TTX is now at its best from a performance, balance, and overall riding enjoyment perspective.
We ran the TTX in a special Spec32 livery for Eric at this race as he also picked up his very own production Spec32 bike for riding around LA. More on that to follow. Also... Icon's cooked up some new liveries for the bikes, so expect to see this bike in new colors soon. I think the new designs are the best yet! Stay tuned.
Here's a great on-board video of Friday's race from Ricky Orlando's Empulse R:
Shelina Moreda rode my personal Empulse R (with her signature pink body panels) to a hard fought 3rd place finish on Friday. This was a great "shake down" and inaugural race for the bike as I've sold it to a racer in Florida who intends to race it with AHRMA beginning with the Road America round in June. Shelina ran a 2:05.7 lap in the race on a nearly stock production bike and Ricky Orlando managed a 2:06.3 on lap 6. Very impressive and competitive!
The 650+ ft-lbs of rear wheel torque of the Empulse R in 1st gear is a valuable weapon in an 8-lap "sprint" race coming off the start line! Eric was shifting down to 2nd to get a good drive out of the 2 slowest corners on the track, so the Empulse gearboxes were getting a good workout at this track!
Eric ended the 2 day event with 2 wins after clearing off at the front on our factory TTX bike. He also managed to finish 5th overall on Thursday and 4th on Friday among the 19 bikes on the grid, racing with Sound of Thunder twins and Next Gen Superbikes. His consistent laps of 1:57.9 - 1:59.06 on Friday would have had him challenging (or at least closely tailing) Steve Atlas for the win here on the High Voltage, Direct-Drive RR prototype back in 2011.
Eric had a lonely race, but the gap gave him the clear track needed to focus on his riding and what the bike was doing well (Eric said it was magical through the long left hand "carousel") and what needed further improvement for the future.
Note the new tail section on the bike - mostly designed to provide a more solid surface to transmit feedback so that Eric could "feel" what the rear tire was doing. Eric reports that the TTX is now at its best from a performance, balance, and overall riding enjoyment perspective.
We ran the TTX in a special Spec32 livery for Eric at this race as he also picked up his very own production Spec32 bike for riding around LA. More on that to follow. Also... Icon's cooked up some new liveries for the bikes, so expect to see this bike in new colors soon. I think the new designs are the best yet! Stay tuned.
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Brammo Forum / Re: Brammo Lease Program
« on: April 10, 2014, 10:25:32 PM »Any information on what the purchase price would be at end of lease?
The residual value at the end of the lease would depend on the down payment provided by the customer and the term of the lease.
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Brammo Forum / Re: Brammo Lease Program
« on: April 07, 2014, 11:03:29 PM »Brian,
I think what bigd was getting at is that the published letter contains the words "open-end lease" which do mean that the lessee is responsible for residual value. They appear in a paragraph of "qualifier" statements about the lease some of which are sentence fragments (including the "sentence" that contains those words) so it's not clear how they relate to the lease described above.
It may be that the words "open-end lease" are a mistake. Or that particular statement may be trying to say "we also offer an open-end lease as an option for Preferred credit customers". But, the words are there, they do mean that the lessee is responsible for residual value, and the grammar surrounding that particular sentence is vague as to what it is trying to communicate...
This was double-checked with the leasing company and they have admitted that it was a mistake to include the description of the lease as an "open-end lease". We will be updating the lease details on our website and all digital and printed materials to make the correction. Again - the lessor has NO responsibility for the residual value of the vehicle. They do have the option to purchase at the end of the lease or return it to the dealer.
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Brammo Forum / Re: Brammo Lease Program
« on: April 07, 2014, 12:00:14 AM »BrammoBrian: Thank you for participating in the forum. Your presence here and explanation about why design ideas were adopted (chain and gearbox) really makes sense and makes me appreciate Brammo more. This is a better forum when Brammo is represented and more voices are at the table. I ride an older Zero right now but I am an electric motorcycle fan and want ALL companies producing electric motorcycles, all electric vehicles for that matter, to succeed.
