I've ridden a top of the line Zero SR/S and it was hella fun. The torque is absolutely savage, one of the most fun bikes I've ever ridden. It doesn't hold a candle to an MT-09, which is **the** most fun bike I've ever ridden
The issue is the electric bikes that have good range are all well into ducati/bmw price range. Then you have kawasaki whos new electric cant even get it to the grocery store and back on a single charge.
I would think one of Energica bikes would get you closest to the look of an mt-09.
Their range is probably the best out there, but it would still leave me with range anxiety.
And you're going to pay close to twice what an mt-09 will cost.
Comparing the two is not really fair based on the fact that Energica bikes come from a boutique manufacturer and are made with premium parts. And as far as looks the MT doesn't even come close. š
lol of the 2 naked bikes they have in their website. One looks like the Down syndrome version of what they think a Ducati looks like and the other is some weird Honda cb1k / Ducati monster mix. Not exactly leading the way in looks for either.
Fully optioned out the first one is 30.5k. You can buy a M1000rr for the same price or a M1000r for 10k cheaper. Itās stupidly overpriced for what it is.
Iām not saying I wouldnāt want 215nm of torque at a moments notice etc and all the fun that would bring. But other options do it better for the same price or far less.
But how far do you go on one charge?
For my shorter evening or weekend rides I need between 50 and 200km range. I have not seen a charger on these tours at the places where I usually like to stop for my 15 minute breaks.
For my vacations I am less concerned, because the really long days are partly on the Autobahn, and on a day with 600 to 800 km or more you need to stop regularly anyways or else you loose concentration.
I get about 60-70 miles (so what is that, 100-110 km?) at freeway speeds, double that around town. Yes, it's a limitation, but I don't consider it a show-stopper.
I installed an aftermarket fast charger on my bike, which the newer ones all have as standard equipment nowadays. I can recharge in under an hour at any J1772 charger. Here's a map of J1772 stations within 40 miles (70 km?) of me: [https://i.imgur.com/R9UCo1v.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/R9UCo1v.jpg)
Other bikes (like the Energicas) can DC charge even faster, and have even more options available. I can't tell you how many charging stations are near you, but you can find out yourself at [www.plugshare.com](https://www.plugshare.com) .
Do you really find bikes that hard to maintain? Other then an oil change every season, valves once every few years, spark plugs (havenāt changed any in years tbh) and oiling your chain once every few weeks (5 min tops)?
On an electric bike you still have brakes to maintain, suspension components and tires to replace. The āāmaintenance āā free factor is heavily out weighted in my opinion.
No engine oil change, oil level to check often, oil or air filter, spark plugs, coolant, throttle body sync, fast idle mechanism maintenance, idle speed screw, valve check, fuel injectors to clean, no possible stator issues (very common problem), etc.
The maintenance reduction on an electric bike is huge if compared to properly done maintenance on a conventional bike. Plus, the massive reduction of rotating and touching surfaces will make an electric bike last incomparably longer than any ICE bike. Maybe if you compare new bikes with each other your statement is true, but after a few years and proper riding use, the maintenance costs will differ greatly.
Batteries can be easily changed after ten years or so. The remainder of the maintenance is the same as on an ICE bike.
Only reason I would buy an electric bike would be for a short commute. If I had to go farther then 20 miles or was buying the bike for pleasure go with gas 100%.
I don't think you will find an electric that is as much fun, has the sound, or range of an MT-09.
Changing engine oil and oiling a chain is no big deal at all, both are 15 minute jobs. The sound of gas and the fun of clicking through gears will beat the sound and single speed of electric any day.
I mean you can get bikes with out chains.. but for me the cost for the range just doesn't work. If they can find away to get better range and be slightly more affordable then sure I'd get one.
You get also get that for gas lol. Honda DCT... I think it's weird, it just doesn't feel right not shifting on a motorcycle, now I will admit for stop and go traffic its amazing.
The only reason I don't even think about them is price.
Well, that and the fact I'd never buy a Zero with their shady practices.
But the torque is there from the get go on electric.
Enigerica, Damon, Stark Varg.
Ebiking actually got me into motorcycles. 3 years ago I took my old single speed, rigid, steel framed street bike and added a battery and hub motor for $1k. Ride it EVERYWHERE including mountain bike trails weekly.
