About a month in with Zero - thoughts

[bettythebear]

I've never done any trail/dirt riding really. I'm too risk averse I guess. However, I feel like an electric bike would probably be pretty awesome for those weekend warriors out there who load their YamaHondSuki's into the beds of their trucks for a morning of good times.

[weevee]

I'll be swapping my ICE bikes for electric in 2021, too.  I'm fairly set on an Energica because of their greater range and faster charging; but if Zero can pull something to compete from the hat before then I may switch.  Energica's current-model range (vs Zero) is very heavy! 

Here's how Zero's FX performs (quietly!) off-road: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD7XU59GM_o&t=399s

[twowheeladdict]

Ya, 90% of the old dirtbikes have carb/fuel issues, or engine damange from carb/fuel issues...  Frankly I would like a smaller..kinda CB350/GS400 size bike thats electric..  A smaller but still full size standard, to beat around town, and local roads. Even better... smaller like that, with a side car, and about a 100-120 mile range...  That would be pretty darn handy to have.

A sidecar loaded with batteries might be just the ticket for increased range and additional stability. 

[AJ Huff]

I'll be swapping my ICE bikes for electric in 2021, too.  I'm fairly set on an Energica because of their greater range and faster charging; but if Zero can pull something to compete from the hat before then I may switch.  Energica's current-model range (vs Zero) is very heavy! 

Here's how Zero's FX performs (quietly!) off-road: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD7XU59GM_o&t=399s

Thanks. I wasn't even aware of Energica. Pretty but I'm not a sport bike guy though maybe the Eva would work. Nice to have more options.

-AJ

[bad Chad]

How about a little wind powered turbine hanging off the bike somewhere?  As you roll along, the bikes movement through the air will spin the blades, thus making some juice??

[roadventure]

bettythe bear,

Thanks for the real world data. I think at this point, the ebikes are not ready for my kind of trip - which occurs on rural two lane, far from any sort of charging station. Think Winemucca, Nv to Clearview, OR. One gas station and then nothing for 190 odd miles.

Nothing..... no electrical outlet for 190 miles?  Where is Clearview, Oregon anyway? 

[Lannis]

Nothing..... no electrical outlet for 190 miles?  Where is Clearview, Oregon anyway?

You know, the equivalence "Gas Pump for IC" = "Electric Outlet for EV" doesn't quite work.   Needs to be compatible, high amperage, available, and fast.   Nothing like that within 190 miles of HERE that I know of ... ?

Lannis

[AJ Huff]

Atlis Motors is working on high speed EV charging. Might be here sooner than you think.

-AJ

[Lannis]

Atlis Motors is working on high speed EV charging. Might be here sooner than you think.

-AJ

"Free Beer Tomorrow!"      

[LowRyter]

"Free Beer Tomorrow!"      

https://youtu.be/-3_W0fyHI1E

[s1120]

A sidecar loaded with batteries might be just the ticket for increased range and additional stability.

That was one of my thoughts. It would be easy to pack one or two more batterys in the side car. Granted the entra load would mean you would NEED a extra just to overcome the chair, but the space would give you a lot of options.

[twodogs]

I'm with BTB on the zero, I went hole hog and bought the 2021 Zero sr, it weighs out about 420 pounds with the little fly screen and luggage rack, I put a top box on mine, so far I only did 1 70 mile day with 46 percent left and a 52 mile blast in sport mode with speeds of 70 and 80 mph with 44 percent left, in that environment it uses about a percent per mile and I was ready to get off the bike, but in it's defense I have not rode in a while. The 70 mile trip was a pure joy of town riding and about 40 miles was 55mph 2 lane, I believe once I figure out the custom mode I will easily run 150 miles or better per charge, it's the 14.4 battery and goes like stink in sport mode and makes me smile like nothing else in a long time. I know I paid a high price and can't go coast to coast on a charge but i am using it as it was intended for just like when I rode my guzzi. Ride on BTB I'm right there with you 
Bruce

[LowRyter]

There are so many scooters in European cities, I can imagine that electric scooters will be huge.  Particularly if the cities provide electrical services in parking areas. 

