Modern Vespa

The $5000 Electric Motorcycle - FortNine reviews the Sondors Metacycle

Pretty impressive speed and range for $5K.

You order: Miller High Life + shot of Johnnie Walker
You get: PBR + Fireball.

Pass.

I'll pass too for now, though I note that these bikes are getting cheaper and better. 5k and 80 mph I could live with, if only the battery had more reach.

Getting closer. The first company to stick the landing and get a robust offering of third-party mods, performance upgrades and accessories is going to be crowned king.

That camera seems pretty incredible, however.

They could have offered additional range by installing additional batteries where a gas tank would traditionally mount.

Miguel

"Real world range of 60 miles " -- from the website

$6500 (cash USA... plus tax/tag/yada/yada) from their website. That $5000 must be Canadian.

Of the 53 rides I have done this year, 0% have been less than 60 miles.

Big pass

Battery energy density is going to need to quadruple before these are anything more than Urban grocery getters.

I'm predicting at least 10 more years...

10 years? I'd ride the Energica EsseEsse9 right now if I had 20k to spend, even if the specs would turn out to be somewhat lower.

Energica EsseEsse9+ RS
https://www.energicamotor.com/us/models/energica-esseesse9-old-school-electric-motorcycle/

Power
80 kW - 107 hp

Torque
200 Nm - 59 ft lb

Topspeed
200 km/h - 124 mph

Acceleration
0-100 kmh 2.8 sec.- 2.7 sec 0-60 mph

RANGE
420 km - 260 miles

As it seems 80% of journeys in the US at least are either short commutes or 'grocery getters' then it should fill some sort of niche.

There are places and circumstances where these sort of transport ideas are ideal. Please don't knock it just because it doesn't fit your idea of a Grand Tourer.

Yeah, 10 years because $20,000 is ridiculous and unrealistic, just like $100,000 EV cars. Saying "if I had the money" means it's not ready except for the ultra rich, and that is not going to save the planet. I have no doubt that, sooner or later, we will get battery technology that solves these problems and is affordable by the common person. But it is AT LEAST 10 years out....

https://super73.com/c1x

The number plate / headlight of this looks really cool.


I can't tell who copied who between this and the https://www.bmwmotorcycles.com/en/experience/stories/urban-mobility/concept-ce02.html

10 years sounds about right, they could put a battery in that open space but might not be ideal for handling.

Cold, hills, wind, fast city roads are all going to eat away at the stated range

Cradle to grave does my Prius or EVs really have less of an environmental footprint?
Takes a lot of Oil to dig up, smelt, process, manufacturer, ship all the components to make an electric car as well as how are they going to make electricity?

Today's little 4 cylinder Honda Civics, Toyota Corrollas and Vespas? are pretty efficient clean burning machines

Yes, yes they do.
60-68% less life cycle emissions even in the USA with relatively low renewable use.
https://theicct.org/sites/default/files/publications/Global-LCA-passenger-cars-jul2021_0.pdf

Some ICE motorcycles I like, cost about the same. It's not that I can't afford that, it's more a matter of my current priorities. I am neither rich nor ultra-rich by the way. I also basically spent 9k OTD on a 300cc GTS. Did I get my money's worth? From my vantage point yes, though many people would disagree.

Harley's currently have an average price of 25k. For that kind of money you could buy a fantastic electric motorcycle at the moment. The technology is there and the price keeps dropping. I think what you rather should say, is that for you an electric motorcycle will be worth considering in ten years.

To others the value is there at the moment and they enjoy being at the forefront of things to come.

Rolex steel. A monocoque type construction. So fast the front end is always a blur.

https://www.bandit9.com/nano

My average trip is about 2 miles. Work is 6 miles one way. I would like to be able to go 75mph for a short stint so I could hop on the local freeway. (my current LX150 can't do this)

I'm not in the market for a new bike right now but when I am, this electric bike or a better one which will show up in the next year or two will be great for me.

