Friday, March 22, 2013

Truly credible eBikes are coming!




Motorcycle manufacturers are said to have 10-or-more-year-old electric bike prototypes tucked away in their R&D halls, UTV maker Polaris now offers its venerable, class-leading Ranger UTV in your choice of gas, diesel and electric models, companies such as Zero, Brammo, and others have catapulted the electric motorcycle out of its home-brew oddity and commercially produced scooter-only domain and into the powersports sportbike mainstream. Can the extinction of gas-powered motorcycles be very far away?

Recent reviews such as Motorcyclist's April 2013 writeup on the 6-speed, 54 hp, 100+ mph, 121-mile-range Brammo Empulse, likening it to a Triumph Street Triple in ergos, feel, and overall character (largely due to its clutch and transmission), if not power, and Road and Track's April 2013 declaration that the new 416 hp Tesla S electric car out-accelerates a 640 hp Viper SRT, make the future of powersports look interesting indeed! They're even better looking than ever!