The Dark Side of eBikes

[Easy-X]

https://youtu.be/9B0eXmbrBIo


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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[stinkwheel]

So they just re-invented the electric assist velomobile... But minus the aerodynamics.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Ste]

No.

[Easy-X]

This... monstrosity set me thinking.

It's specifically built to the spec of "low barrier to entry" - legal 250W motor, pedals, low top speed etc. - why the creators thought anyone would be tempted by something so ugly is a separate issue.

Following on from the FortNine video on the failure of eMotorbikes he sorta confirmed my idea: build an eBicycle with motorcycle geometry and more power. The problem is that while such a thing could be built quite cheaply (relative to the excess of current eMotorbike offerings) one would need to class it as a "motorbike" to work within current regulations and if you're going down that route then why not just ride an ICE motorbike (asthmatic kittens not withstanding.) Then there's the muggles: "motorbikes are dangerous and will kill you as you sleep, I wouldn't go near one!"

In summary tame 250W eBike offerings appeal to the cycling crowd and muggles alike, have no misguided "danger" associated with them and are cheap (relatively speaking.) eMotorbikes can only appeal to the existing, very small, motorbike crowd. Electric scooters (not these ones in the trials, the proper sit down ones) have some utility and may become popular as intimated by FortNine.

Low barrier to entry is good as you can sell to a larger market. What if we were to step up from "zero requirements" and investigated what a provisional licence and a CBT would get you...

Some perspective: I built an eBike a while back that had less power than a 50cc scooter on paper but obviously due to the lightness I could get well over 30mph - the thing scared the crap out of me and is partly the reason I switched to motorcycles - and it was running a mere 1.5kW.

A CBT would allow you up to 15kW for an EV For an eBike that would be insane and you'd probably get nowhere near that due to the diminishing returns of the bike lugging a battery that could support such power. I've not seen many eBicycles > 5kW and of those [amateur] builds they've more a battery-on-two-wheels than anything else. And it's pretty much the same issue at the other end with eMotorbikes.

But FortNine said something interesting: Tesla don't have this problem. Switch from 2 electric motors to 4 (i.e. one per wheel) and you just throw some more batteries on, maybe make the vehicle more aerodynamic. The platform itself - cars - is less affected by added weight than a motorcycle.

"FFS, where are you going with this? Get on with it!"

My proposition is this:

Cheap EV
Low barrier to entry
Appeals to muggles
Reasonable speed and range

How about a 3-wheeled electric trike you can ride/drive with just a CBT? How about something with some style like a Morgan

"Ah you done fucked up there, Morgan already tried this and failed!" (https://www.topgear.com/car-news/concept/whatever-happened-morgan-ev3)

Well yes, I think that was a bit ambitious. According to the specs the power output was >40kW and therefore something you'd need a full licence to drive. That proposition was an electric car albeit one with three wheels. What I'm saying is lob a 15kW motor in the back so you can get by with the A1 classification and go with "simplify and add lightness." Build more like a bicycle/motorbike than a car and lob a shell with neo-classic lines over the top and basically churn out a slightly shrunken, one seat version of the eMorgan.

The biggest failing I could see would be to persuade the muggles to do a CBT on a 125 scooter (all you'd need given EVs have no gears.) But certainly, if styled correctly, the Beard Oil Worriers would lap it up.

Give me some tube steel, a MIG welder and some off-the-shelf eBike parts and I could probably churn out a 3kW prototype for less than 2 bags. Another bag probably for the body shell. Then it's a quick tour about the mass media trumpeting the eco-credentials, Kickstarter campaign to raise millions...

...disappear to the Bahamas with all the money
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Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, Yamaha XSR700, Honda Rebel, Yamaha DT175, Suzuki SV650 (loan) Fazer 600, Keeway Superlight 125, 50cc turd scooter

[GettinBetter]

[thx1138]

I got over 40mph on my fixie in the last time trial I entered, nearly shat myself, came unlipped, and had to stick one leg out until I got to the bottom of the hill and clipped back in