ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Fred on April 18, 2017, 02:27:55 AM
-
There are a lot of obvious advantages of an electric motorbike, but what about the ones you weren't expecting? I've only had my Zero for about 6 weeks, but already there are a few little things that made me smile.
No more smelly baked on engine crud. When you ride an ICE bike in the rain you get that nasty cruddy filthy road spray onto the front of the hot engine and exhaust headers. It bakes on and when you get off the bike there's an unpleasant smell like you've been boiling a muddy puddle. (Well there is on UK roads anyway.) No more! :)
No more roasted nuts. Riding on a hot day in slow traffic? A lot of bikes have an exhaust that goes under the seat or at least near your inner thigh. It's not long before you nuts get overheated and sweaty. No more! :)
-
Speaking of smell.....since your nostrils aren't being constantly desensitized from exhaust....You can smell everything....Bakery...BBQ....Fresh cut grass...Cars burning oil....cow pies...People 'medicating' in the car in front of you....
The heat can be plus or minus.....When it's hot outside definitely a plus....On a cold night you miss the heat. But I would rather turn on a heated seat when I need it rather than constant wasted energy as heat. I've burned myself on hot exhaust pipes and even melted the sole of my shoe.... Sad
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
-
What I like is not having to visit a gas station and struggling with the EPA hose billows to get the pump to work. Now I can just ride on by. ;D
-
The thing that stands out the most to me and is rarely touted as an EV benefit - a complete lack of vibration.
-
Agreed. I love the way you can feel every bit of the road surface texture.
The first time I rode over a rougher bit of tarmac it reminded me of that feeling you get when you've overtightened the chain and are gradually destroying your chain and bearings. Once I realised that it wasn't, it was a revelation how much feeling you get when the engine vibration has gone. Even compared to the pretty smooth 90 degree V twins I used to prefer it is amazing.
-
On the other hand, many bikers need, or think they need, "good vibrations"....
-
I was hoping at least one guy would post that his Ebike got him laid... Im married so I don't think it helped me in that category lol... ::)
-
I was hoping at least one guy would post that his Ebike got him laid... Im married so I don't think it helped me in that category lol... ::)
It might have, if you don't smell like gasoline when you get home your wife may be more amorous.
-
It might have, if you don't smell like gasoline when you get home your wife may be more amorous.
;D ;D
Anyway, if needed, you can visit a perfume shop and buy a fragrance branded "Diesel".... :P
-
I find it is a good conversation starter, but sadly it is usually with members of the same sex and I'm hetero so it hasn't done me any favors in that regard.
-
Largest benefit? Leaving for work, I just ride out of the garage, and the baby stays asleep.
With the ICE bikes, I roll out to the end of the driveway before starting... so I dont wake my wife or the baby.
Also, I enjoy the lack of attention. Riding the ICE bikes into the downtown area and into the parking garage everyone notices you... with the Zero, I silently go by without them noticing.
-
Not having to wait for the engine to warm up. You can give it everything for the start - allowing for tyre temperature and grip, obviously.
My commute (if I'm in a hurry and go direct) is only 2 miles. On my ICE bike the engine didn't even get warm by the time I'd arrived. I felt it wasn't doing the engine any good and I had to take it reasonably easy.
-
Not giving the coppers a heads up is a big bonus. They can hear most bikes coming, especially if the rider is trying to make progress. By the time I pass and they look up, I've gone. Not that I ride like a hooligan of course. It's just that if I'm riding in a spirited fashion, I don't want to attract attention. I can have a bit of fun without advertising the fact.
Riding through the countryside is just a wonderful and tranquil experience.
Riding off road is great, especially as you're not bothering others that are enjoying going for a walk.
I'm a much less aggressive rider without the sound of an engine goading me on.
Being able to accelerate in one long uninterrupted and smooth maneuver is lovely. I find it mildly annoying running out of revs and having to change gear these days.
Not having to oil a chain is great.
No fumes on cold starts.
Tyres and brakes last a lot longer.
Cyclists like me instead of tolerate me.
I can get away with riding places that would be a big no on a petrol bike.
-
I sort of assembled this into the unofficial Zero manual Buyers' Guide, since it's probably obvious once you start riding:
http://zeromanual.com/index.php/Potential_Buyers_Guide#Riding_Differences (http://zeromanual.com/index.php/Potential_Buyers_Guide#Riding_Differences)
-
Most of theses (un)expected advantages are also blessing electric cars, when compared to petrol cars.
-
On of the few disadvantages of riding an electric motorcycle is that you really have to be careful when approaching pedestrians and bicyclists from the rear. Since they can't hear you sometimes they will make unexpected moves into your path of travel without looking. :( And if they are wearing ear buds you really have to watch out! :o
-
On of the few disadvantages of riding an electric motorcycle is that you really have to be careful when approaching pedestrians and bicyclists from the rear. Since they can't hear you sometimes they will make unexpected moves into your path of travel without looking. :( And if they are wearing ear buds you really have to watch out! :o
Parking lots are the most dangerous for sure.
