Electric Dirt bikes?

[Fade]

Ive seent the ktm freeride, are there any others, and how much might they cost... it would be great to have one as I cant ride my 250 around my house...

[Aka.Goose]

I think Zero has the best electric dirtbikes out there:

http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/zero-mx/features

...90 minutes on the track or 120 minutes on the trail...easy and fast to swap out batteries, so if you wanted you could buy an extra that could be charging while you're riding...

I personally wouldn't buy an E bike, but like where they're headed...Ten years from now (once battery technology advances) they'll surpass fueled bikes...They'll have equal power (if not greater) that's instantly available at all rpms, be much much lighter, and the charge will last longer than a tank of gas would...No emissions, no loud motor, no clutch, no gears, lhrb, and a spare battery back at camp charged up by a solar generator...What's not to love about that? The only issue I see is that I "feather" my clutch a lot, so loosing that ability might suck...

[thumpharder]

vroom, vroom

[Aka.Goose]

^^^ Of course be ready for the guys who's bikes are more than 25 years old to give you a little crap about wanting an electric...

While they look like this:

[Mark6299]

I think Zero has the best electric dirtbikes out there:

Ten years from now (once battery technology advances) they'll surpass fueled bikes...They'll have equal power (if not greater) that's instantly available at all rpms, be much much lighter, and the charge will last longer than a tank of gas would...No emissions, no loud motor, no clutch, no gears, lhrb, and a spare battery back at camp charged up by a solar generator...What's not to love about that? The only issue I see is that I "feather" my clutch a lot, so loosing that ability might suck...

Those are some pretty bold statements you are making. They will this, they will that. Should be they might this and that. To each his own.

The comment about no emissions though, that part really got me pissed. I am not targeting on you but that being said, it really pisses me off how people say that electric cars and like you said electric bikes will have no emissions. Are you $$%#@! kidding me. Seriously, where do you think electricity comes from? Do you think it just hangs out in the wall of a house until it's needed? Maybe it was born there too. They did a really great job into fooling people that electric transportation will create zero emissions. With the exception of useless solar energy, electric is formed when something is burned like coal, natural gas, oil or nuclear fuel and converted into mechanical energy which is then converted into electricity which is then again converted back into mechanical energy. If I could count correctly, that is four changes in state. That can't be very efficient nor emission free, not to mention the huge losses in electrical energy experience in the transmission lines. Sure got you fooled. HA HA.

[Fade]

Im not even in a place to really think about getting one, but I really like the idea, because I can only ride my MTB around my house at a local park, it gets boring considering the biggest trail is literally 40 feet long...

[downonmonday]

Those are some pretty bold statements you are making. They will this, they will that. Should be they might this and that. To each his own.

The comment about no emissions though, that part really got me pissed. I am not targeting on you but that being said, it really pisses me off how people say that electric cars and like you said electric bikes will have no emissions. Are you $$%#@! kidding me. Seriously, where do you think electricity comes from? Do you think it just hangs out in the wall of a house until it's needed? Maybe it was born there too. They did a really great job into fooling people that electric transportation will create zero emissions. With the exception of useless solar energy, electric is formed when something is burned like coal, natural gas, oil or nuclear fuel and converted into mechanical energy which is then converted into electricity which is then again converted back into mechanical energy. If I could count correctly, that is four changes in state. That can't be very efficient nor emission free, not to mention the huge losses in electrical energy experience in the transmission lines. Sure got you fooled. HA HA.

I think someone pee'd in your Cheerios this morning?

[Mark6299]

I am not against them but I don't think they are all that great, as some would have us believe. I am however sick and tired of the government telling us what we need to do and what not to do. Most people would not even consider buying a Chevy Volt without the government incentives, which you and I pay for. In the good old days if you want to buy a car, you work hard for it and pay for it yourself. These days you get other people to pay a huge chunk of it for you if the government decides it want to push them. Government should not pick winners and losers. A lot of good people lost their job in my area when Obama's Car Zhars picked which dealerships would remain open and which would close. It had ZERO to do with the dealership's performance and everything to do with political contributions. I know that for a fact in my area. That being said, they probably would be nice and quiet though.

[Aka.Goose]

Those are some pretty bold statements you are making. They will this, they will that. Should be they might this and that. To each his own.

The comment about no emissions though, that part really got me pissed. I am not targeting on you but that being said, it really pisses me off how people say that electric cars and like you said electric bikes will have no emissions. Are you $$%#@! kidding me. Seriously, where do you think electricity comes from? Do you think it just hangs out in the wall of a house until it's needed? Maybe it was born there too. They did a really great job into fooling people that electric transportation will create zero emissions. With the exception of useless solar energy, electric is formed when something is burned like coal, natural gas, oil or nuclear fuel and converted into mechanical energy which is then converted into electricity which is then again converted back into mechanical energy. If I could count correctly, that is four changes in state. That can't be very efficient nor emission free, not to mention the huge losses in electrical energy experience in the transmission lines. Sure got you fooled. HA HA.

First off, RELAX, drink a beer...With all the crazy shit going on in the world, my statement about the bike having no emissions "really pisses you off"? Damn, you must be a super uptight guy...Go ride, or get a bj, or something, sheesh...And even though it pisses you off, there's no denying the statement isn't correct...

