Hello,
The bicycle is one of the most efficient machines ever devised. From its efficient roller chain drive to its lightweight, in some instances using materials like carbon fiber and titanium, triangulated frame, the bicycle created mobility and extended reach for billions of people. In places like SE Asia, it's been transformed into a portable shop or kitchen, and even performs the tasks expected of a light duty pickup truck.
Pioneers experimented with gasoline engines, with Harley-Davidson being one of the rare survivors of that age. But even Harley has bent a knee to relatively recent progress with its electric motorcycle options. I've had my eye on a Lightning motorcycle, with its prototype's donor being a Yamaha R1, for a few years now, but the weather here, with its 8 month monsoon season, isn't compelling enough for me to drop over $20k like I would have if I was still working in Silicon Valley.
Now, the scourge of every cop, comes the e-bike, where unlicensed teens get to run down city streets, disrupting traffic, or being enabled to commit crimes, like has happened on our college campus with sexual assaults of women late in the evening - grope and dash. "Stunting" in traffic is disruptive - but I'm from the school where Darwinism should take care of bad parenting and personal decisions.
In any case, as soon as the cops settle down and worry about real crimes vs a kid being able to get to their job or stay for soccer practice, e-bikes are here to stay. They're a good thing in the net scheme of things. We've got an article on an e-bike in the lineup in this issue, and I've thrown in a few pieces on electrified two wheelers for you in the archives as well.
enjoy,
-andyT