[AJ Huff]

End of mowing season. Took the battery out of my EGO mower and put the mower in storage. No oil change, no draining the tank, no Sea Foam or Stabil, no leaks on the floor, no smell, no battery maintenance. Perfect. Sign me up for an EV car (truck) and motorcycle. Maybe even a boat too.

-AJ

[twowheeladdict]

You know, the equivalence "Gas Pump for IC" = "Electric Outlet for EV" doesn't quite work.   Needs to be compatible, high amperage, available, and fast.   Nothing like that within 190 miles of HERE that I know of ... ?

Lannis

Really?  Zoom in to your area to see how far away they are.  The more you zoom in the more you see. 

https://www.google.com/search?newwindow=1&tbs=lf:1,lf_ui:3&tbm=lcl&q=EV+charging+in+virginia&rflfq=1&num=10&ved=2ahUKEwiLsbju5pHtAhWMmVkKHWISCjQQtgN6BAgTEAc#rlfi=hd:;si:;mv:[[38.430923036327876,-76.29297228515627],[37.32094919427213,-78.89123888671877],null,[37.87802688616219,-77.59210558593752],9]

[stormshearon]

Nothing..... no electrical outlet for 190 miles?  Where is Clearview, Oregon anyway?

Ah, my bad - actually Lakeview Oregon, and the last gas station is a chevron just before Oregon 140 highway turn - and there isn't anything between that Chevron station and Lakeview that resembles any sort of gas station, cafe, etc.  And yes if you wanted to stay on main highways and you had a Tesla, or a vehicle that could charge from a Tesla charging station you could make the trip - but I stay off of main highways as much as possible. So battery electric vehicles can work if you stay on the routes with chargers. And you don't care about the environmental destruction of the lithium mining nor the human cost of the cobalt mining (little kids in the Congo).

[Lannis]

Really?  Zoom in to your area to see how far away they are.  The more you zoom in the more you see. 

https://www.google.com/search?newwindow=1&tbs=lf:1,lf_ui:3&tbm=lcl&q=EV+charging+in+virginia&rflfq=1&num=10&ved=2ahUKEwiLsbju5pHtAhWMmVkKHWISCjQQtgN6BAgTEAc#rlfi=hd:;si:;mv:[[38.430923036327876,-76.29297228515627],[37.32094919427213,-78.89123888671877],null,[37.87802688616219,-77.59210558593752],9]

Yes.  Just what I was afraid of ... they're a long way off and clumped together in the cities ....

Not yet.

Lannis

[Lannis]

https://youtu.be/-3_W0fyHI1E

I'm VERY familiar with the "broken record" thing.

"It's coming, get out of the way, change is good, change is coming, it'll be here next week, everything you like is going away, get used to it, it's new and wonderful, it'll be here in 1 year 5 years 10 years POCK It's coming, get out of the way, change is good, change is coming, it'll be here next week, everything you like is going away, get used to it, it's new and wonderful, it'll be here in 1 year 5 years 10 years POCK It's coming, get out of the way, change is good, change is coming, it'll be here next week, everything you like is going away, get used to it, it's new and wonderful, it'll be here in 1 year 5 years 10 years ...."

Someone pick up that tone arm, it's getting old .... 

Lannis

[twodogs]

Look I think me and BTB are saying that the zeros are not the answer to everything at the time in the world but for us it is working, I myself know that I will get myself another guzzi in time when it is right but for right at the moment in time I am loving my electric bike 

[Lannis]

Look I think me and BTB are saying that the zeros are not the answer to everything at the time in the world but for us it is working, I myself know that I will get myself another guzzi in time when it is right but for right at the moment in time I am loving my electric bike 

And I'm 100% for it, didn't mean to imply that I wasn't ... it's good to hear that you've got something that's working for you.   Under city or close-to-city conditions, it might work for me too, although the prices would have to be a little more Guzzi-friendly for me to unbelt for one!   Unless they make them sound like George Jetson's car, then I'd have one for sure ... 

And now, I'm going back out to the shop to look through my collection of 1960s "Popular Science" magazines ... let's see, personal commuting jet-pacs within 5 years, backyard fusion plants, Mars colonies by 1990, mining Jupiter's moons by 2010, flying cars, cities on the ocean floor by 2020 ... well, tomorrow's another day!    