That being said, I hear you, and agree, about the way people get mislead about thinking their electrics are so much greener (part of why I added the statement about using a solar panel generator)...I camp a lot and would see the irony in using a gas generator to charge the battery...Why do you believe solar energy is useless? It definitely wouldn't be in that situation...

And yes, the statements I made are bold, but I believe them to be true...Ten years from now, you can come back to this thread and apologize...

[Mark6299]

Probably not. As I stated, I was not getting on you. Solar panels are ok for very limited applications. More than that and they are way to inefficient to justify the cost.

[Aka.Goose]

they are way to inefficient to justify the cost.

^^^as of today

AND...I don't get excited about the future of electrics because they are "greener"...I'm excited about performance (which is why I won't consider one today)...I like the idea of not having to work a shift or brake lever with my feet, torque that doesn't rely on rpm, and lots of power in a light silent package...The better public image is just a plus...

[Redlined]

Well I suppose the "carbon footprint" of manufacturing and charging batteries is overlooked by many when considering electric vehicles.

I couldn't consider one until they have battery technology that can get me through at least a 4 hour ride. I would tolorate my bike running like a dying vibrator 30 minutes from reaching my truck exactly once before kicking it into the nearest ditch.

Edited November 11, 2011 by Redlined

[Punkinhead]

That being said, I hear you, and agree, about the way people get mislead about thinking their electrics are so much greener (part of why I added the statement about using a solar panel generator)...I camp a lot and would see the irony in using a gas generator to charge the battery...Why do you believe solar energy is useless? It definitely wouldn't be in that situation...

And yes, the statements I made are bold, but I believe them to be true...Ten years from now, you can come back to this thread and apologize...

I hate to drop a turd in your punchbowl, but solar panels won't be able to charge the batteries very quickly. Consider this: the MAXIMUM solar energy you get from the sun is about 1.4 KW/square meter. The BEST solar cells have an efficiency of about 25%, so now you're down to 0.35 KW/square meter of power that you can harness from the sun under the best conditions. The energy content of gasoline is about 33 KWH/gallon (if you can believe Wikipedia). If you had a 1 square meter solar panel, it would take nearly 100 hours to charge a battery that contained as much energy as one gallon of gas.

Now, your bike's engine might be something like 15-20% efficient, so the energy used to drive your bike would be about 17 hours (assuming an average efficiency) of solar cell charge time. Then you have to increase that time (energy) because of inefficiencies in the electric motor and in discharging the battery. In nice round numbers, it might take 20 hours under the best conditions to charge a battery with a 1 square meter solar panel to give you the same amount of energy that you would get (and actually use) from one gallon of gas.

The point is this: If you're going to count on solar cells to charge your batteries, you better have several or more batteries that you charge up before you go riding and / or have a huge solar panel. You most likely won't be able to charge your spent battery in the time it takes to discharge a fresh battery.

I'm not trying to poo-poo this idea of electric bikes, just trying to point out the practicalities of them at this point in time. I would love a quiet bike, but I think I would still have some soundtracks on my iPod that play engine sounds in my headphones as I'm riding. It's all part of the experience (to me).

Disclaimer: these numbers came from quick and dirty calculations, so don't think they're accurate to 5 significant digits (because they don't need to be). And if there's a mistake due to my haste, my apologies. I'm not trying to make up lies, here. I just did the calcs in my head for expediency and used numbers that I've seen in various sources (physics books, Wikipedia, trade journals, etc).

[thumpharder]

While they look like this:

Holy crap, that would be the coolest bike ever.

True, I do love my 25 yr old bike,sold my '00 in '04, anyone can buy a ride, but taking one to bare frame and restoring is much more fun,I understand you live where you cant even wash a car in your driveway let alone use a spraygun to paint. Don't get me wrong, I hate the restrictions cali goes for, because when the hords flee that hole they bring there hacky sack/ basket weaving ideas with them.

[Theeebalz]

and the only way to make them efficient is to start questioning the government and big oil and power companies, what people don't get is WE really do controll the government, and before you go saying no we don't think.. how many people are citizens of this country? ALOT how many are in the government not anywhere close to as much.

back on subject, this would be a cool bike if it was a hydrogen powered bike. <that, thats more efficient.

[Chill_MotoX]

There is a used one in my area for $6500. I can't imagine buying it..

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/mcy/2685468536.html

[juliend]

and the only way to make them efficient is to start questioning the government and big oil and power companies, what people don't get is WE really do controll the government, and before you go saying no we don't think.. how many people are citizens of this country? ALOT how many are in the government not anywhere close to as much.

roflmao

[Karlgp]

Just for fooling around, I'd be happy with an electric bike that gave me 45 minutes per charge and an OTD cost of around $3000.

I'm thinking electric mountain bike/trials bike, not a real motorcycle.

The energy density of gasoline is pretty high. Batteries have a long way to go.

[captbalz]

Yes batery technology is a ways off. I also am not fooled by the politcal green crap of the electric motor. I love my gas powered dirtbikes.

With that said, I do see some positive's for this thing.

No oil changes, no valve adjustments (4-strokes), no messy air filter cleaning and oiling, basicly I am looking at a lot less maintance. Not pissing of the tree huggers with loud bikes that want to close down our trails.

I still would prefer a D.I. 2-stroke that is green stickered in California.

C.B.

[Karlgp]

I doubt electric bikes would pacify a true tree hugger.

You get a group of two or three guys on electrics running through some single track there will be screams of enviromental damage to the DIRT.