Now, back to the lease thread: I recently read an article about electric car lease rates for a three year term. It listed almost all of the current models and If I recall correctly: Smart for two, Chevy Spark, Leaf and several others were all $199 or less per month and many had zero money down. Honda was $239 per month with about $2000 down but it paid your insurance and other fees AND Honda would install a level 2 charger in your home...making you want to keep the car, I suppose. I know all these cars take into account the federal rebate but we are still talking about $22,000-$30,000 cars after deducting the $7500. In my opinion (and since I am seriously considering upgrading to a new bike now I guess I have the floor) the lease asking price of 13% down and $269 per month (48 month for the Empulse) is very steep. Yes, I do realize depreciation in value for motorcycles is greater than cars and is a factor in the lease rate.
I have never leased a vehicle and would be reluctant to do so. Even though our household income is in the 90th percentile I always finance when I buy and I won't buy unless the financing is super-sweet, usually 0%. What would be more appealing to me, as a potential customer, right now, would be 15% down and zero interest for a 48 month term. The payments would be the same as the lease rate: I would not have to give the bike back, Brammo would not have to sell the used inventory and Brammo could move inventory today. Throwing in a free charger would sweeten the deal enough for me to pick up a pen and sign on the dotted line.
Thank you,
Oregonrider 89
I don't always have time to participate on the forums, but it is something I enjoy to do. Keep in mind that I am also an owner of 2 electric motorcycles, so participate as an enthusiast as well as someone in the industry.
I think the lease rates provided by the Automotive companies are not a fair comparison as they are mostly likely highly subsidized by the car companies and achieve much higher volumes and movements of capital than a lease for a motorcycle. I'm no expert on how all of these financial services work, however. So... All I can offer is what I know. The lease provides a way for someone to get a bike at a more affordable monthly rate than traditional financing, which is also available for the bikes. The traditional downfalls of leasing are still there, but so are the upsides. If it doesn't work for you, then don't do it. To be honest, it costs Brammo a lot more money for you to lease than buy, so we'd prefer to see more customers purchase outright or with traditional financing. We provide customer financing through the same institution that provides it for Polaris Industries' products, Sheffield Financing.
We provide a level 1 EVSE home charge cordset free with the bike. The bike is compatible with all public charging stations and I do not believe most customers require a Level 2 charger for their home as they just recharge overnight (for which the L1 EVSE is sufficient).
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Brammo Forum / Re: Brammo Lease Program
« on: April 05, 2014, 11:08:30 PM »BrammoBrian,
What if the Government subsidy (tax rebate) becomes available again? Who gets the $$?
Thanks,
I'll take a look into this one, but I know that I was eligible to receive the full $7500 tax rebate on my Chevy Volt in 2012 even though the vehicle is leased.
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Brammo Forum / Re: Brammo Lease Program
« on: April 04, 2014, 08:21:23 PM »
bigd,
The lessee has no responsibility to cover the residual value of the bike nor purchase it at the end of the lease. You have the option to purchase if you would like. Brammo is backing the residual with the bank, so the customer does not need to worry about this. There's no "gotcha" on this one.
The lessee has no responsibility to cover the residual value of the bike nor purchase it at the end of the lease. You have the option to purchase if you would like. Brammo is backing the residual with the bank, so the customer does not need to worry about this. There's no "gotcha" on this one.
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Brammo Forum / Brammo Lease Program
« on: April 03, 2014, 09:30:18 PM »
Here is the press release regarding the new lease program that will be available in the dealers for 2014 model year Empulse and Empulse R bikes:
Pioneering Motorcycle Lease Program Announced by Brammo
http://brammoinc.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/r/87BA2D9A3A232CD82540EF23F30FEDED/BC1AEB86F6BE429C6A4D01E12DB8921D
Pioneering Motorcycle Lease Program Announced by Brammo
http://brammoinc.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/r/87BA2D9A3A232CD82540EF23F30FEDED/BC1AEB86F6BE429C6A4D01E12DB8921D
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Brammo Forum / Re: Brammo Empulse tech video
« on: April 03, 2014, 07:07:01 AM »Never do a flease, ooops, I mean lease. All financial advisers will tell you that IS NOT the way to go. Period. If you would like more information on that let me know. No disrespect to you Brian
None taken. You're free to your opinion and nobody is forcing anyone to go the lease route. It's just another option to consider. I lease my Chevy Volt (my first leased vehicle) and have been very happy with that program thus far.
