Hypothetical: Whould you ride a electric bike if...?

thearc
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thearc 12/19/2017 7:15am
12/19/2017 7:15am Edited Date/Time 12/20/2017 10:27am
Had an argument with a buddy about this.
Say your favourite manufacture made an electric bike that was as easy to charge as putting in gas and had the same range as that gas tank, would you switch?
Everything else about the bike is the same, or as same as possible for sake of the argument.
I sure would, thought I was in the majority, he said no way.
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BobbyM
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BobbyM 12/19/2017 7:19am
12/19/2017 7:19am
Putting in gas is more difficult than plugging it in.
Cygrace74
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Cygrace74 12/19/2017 7:26am
12/19/2017 7:26am
For sure would, since I already ride one. Would just make it even better
Acidreamer
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Acidreamer 12/19/2017 7:28am
12/19/2017 7:28am
No. the sound of an engine in the powerband is too good to give up.
crusty_xx
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crusty_xx 12/19/2017 7:31am
12/19/2017 7:31am
Maybe as a second bike.
I've tried several electric bikes (not the alta yet). They are nice and have their advantages. But don't quite replace gas dirtbikes yet (for me).

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F150Motocrosser 12/19/2017 7:31am
12/19/2017 7:31am
Acidreamer wrote:
No. the sound of an engine in the powerband is too good to give up.
Tell that to your next door neighbors as you're ripping a track in your own back yard. Food for thought. Just saying Smile
thearc
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thearc 12/19/2017 7:36am
12/19/2017 7:36am
Acidreamer wrote:
No. the sound of an engine in the powerband is too good to give up.
F150Motocrosser wrote:
Tell that to your next door neighbors as you're ripping a track in your own back yard. Food for thought. Just saying Smile
Exactally! Lots of riding areas sure would open up.
TeamGreen
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TeamGreen 12/19/2017 7:39am
12/19/2017 7:39am
Maybe

Price, price, price...
Motofinne
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Motofinne 12/19/2017 7:39am
12/19/2017 7:39am Edited Date/Time 12/19/2017 7:41am
Absolutely. Well, not switch but there will be tracks in the future that only accept electric bikes. The electric bikes could "save" the sport. As for now they are the only hope. Tracks wouldn't go away if everyone would be on electric bikes. It will be interesting to see what the big 6 comes up with.

There will always be a place for traditional bikes with 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines. I will probably have both.

The Alta is a bike for the early adopters. The price is not an issue because the price will come down rapidly. How many of you bought the 50 inch plasma TVs 15 years ago? They were expensive as hell! How many of you bought the first 4k TV 5 years ago? They were closer to 10k, now you can get an entry level 4k TV for 500 bucks.
ToolMaker
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ToolMaker 12/19/2017 7:45am
12/19/2017 7:45am
For sure. I believe there will be a transition on the noise in riding as feed back to the brain but I think that will be overcome quickly. The older you get the more you enjoy less noise.
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308
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308 12/19/2017 7:48am
12/19/2017 7:48am
Yes
CarlinoJoeVideo
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CarlinoJoeVideo 12/19/2017 7:53am
12/19/2017 7:53am
I would get one if they had a clutch and were less expensive.
kaptkaos
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kaptkaos 12/19/2017 8:06am
12/19/2017 8:06am
The price needs to come way down and I would only ride it if new tracks/trails closer to home opened up. Otherwise i would rather be out in the boonies making noise on old reliable.
TrailDigger 12/19/2017 8:07am
12/19/2017 8:07am
CarlinoJoeVideo wrote:
I would get one if they had a clutch and were less expensive.
I think a 4-speed would be pretty sweet. Electric and insta-torque, so it’s not like you have to wind it up. I suppose the whole map switch is kinda like that already.

I could see a map switch being built into a pseudo-shifter.
Acidreamer
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Acidreamer 12/19/2017 8:09am
12/19/2017 8:09am
Acidreamer wrote:
No. the sound of an engine in the powerband is too good to give up.
F150Motocrosser wrote:
Tell that to your next door neighbors as you're ripping a track in your own back yard. Food for thought. Just saying Smile
thearc wrote:
Exactally! Lots of riding areas sure would open up.
I already tell the one neighbor who cares to f off. Hate negative people. I get what you’re saying though.
loftyair
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loftyair 12/19/2017 8:10am
12/19/2017 8:10am
Yep, ID switch.
Maddeh
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Maddeh 12/19/2017 8:18am
12/19/2017 8:18am
The sound of the bike is not why I ride. It's the feeling of railing a corner, drifting in the dirt, and soaring through the air. It's the challenge of positioning your body correctly and timing the throttle, brakes, and clutch properly to achieve your personal maximum velocity. It would be easy to get past the lack of noise for me, because those feelings are still there.

Honestly I'm more concerned about a lack of clutch and gearbox, I feel like this would be more detrimental to what I like about riding.
tek14
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tek14 12/19/2017 8:20am
12/19/2017 8:20am
Light powerful bike with good price range then why not. KTM is sandbagging their Ebike and we have to see what Alta comes out next year.
roninho
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roninho 12/19/2017 8:24am
12/19/2017 8:24am Edited Date/Time 12/19/2017 8:25am
Riding maybe/probably because it opens up so many opportunities to ride nearby assuming the price comes down massively.

Biggest isues for me is the sound. Probably kills a lot of fun of riding one, and certainly kills the enjoyment of watching e-bikes race.

