Electric cars get a lot of attention, but not so much electric motorcycles. Nevertheless, writes Jonathan Welsh in The Wall Street Journal, “With near-instant acceleration, an eerie jet-turbine sound, and a smooth, vibration-free ride, electric motorcycles are kicking up dirt in an often staunchly traditional market.”
He notes that electric motorcycles lack loud chrome pipes and a rumbling engine, cost more than comparable gasoline versions, and may have top speeds limited to 100 mph. Nevertheless, they don’t require oil changes or valve adjustments.
Welsh takes a look at five models:
- The Victory Empulse TT is “…the only mass market electric vehicle that you could call a ‘muscle bike.’”
- The Zero Motorcycles Zero SR is “skinny enough to squeeze through traffic jams…” and offers a 161-mile range in the city.
- The Alta Motors RedShift SM is designed for urban riding with a 50-mile range.
- The Harley-Davidson LiveWire is a prototype that offers a 50-mile range that’s expected to double before going into production.
- The Yamaha PES2 has not been released but is part of the company’s plan “…to lead the electric-motorcycle segment by 2020.”
Commenter Wendell Holloway recommends adding “…a speaker system that emits the typical motorcycle sounds…” as you ride. Hobar Mallow suggests clipping baseball cards onto the front forks with clothespins.
In a video that accompanies Welsh’s article, he discusses electric motorcycles with reporter Tanya Rivero. One issue they discuss is safety related to the lack or traditional motorcycle sounds.
