Electric MX bikes

[vmxrider]

From most reports these things are at least capable of matching modern 250 4 strokes in performance. Way of the future for MX or just another option???. The lack of exhaust noise has got to help in making more areas available for riding. Maybe one day well have to hide an electric motor inside our VMX engine cases. Just won't stir the senses or get the adrenalin going.   

 http://www.zeromotorcycles.com/gallery.php

[ss2fly]

I for one will NEVER be a part of it!!!!

Electric MX Bikes........Sheesh.......... Dont care how fast they are, I'll stick to burning very old things that rotted a long time ago ( not Kawasaki's but fossil fuel  )

[TT]

I think they are a great idea and the more of you that buy them, the better.

You see, that will leave more of that good old fossil fuel for me and my bikes/cars. 

[lukeb1961]

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/525/5310/Motorcycle-Article/2009-FIM-Ride-Green-Eco-Enduro-Results.aspx

[EVO450]

They did not show the re-fuel stop.
Evo

[TT]

Check this out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNzkhTy3Oyc

[Motoman]

You won't know if it's running as there won't be any white smoke!

[TT]

I do love my internal combustion engines, but I also love the idea of electric bikes.
Imagine how cool it would be to have your kids tearing up that vacant block next door without pissing off the neighbours.   

[VMX247]

Check this out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNzkhTy3Oyc

way cool fun alright.   ..they had one at the Nats and Proserpine and they are errrieyyy quiet 
cheers

[GD66]

I do love my internal combustion engines, but I also love the idea of electric bikes.
Imagine how cool it would be to have your kids tearing up that vacant block next door without pissing off the neighbours.   

Bang on the money, Tony, that's exactly what they're good for : I saw a short blurt about them on tv a couple of weeks ago, they look the biz and go ok, but all in relative silence.....that'll snooker the cranky neighbours !

[monaro308]

I do love my internal combustion engines, but I also love the idea of electric bikes.
Imagine how cool it would be to have your kids tearing up that vacant block next door without pissing off the neighbours.   

Until your kid or a neighbours kid gets hit by the noiseless bikes from being unaware.
Noise is our enemy off road but a bonus on the road...(harley etc)
I can just see the future for bikes on the road....sorry officer, i just didn't hear it coming.....add to the didn't see excuse.
Just watch the pedestrian fatalities take a sharp jump once electric vehicles become common.
Head-ons in the bush will probably become more common.
I've noticed the DSE has been pushing and already put in some places oneway only tracks in the gippsland area.

Imagine charging stations in the bush???
Can't wait to watch a stadium supercross meeting....the sound of wheel chairs and the smell of burning armatures 

[Nathan S]

I'd happily have one.
Initially, I was a bit against the idea of electric bikes, but then I stopped and realised that all of my objections were irrational nonsense - probably due to an unspoken fear of the unknown...
A mate (who happens to be THE best car engine builder I know) has gotten right into electric bikes, and some of his weird and whacky creations have opened my eyes to what's possible.

The future is coming. We can either sit with our eyes closed and our fingers in our ears, or we can jump on board and be the ones with all the knowledge when the rest of the world is finally rescued from the fossil-fuel-less ocean...

Also, I initially thought of electric bikes as being some kind of threat to my fleet of VMX bikes - that the adoption of electric powered bikes would somehow make it harder to get petrol for the old bikes. The reality is actually the opposite (like Tony said).

[Nathan S]

The noise thing is another issue.

I love the sound of any internal combustion engine singing - and I mean "any" - the sound of an engine running strong and clean is music to my ears, regardless of whether its a 65cc 2-stroke MXer, a thumping V8, a rotary, or even a f$%king Subaru. As tone deaf as I am, I listen for the change in note as it accelerates up through the rev-range, the lack of misfires, the clean crisp sound that you only get from a properly tuned motor, etc etc - if it ticks all of those boxes, then I'll probably say "Yeah, that sounds great!".
Similarly, a stock Harley with open pipes is one of the worst sounds to be inflicted upon my ears - sure its got "a note" and its invariably bloody loud - but it is just a loud message that this thing is running like pooh.

This leads me to conclude that its not really the noise that I like, even though I'll say "listen to how good that sounds!" - what's making my brain happy is the audible proof that the car/bike/kart/boat/whatever is operating well - and the actual the sound that it makes, is basically irrelevant.

Despite all of the cliches we use, the vast majority of motorsport people that I talk to agree with me. It usually takes a few minutes of thinking about the engines that they like or dislike the sound of, but they soon realise that I'm right.

I'm sure that it won't take much mental re-calibration to appreciate the sound of a good electric bike.

[monaro308]

Hey i'm all for it too, and it is the way of the future and it will be exciting....although i can just see the electrical trades union wanting to put a finger in the pie.
Surprised they haven't got involved/interfered with motor vehicles...YET  
Yeah the future....mechanics will still be on about $25 an hr and the sparkies will be making room for another gay-lux and fishing boat in their driveway and 4 RDOs a month to go fishing  

[GMC]

Until your kid or a neighbours kid gets hit by the noiseless bikes from being unaware.
Noise is our enemy off road but a bonus on the road...(harley etc)
I can just see the future for bikes on the road....sorry officer, i just didn't hear it coming.....add to the didn't see excuse.

I stole a test ride on that electric bike that was on display at the Nats.
It was actually very dangerous to ride around the pits as no one heard you coming (it only had chain noise) and so people would turn & walk in front of you.
It was a bit weird to ride without noise too, as we get conditioned to judging speed by noise.
It takes a little getting used to.
The Zero was a bit like a DT1, it has potential but their is a lot more development to come before it is really worthy.