Omfg Do Want Badly

[Hajuu]

Hey guys,

Was just browsing around and I found one of the coolest things!

http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/zero-s.php

Electric powered motorbike! (Not motored bike )

Does upto about 90km/hr on flats, and does about 90km per 4 hour charge, putting out about 4kw (an average similarly sized bike might put out 4.5-5). Long distance enough to take me to the city and back, and run errands around there for even as much as half a day too, not bad for 1c or something per 100km.

And because it's electric it puts out awesome torque without a gearbox. Another advantage ofcourse is an electric motor is really only like, 4 parts, all self contained nicely, so if anything breaks (which, these motors are exceptionally easy to maintain and have a long life), its not a huge deal you can easilly source, buy, and replace the parts yourself without even a *lot* of know how.

Seriously considering buying one if I can save 10 grand.

Check the videos in the gallery before giving your thoughts below, as the silence has to be heard to be believed.

Hajuu

 

[AussieSteve]

Range is up to 80km, not 90.
It's only a brush motor not brushless, unfortunately.
1c per km, not 1c per 100km.
It weighs 122.5kg, 270lbs, pretty heavy for an e-Bike.
Are you sure that parts are as easy to source as you say. There's no mention of spare parts on their web site, that I could see.
Finally, it doesn't say that this is a 4kW motor, it says that the battery capacity is 4kWh. (Mine is a 36V, 10Ah battery, total 360 Watt-hours, but the motor is only 200W. They're not directly related, although going by specs, the motor would be 2-2.5kW, more than likely.)
Noticeably, they never mention the power of the motor.

Of course, you need full registration and a motorcycle license to ride it here, too.

All said and done, I wouldn't touch it at $10,000, if that's what they cost.

... Steve

 

[Hajuu]

Right, upto 90km. But I wouldnt be gunning around on it, and apparently with some resistive charging breaking systems you can easilly get upto 90km.

I didn't notice that the specs were for the power system not the engine power, however in an interview they stated that the achieved accelleration was 0-60mph ( in *about* 6 seconds (the 60mph being higher than the 50 in the specs), they also stated that it gets about 60 miles (96km) with long-run (not city driving) style riding. The interview is linked somewhere on the site.

And ofcourse you need full registration and licence, you seem to be thinking more along the lines of motored bikes still not an electric motorcycle, which this definately is. I mean 0-near 100 in optimum conditions in 6 seconds is rediculously high accelleration. And it also supposedly handles its maximum speed ideally, it's not feeling like its going to shake apart at max speed, its as solid as at any other speed.

However registration and a licence also comes with full legality in all states, along with being able to ride on the road at the speed limit without risk of law reprisals (however rare, its still a concern).

One of the main things that I really like about it is the intelligent lithium ion battery system, which is definitely where a large bulk of the cost comes from, however it guarantees an exceptionally long life (probably in the range of 10 years or more) without losing capacity. Definitely a more elegant solution than most of those on offer.

 

[AussieSteve]

Hajuu, I didn't really mean to sound so negative regarding electric bikes - they're the future.

10 years is a very long life, for any type of battery. Might be a bit less than that.

Did you happen to see the electric bikes in last year's Isle of Mann TT races?
They didn't mention range, but a top speed of 106mph, (170kph). I want one of those.
I also read a couple of interesting articles in a mate's bike mag last week, on electric road bikes and electric trials bikes.

There are some pretty big things going to be happening in the next couple of years with electric bikes that will leave the one we've been looking at for dead, in range, speed, etc.

Regarding a regenerative braking system, that needs to be built into the controller, it's not really something that can be added later. (Or does that bike already incorporate regen braking? I didn't notice.)

... Steve

 

[motorpsycho]

ehhhh, i'll stick with gas power.
$10,000.00 ??? no thanks.

