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The Electric Motorcycle Thread

Its actually a little different than the Brammo I can tell you from owning on. The battery is different it has 2 modules instead of 7. The Victory also has slightly more battery capacity. The VCU/BMS is different not compatible with Brammo. Wiring is different. The green lights on the dash are efficientcy meters, Brammo is a shift indicator of sorts. The rear wheel is a 160 width vs the Brammo 180 width. Supposedly the Victory turns in better. The Victory has a 12volt powerlet outlet inside the "tank" Brammo doesn't. The tachometer is different also, it has a greenzone and redzone. I'm sure there is more differences I'm missing.


I don't know how you can say the Brammo lools better its literally the same bike exterior you can still use the Brammo plastics of you don't like the color.

So its not really just a rebranded Brammo it's the Empulse's final evolution.

Killroy1999 said:
I remember when Polaris Rebranded the Brammo a Victory with some Industrial Design, but no updates to the dated electric powertrain. Sad. The Brammo looked better IMHO.

polaris-to-wind-down-victory-motorcycles-but-electric-empulse-could-be-reborn.jpg


https://insideevs.com/news/331997/p...rcycles-but-electric-empulse-could-be-reborn/
Click to expand...
 
HadesOmega said:
Its actually a little different than the Brammo I can tell you from owning on. The battery is different it has 2 modules instead of 7. The Victory also has slightly more battery capacity. The VCU/BMS is different not compatible with Brammo. Wiring is different. The green lights on the dash are efficientcy meters, Brammo is a shift indicator of sorts. The rear wheel is a 160 width vs the Brammo 180 width. Supposedly the Victory turns in better. The Victory has a 12volt powerlet outlet inside the "tank" Brammo doesn't. The tachometer is different also, it has a greenzone and redzone. I'm sure there is more differences I'm missing.


I don't know how you can say the Brammo lools better its literally the same bike exterior you can still use the Brammo plastics of you don't like the color.

So its not really just a rebranded Brammo it's the Empulse's final evolution.
Click to expand...

Oh, I was wrong. I remember looking at the range, capacity power specs. I probably did not notice the changed so I assumed they was not a change.

I have never seen one in the wild, but based on the pictures I liked the ID around the battery better on the Brammo. As you said, there are fewer battery modules on the Brammo, so that is probably why they put the new cover on.
 
Yeah I think the smaller battery modules look cooler they had heatsinks on each of them. Not sure where they got the Victory battery from it still has Brammo labels on it so I'm guessing it's an improved brammo battery. The Brammo has a 9.3kwh battery and Victory has a 10.5kwh pack. One thing I wish they upgraded was the charger the Empulse only has a 3kwh onboard charger if it was 6kwh would be perfect wouldn't have to wait so much. At least it doesn't have a computer tower looking battery like the Zero SR has. =P. The Empulse frame is really interesting, it has a kinds of backbone that the batteries hang off of. It has an upper bank and lower bank.

I still think the Empulse is still a great bike it's a little dated now but if they have continued to improve it would have been great. It's faster than a Zero S but slower than a SR. It can outbrake and handle a SR. But if you compare it to the new super electric bikes they blow it away like the Energica or SR/F/S. The Empulse is more agile than the Superbikes though because it more compact and lighter. If it just had the power.
 
Well doesn't look good for that Indian Electric motorcycle. They don't sound optimistic. I think they want to see how HD is doing with the Livewire. They seem shooken up from the Empulse. I'm surprised they never mention the Energicas like they're not even competition when they currently the best.

I wouldn't mind an electric sport quad though =P.

https://electrek.co/2020/10/03/pola...rcycle-to-challenge-harley-davidson-livewire/
 
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HadesOmega said:
Well doesn't look good for that Indian Electric motorcycle. They don't sound optimistic. I think they want to see how HD is doing with the Livewire. They seem shooken up from the Empulse. I'm surprised they never mention the Energicas like they're not even competition when they currently the best.

I wouldn't mind an electric sport quad though =P.

https://electrek.co/2020/10/03/pola...rcycle-to-challenge-harley-davidson-livewire/
Click to expand...

Here you go:
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/rich-rebuilds-tesla-cyberquad-diy-zero-yamaha/
 
HadesOmega said:
Well doesn't look good for that Indian Electric motorcycle. They don't sound optimistic. I think they want to see how HD is doing with the Livewire. They seem shooken up from the Empulse. I'm surprised they never mention the Energicas like they're not even competition when they currently the best.

I wouldn't mind an electric sport quad though =P.

https://electrek.co/2020/10/03/pola...rcycle-to-challenge-harley-davidson-livewire/
Click to expand...

