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So, what about service? Best Buy’s Geek Squad will do what is called Level One repairs

Electric motorcycles are garnering a lot of attention right now. The upcoming TTXGP is one reason, all of the companies involved are touting their own efforts, plus outside the race, Zero is offering bikes through Amazon, Brammo is going with Best Buy, almost everywhere you look, electrics are getting noticed. One of the most fascinating parts of all this is the bet being made by the companies involved, will electrics make it in the market? Will technology advance fast enough to keep the movement going? Will demand be there?

Early adopters with disposable cash will jump on these quickly but beyond that, where do they fit? The builders are betting this is the future and have shown, by their actions and investments, they strongly believe we’re in the early stages of a new motorcycle market based on electric drive technology. Critics are not so sure. So, are we?

Strong opinions on both sides, quickly turn into parody when defined by the other.

As seen by the opposing side:
PRO:
Electric motorcycles are the path to cleaner air, less dependence on foreign oil, sustainable energy and a way to get past the old dirty internal combustion engine whose time is past. Give up your old engines, join the future. The technology is ready now. Let’s be clean and green, stop global warning, save the polar bears, plant flowers, hold hands and sing. Hmm …

CON:
Electric motorcycles? Don’t need ‘em. We know the ICE, we’ve always known it, we’re comfortable with it, why change? Electrics will never work, can’t work, shouldn’t work, batteries are slow to charge, expensive and hard to dispose of, pedestrians wandering the streets will be slaughtered by this silent menace, besides electric powerplants are dirty so the bikes are no cleaner anyway. Fill er up, let’s ride. Hmm …

How about a third view anyone can be comfortable with? As technology advances engineers, inventors and entrepreneurs are placing bets on their vision of the future. Let’s see where it leads. Electric bikes have already come a long way and for some, they’re already useful, for others, not yet. If you like technology, watching new technology develop and advance is always interesting. The companies trying to gain traction in the field are going to be run by strong proponents, it would be silly to start a company otherwise, don’t mistake their confidence for arrogance because you’ll see the same attitude in practically any new field. If you don’t think electrics will succeed, watch those companies fail. If they do work, you’re watching something new grow before your eyes. No one can predict with assurance how this will turn out so relax and watch the show, unless of course, you want to jump in and take part. Step right up, place your bets.

retired1af wrote:Meh.. Impractical as all get out. I'll keep my Geezer Glide thankyouverymuch.

In addition, this first test utilized 75% of our total IOM pack and not at a full state of charge. If all of our estimates are correct, we could have a Digital Superbike with 0-120mph times in the 7 to 8 second range.