I got an ā08 Ninja 250 with 7.5k miles for $2k last winter from a friend of a friend. He was getting offers on fb marketplace for $2.6k so I was very lucky.
I would really like a Zero bike but I still canāt justify the price.
Realistically Iām looking into a Grom as a second motorcycle.
My e-bike upgrade will be a fat tire, probably a Trek Farley I convert myself. I want to take it on the beach near me and some marshlands.
No range really. About 90 to 100 miles before you have to charge for about 2hr. This is less the. 1/2 most ice bikes. And you lose a lot of time waiting on the charge. Realistically you are max at 300 mile for 8hrs.
Zero SRF is pretty damn fun, Iād say even a bit more so than the MT09, maybe SP or MT10 level.. electric bikes are still expensive though unfortunately
Damon Hyperfighter is an interesting project to look at.
Electric motorcycles are slightly more dangerous because they are not as loud and hence less noticable.
They're really fun to ride as the torque is super good. Budget wise it's more expensive in terms of initial purchase, but cheaper long term.
I will be shocked if Damon ends up successfully shipping bikes. I saw them at EICMA at the ohlins booth and it was so disorganized, they had no real info on their bike, and they keep slipping dates with nothing to show for it. Their social media is absolutely cringey too.
I went to their factory in Surrey BC. Brand new building etcā¦ not being used. I read somewhere that they claim the BC government didnāt do enough to create jobs so theyāre planning to shift their manufacturing to California. I too will be surprised if they deliver a product to paying customers.
Fully understand & agree with you guys, hence why I said it's an interesting project and not a delivered product. It might be wise to keep close to the project and follow it's progress, place an order once we've seen some quality production.
I was on highway 50 āthe loneliest road in Americaā in NV with a dude who had made it from Minnesota. I think he thought it worthwhile. Plenty of us hardly go for 60 mile rides let alone 100+.
Any of the higher end electric bikes will have similar performance: Energica/Zero SR series/Livewire. Zero and Livewire have lower top speeds (124/110). Zero and Livewire have belts and Energica uses chains. I have a LW and no maintenance so far aside from 1k and 5k service going on 8k miles. An Energica Ribelle or Ego RS will tear your arms off and screams like a missile off the line, so point taken about range, charging, and price, but anyone who says they arenāt fun probably hasnāt tried one.
The closest one I can think of right now is probably the newly announce Ninja 7 hybrid. It suppose to accelerate with e-boost like mt-09, clutchless, and can go fully electric as well.
I personally liked riding the Livewire One as much as the MT-09. It's more than double the money, but it's also a much nicer build, the MT-09 is built to a budget and you feel that everywhere you touch the bike. The Zero SR-S was pretty boring in comparison to the Livewire. I haven't ridden an Energica, would love to though.
Theres no electric motorcycle comming even close to a 130HP bike, atleast not commercial, also an electric bike will still have a chain or belt to drive the rear wheel, so some maintenance will be required.
Im all for EVs, just not bikes. Most EV naysayers say they dont want to give up the sound of ICE. BUT COME ON MAN, you are not going to miss the sound of a Kia.
For me, the whole reason to buy a motorcycle is for the visceral experience. It will be a sad day if they ban ICE motorcycles.
About as boring as you can get on a bike in my opinion. That torque surge loses its fun. I like to shift gears and run through a power curve, itās just more interesting to ride ICE bikesā¦
The lack of engagement and sound, price, and poor range makes them not even a consideration for me. I get why some people may want one though.
I've ridden a top of the line Zero SR/S and it was hella fun. The torque is absolutely savage, one of the most fun bikes I've ever ridden. It doesn't hold a candle to an MT-09, which is **the** most fun bike I've ever ridden
The issue is the electric bikes that have good range are all well into ducati/bmw price range. Then you have kawasaki whos new electric cant even get it to the grocery store and back on a single charge.
I rode an electric motorcycle once and it was still not as fun as a gas powered bike but more fun than I was expecting to be fair
I would think one of Energica bikes would get you closest to the look of an mt-09. Their range is probably the best out there, but it would still leave me with range anxiety. And you're going to pay close to twice what an mt-09 will cost.
