With new petrol motorcycles no longer being sold in the UK from 2035, we are looking to the latest innovations in electric to help fulfil that indescribable feeling we get from riding. Visordown has taken three of the most common myths about electric motorcycles and busted them for you.
You may also want to check out our Best Electric Motorcycles article.
The range is poor
Some electric bikes and scooters have quite a low range as they are meant to be short-distance commuters. It’s about getting the right tool for the right job. You wouldn’t use a hammer when you need a screwdriver, so you wouldn’t buy an electric scooter with a range of 45 miles if your commute is 50 miles each way.
The range is improving as technology advances. The new Zero SR/F has a range of 223 miles, which is over 100 miles more than my CBR600FS gets to a tank.
I won’t be able to charge up
Charging an electric motorcycle is as easy as charging your phone, iPad, airbag vest, laptop… Any other electronic device. You just need access to a standard three-pin socket (or whatever your standard socket is). Just use the cable supplied with the bike.
The trick to electric vehicles is not running them until empty. Plug in each night and wake up with the battery charged and ready to go.
Even if you do find yourself caught short, the new Zeros offer faster charging options, and the quick chargers are compatible with standard Level 2 charging stations. Zero’s fastest charging option enables recharges to 95% in less than one hour. Plus, one quick Google will reveal your nearest charging points. Some of them might be tucked away out of sight, but there are more of them around than there are petrol stations.
Courtesy of Google Maps
Electric motorcycles cost a lot
Like most brand new motorcycles and cars, electric motorcycles can cost more than a petrol vehicle. Even a new mobile phone can cost you four figures now. The difference with electric is you can recoup your outlay. fuel costs are ever-increasing. Today petrol costs 166.8p per litre (assuming you’re not using E5), 6 years ago it was 109.02p per litre. That’s a 52% increase in 6 years.
In real terms, that means your £50 per week commute (from one town to the next) is now £76. That means a £2,600 a year commute has become £3,952, but with an electric bike, it’s overnight electricity costs only. It doesn’t take long to work out how much you can save over the life of the bike. That’s also not factoring in the lack of maintenance costs…
Conclusion
There is a lot of misinformation and hearsay spread about electric motorcycles, often by people who haven’t ridden them. The ride alone sets them apart from their electric counterparts, and we will discuss this in the next edition… Get in touch on socials if you have a myth that needs busting.
