Geoffrey Settle Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 Having watched the World's first low-emission motorcycle race on the Isle of Man this year (TTXGP) I was very impressed. As a TT Marshall it was a bit erie because they made little or no sound and I like to hear the noise that bikes make from a distance because it gives me a warning that they are on their way. The winner reached a top speed of 106. They are making rapid progress, they looked good, and two of our leading UK Universities had entries in the race. http://www.iomtt.com/News/2009/06/09/The-era-of-electric-motorcycle-racing-arrives-at-the-TT.aspx They have proved that they can last for 37.7 miles do you think you will be tempted to buy one in the future when they can go further - they may need and effective horn to warn pedestrians or a modified electric cattle prod? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 Personally I don't think there is room on our overcrowded roads for bikes. They are dangerous and in almost all instances are driven at crazy speeds by crazy drivers. Don't think they will ever take off though as most bike riders like to make as much noise as possible to show how good their bike is!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Settle Posted July 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 Well it's the Manx Car Rally today and they'll be screaming around the island. Maybe soon there will be an electric version and like the bikes they will be a lot quieter with low emission. The batteries are the key to success and those on the bikes are evolving at a tremendous rate. The idea to stage the TTXGP was scoffed at by everyone only last year but the idea of competing in the World?s first race really inspired the boffins and technicians. Now that it has taken place who knows what speeds and performance will occur by 2010. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted July 11, 2009 Report Share Posted July 11, 2009 The thing with electric power is the range of the batteries Geoff. For summer, we are going on a road trip taking in France, Holland, Belgium, Italy Switzerland, Monaco and France. Now when my car runs out of diesel, I just fill it up and off we go again with only a small stop involved. Can you imagine doing any kind of journey in an electric car? 200 miles..... "OK Kids, we have to stop here tonight"..... another 200 miles..... What they need is something which involves having a common type of replaceable battery which means you drop into a service station, take out your battery pack, stick a charged up one in; and pay the man ?30.00 or something for the priviledge. That is the only way electric power can be practical. Waiting hours for an on board one to charge up will never catch on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robot Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 Personally I don't think there is room on our overcrowded roads for bikes. They are dangerous and in almost all instances are driven at crazy speeds by crazy drivers. Don't think they will ever take off though as most bike riders like to make as much noise as possible to show how good their bike is!! hmmm merc driver baz? well imagine what the bikers on the forum have to say about some merc drivers! basically theyre considered second to BMW drivers in the league table of cars to avoid while biking..(to put it politely)..dont get me wrong i dont condone the actions of mindless idiots wether on a motorbike, pushbike or overpriced german cars, but ever considered that those fast takeoffs may be a safety precaution? to get out of the way of some idiot in a four wheeled boombox? however i digress. the old combustion engine as we know it is fast in need of a serious revamp, and its about time we broke our reliance on it and started looking at alternatives- and if we brits (for a change) can get off our rear and get right up at the forefront of the technology then im all for it. its just a pity all those ?20 administration fees the DVLA like to try and charge for everything cant go towards developing that technology. i for one would prefer my hard earned going anywhere but into the pocket of some american oil magnate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted August 4, 2009 Report Share Posted August 4, 2009 Regardless of what you may think of Mercedes, they are leading the world in pioneering Lithium Ion battery technology They are currently testing a battery Smart Car (many of them have been loaned out for a 3 year test) and they are soon to announce the launch of an S Class S400 super hybrid car which will use lithium ion batteries (like the ones in mobile phones etc!!) Intersetingly, they are only making the car available in the USA a few years after Europe which it will be available in from next year As for motorcyclists, most of them do scream away from traffic lights and I would argue with anyone who says otherwise and as for my Merc.... it is a diesel so no zooming around for me!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Settle Posted August 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 The really good thing to see at this years MGTP race was that the technology was being developed by TWO British Universities. I think it was Brunel and Bristol - two great British Technological Universities. I'm sure that by next year we will see even faster bikes going further. