Electric Supermoto

[Duken4evr]

Pretty cool. The top speed is 60 mph and range is 60 miles. Built by an ex NASA engineer, everything is modular and the battery setup was designed to be upgradeable to future tech. With all the tax and stimulus rebates, this 9K bike comes in just over 6K, about the same as a WR250X.

We are not quite there yet, but getting closer. I costs a penny a mile to run. My query to the rather attractive author (I am a sucker for sporty chicks on bikes) Susan Carpenter on the LA Times - does it do good silent wheelies?

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/upto...es-zero-s.html

[Steve TLS]

Getting there.

But!

Cleaner than a G-rated movie, ..............

... Designed to slink through town silently, spewing zero emissions while in use and sipping electricity from an ordinary wall outlet when at rest.

I'm glad they threw in the 'while in use'. Over here, it's really powered by a dirty coal fired boiler. Zero emission my arse. And if the power for it comes from Hazelwood here in Vic it's probably a bigger polluter than using a 250cc 2 smoker.

[BikePilot]

It looks nice and would be a killer pit-bike or city-scoot, but the short range and long-recharge time make it pretty useless imho. I think I could maintain a higher average speed over the course of a day on my cannondale (even assuming maximum range could be achieved at max speed - which I suspect isn't true) My DR350 goes 40mph faster and can go 200+ miles on a tank of fuel and takes less than 5 minutes to re-fuel and cost about 1/10th the price... hmm.

As for environmental impact, you'd have to consider how green the manufacture and disposal of the batteries can be. I read somewhere (no clue how reputable) that the current hybrid cars are overall worse for the environment due to the rather nasty battery production and disposal.

[TLR-Billbo]

I'd believe it

[Duken4evr]

As for environmental impact, you'd have to consider how green the manufacture and disposal of the batteries can be. I read somewhere (no clue how reputable) that the current hybrid cars are overall worse for the environment due to the rather nasty battery production and disposal.

Supposedly the batteries in this thing are "Landfill certified" whatever that means. Anything from not harmful to the environment to they will physically fit in your average landfill In any case, hybrids/electrics are very interesting. With super capacitors, regenerative brakes, solar cell tech getting better, who knows how far it will go. We are a clever species.

I guess they did not like my silent wheelie query and it's potential for completely reckless operation in total silence as my post was deleted. To me that is the big advantage of electrics, and the thing is an SM after all

[BikePilot]

I agree, its biggest plus would be silent and clean operation. I'm sure I could get by with riding on sidewalks, down stairs and stuff more on that than on my DR

BTW I have ridden my DR down a short set of stairs on campus, that may be a first at my school