Lannis

[rschrum]

Bought a duel quad hemi today to make up for your lack of carbon. How much coal does it take to charge one of those?

[bettythebear]

Bought a duel quad hemi today to make up for your lack of carbon. How much coal does it take to charge one of those?

I'd certainly think that it took at least as much "dirty" energy to Drill, extract, transport, refine, transport again, and burn the oil/gas needed to go  the 130mi
I get on a charge. Some people make the dirty electric argument so strongly that I can only assume they live in homes that don't use electricity. Don't forget to factor in oil ship and pipeline spills into the ledger of how gas is cleaner.

Nothing is perfect, but the electric vehicle is really showing some promise. In the case of the Zero especially, when you really sit down and stare at it, you realize how few parts there actually are in it. No gaskets, no seals, no spark plugs, no catalytic converter with platinum inside, etc. It can't be denied that every tiny component on any vehicle also adds to the carbon footprint, and the zero just has fewer parts.
 
Much of the lithium used these days comes from an ocean water evaporation process. As for cobalt, they estimate that 30% of Congo's product is mined by kids. So yeah, that sucks. Again, I feel led to believe that everyone who brings that up must not own a single device of any sort with a lithium ion battery  The next generation of batteries will likely be cobalt free, but we'll just have to wait and see.

I'm not trying to convert anyone, as I'm glad that we all have both technologies available to us, but sometimes this argument just gets a bit ridiculous

[twowheeladdict]

Yes.  Just what I was afraid of ... they're a long way off and clumped together in the cities ....

Not yet.

Lannis

Or along interstates. About 5 years ago, my wife and I stopped in at a Cracker Barrel for lunch off of I-40 about halfway between Knoxville and Nashville.  There were 3 charging stations in the parking lot.  I asked the waitress if she ever saw cars charging there and her answer was no. 

Electric vehicles cost more than I am willing to spend for a car, but maybe one day.  My most expensive new car was $21k.  My most expensive new truck was $29k. 

From Edmunds.com

2020 Hyundai Ioniq Electric | $34,000.
2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV | $37,495.
2020 Hyundai Kona Electric | $38,085.
2019 Kia Niro EV | $39,545.
2020 Tesla Model 3 | $41,190.
2019 BMW i3 | $45,445.
2020 Jaguar I-Pace | $70,875.
2020 Audi e-tron | $75,795.

[Wildroamer]

The only E-bikes that really have me looking/thinking are those little trials bikes. They look like a blast, and the power delivery, etc, seems to be perfect for that type of action. That instant torque looks to be just what is needed for the little hops and jumps they take. Would like to try trials, gas or electric.

[LowRyter]

Bought a duel quad hemi today to make up for your lack of carbon. How much coal does it take to charge one of those?

Since a Tesla has a carbon footprint equal to 100+ mpg, I suppose you could guess 200?  Of course very little coal production with gas and more renewables. 

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

End of mowing season. Took the battery out of my EGO mower and put the mower in storage. No oil change, no draining the tank, no Sea Foam or Stabil, no leaks on the floor, no smell, no battery maintenance. Perfect. Sign me up for an EV car (truck) and motorcycle. Maybe even a boat too.

-AJ

Lawn-Boy and Toro 2 cycles: no oil change, no draining the tank, no Sea foam or Stabil (fuel stabilizier is in the oil), only smells when running  , super low maintenance (air filter cleaning a few times a year depending on conditions), no battery to maintain. Built to last a lifetime. Made in the US (although the Toro has a Suzuki engine). My sister has a Worx electric mower that has worked well for her small yard, but has required that the battery be replaced twice in the last 10 years. I've saved her nearly 50% by re-celling the battery.

I do like my cordless drills, hedge trimmer, chain saw, tire inflator, impact driver, etc. Like Wildroamer, an electric trials bike would interest me, but as my main ride? No. An electric car might make sense for what little I drive a car, but are far too expensive to rationalize. Currently (no pun intended) no replacement on the market for my Eurovan and even if there was, it would be way out of reach for me financially and wouldn't have the range I need (500+ miles without a charge).