"To others the value is there at the moment and they enjoy being at the forefront of things to come." Yes I accept this but would also ponder, what is the 50cc ICE scooter market like right now today, those riders and a well heeled first adopters seem to be the potential market right now for electric scooters?

Also would add, looking forward to more better electric rides and toys in the future but wish they would let the free market push, EV, ICE and Hybrid technologies forward, Imagine the rides and toys and value to be had. Seems all the resources and brain trust is going to EVs right now mainly due to government intervention

Well, actually mainly because of:

Here we go...

One more hot garbage, stealing Piaggio's design…

I'm very very very very very skeptical of those numbers, everyones got an agenda plus we can't even keep the electricity on in CA with an anemic amount of electric cars

Honda are embracing the battery . https://electrifynews.com/news/honda-promises-10-new-electric-motorcycles-by-2025/?utm_content=sked_63332705c24e97294d0c60ad&utm_medium=social&utm_name=sked&utm_source=facebook

Why buy a 50cc equivalent electric?
An ebike is a human electric hybrid, I can at least pedal it home if I run out of power
There's a range from mostly bicycle to mostly motorcycle, maintenance will be trivial compared to anything gas fired
Plenty of hop up parts: bigger batteries, higher amp controllers

For those markets where a 50cc equivalent can be ridden by younger riders than are allowed for 125cc or above - by several years in some markets.

e.g. in France, it's age 14 for 50cc, 16 for 125cc. UK, 16 for 50cc, 17 for 125cc.

There are no such constraints on ebikes, no registrations, making them all the more attractive for younger riders
Theoretically you could get a ticket for exceeding the specification for class1 on a bike path or other technical violations

US states vary. In GA, a 15yo with a car learners permit can ride a 50cc on the roads where 50cc is allowed

I missed it if this has been mentioned before, but I was looking up something on what-if next bikes and noticed the specs for BMW's current CE-04.

Top speed 75mph, 80 mile range, 1-4 hour charging time depending on method. Base model USD$11,800 (rounded).

That's the first I've seen that breaks the 45-ish mph ceiling. Not -quite- where I'd be ready, but more progress than I was expecting!

Meanwhile...

The Good: Mostly-cool looks, packs a big kW punch, pedaling the thing must be a blast.

The Bad: costs only slightly less than either of my GTS', and heavy (because, big kW punch).

https://www.vintageelectricbikes.com/products/roadster

For those on instagram, this rider (sinje gottwald) is traveling across Africa on an electric moto to try to set a new world record.

https://instagram.com/sinje.gottwald?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

I thought I recognised that sloping top tube......

A hardtail?
Style over substance
More motorcycle, than bicycle, being only single speed

Italjet #e01.
12kW motor, range of 93 miles. 36 minutes to charge off a fast charger.

That front shock would get in the way if i wanted to strap a case of beer between my feet

Italjet evolution:

So if you don't know what a Kawasaki KLR 650 is, it's about the best bang for the buck if you want a cheap bike that you could throw a leg over and ride around the world. I travelled with someone who's KLR fell out of a canoe in the Amazon and after flushing the engine with diesel fuel and filling it up with oil, he was able to ride it all the way back to Canada. They aren't fast, they aren't fancy, they are the mule of Adventure Touring.
That's why this comparison video makes very little sense to me.

Agreed. That's just... nonsensical.

^^

IMO adventure bikes that have no range aren't adventure bikes. and it weighs so much more to even get it's lesser range

but it is interesting to see the progress in the area of ev even if it ain't ready yet for this area

I was looking through some parts catalogs and saw something that fit the Piaggio Liberty Elettrico. I did a bit of searching, and there's not a lot out there about it, except that Piaggio sold them from 2011 to 2017. Does anyone have any information about that bike? It would be interesting to see how they fared and if any are still on the road. I never heard of it until about half an hour ago.