The world is fast changing. No, not Governments and definitely those Senators never leave or change. While the more Hollywood movies change, the more they remain the same.
Generations change and the new millennials have different priorities and preferences. Climate is supposedly (“allegedly”) changing.
Demand and Supply of big bikes have changed. There are again more British motorcycle brands in the market than American bikes with the return of Enfield, BSA, Norton and the veteran Triumph.
Roads have changed with new taxes tolls on rush hour routes. The year has changed to 2018. My underwear has changed from boxers to briefs. Bikernet.com has changed and become mobile friendly.
Last year, Germany voted to ban the internal combustion engine by year 2030, and this just this year the UK government announced plans to ban the sales of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2040. China is leading the way with maximum ownership of electric vehicles in the world.
But the future is bright. In the four-wheel world Elon Musk is leading the way with his innovative Tesla brand, and over here in the two-wheel world there are a host of different manufacturers all looking to the future.
Challenges have popped to the surface regarding electric vehicles. They might be more emission prone than petrol based vehicles. Batteries are nasty. We will see.
Here are the best electric bikes of 2017.
Energica Ego
The Energica Ego will impress you on both on road and track, as well as around the TT course. It is widely voted as the best Electric Motorcycle in 2017.
Super Soco
While the Energica Ego is an uber-cool sportsbike capable of three figure speeds, the Super Soco is designed with urban mobility in mind.
It can be ridden by 16-year-olds on a provisional license, so it can’t top 30mph. It’s incredibly light and easy to use, and the batteries can be removed so you can charge them inside. It doesn’t have the glamour as some of the bikes on this list, but it’s cheap and practical.
Zero S
The Zero S makes a claimed 30.6bhp and 79.7ft lbs of torque. Those figures aren’t really that much to shout about, but what’s interesting is the fact that the Zero is actually A1 licence compliable, which means 17-year-olds can ride one on L-plates. If, at 17, you choose to stick to a petrol bike, you’ll be limited to bikes that make roughly half the power. So get Zero.
Gogoro Smartscooter 2
Not available for sale everywhere yet but they’re perhaps the future of urban transport. The Gogoro Smartscooter 2 has a top speed of 55mph and a range of 68 miles.
The interesting part is that the Gogoros are part of a ride sharing scheme in Taiwan, Paris and Berlin. Using an app, you find your nearest one and then use it to get where you need to go. If it needs charging you just swap the battery with a charged one at a charging station.
Vespa Elettrica
Vespa is a major two-wheeler brand going electric. Electric bikes are only becoming better and more common, so it’s no surprise that there’s more to come in 2018, and maybe beyond.
Think of Vespa and you probably think of classic scooters propelled by polluting two-stroke engines. At the recent Milan Show Vespa announced their own electric scooter, bringing the historic Italian brand firmly into the 21st century. The Elettrica has a guaranteed range of 62 miles, which is more than enough in the city.
BMW Concept Link
BMW already have an electric scooter in the C Evolution and something like the Concept Link could be the next step. The interesting thing about the Concept Link is that it also acts as a communication device, connecting to your online accounts and calendar.
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Zero Motorcycles
Zero S launched in 2017 but Zero has a bigger better version for next year and the entire range might be worth a mention. For 2018 every Zero model has received 10% more range and faster charge times. Not terribly exciting on the face of it, but another step towards an electric future.
Confederate Motorcycles
The American company behind bonkers bikes such as the Hellcat and P51 Combat Fighter, have announced a partnership with electric motorcycle manufacturer Zero Motorcycles. The partnership means Confederate’s latest bike, the Combat Bomber, which costs $155,000 (£118,372), will be their last machine with an internal combustion engine.
SILENT HAWK AMERICA
American special-forces could be moving silently through the battlefield in the future, as the Pentagon is currently developing a silent electric motorcycle for them to use called SilentHawk.
The SilentHawk isn’t your bog standard electric bike, though, it’s a hybrid – much like a Toyota Prius, and can run on petrol, diesel, and even jet fuel. Much like the Prius the SilentHawk recharges its own batteries when it’s running on fuel.
The SilentHawk is a collaboration between Logos Technologies, who build military equipment such as drones, and American electric motorcycle manufacturer Alta Motors.
“They could go 50 miles, and when they get within 10 miles of an objective, they could shut off that multi-fuel engine, and go all-electric—the only noise [they] will produce at that point will be the noise of the tires on the surface and or the chain of the motorcycle.”
When the electric motor is used noise level drops to just 55dB, about the level of a conversation. “Literally the loudest thing is the chain, and it’s possible for us to outfit a belt, though there’s a whole host of reasons for why you wouldn’t want a belt on a dirt bike,”
SilentHawk also has two-wheel drive to help with traction over rough terrain. The aim now is to make the bike lighter. It currently weighs 350lb (158kg). Logos Technologies and Alta Motors are toying with the idea of removing the liquid-cooled engine and replacing it with an air-cooled item to shed a few pounds.
SO THERE YOU HAVE IT. Spooks and G-Men sneaking up on you on electric two-wheel drive. Loud pipes save lives. Now the future highway seems silent like a cemetery
Can I get an electric girlfriend? Living with one loud mouthed talkative blonde right now. She is good in bed and bad in debt. We all can wish for the good old days but the truth is horses are too lovely to be ridden into a battlefield and combustion engine is too common to make profits for the big corporates and bankers.
So the thrust is on new tech, to outlaw the common, to make things complicated so as to benefit the few, to make new sales to existing customers and bring in cash flow on a global scale with stuff like the Paris Accord (bravely refused by President Trump).
Happy New Year – be merry, kick ass and ride forever!!!
–Compiled by Ujjwal Dey
Electric Mastermind Editor
Bikernet Trikes
