Electric bike beats petrol-powered competition

The future starts here, my friends. Although I'm really going to miss the sound of ICEs breathing out through open pipes. Best fit your Akros and Arrows while we've still got the option guys.

Ian, the end's in sight mate. Give it a decade or so and you can enjoy peace and quiet on the weekend. Who knows? Having the option of leccie power may even make full size feet forward bikes the way ahead...

'Course there's always the possibility of eco fuel actually taking off .

Posted: 30/10/2009 at 16:36

Posted: 30/10/2009 at 19:15

Dodd, it's alot more eco friendly than an ICE! I used to think exactly the same thing... well it still comes from a bloody power station! But, being a final year Motorcycle Engineering student currently working on an electric bike I can tell you it is a lot more eco friendly than an ICE!

Put it this way, if you were to commute 20 miles to work and then 20 miles home each day, giving a round trip of 40 miles how much do you think you would spend on fuel in a month? Answer: One hell of a lot!

Well based on current electricity prices our electric bike would cost you around £7 to run for the entire month! Yes £7! Based on a 40 mile round trip!

Dont get me wrong, I love the ICE and there is still plenty of life left in them, but in terms of future development, thanks to those t*****s in Europe, to reduce emissions etc electric is the way things will go!

It also adds the question what taxes electric bikes will be hit with soon? Think how much revenue the government would lose on fuel duties etc if cars and bikes all turn electric?! More stealth taxes anyone???? Food for thought hey........

Posted: 31/10/2009 at 12:17

Do you think the government would introduce Amp Tax???

Posted: 31/10/2009 at 19:27

Stealth tax maybe, increased unit costs for electricity, definitely.

Posted: 01/11/2009 at 13:43

dodd wrote (see)

how is electric eco fuel....??? people seem to forget where electricity comes from, goodbye noisy Sundays, hello nuclear power station in every town.( or coal fired depending what turns you on)

It's not! Although it looks like 'leccie power is the way things are heading it's technically feasible to produce alcohol or eco-diesel powered engines and cultivate that fuel from environmentally sound sources. The advantages are that our existing infrastructure and machinery will cope fine with the 'new' fuel, it's carbon neutral (unlike electric, even nuclear electric power) and of course we keep our sound track. That might not be counted as an advantage by everyone, mind...

I think people, especially politicians, like the idea of electric power because it implies we can keep on expanding, enjoying 'growth'- economic, population, consumer, whatever. The truth is that we really need to take a long, hard look at how we lead our lives. Our technology will work whatever miracles we ask it to, but if all we aim for is an ever growing list of luxuries and pointless gimmicks we're going to come to grief sooner rather than later. A little thought and a recognition that maybe the next bauble won't actually improve our quality of life would be a start...

(Best step away from the keyboard before this becomes a full on rant .)

Posted: 01/11/2009 at 16:13

erm a powerstation using millions of tonnes of coal everyday is a dam site less environmentally friendly than petrol. the process of refining petrol is relatively clean, and its use is fairly unanimous to the environment with all these high tech engine management systems and the use of cats in bikes now. the burning of coal releases sulphur dioxide into the atmosphere creating acid rain. thats a little worse than petrol.

and forget CO2 thats a load of bollocks, all the CO2 that comes from our bike cans is absorbed by the plants and re-emitted as oxygen, methane, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide are the ones to worry about.

science 101 over :P

electric bikes are shit anyways no V-Twin noise and power like an ape  

Posted: 03/11/2009 at 16:35

srad man sam

 What about solar panels on the tank (fake tank) so when it's not in use it's charging itself.

OK the UK isn't the the sunniest place on the Planet but there will be places where the solar bike is an option.

Posted: 03/11/2009 at 17:48

I agree Electricity isnt the most environmentaly friendly energy source the way its currently generated. But that is all changing.

Hydro electric power is becoming more prevelant. Wind power is becoming more prevelant. Tidal power is becoming more prevelant.

All with Zero emmisions (if you exclude the actual construction and materials used to build them)

 I think Electric is the future for many forms of transport the only problem at the moment is that the Electric Bikes and Cars etc  are being developed at a faster rate than the Different forms of electricty generation are.

Dont shoot them down just becasue they are ahead of the curve.

I think Electric Bikes have  BIG Future.

Posted: 05/11/2009 at 01:50