The biggest issue with the LiveWire is price. Yes it lacks Level 2 - but it's a great machine from all accounts/reviews/owners. It's just too damn expensive.
 
MikeL said:
The biggest issue with the LiveWire is price. Yes it lacks Level 2 - but it's a great machine from all accounts/reviews/owners. It's just too damn expensive.
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My theory is HD will build some buzz and a small customer base and then hit us with a much cheaper model with almost-as-good performance to sell in higher volume, like Tesla has done with Model S then Model 3.
 
Gabe said:
My theory is HD will build some buzz and a small customer base and then hit us with a much cheaper model with almost-as-good performance to sell in higher volume, like Tesla has done with Model S then Model 3.
Click to expand...

HD has a lab here in Silicon Valley that they were hiring for a months ago.

I'm too expensive for them. :laughing. I'm not if that is the way to the Tesla of Electric Motorcycles.

Zero and Energica are close if they could lower their prices, but they dont have the volume.

Need DC Fast Charge, ~6 kW of onboard Charging, ~19 kWhr battery. What is the average cost of a motorcycle could in the US?
 
The motorcycles aren't progressing as fast as the cars. The Energica is the best you can get atm. Pretty much more pluses than minuses.

If manufactureres can come down in the price I'm sure more people would buy. Look at Sur Ron they are selling like hotcakes they can't even keep up with the demand. Cheapest electric dirtbike on the planet. I would have loved to have the Alta but it cost more money.
 
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HadesOmega said:
The motorcycles are progressing as fast as the cars. The Energica is the best you can get atm. Pretty much more pluses than minuses.

If manufactureres can come down in the price I'm sure more people would buy. Look at Sur Ron they are selling like hotcakes they can't even keep up with the demand. Cheapest electric dirtbike on the planet. I would have loved to have the Alta but it cost more money.
Click to expand...

I agree that they are getting better, yet the cost per spec is still too far off something similar ICE.

I'll take a Ego+ when my ship comes in.
 
Looks like Zero launched its 2021 lineup. Doesn't look like anything changed. :thumbdown
 
For Zero 2021:
All of these models have been updated with new colorways and graphics for 2021
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What you don't call a new colorway an update?:laughing

They blamed it on Covid. Zero is a company that is struggling to turn a profit. I don't think the quantities are there.

The Zero SR/S came out in February, to be fair. I would love to have one of those.
 
Killroy1999 said:
For Zero 2021:


What you don't call a new colorway an update?:laughing

They blamed it on Covid. Zero is a company that is struggling to turn a profit. I don't think the quantities are there.

The Zero SR/S came out in February, to be fair. I would love to have one of those.
Click to expand...

Supposedly they have an undisclosed backer who seems happy with their progress. I forget which podcast I heard it on, but it sounds like they have plenty of money and time to figure stuff out.

Which is cool but as you mentioned they need profits - even a happy backer will want profits at some point. If the SR/S had DC fast charging I would have probably purchased that bike instead of the FTR1200 I just purchased.

I have a feeling this will be my last gas bike purchase... but I also have a REALLY bad habit of buying and then selling motorcycles way too often sooo I make no promises :twofinger
 
I've been slow on getting my Zero's battery replaced under warranty because I was hoping for a larger 16.0 kWh capacity to be announced. Nope.
 
MikeL said:
I'm hoping they do some major changes in the next lineup. If they don't launch DCFC on their next lineup I'm gonna be really disappointed.
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It's been discussed on this thread before. You need something like 200+ volts to use DC fastcharging, the voltage on the Zero packs are not enough. Like the Brammo is like 105 volts, you'd have to double the voltage. Zero will have to put a lot of money, r&d, resources to be able to incorporate DC Fastcharge. But yeah DC fastcharge is the future. The only time I think I would use it is on long trips though. It's expensive I think. Least the Zero bikes can do 6kw L2 charging, you'll get most of the charge in like 1.5 hours.
 
HadesOmega said:
It's been discussed on this thread before. You need something like 200+ volts to use DC fastcharging, the voltage on the Zero packs are not enough. Like the Brammo is like 105 volts, you'd have to double the voltage. Zero will have to put a lot of money, r&d, resources to be able to incorporate DC Fastcharge. But yeah DC fastcharge is the future. The only time I think I would use it is on long trips though. It's expensive I think. Least the Zero bikes can do 6kw L2 charging, you'll get most of the charge in like 1.5 hours.
Click to expand...

My assumption would be they are already working on the R&D for it, and have been. They would be foolish to not be. They looked at ChAdeMO in like.. 2016 I think? Gave up due to inconsistency in charging station systems that were being put out IIRC, which made development near impossible.
 
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