-
On of the few disadvantages of riding an electric motorcycle is that you really have to be careful when approaching pedestrians and bicyclists from the rear. Since they can't hear you sometimes they will make unexpected moves into your path of travel without looking. :( And if they are wearing ear buds you really have to watch out! :o
Not a problem. Got used to that in my bicycle-riding days. :)
-
I've revised that entry with pros and cons in a table. :)
-
On of the few disadvantages of riding an electric motorcycle is that you really have to be careful when approaching pedestrians and bicyclists from the rear. Since they can't hear you sometimes they will make unexpected moves into your path of travel without looking. :( And if they are wearing ear buds you really have to watch out! :o
Not a problem. Got used to that in my bicycle-riding days. :)
It's funny how with all this talk of electric vehicles being quite we often forget about cyclists. They've always been quiet and often ride at the same speed as the other traffic in town. I'm often overtaken by cyclists in London.
Fair point by Richard but thanks also to Jaime for raising his point. Giving them space and time is needed.
-
The most unexpected benefit I've had is smiles. Loads and loads of smiles as people realise they've just seen an electric bike.
-
On of the few disadvantages of riding an electric motorcycle is that you really have to be careful when approaching pedestrians and bicyclists from the rear. Since they can't hear you sometimes they will make unexpected moves into your path of travel without looking. :( And if they are wearing ear buds you really have to watch out! :o
Especially in Denver where pedestrians often walk right out against the signal without even looking and bicycles NEVER stop for red lights and stop signs. (4-20?)
Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk
-
On of the few disadvantages of riding an electric motorcycle is that you really have to be careful when approaching pedestrians and bicyclists from the rear. Since they can't hear you sometimes they will make unexpected moves into your path of travel without looking. :( And if they are wearing ear buds you really have to watch out! :o
Especially in Denver where pedestrians often walk right out against the signal without even looking and bicycles NEVER stop for red lights and stop signs. (4-20?)
Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk
It is the same thing in San Francisco, which is why I do my best to avoid riding into that den of inequity. But it is also true that most other cities in California have similar problems with their citizens and the larger and more congested the city the larger the problem. People just wander around in a daze with their earbuds inserted, their music turned up nice and loud, their eyes glazed over and their heads up their ass. Unfortunately, many of these same people also ride bicycles and ride the same way they walk. When riding my Zero in a congested urban area I feel like I am in a pinball machine. :o
-
It is the same thing in San Francisco, which is why I do my best to avoid riding into that den of inequity. But it is also true that most other cities in California have similar problems with their citizens and the larger and more congested the city the larger the problem. People just wander around in a daze with their earbuds inserted, their music turned up nice and loud, their eyes glazed over and their heads up their ass. Unfortunately, many of these same people also ride bicycles and ride the same way they walk. When riding my Zero in a congested urban area I feel like I am in a pinball machine. :o
It's a good reminder of something that we as motorcyclists know very well: You are, ultimately, responsible for your own personal safety and no one else can or will do it for you. Too many people out there don't understand that.
Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk
-
It is the same thing in San Francisco, which is why I do my best to avoid riding into that den of inequity. But it is also true that most other cities in California have similar problems with their citizens and the larger and more congested the city the larger the problem. People just wander around in a daze with their earbuds inserted, their music turned up nice and loud, their eyes glazed over and their heads up their ass. Unfortunately, many of these same people also ride bicycles and ride the same way they walk. When riding my Zero in a congested urban area I feel like I am in a pinball machine. :o
It's a good reminder of something that we as motorcyclists know very well: You are, ultimately, responsible for your own personal safety and no one else can or will do it for you. Too many people out there don't understand that.
Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk
So true. Hopefully every motorcycle rider understands that. ;) If you make a mistake, it can hurt both physically and in your wallet. :(
-
The most unexpected benefit I've had is smiles. Loads and loads of smiles as people realise they've just seen an electric bike.
Very true, I didn't buy my bike for attention but I certainly receive a ton of it. Even more when I've got my buddy.
-
The most unexpected benefit I've had is smiles. Loads and loads of smiles as people realise they've just seen an electric bike.
Very true, I didn't buy my bike for attention but I certainly receive a ton of it. Even more when I've got my buddy.
Oh that's just brilliant!
Any chance of a close-up on the attachment? I've got one of those chariots and it would be fun to pull my kids along. Off road, if course! :-)
-
Actually, that just reminded me of this:
https://youtu.be/o5tO6JY32yA
-
I bet your dog appreciates the lack of exhaust fumes in his little furry face.
