Battery technology is fine. He could have used any number of different kinds of lightweight, high-power batteries. Currie Technologies and several of the electric bicycle manufacturers have been using LiFePO or NiCad for a while now. The bikes with these batteries don't even look electric because the batteries are small enough to hide in the downtube.
The barrier is COST.
LiFePO batteries ain't cheap. NiCad are getting better, but they're still much more expensive than the heavier Sealed Lead-Acid batteries that are the most popular for this sort of vehicle. My bike uses SLAs, and they're HEAVY, but they also give a lot of power for a low price. I can replace my whole 36v battery pack for around $75 with SLAs. If I switched to NiCad or LiFePO, I'd triple or quadruple that, at least.
Granted, I'd take back some 25 pounds (or more) and have a more discharge-friendly battery, but it's a lot of cost for something that will need to be replaced annually, or even bi-annually.
"Real" bikers say that the problem with electric motorcycles is that they're almost silent, and that makes you a candidate for getting plowed over by people in cars. I can say that I won't take my electric bike on the road-- I stick to sidewalks (which is legal for a bicycle here) because a lot of drivers are idiots that don't consider that a small tap from their car could kill me. They are too busy talking on cell phones to notice smaller two-wheeled vehicles on the road.
It's too bad the noise= safety perception still exists. That's what the HORN button is for; lots of engine noise won't make up for still being all dressed in black on a black bike.
Y'know, because it would be un-macho to wear high visibility clothing, but not to run 110dB pipes because..uh...noise=safety. Yep.
I ride a bike (ie. pedals and skinny wheels) on road all the time. I've been commuting on it every day for 3 years now in Atlanta, considered one of the worst cities for being bike friendly. It's a little dangerous, but it's sure nicer than driving a car.
The Cobra Tag may help you win that losing battle, acting as a Bluetooth device that attaches to your key ring and connects to your phone, it gives you the opportunity to find the missing item if it's less than 30 feet away.
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Battery technology is fine. He could have used any number of different kinds of lightweight, high-power batteries. Currie Technologies and several of the electric bicycle manufacturers have been using LiFePO or NiCad for a while now. The bikes with these batteries don't even look electric because the batteries are small enough to hide in the downtube.
The barrier is COST.
LiFePO batteries ain't cheap. NiCad are getting better, but they're still much more expensive than the heavier Sealed Lead-Acid batteries that are the most popular for this sort of vehicle. My bike uses SLAs, and they're HEAVY, but they also give a lot of power for a low price. I can replace my whole 36v battery pack for around $75 with SLAs. If I switched to NiCad or LiFePO, I'd triple or quadruple that, at least.
Granted, I'd take back some 25 pounds (or more) and have a more discharge-friendly battery, but it's a lot of cost for something that will need to be replaced annually, or even bi-annually.
"Real" bikers say that the problem with electric motorcycles is that they're almost silent, and that makes you a candidate for getting plowed over by people in cars. I can say that I won't take my electric bike on the road-- I stick to sidewalks (which is legal for a bicycle here) because a lot of drivers are idiots that don't consider that a small tap from their car could kill me. They are too busy talking on cell phones to notice smaller two-wheeled vehicles on the road.
It's too bad the noise= safety perception still exists. That's what the HORN button is for; lots of engine noise won't make up for still being all dressed in black on a black bike.
Y'know, because it would be un-macho to wear high visibility clothing, but not to run 110dB pipes because..uh...noise=safety. Yep.
Oh yeah, almost forgot, noise won't make up for your lack of skill. (or, in the case of most Harleys, lack of bike maneuverability)
I ride a bike (ie. pedals and skinny wheels) on road all the time. I've been commuting on it every day for 3 years now in Atlanta, considered one of the worst cities for being bike friendly. It's a little dangerous, but it's sure nicer than driving a car.
Live a little, people! Don't be so scared!