Maybe they should digital sound that you can hear via a headset/earphones. It won't be long before there is wifi at every somewhat remote location so technically it shouldnt be an issue. Yeah i know it sounds stupid, but imo the lack of sound is a massive letdown for the 'experience' of watching a race.

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thearc
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thearc 12/19/2017 9:08am
12/19/2017 9:08am
No clutch would be the strangest aspect for me. not sure if it’s possible but could a rekluse type clutch be used, as in shift and modulate the clutch if you want but if you don’t it just keep on going?
MyersAvionics 12/19/2017 9:18am
12/19/2017 9:18am
Soon as they can go 100 miles on a charge for harescramble type racing and are
Motofinne
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Motofinne 12/19/2017 9:43am
12/19/2017 9:43am
thearc wrote:
No clutch would be the strangest aspect for me. not sure if it’s possible but could a rekluse type clutch be used, as in shift and...
No clutch would be the strangest aspect for me. not sure if it’s possible but could a rekluse type clutch be used, as in shift and modulate the clutch if you want but if you don’t it just keep on going?
This is an interesting thing. I have been on a 450 for about 3 years now and completely stopped using the clutch when i ride(MX). The only moments i need it is when i make mistakes like screwing up with the gear changes or if i completely lose my balance in a corner.

So a bike without a clutch wouldn't be a huge issue for me.
user760a
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user760a 12/19/2017 10:02am
12/19/2017 10:02am
I love bikes and I would definitely switch if every internal combustion bike instantly disappeared and none could be purchased new or used at any price. Barring that I will happily ride real bikes with two or four cycle gas engines, thank you very much. I would rather ride a 1985 YZ125 with 60 pounds of compression and bald tires than an electric bike. That's just me
Cygrace74
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Cygrace74 12/19/2017 10:03am
12/19/2017 10:03am
Anybody who keeps saying the price will come down because they bought a Plasma in 98 are on not thinking clearly. Normal bike prices keep going up, 2 of the 6 big bikes are over $10,000 otd. An Alta isn't a flat screen, it's still a bike with costs still climbing on 90% of the bikes parts just like every other brand, and has essentially KTM parts throughout the bike between WP suspension, ktm clamps, nekken bars, and brembo brakes. The price will not drop below 14k before it rises along with the other bikes. Whens the last time any bike became cheaper with a high demand for it.
Donovan759
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Donovan759 12/19/2017 10:10am
12/19/2017 10:10am
Depends, what color powerband would the Honda come with?
Titan1
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Titan1 12/19/2017 10:42am
12/19/2017 10:42am
All things being equal? (Price, performance, range, charge/refuel time)

Absolutely I would...no oil, oil filters, air filters, clutches, valves, pistons, gas...and all I'd have to give up is the sound? That's a no brainer.

I don't know if we will get there...at least any time soon, though.
ben990
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ben990 12/19/2017 10:48am
12/19/2017 10:48am
user760a wrote:
I love bikes and I would definitely switch if every internal combustion bike instantly disappeared and none could be purchased new or used at any price...
I love bikes and I would definitely switch if every internal combustion bike instantly disappeared and none could be purchased new or used at any price. Barring that I will happily ride real bikes with two or four cycle gas engines, thank you very much. I would rather ride a 1985 YZ125 with 60 pounds of compression and bald tires than an electric bike. That's just me
Geez, user760a, really?! Have you ever ridden one?

Yes, I would (and do!) because it opens up so many opportunities to ride! The lack of sound doesn't make it any less fun. And I got used to not having a clutch pretty quickly, and I have no problem bouncing back and forth between a gas bike or my Alta, but the Alta is my preferred ride, over my other bikes, which include 4-strokes, 2-strokes, and vintage


2017 Alta Redshift MX - preferred by almost everyone over a 1985 YZ125 with a bald tire

MudPup545
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MudPup545 12/19/2017 10:48am
12/19/2017 10:48am
As a trail rider, if the range was there.... absolutely.
Hut
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Hut 12/19/2017 10:59am
12/19/2017 10:59am
I wouldn't mind paying a reasonable price if performance and range were decent. I look forward to someday riding electric bikes.
Titan1
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Titan1 12/19/2017 11:59am
12/19/2017 11:59am
user760a wrote:
I love bikes and I would definitely switch if every internal combustion bike instantly disappeared and none could be purchased new or used at any price...
I love bikes and I would definitely switch if every internal combustion bike instantly disappeared and none could be purchased new or used at any price. Barring that I will happily ride real bikes with two or four cycle gas engines, thank you very much. I would rather ride a 1985 YZ125 with 60 pounds of compression and bald tires than an electric bike. That's just me
ben990 wrote:
Geez, user760a, really?! Have you ever ridden one? Yes, I would (and do!) because it opens up so many opportunities to ride! The lack of sound...
Geez, user760a, really?! Have you ever ridden one?

Yes, I would (and do!) because it opens up so many opportunities to ride! The lack of sound doesn't make it any less fun. And I got used to not having a clutch pretty quickly, and I have no problem bouncing back and forth between a gas bike or my Alta, but the Alta is my preferred ride, over my other bikes, which include 4-strokes, 2-strokes, and vintage


2017 Alta Redshift MX - preferred by almost everyone over a 1985 YZ125 with a bald tire

How much does the cold reduce battery life/output?
fullysicmate 12/19/2017 1:16pm
12/19/2017 1:16pm
The second they make one with as much power as my ktm 450 and the same weight I will buy one, I am looking forward to it.

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