ElectricMotorcycleForum.com

And give us the details please!

This is to document my experiences with buying a gpr-s in case it might be informative for anyone thinking about doing the same.  I just sent the check for the machine today, and hope to write short descriptions of the process of purchasing, receiving, and owning the bike.

Electric Motorsport currently has a fairly small shop in Oakland not too far from the Bay Bridge.  I was told they are moving to a larger shop soon and hiring more employees to increase manufacturing capability.  Currently their primary sales person is Todd Anderson.  Todd seems very patient, not at all pushy.  He either gives you an answer to your question, or if he can't, he quickly gets the answer from someone who does know.  The only negative I have seen so far is that Todd doesn't have a lot of spare time on his hands, so if you are going to contact him about something, you will have better luck if it is a pressing matter.

For test-riding, Todd had me ride 2 bikes, and also he rode alongside on a third bike which I couldn't ride because it was actually destined for a particular owner.  This third bike was interesting because it was a special configuration of a 72 volt system with an induction motor and enough (Thundersky I believe) batteries so the bike could go 80 or more mph.  The bike was selling for $13,000 (pre-tax) as opposed to their current stock gpr-s, which is selling at $8,500.  When it got up to speed, it left the other bikes way behind.

The first bike I rode had already been sold  to a guy who had changed his lifestyle to the point where he didn't want the bike any more by the time it was manufactured. He was now wanting to re-sell it without having ridden it.  It was a 60-volt system with an ac induction motor and re-gen braking.  Didn't like it at first because it seemed a bit sluggish from a standing start and top speed appeared to be 52 mph.  But the bike only had 14 kilometers or miles (don't know which) on it when I first got on.  Martin, one of EM's primary engineers, said there is a breaking-in period with engines with brushes so the top speed should increase as it gains more miles during the breaking in period (I think he estimated the break-in period to be around 50 miles).  As Martin stated, by the time I finished riding the bike it had 28 k/m on it, and one last maxxing out of the speed on a long flat straghtaway went up to 56 mph.  During the course of the ride the voltage meter, which started out at 67, dropped to around 62.  (A level of 58 was said to be the point where it would be a bad idea to drive it further).  Picasso happened to be on the scene, and asked me what how much the voltage was sagging when all the juice was used.  I actually watched one the next ride and told him the answer, but I can't trust my memory on what the exact numbers were.  Picasso didn't look too surprised at the numbers I reported, but for all I know, he might have been hiding his shock and dismay.

Todd wanted me to try a stock 72 volt bike, but there was none available (a lot of bikes were being shipped back from Ohio, where EM had been successfully participating in a big motorcycle race/event).  Martin actually volunteered his bike which is apparently stock, which he uses to commute to work every day.  It had been programmed to have a quick response to the throttle, which I liked.  It was significantly faster from a standing start, and easily reached more than 62 mph in the short straightaway I maxxed it on.  The bike was pretty much what I needed, my only complaint being that I will miss the tall forgiving suspension of my dual sport xl350r and the similarly soft suspension of the Zero bikes I have tried.  

Todd suggested the stock bike could be enhanced a bit (especially range-wise) by replacing the stock 40ah batteries with 60ah batteries (adding around $750 to the stock $8,500 cost).  So this is the configuration we came to agree would best meet my needs riding and cost-wise.

The next day (also, the day this is being written), I called Todd and we confirmed a deal for this configuration, which Todd said would be assembled between 3-5 weeks.  I have just now sent EM a check for most of the cost of the bike, and when the check clears Todd will be sending me pdf files of information on correct handling/usage of the bike...

Hi,

I've got a small issue and I was wondering if anybody on this forum might have more information on this issue, or a solution to it.

I laid down a deposit on the Zero S, and was told that some time in June my name would probably come up as next on the list to purchase a machine.  At the same time, I have been inquiring with the people at the California Air Resources Board (CARB), the state organization handling the $1,500 rebate for purchasing electric motorcycles (I believe the rebates come in the form of vouchers that are given to either the customer or the dealer at the time of purchase and the dealer discounts the customer's price by $1,500 and uses the vouchers to collect the money from the state).

The CARB folks are telling me that they are setting up a new program called the Air Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) that will directly handle the rebates.  However, they are telling me that AQIP will not be up and running until sometime in the (late) fall.  They are also saying that if I purchase the Zero S before the AQIP is up and running, then I won't be eligible for the $1,500 rebate (in other words, I won't be able to claim the rebate retroactively).

Can anyone verify if I have my facts straight here, and/or if there are any work around solutions I could use to get the bike now, when my name hits the top of the list, without losing out on the $1,500?

Thanks, and by the way, thanks for your web site!