 

[Hajuu]

meh think of it like going and buying a really nice motorcycle of any variety, which is essentially what it is. You wouldn't hesitate to buy the gas bike of your dreams for 8K brand new, an extra 2K for batteries and a silent, maintenance free ride and practically nil running costs in general doesn't seem in any way unreasonable.

 

[AussieSteve]

But it's not a really nice motorcycle, especially not for 10 grand. I hit 80 kph on a slight downhill on my bike the other day, with an easy 150km range with the 3 litre tank.
Cost: $1600, and no registration or license.

If a really nice electric motorcycle becomes available at a good price, I'll be there.
For $10,000, though, I'd expect far better performance than from a 66cc HT-assisted bicycle and that thing is still in the HT league.

... Steve

 

[Hajuu]

hahah, you can't *really* compare an electric motor bike to a motored bike in terms of riding pleasure. One is a silent, stable, engineered machine able to very easilly cope with even the maximum operating environment, the other is an engineered flame with a glorified two stroke stuck on it crudely, no matter how tidy you make it look. Any two stroke at the high end of its performance is still going to make a lot of noise, a lot of vibration, and a lot of wear on the engine.

Maximum speed doesn't define the experience nor quality. ****, you can't even start yours without crudely pedaling.

And going downhill at speed, you think this thing cant roll faster than that with max throttle too? If nothing else (we don't know the engine power) it's much heavier than your bike, which will automatically mean any speed increase you gain on a hill will be higher on this bike.

Not to mention a motored bike is probably one of the highest maintinence devices you can own for transport, you even have to switch the fuel off (preferably in two places) when you stop or start.

Also of note is 'no registration or licence' - Were you aware, that as a cyclist in Australia, even if its a bike path and your not using the motor, if you hit someone even if its their fault, you are almost automatically considered to be at fault and face full prosecution?

Riding on the rode is dangerous at best. And especially doing 80km/hr as you claim on yours is highly illegal, not to mention the fact that your whole setup is also illegal (so is mine ) and we're just 'lucky'. Even the modifications you talk about frequently for performance increase its illegality, as well as your pleasure. So 'no registration or licence' isn't exactly a desirable thing in ANY circumstance.

I get where you're coming from, and I really really enjoy riding my bike as much as the next guy don't get me wrong, but this is definitely much more of a motorbike than a motored bike.

A motored bike is really a lot more like a scooter than anything else in terms of performance (not experience obviously). These same systems are being used as full speed, full torque dirt bikes for example (outfitted and tuned differently). A motored bike or scooter would both be in roughly the same position of most likely rolling over all the hills.

Id also like to see your motored bike do 0-80/90km/hr in 6 seconds. ****, i'll give you 2 minutes even. Go go!

And lets face it, you've put a **** LOT of work and probably quite a sizable amount of money into your bike to get it to go that fast, and thats still going downhill and to me that'd be about the absolute maximum absolutely possible on it. One of these will still be doing 90 on flats, and probably 50-60 up small hills while you're probably doing 20 max up the same hill, even pedaling.

For some of us, a reliable ride for a long time to come, a silent, low vibration, smokeless, fuel less vehicle with practically no maintinence is more desirable than a low price assistance solution.

 

[AussieSteve]

I ride an electric bike every day, I fully realise that speed isn't the only issue. For $10,000, however, performance is an issue and that thing is pretty, but it's got nothing else going for it.

And as I said, try and get spare parts, especially brushes for the motor when they wear out.
My policy - if there isn't a spare parts listing, don't buy it.

Regarding weight vs gravity for acceleration, the higher weight of the bike won't make it accelerate more quickly when rolling downhill. It just makes it hard to handle and more power-hungry.

... Steve

 

[Hajuu]

I might also feel differently if, like you say, my bike wasnt perpetually out of commission for no percievable reason lol.

And as a final side question on the downhill thing, I thought that a heavier vehicle quite literally was being forced downhill with more force from gravity? I once raced a really big guy on identical bikes, just rolling down hill he really flew ahead of me, from an equal starting speed.