Will electric sport-touring be viable any time soon?

[KretonsLC]

While the number of e-motorcycles available seems to gradually be increasing over the last dozen or so years, their range still seems to be limited to around 100 miles. Has anyone read anything that would suggest we might see a charging infrastructure and improved battery range to make long distance e-sport touring viable anytime soon?

 

[santacruzrider]

Zero has bikes that have over a 200 mile range — which I think is pretty impressive, and had me running calculations in my head over whether they might be viable commuter. But for touring, you’ve got the problems of charging time and availability of charging. How many times have you squeezed out a 200-mile run and stopped for gas, then paused for an extra 15 minutes to stretch before throwing a leg over for another 100, 200, etc… Now throw in the hitch than you can’t leave than station for another hour (more if they don’t have a dedicated recharge station). It kind of changes the focus of the trip.
If you haven’t watched it, check out the “Long Way Up”. It’s the fourth in the Ewan and Charlie series, and in this one (spoiler alert) they ride up from South America on electric Harley’s. It’s a great show, but it kind of turns into less of a motorcycle travelogue and more of a quest for electricity (IMHO).
I bet in 10 or 15 years we will look back at that show and wonder why it was so hard, but for now and for touring, I think electric limits your routes and distance.
Also, I’m a cheap bastard, and the electric bikes are so very precious. I can likely ride gas to end of my days for less than the cost of new long-distance electric. YMMV

 

[Scary Harry]

Just tow a small gas generator and a few gallons of fuel so you can recharge the eBike.
Problem solved.

 

[connie_rider]

harry, I know your joking,, (I hope)
and He Sed a sport touring (electric) motorcycle, not a (bitty) Ebike.

It would take a generator with gallons of fuel, running continuously to keep up with the charge.
(That cost wipes out the fuel savings of an electric vehicle doesn't it?)

And, the trailer/generator would tend to cause handling issues.
(That would take the sport out of sport touring)

Ride safe, Ted

 

[Strawboss]

I agree with santacruz, it's going to take awhile and China cornering the battery market it will also be pricey.

 

[Daboo]

I read a travel blog of someone who did a long trip with something like the Zero. Out of 20 or so pictures, probably 15 were of him waiting for the bike to charge. Scenery? Nah...just parking lots.

Everyone things about how "green" electric vehicles are. But how is the electricity generated in the first place? A coal fired power plant?

I'm a bit paranoid, but after Biden said he wanted a "kill" switch in every new vehicle, I'm not so sure I want one with the latest and "greatest" technology.

Chris

 

[connie_rider]

The Kill switch idea has been bounced around for quite a while.
Theory being that the police could shut off an engine rather than doing a chase.

Like you, I'm paranoid about anyone being able to do that, but (if used properly) it could mean less innocent's (and police officers) would be killed during a chase.

 

[santacruzrider]

I read a travel blog of someone who did a long trip with something like the Zero. Out of 20 or so pictures, probably 15 were of him waiting for the bike to charge. Scenery? Nah...just parking lots.

Everyone things about how "green" electric vehicles are. But how is the electricity generated in the first place? A coal fired power plant?

I'm a bit paranoid, but after Biden said he wanted a "kill" switch in every new vehicle, I'm not so sure I want one with the latest and "greatest" technology.

Chris

That’s a good idea for folks who care about the environment to care about where their electric comes from (you mean it’s not magic??). But with coal now dropping to 20% of US electric generation — pretty close to the same share as renewables and nuclear — it’s tough to make the argument that individual auto engines are cleaner. I know in the state with the most electric vehicles, if you plugged in, more than 90% of the power will come from green electric plants.
Now someone show me where that kill switch is!

 

[cuda]

Only 20% of USA electricity is from coal-fired power plants, which is reduced every year, Florida power Company is building solar farms one after another, and the price for solar is dropping fast, wake up and smell the roses, not the smoke.
I had a ZERO S for 6 months and just sold it, once solid-state batteries come out I'll buy another one, they are a BLAST around town, but give me the big girl for the highway.
The truth is the miles they tell you'll see is a JOKE if your drive them wide open like I do, my ZERO had the 14.4 battery which is double the stock version for the S model, I've always been an adrenaline junky so I was lucky to get 1/2 of advertized miles.