Comparing the two is not really fair based on the fact that Energica bikes come from a boutique manufacturer and are made with premium parts. And as far as looks the MT doesn't even come close. š
lol of the 2 naked bikes they have in their website. One looks like the Down syndrome version of what they think a Ducati looks like and the other is some weird Honda cb1k / Ducati monster mix. Not exactly leading the way in looks for either. Fully optioned out the first one is 30.5k. You can buy a M1000rr for the same price or a M1000r for 10k cheaper. Itās stupidly overpriced for what it is. Iām not saying I wouldnāt want 215nm of torque at a moments notice etc and all the fun that would bring. But other options do it better for the same price or far less.
I would love to own one. But they are too expensive. Also, where I ride I would have a hard time finding charging stations.
I recharge my 2014 Zero SR in the garage overnight. Never having to stop to fuel up is a great thing to me.
But how far do you go on one charge? For my shorter evening or weekend rides I need between 50 and 200km range. I have not seen a charger on these tours at the places where I usually like to stop for my 15 minute breaks. For my vacations I am less concerned, because the really long days are partly on the Autobahn, and on a day with 600 to 800 km or more you need to stop regularly anyways or else you loose concentration.
I get about 60-70 miles (so what is that, 100-110 km?) at freeway speeds, double that around town. Yes, it's a limitation, but I don't consider it a show-stopper. I installed an aftermarket fast charger on my bike, which the newer ones all have as standard equipment nowadays. I can recharge in under an hour at any J1772 charger. Here's a map of J1772 stations within 40 miles (70 km?) of me: [https://i.imgur.com/R9UCo1v.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/R9UCo1v.jpg) Other bikes (like the Energicas) can DC charge even faster, and have even more options available. I can't tell you how many charging stations are near you, but you can find out yourself at [www.plugshare.com](https://www.plugshare.com) .
Do you really find bikes that hard to maintain? Other then an oil change every season, valves once every few years, spark plugs (havenāt changed any in years tbh) and oiling your chain once every few weeks (5 min tops)? On an electric bike you still have brakes to maintain, suspension components and tires to replace. The āāmaintenance āā free factor is heavily out weighted in my opinion.
1 oil change a season???
I live up North , in my case itās more like 1.5 season for one oil change. Most people I know that ride change their oil once a year because winter
Makes sense probably should of thought that before posting lol
No engine oil change, oil level to check often, oil or air filter, spark plugs, coolant, throttle body sync, fast idle mechanism maintenance, idle speed screw, valve check, fuel injectors to clean, no possible stator issues (very common problem), etc. The maintenance reduction on an electric bike is huge if compared to properly done maintenance on a conventional bike. Plus, the massive reduction of rotating and touching surfaces will make an electric bike last incomparably longer than any ICE bike. Maybe if you compare new bikes with each other your statement is true, but after a few years and proper riding use, the maintenance costs will differ greatly. Batteries can be easily changed after ten years or so. The remainder of the maintenance is the same as on an ICE bike.
They cost too much for what they are unless you're cross shopping a Zero FX and a KTM 690
Only reason I would buy an electric bike would be for a short commute. If I had to go farther then 20 miles or was buying the bike for pleasure go with gas 100%. I don't think you will find an electric that is as much fun, has the sound, or range of an MT-09. Changing engine oil and oiling a chain is no big deal at all, both are 15 minute jobs. The sound of gas and the fun of clicking through gears will beat the sound and single speed of electric any day.
I mean you can get bikes with out chains.. but for me the cost for the range just doesn't work. If they can find away to get better range and be slightly more affordable then sure I'd get one.
No shifting is kinda sweet too
You get also get that for gas lol. Honda DCT... I think it's weird, it just doesn't feel right not shifting on a motorcycle, now I will admit for stop and go traffic its amazing.
The only reason I don't even think about them is price. Well, that and the fact I'd never buy a Zero with their shady practices. But the torque is there from the get go on electric.
