Unless you have been living in a cave, you should know that the days of the internal combustion engine are numbered. Various factors are aligning to ensure that hydrocarbon-burning machinery becomes obsolete. So, the day is coming that you will need to consider buying your first electric motorcycle. I imagine that many motorcycle enthusiasts are wondering what electric bikes are like.
Will they be missing some of the glory of the original, and will there be any advantages? What do they sound like? What do they ride like? How far do they go on a charge? And how do you even fix the darn things? Here is a look at some of those questions.
● Sound: The most noticeable difference when riding an electric bike is the sound. A major part of motorcycle lore and mystique had to do with the sound. Motorbikes make some beautiful sounds that roar of triumph and rebellion. Electric bikes, on the other hand, sound not much different than a treadmill in the gym. However, motorcycle designers understand the sound appeal, and all of them are working on creative sound production. I don’t know if they will ever reproduce the feel of the engine’s vibrations.
● Ride: An electric bike turns the same and has similar suspension and braking as a petrol bike, so the ride and handling are identical. You can check out the latest models of electric motorbikes at Wheels Motorcycles. The significant difference comes from the absent transmission and the torque available at all speeds. These are substantial benefits, and they help make the argument for EV bikes. There is no more shifting down to first gear to start at the lights. You just accelerate until you are going the speed you want to go. And no matter what speed you are at, you can use the full torque available immediately. You will no longer need to keep your revs up to pass.
● Maintenance: Here, we have another advantage of the electric motorcycle. There are fewer moving parts on most electric bikes, so you no longer must be concerned with oil changes and filters. The motors will likely last long enough to get good value from the cycle, but time will tell. You will still have to maintain your brakes and tires, but that is not much of a hassle. How long the batteries will last in actual-world conditions is also a bit of an unknown.
● Range: For most riders, the range is the real problem, but it is a problem that is being solved by more efficient batteries and faster charging. Petrol bikes are fast to refuel, and fuel is easy to find for now. That will begin to change as charging stations begin to replace pumps. And the production of fossil fuel vehicles ends sometime in the next ten years.
It seems that we are right on the cusp of the dominance of electric motorcycles to begin. Those who have adopted the tech early appear pleased with their decisions, and things will only be getting better from here. And you can bet any advancements on the petrol bikes will be grinding to a halt as well.