 

[Pete_COG_TN]

I'm a total skeptic on the electric vehicles. It's fine for anyone who wants one but the affect on the environment is negligible. They are a solution to a non-existent problem. Yes I think climate change is a hoax. And all those solar panels and wind mills strewn all over the country side makes for a nice environment? NOT. What do you think is going to happen to all that hardware that wears out. Instead of paying to remove it governments will leave it there. Not that I don't like being green. I live on 8 beautiful green acres in TN. It's green because it rains alot!. But yes I believe the climate change thing is a pack of many lies. It's about money and politics and limiting peoples mobility and freedom. Gov says kill the power to charging stations and then your stranded. So far they refuse to build more generating capacity. I saw more than one article last summer about California asking residents with EV's not to charge them. I know there's folks here who disagree and that's fine and we can still be friends but this is my opinion. And anyone who wants one is OK with me, just don't force it on everybody. I believe we've all been brainwashed into an attitude that our energy usage is vitally important, i.e. have to justify why we bought a car that gets x gas mileage. I frequently find myself doing it. Have a great night.

 

[cuda]

I've lived in South Florida since 1985 and our winters are night and day different, I have not had a frost in years, inland yes but living on the coast NO, I believe in Science, not the fairy tale book, every year we are breaking heat records, have you been in old Miami during high tide the water comes through the coral rock and floods the streets, never happen before?
I understand no one likes change and no one is forcing anyone at the present but as battery tech improves to the solid-state ... game over
My brother has had a Model S twin motor big battery for almost six years and loves it, back when he bought it they were giving free supercharging for life, he's only replaced tires in all that time.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/05/18/solid-state-batteries-electric-vehicles-race/

 

[cuda]

Advanced E.V. Batteries Move From Labs to Mass Production

Makers of batteries that could charge in a few minutes are setting up assembly lines, bringing the technology a big step closer to auto showrooms.

www.nytimes.com

 

[ONOBob]

The planet certainly appears to be warming.

Call me crazy but……..
I suspect it’s more a matter of the master geological clock… (We’re still emerging from the last ice age)

It’s gonna happen / we can’t stop it.
Our efforts to deal with ( prevent?) it are misdirected at best and a total waste at worst

Would be better off to be looking at other remediations. But hey what do I know.

Cheers
Bob

 

[laker9142]

I just watched a YouTube comparison of the all electric f150 to a gmc 6.2 v8. It was supposed to be an out back of 240 miles. 120 each way. And they were both pulling identical small campers of 6000lbs. The onboard computer looked good at first on the f150. Turns out the f150 was almost dead at 80 miles and limped to a Target store fast charger at 90 miles. The first 2 chargers didn't work for more than 1 minute. The 3rd took an hour to get to 80% which wouldn't get him home.

I expected all that. The kicker is he was charged $26 for the charge! The big v8 gassed up at 120 miles for comparison and it was $36. Gas was $3.xx.

 

[Bud]

Their target buyers must be the folks that use it to go shopping rather than what a truck was used for in the past.

 

[Strawboss]

YouTube and similar outlets can post as many stories and videos and comparisons ad nauseum till the cows come home, it isn't about that at all, it isn't about storage, range, cost, etc...It's about getting you to think differently as they know all the things that are being proven as untenable now or even 10 years from now.

 

[cuda]

I understand everything runs in cycles but this is so fast...

A Major Report Warns Climate Change Is Accelerating And Humans Must Cut Emissions Now

The U.N. has released the most comprehensive global climate science report ever. It is unequivocal: Humans must stop burning fossil fuels or suffer catastrophic impacts.

www.npr.org

 

[Strawboss]

I think the corrupt and useless U.N. should worry about other catastrophic impacts than climate issues.

 

[Murph]

I'm in The heart of the western Kentucky coal belt. Paradise fossil fuel plant right up the road..if I recall correctly, unit three burned 300 railroad cars of coal a day...there were 2 smaller units as well..that's one plant..Before they put scrubbers in, "plant" cars would get holes ate in the top of them from.sulfer particles falling out of the stacks . Before scrubbers went in they built taller stacks,,, so it ate up cars in Ohio instead of here. Nature cycle change? Maybe. Hundred s of rail cars worth of coal being burned daily having an impact? Maybe

Murph

Far from carbon neutral

 

[Strawboss]

Would be interesting to know how much stuff is puked into the air each time a volcano erupts. That kinda stuff has been happening for quite some time now.