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 Suppose a battery exchange at garages could work but even if a standard one size fits all approach were to be used, what would you get charged given the variability of battery life? With petrol, at least if you fill up, you have a rough idea of how far that would take you but with a fully charged battery, how far you?ll get depends on it?s age and condition. Bit more thought needed on this one. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Settle Posted August 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 A simple read out from the battery tells toy how much life is left in it and as batteries are improved you will get longer life out of them that should satisfy most needs. For the longer journeys then maybe as you say an exchange system could work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 Regardless of what you may think of Mercedes, they are leading the world in pioneering Lithium Ion battery technology I always thought it was Toshiba Either way, capacity deterioration is noticeable after one year, whether the battery is in use or not and apparantly the battery's frequently fail after two or three years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Settle Posted August 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 Just found a YouTube of the bikes. It starts off with some old footage and then you see the pit area and the Mission sponsored bike that came fourth. http://www.wired.com/autopia/tag/ttxgp/ Interesting to see that they did the equivalent of 6 months testing in a week such is the stimuli of competition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 had a look around the web for electric motorbikes and found some very interesting not mention weird machines. http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/16/view/6543/electric-motorcycles-and-scooters.html I like the fold up one near the bottom of the page. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina1979 Posted August 6, 2009 Report Share Posted August 6, 2009 Baz J... I get a feeling you really dont like bikers !! Loud pipes save lives !! A quote you will hear most bikers say ! The reason we make our bikes louder, is because no matter how much "florescent" clothing we wear, cars just dont see us!! At least the noise of a loud exhaust cant be ignored.. And the majority of cagers that attempt to knock bikers off ( intentional or not ) are the middle aged, high end car range (eg, mercs, bmw... etc.. ) We arent all d***heads out for a joy ride !! End of rant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted August 6, 2009 Report Share Posted August 6, 2009 well said tina i know the feeling as i was hit a glancing blow by a car some years back in morrisons car park by a driver who did not see me. despite having lights on and a large flouro jacket and riding a silver bike. put a nice dent in his door and wing but escaped unscathed apart from my nerves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted August 6, 2009 Report Share Posted August 6, 2009 What nonsesne..... you make your bikes louder so people in cars can hear you? I don't hear them when in my car, but I certainly hear them at 1 oclock in the morning screaming down Cromwell avenue at full tilt. I have nothing against Bikers Tina, I just don't like the noisy infernal machines they ride round on. I have had a few run ins with people on bikes over the years mainly because they insist in weaving through traffic and remove my wing mirrors in the process (twice now) Why can't the impatient buggers just wait like eveyone else? What makes them so special? Bikes are OK with pedals.... anything more isn't right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted August 6, 2009 Report Share Posted August 6, 2009 and I take it "cagers" is some hippy biker name for a car driver? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina1979 Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 If you cant hear the bikes when your in your car then we obviously need to make them louder still !! For most bikers, it's a safety option !! And seeing as we have 3 cars in our road that our louder than my bike... What does that make them ?? Ive never heard of a "hippy Biker", and as a car driver of 13 years, yes i agree that a better name for them is cages... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted August 7, 2009 Report Share Posted August 7, 2009 Bikes are good for nipping through queues of cars; but, in a collision, there's only one winner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Posted August 13, 2009 Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 Suppose a battery exchange at garages could work but even if a standard one size fits all approach were to be used, what would you get charged given the variability of battery life? With petrol, at least if you fill up, you have a rough idea of how far that would take you but with a fully charged battery, how far you?ll get depends on it?s age and condition. Bit more thought needed on this one. Bill This is exactly Project Better Place's plan. The trick is, you own the car and lease the battery. It's a plan inspired by mobile phones. You buy miles. The swap is a bit more elaborate than filling a tank, but keep in mind that with 100 mi/charge you only need it for long trips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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