Electric motorcycles are soon going to be all you can get. It doesn’t matter how you feel about it; the days of loud pipes and throbbing engines are coming to an end. Governments have decided to end the production of petrol burning bikes soon. The only real alternative will be electric unless some advancements are made in hydrogen-powered motorcycles. But is this good or bad? Traditionalists will say bad. But electric bikes have some good things to offer, and what they take away we could probably live without. Here is a look at some of the differences.
- Ride: The thing that electric and petrol bikes have in common is the ride. The tires, suspension, and frames are essentially the same. You can check out electric motorcycles like the Super Soco motorbike at Wheels Motorcycles. There isn’t much of a learning curve to switch over for experienced riders. The real change is in the torque. However, electric bikes can’t match the horsepower of internal combustion yet. That day is surely coming. But even now, electric bikes have excellent torque, and that power is available at all speeds. All it takes is a twist of the throttle— there is no power curve to be concerned about anymore.
- Sound: Even though most modes of transportation are engineered to be quiet. The thing that enthusiasts are moaning about the most with electric power is how quiet they are. Electric bikes generally sound like a treadmill or a sewing machine. However, some people enjoy the futuristic sounds and also appreciate the peaceful quiet ride. It has been rumoured that some manufacturers are working on bringing exciting sounds back to bikes, although the thought of artificial projected sound seems a bit sad. It would be better to embrace the new.
- Range: The range of electric motorcycles is the most significant downside currently. Not many bikes can do more than 100 km on a charge, making it very difficult to do any long-range touring. This problem is being solved day by day as new advancements in battery design, and charging are being announced continually. By the time electrics are the only motorcycles being made, there should be versions that can go 300 km or more on a charge and charging times will become similar to filling with petrol.
- Maintenance: Electric bikes have an advantage over traditional bikes when it comes to maintenance. Oil and filter changes will be a thing of the past, and it is unlikely there will be many chain drive bikes either. Electric motors have fewer moving parts, and batteries are swappable. All that will be left to monitor will be tires and brakes. And of course, you will still have to clean your bike, they haven’t got tech for that yet.
It will not be long before electric motorcycles begin to outclass the original models. Science and technology never sleep. With petrol becoming a forbidden fuel, there will be a lot of competition to produce the next significant advancement in motorcycle design. Electric motorcycles are already proving popular in urban settings, and as the range increases, they will be quietly streaking across the country very soon.