 

[Murph]

Mankind has no control over volcano puke..

Murph

 

[Strawboss]

True, buts its been happening for eons, now, we're told that in a mere 100 years man has changed things.

 

[Murph]

Well the industrial revolution kinda kicked things in the pants... I don't know how many eruptions there's been in the last 100 years but consumption of fossil fuels has been on a tear.. The standard of living world wide has improved dramatically, witch goes hand in hand with more consumption. In 1900 there were no cars and a world population of 1.6 billion. In 2020 the world population was 7.7 billion there's 276 million cars registered in the US alone. In 2019 pre pandemic 95 billion gallons of jet fuel was consumed. In the US there is 934 gallons of oil consumed per capita ( 51 in India , that standard of living thing). In the US there's 2, 263 cubic feet of coal consumed per capita ( China 3,055). Natural gas in the US 27,243,858 MMcf....

Most data from world meter

It ain't the same world it was eons ago.

Murph

 

[ron203]

I wonder how much of the population explosion coincided with the the invention of drive ins and backseats?

 

[cuda]

When times are good the baby boomers... us lots of kids $ here has a lot to do with it...

India is passing China in population

White folks are not having babies

Going to 50 year High School reunion this weekend

Our class was like 856 this year about 180.

Population near the same?

 

[ONOBob]

The planet has warmed and cooled countless times.

And we weren’t here…….

 

[Murph]

It warms faster with blacktop than it does with trees


Murph

 

[cuda]

 

[ONOBob]

Interesting
Thanks for sharing Cuda.

I was first an environmentalist, then an IT
guy…. Net: I love data

I actually worked on many SO2 measurement and reduction projects that reduced the “acid rain”
I could tell you some stories about the indoor air pollution studies I worked on. The air inside is usually dirtier than the ambient air. But that’s more interesting in person with a beer or two… but I digress

Back to the video / data
The recorded data only goes back 160 years.
The LAST ice age was 10,000 years ago
( The data presented is a microcosm )

Don’t get me wrong guys. I am In favor of clean / renewable energy. It’s a must.
I am more in favor of common sense remediation….
I.E. If we destroy ourselves, to save the planet, what good will that do?
The planet was created for US. Not us for it.

Cheers

 

[Murph]

The planet was created for US. Not us for it.

I agree completely, but along with that came a stewardship to oversee it and pass it on to the next generation.

We can rape, pillage and destroy or nurture and protect it.


Murph

 

[Strawboss]

Would be interesting to find out, we can't of course, because, who would be foolish enough to believe anything that comes out of Communist China, what standards if at all they are putting forth and following to combat their rise in contributing to what may be happening to the climate. Got a feeling that those of us that are pounding our metaphorical climate worry swords into plowshares will be fighting those who are not.

 

[Murph]

I can vote, thats about it on the national scale. I have no control over what other people do, much less other nations. I dont care if my neighbor
wizzes in his hot tub..I don't in mine. I have to give a little credit to the argument that " you got yours, what about mine?" from the up and coming nations. I get the fear of the " one world order" thing.. I get the "you can't trust em" part....so... whats the solution? i'm far from carbon neutral , BUT i do have a few acres dedicated to just being a wildlife sanctuary for lack of a better description. Is climate change part of the natural order? I think so...Can man influence it? I think so...Can it be proven? I think so...I mean in my simple hillbilly mind...look at the heat radiated out from a mile square of black top, compared to a mile square of old growth timber. Cut down more trees, b
Put down more black top...you honestly believe that will not affect the environment? With current technology, our current standard of living is not sustainable ...that is a fact.. climate change or not...

Best

Murph

I

 

[connie_rider]

This isn't a Sport Touring Bike. But it demonstrates why I have no interest in an electric vehicle. (Range)
ie; If a person had an Electric Sport Touring bike and travel loaded (or and play in the twisties) the range would also be an issue.

 

[cuda]

You don't know what you got till It's gone...