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Brammo Forum / Re: Empulse reliability
« on: April 02, 2014, 10:10:20 PM »Could you summarise the service requirements Brian? How often does the gearbox oil need changing? Is the gearbox harder wearing than a comparable ICE gearbox?
Having experienced the joys of a belt final drive, i'd be interested to know why Brammo opted to use a chain.
You can find the recommended service intervals for the Empulse in the back of the owner's manual here:
https://www.brammo.com/documents/Empulse_Owner's_Manual-2013&2014-Release1.05(web%20version).pdf
We like chain drive for a few reasons:
1. It's simple and very efficient. I believe a properly lubricated and tensioned chain can provide nearly 99% efficiency in power transmission.
2. The chain, counter-shaft sprocket, and rear wheel sprocket (chain-wheel for those in the UK) are less expensive and require less packaging space than the comparable belt components.
3. A chain can be broken for replacement, so it is not necessary to provide a break in the swingarm or other mechanical structure to remove a belt.
4. It is easier to change final drive gearing with aftermarket sprockets. This is extremely helpful for anyone interested in racing the bikes as the final gearing will vary based on track.
5. A belt requires perfect concentricity between the motor countershaft and the rear suspension pivot or a pulley system (as Buell uses) to avoid stretching and compression during suspension travel. This can sometimes be a constraint that is difficult to package around or forces a trade-off that you'd rather not make.
6. A belt is susceptible to shredding from rocks and road debris, so you need to cover more of it with plastic shrouding to prevent this from happening. More parts = more cost.
Overall, I'm not against belts. I appreciate that they provide lower maintenance and noise. It just did not seem like the appropriate solution for the Empulse.
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Brammo Forum / Re: Brammo Empulse tech video
« on: April 02, 2014, 10:57:23 AM »BrammoBrian: I am very interested in the lease program, I will be checking the Brammo website daily. How long do I have to wait?
We are hoping to issue an official press release either this week or next with the details. Thanks for your patience! You can also email us directly at sales@brammo.com and request that we call you directly to discuss the lease program. There's only a few key members of our Sales team that do the calls, so you'll get a call directly from one of our experts. You can also request that I call you if you're more interested in discussing the technical features of the bikes.
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Brammo Forum / Re: Brammo Empulse tech video
« on: April 01, 2014, 10:51:54 PM »I agree. Choice is nice to have. Especially when the two manufacturers do not directly compete with the same design concepts. Each company builds electric motorcycles that will appeal to different segments of the market and that is a smart way to grow such a small industry.
Well said, Richard. BTW - I know you're happy with your most recent Zero purchase, but I haven't given up on you yet. I'm determined to get you on a Brammo one of these days! Just think - You could be the first dual-ownership customer with a Zero and a Brammo in your garage! We'd all really believe your commitment level then...
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Brammo Forum / Re: Brammo Empulse tech video
« on: April 01, 2014, 10:46:58 PM »Damn, this is making it really hard to choose between the Zero SR and the Brammo Empulse when it comes to replacing my ZF9 next year...
How dare Zero and Brammo give me so much choice!!!
Well... just wait, as it's about to get more difficult. Since you seem to be committed to EV and upgrading to the latest tech, you'll want to check out the lease program we'll be announcing very, very soon.
It's a great way to get the latest/greatest tech without breaking the bank or taking a risk that the value will tank due to new tech coming onto the market. I've got a lease on my Chevy Volt and I'm excited that Brammo is going to be the first motorcycle OEM (gas or electric) to be able to offer this option to our customers. Where are you located? Any Brammo dealers nearby?
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