-
The most unexpected benefit I've had is smiles. Loads and loads of smiles as people realise they've just seen an electric bike.
Very true, I didn't buy my bike for attention but I certainly receive a ton of it. Even more when I've got my buddy.
Oh that's just brilliant!
Any chance of a close-up on the attachment? I've got one of those chariots and it would be fun to pull my kids along. Off road, if course! :-)
I can get photos later, but pulling your kids is not something I'd recommend. Your tire will throw crap right in their faces. My dog doesn't complain but I bet your kids will. Trailers are also not very good at corners and all it would take is one tip over and you'll be on the news at best, or attending a funeral at worst.
This photo is actually old and not the current setup. The one in the photo has an aluminum frame, and it would flex, causing it to fishtail as well as tip over a couple of times in a slight curve. Eventually the frame welds failed and I bought a steel framed trailer. Wow, it was a total change. Now it's really stable. I also wired in a five wire trailer harness and got a $10 integrated taillight so it's got turn signals. I'm not trying to hijack anyone's thread so maybe I'll show more in this thread when I have the opportunity. http://electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=5885.msg48724#msg48724 (http://electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=5885.msg48724#msg48724)
-
On a hot day, I love being able to immediately take it into the garage without having it heat up the garage.
On a cold day, I put the Zero on eco (more braking via the motor), and then I love being able to wear mitts, and not have to fiddle with either a clutch lever or a front brake lever (the combo of regenerative braking and the rear foot brake does the job).
-
Disadvantage
You stop using your car - and fuel lines dry out from being parked so long.
And when you need to move it, it will not start.
You crank on it so long that the battery dies. (There is no sender pump in the tank, it is a mechanical pump direct off the engine (VW TDI) no matter what Hayes manual says).
So you push it into the garage (slightly uphill) and charge the battery, then hook up a vacuum pump to pull fuel back into the lines.
Even with the fuel filter loaded the pump is still dry.
But you still can't seem to pull fuel through to prime the pump.
So you hook the vacuum up to the return fuel line and crank the engine a few times.... well one time too many.
Fuel successfully passes through the pump - overfilling the vacuum pump and dumps onto the garage floor.
What a mess.
Take apart the vacuum pump and clean all the fuel out of that.
Clean the garage floor - which stinks of spilled fuel.
Still doesn't start... the injectors too are dry - so you crack one open and crank some more.
You re-tighten the injector and crank some more...
FINALLY the car starts.
-
That'll teach you for buying a diesel. Infernal machines! ;-)
-
Especially VW diesels!!
I have a large diesel car which is no more used except for holidays or transportation of bulk goods. Mostly parked. However, in order not to let it dry out and also to get some money, it is occasionally rented to people in the vicinity who need a car for a few days, either because they haven't one or it is broken or they need a larger one. Not sure if that is legal in all countries. There are some web sites specialised in "dating" between car owners and car searchers. There is an official leasing contract signed and another car insurance applied (not that of the owner), payed by the web site's markup on the transaction amount. Not bad.
-
I had to pick up my Zero before it was registered and legal to ride on the road, so it took it's first journey home in the back of my VW T5 Transporter. It might be a VW diesel but I still like it! The two spend their nights cosied up in the same garage too.(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170516/c0d5a395bb6c35ec21ff6ab19abfb5cc.jpg)
-
Especially VW diesels!!
I have a large diesel car which is no more used except for holidays or transportation of bulk goods. Mostly parked. However, in order not to let it dry out and also to get some money, it is occasionally rented to people in the vicinity who need a car for a few days, either because they haven't one or it is broken or they need a larger one. Not sure if that is legal in all countries. There are some web sites specialised in "dating" between car owners and car searchers. There is an official leasing contract signed and another car insurance applied (not that of the owner), payed by the web site's markup on the transaction amount. Not bad.
I've loaned my cars out - pro bono. I've got very few neighbors. We live in a rural subdivision.
I've considered:
https://turo.com/rentals (https://turo.com/rentals) (back when it was relayrides)
and in my bookmarks includes...
https://www.riders-share.com/ (https://www.riders-share.com/)
-
There are a lot of obvious advantages of an electric motorbike, but what about the ones you weren't expecting? .........
Rear view mirrors that actually work.
-
Disadvantage
You stop using your car - and the brakes corrode and don't work
F'n front calipers are all f'd up =( gonna cost more than I saved riding the bike =(
-
Unexpected disadvantage: I sheepishly had to check that no other drivers/pedestrians heard me when, coming up to a light, I farted.
-
:) ICE bikes are permanently farting heavily! And everybody thinks this is normal situation...
-
Today I saw a London taxi blowing so much smoke that it might as well have been a steam engine. That thing was probably causing more pollution than 50 cars.