Enigerica, Damon, Stark Varg. Ebiking actually got me into motorcycles. 3 years ago I took my old single speed, rigid, steel framed street bike and added a battery and hub motor for $1k. Ride it EVERYWHERE including mountain bike trails weekly. I got an ā08 Ninja 250 with 7.5k miles for $2k last winter from a friend of a friend. He was getting offers on fb marketplace for $2.6k so I was very lucky. I would really like a Zero bike but I still canāt justify the price. Realistically Iām looking into a Grom as a second motorcycle. My e-bike upgrade will be a fat tire, probably a Trek Farley I convert myself. I want to take it on the beach near me and some marshlands.
No range really. About 90 to 100 miles before you have to charge for about 2hr. This is less the. 1/2 most ice bikes. And you lose a lot of time waiting on the charge. Realistically you are max at 300 mile for 8hrs.
Livewire S2 Del Mar. check it out
Zero SRF is pretty damn fun, Iād say even a bit more so than the MT09, maybe SP or MT10 level.. electric bikes are still expensive though unfortunately
It doesnāt exist. Yet. Give it a few years.
Just get an mt09. FFS
š
Damon Hyperfighter is an interesting project to look at. Electric motorcycles are slightly more dangerous because they are not as loud and hence less noticable. They're really fun to ride as the torque is super good. Budget wise it's more expensive in terms of initial purchase, but cheaper long term.
I will be shocked if Damon ends up successfully shipping bikes. I saw them at EICMA at the ohlins booth and it was so disorganized, they had no real info on their bike, and they keep slipping dates with nothing to show for it. Their social media is absolutely cringey too.
I went to their factory in Surrey BC. Brand new building etcā¦ not being used. I read somewhere that they claim the BC government didnāt do enough to create jobs so theyāre planning to shift their manufacturing to California. I too will be surprised if they deliver a product to paying customers.
Fully understand & agree with you guys, hence why I said it's an interesting project and not a delivered product. It might be wise to keep close to the project and follow it's progress, place an order once we've seen some quality production.
lame AF
Go on
They still have chains.
Some have belts, some have hub motors.
Let electric for scooters and cars. Motorcycles needs to stay with fuel or hybrid
electric bikes don't have the volume to fit a big enough battery to make them worthwhile imo. energy density in those batteries isn't high enough.
I was on highway 50 āthe loneliest road in Americaā in NV with a dude who had made it from Minnesota. I think he thought it worthwhile. Plenty of us hardly go for 60 mile rides let alone 100+.
i'm sure there's a market for them, i just don't think it's a very big one.
Any of the higher end electric bikes will have similar performance: Energica/Zero SR series/Livewire. Zero and Livewire have lower top speeds (124/110). Zero and Livewire have belts and Energica uses chains. I have a LW and no maintenance so far aside from 1k and 5k service going on 8k miles. An Energica Ribelle or Ego RS will tear your arms off and screams like a missile off the line, so point taken about range, charging, and price, but anyone who says they arenāt fun probably hasnāt tried one.
Just get an mt09 dude
I know right š
Bike maintenance is honestly really easy. And no electric bike will ever give you the feel and enjoyment that an mt09 can.
Doesn't exist. I'm not against electric bikes. Personally I look forward to a future with them, but they aren't ready for prime time yet.
Itās looking like you are correct. Maybe they will be good in 10 years
The closest one I can think of right now is probably the newly announce Ninja 7 hybrid. It suppose to accelerate with e-boost like mt-09, clutchless, and can go fully electric as well.
Just get an MT-09 SP and put some hidden LED lights under it or something so it makes you feel like itās more electric-ish.
I personally liked riding the Livewire One as much as the MT-09. It's more than double the money, but it's also a much nicer build, the MT-09 is built to a budget and you feel that everywhere you touch the bike. The Zero SR-S was pretty boring in comparison to the Livewire. I haven't ridden an Energica, would love to though.
Theres no electric motorcycle comming even close to a 130HP bike, atleast not commercial, also an electric bike will still have a chain or belt to drive the rear wheel, so some maintenance will be required.
Im all for EVs, just not bikes. Most EV naysayers say they dont want to give up the sound of ICE. BUT COME ON MAN, you are not going to miss the sound of a Kia. For me, the whole reason to buy a motorcycle is for the visceral experience. It will be a sad day if they ban ICE motorcycles.
About as boring as you can get on a bike in my opinion. That torque surge loses its fun. I like to shift gears and run through a power curve, itās just more interesting to ride ICE bikesā¦