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We don't like giving money to the gas companies.

0 (0%)

They are good for the enviorment.

2 (9.1%)

They have a lot of torque.

3 (13.6%)

They are something different.

1 (4.5%)

We enjoy all the hassles, such as waiting to charge if we can find a place.

0 (0%)

Less Maintenace.

2 (9.1%)

No engine heat on hot days.

0 (0%)

Being able to charge up at home instead of going to gas stations.

3 (13.6%)

They are very quiet-no noise.

1 (4.5%)

All of the above.

9 (40.9%)

None of the above, give reasons below.

1 (4.5%)

Total Members Voted: 22

Voting closed: December 10, 2022, 11:57:00 AM

[DonTom]

What are your reasons for putting up with the hassles of electric motorcycles?


I am not even sure why I like them the best, as it makes no sense. As one guy once said here "electric motorcycles suck!" I cannot disagree, but I still ride electric whenever I can.



-Don-  Auburn, CA

[Bodo]

You forgot the silence - while they feel quite nimble due to their instant torque, they also sound effortless. Giving it the beans has never been so discrete.

My motivation is power per licence: in some legislations, one can ride a 125cc/11kW bike with a car driver's license. What is the same between the two drivetrains is how the output is measured: the average power over 30 minutes.

While the result between legal power 'nominal' and maximum power for ICE is very close, the max power on an FX is three times higher 33kW/44PS. In practice, derating is unnoticeable, and with a well-designed EV one can drive an equivalent to a fast 400cc without extending to a motorbike license.

That's why Zero offers S/DS/FX/FXS/FXE models with a choice of 11kW or 15kW.

[DonTom]

You forgot the silence - while they feel quite nimble due to their instant torque, they also sound effortless. Giving it the beans has never been so discrete.

My motivation is power per licence: in some legislations, one can ride a 125cc/11kW bike with a car driver's license. What is the same between the two drivetrains is how the output is measured: the average power over 30 minutes.

While the result between legal power 'nominal' and maximum power for ICE is very close, the max power on an FX is three times higher 33kW/44PS. In practice, derating is unnoticeable, and with a well-designed EV one can drive an equivalent to a fast 400cc without extending to a motorbike license.

That's why Zero offers S/DS/FX/FXS/FXE models with a choice of 11kW or 15kW.

Thanks, I just added that "they are quiet" to the poll. I wonder how many other things I forgot to add.


-Don-  Auburn, CA

[Bodo]

'Regulations' is missing.

[TheRan]

I voted for all of the above, although I don't enjoy waiting to charge but also rarely is it actually an issue. And also as Bodo mentioned, it's the quickest bike I can ride on my licence. In addition to the options in the pole I'd say I also enjoy the intrigue that comes from having an electric bike, having people come up to me to talk about them.

[Richard230]

As a long-time BMW motorcycle owner one of the things I really appreciate when owning an electric motorcycle is the lack of dealer-required maintenance. After buying my 2018 Zero S I have never been back to my dealer, except for the first checkup servicing.  And my old 2014 S that I gave to my daughter had never been to a dealer either since its Power Tank was installed a month after it was bought.

[DonTom]

'Regulations' is missing.

I think that is a good one for "none of the above, give reasons below".


-Don-  Auburn, CA

[BigPoppa]

My main reason for going electric is the ease of accessing the vehicle's performance, whether an Energica or a Tesla. Less to focus on (shifting, proper RPMs, etc) other than the ride itself.

[TheRan]

My main reason for going electric is the ease of accessing the vehicle's performance, whether an Energica or a Tesla. Less to focus on (shifting, proper RPMs, etc) other than the ride itself.

To add to this, with an electric bike it's less that they have a lot of torque (many gas bikes will actually have more torque at the wheel in first gear) but rather that the torque is delivered in a predictable, linear, logical manner and the maximum is (practically) always available. The throttle on a gas bike is more of a suggestion and you wait for the engine to catch up and then play along by working the clutch and gears. An electric bike gives you what you ask for when you ask for it.

[DonTom]

To add to this, with an electric bike it's less that they have a lot of torque (many gas bikes will actually have more torque at the wheel in first gear) but rather that the torque is delivered in a predictable, linear, logical manner and the maximum is (practically) always available. The throttle on a gas bike is more of a suggestion and you wait for the engine to catch up and then play along by working the clutch and gears. An electric bike gives you what you ask for when you ask for it.

Yep, that wide range RPM torque is a main reason why I like electrics also.


The less gears the better, IMO. But most Americans think differently when it comes to sales. They think more is better. But I wish they would remove two gears from my Harley.


IMO, the four gears in my BMW are perfect. If that only needs four gears, my Harley could do as well on three gears, but it has six. I often skip gears with it. Lots of torque, but still nothing like an electric.


-Don-  Auburn, CA

[Moto7575]

Because riding on nuclear is way cooler than on dead dinosaurs...

[Stonewolf]

It's because they're just so gosh darn good. I took my VFR out for a shakedown recently after it's satin my garage for a few months and it's so much more work than my Ribelle.

I said this before and I'll say it again, electric will win over gas because it's just better, that's what people who don't understand the shirt to electric cars don't get, it's happening because they're better.

In the end it wont happen because they take gas bikes away, it'll happen because nobody wants them anymore.

[Richard230]

It's because they're just so gosh darn good. I took my VFR out for a shakedown recently after it's satin my garage for a few months and it's so much more work than my Ribelle.

I said this before and I'll say it again, electric will win over gas because it's just better, that's what people who don't understand the shirt to electric cars don't get, it's happening because they're better.

In the end it wont happen because they take gas bikes away, it'll happen because nobody wants them anymore.

It will happen faster once the range gets increased and the price drops to a more affordable level.

[Stonewolf]

I doubt those will happen at the same time, range is pretty much tiny improvements at the edge until solid state comes along and that will be both years from now and at the current price point. Meanwhile it's conceivable current battery tech will get closer to price parity but with current performance. So you will have a choice, current tech at nearer price parity or range parity and a 5 minute charge at current prices.

Furthermore, I'm not sold on range being the be-all end-all anymore, my Energica has less range than a gas bike, sure but it has *enough* range. What it needs is better thermal management allowing faster and more consistent charging. If you want to know what I want out of solid state, that's it, I want the mass and volume savings to enable a thermal management system sized to the better thermal characteristics of the batter. That way I could get the same or better range with consistently significantly faster charging to the point where I don't care how few motorway miles I'm getting.

[DonTom]

It will happen faster once the range gets increased and the price drops to a more affordable level.

Range doesn't need to be increased. We only need more places to charge up when out in the middle of nowhere.


-Don-  Auburn, CA