It's easy to assume that all ICE engines are running perfectly and within emissions laws. I think the reality is very different. People keep running ICE engines even when they're ruined and burning oil like mad. An electric motor is likely to last a lot longer in the first place and will die gracefully having used only the grease in the rotor bearings.
-
Especially VW diesels!!
I have a large diesel car which is no more used except for holidays or transportation of bulk goods. Mostly parked. However, in order not to let it dry out and also to get some money, it is occasionally rented to people in the vicinity who need a car for a few days, either because they haven't one or it is broken or they need a larger one. Not sure if that is legal in all countries. There are some web sites specialised in "dating" between car owners and car searchers. There is an official leasing contract signed and another car insurance applied (not that of the owner), payed by the web site's markup on the transaction amount. Not bad.
I've loaned my cars out - pro bono. I've got very few neighbors. We live in a rural subdivision.
I've considered:
https://turo.com/rentals (https://turo.com/rentals) (back when it was relayrides)
and in my bookmarks includes...
https://www.riders-share.com/ (https://www.riders-share.com/)
I've got cars on Turo and Getaround. Works out great.
Riders-share looks suspect to me. There doesn't seem to be any mention of insurance.
-
Not giving the coppers a heads up is a big bonus. They can hear most bikes coming, especially if the rider is trying to make progress. By the time I pass and they look up, I've gone.
I can certainly vouch for this. I don't yet own one, but I've always kept the quiet, stock mufflers on all my ICE bikes. I used to get frustrated with the Loud Pipes Save Lives crowd, because I imagined they were creating a bad image of all motorcyclists, but I've since changed my mind.
I now have stealth bikes that didn't cost me a penny. All of the other gazelles on the Serengeti Plain have voluntarily donned belled collars to let the lion (LEO) know that dinner is on the way. I have slid past speed traps with the policeman's radar gun pointing straight at me while going 15 mph over the posted speed limit, and the police don't even bother coming after me. One of them even waved(!) and I was on my wicked-evil ZX9R.
Of course we are breaking the law and this won't work every time, but the police have largely been conditioned to equate speed with noise. If they can't hear us, they generally don't bother.
So I always wave to the nice loud Harley men and stuntaz from my quiet "Newbie" bikes and chuckle to myself when they don't wave back. ;)
-
Not giving the coppers a heads up is a big bonus. They can hear most bikes coming, especially if the rider is trying to make progress. By the time I pass and they look up, I've gone.
I can certainly vouch for this. I don't yet own one, but I've always kept the quiet, stock mufflers on all my ICE bikes. I used to get frustrated with the Loud Pipes Save Lives crowd, because I imagined they were creating a bad image of all motorcyclists, but I've since changed my mind.
I now have stealth bikes that didn't cost me a penny. All of the other gazelles on the Serengeti Plain have voluntarily donned belled collars to let the lion (LEO) know that dinner is on the way. I have slid past speed traps with the policeman's radar gun pointing straight at me while going 15 mph over the posted speed limit, and the police don't even bother coming after me. One of them even waved(!) and I was on my wicked-evil ZX9R.
Of course we are breaking the law and this won't work every time, but the police have largely been conditioned to equate speed with noise. If they can't hear us, they generally don't bother.
So I always wave to the nice loud Harley men and stuntaz from my quiet "Newbie" bikes and chuckle to myself when they don't wave back. ;)
Typically, radar locks in on the BIGGEST target in range (as was proven many years ago in a test in Road & Track magazine). If you are surrounded by trucks and vans doing the speed limit, the radar gun probably never even "saw" you. You can test this if you have any of those "Speed Signs" in your area... you know, the ones that show you how fast you're going? These things will show the speed for an approaching car long before it gets to the sign. If you're all alone on the road when you see one of these, see how close you can get before it ever shows your speed and you'll have an idea. If you and a buddy (in a car) approach one of these together, as soon as it displays your speed have your buddy maintain his/hers and you can accelerate away and the sign will still be displaying your buddy's speed.
Moral: If you're all alone on the highway, you're a sitting duck for radar traps. If you're in traffic, you'll probably never even register (especially since your bike doesn't call attention to itself with a loud exhaust).
-
Do cops still use radar guns to check your speed? All I see now are LADAR instant-on speed guns. They use a laser to get your speed and have a telescopic sight to zero in on their victim. Once the cops pull the trigger you are toast. And detectors don't work with these devices since the laser is so narrow and directed.
-
Have to be pretty damned accurate to get a bead on a moving motorcycle and get any kind of accurate reading. However, what I posted above definitely applies to those jurisdications that put up Speed Cameras, so beware. You may be minding your own business and traveling at a perfectly legal speed, but a quarter mile away some idiot in a panel truck could be doing triple the speed limit and YOU'RE the one in camera range!