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3/16/2011
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Pickering, ON
CA
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Edited Date/Time
4/12/2021 11:38am
With electric vehicle technology progressing so much, how do you thing the sport could transition to the use of electric motors.
Potentially start out as a support class or switch cold turkey etc.
Young up and comers seem to be learning on smaller electric bikes ( Stacycs, KTM E ride)
Curious for some other opinions.
Cheers!
Potentially start out as a support class or switch cold turkey etc.
Young up and comers seem to be learning on smaller electric bikes ( Stacycs, KTM E ride)
Curious for some other opinions.
Cheers!
Not saying all the kinks are worked out but seems to be the direction it's heading.
Has anybody able to stay awake to watch a whole MotoE race ? They used to run MotoE same day as MotoGP found ratings tanked as viewer tune out when MotoE came on and did not bother to tune back.
The Shop
As VRR7 mentioned, the E-Moto GP class was a snoozefest, albeit, with a cast of riders that weren't headliners, but still. Shit, how much grumbling do F1 fans have over the loss of V8-10-12 engines and that harmony they formerly emitted?
Technology platforms will be another big question. Take the MTB world for example: Specialized made a massive investment into the category long before the competitors (akin to Tesla) and are far, far ahead of the curve. Trying to regulate IC is difficult enough; imagine the facilitation of testing and regulating new technology. Being a software engineer I can think of a thousand ways to have nefarious advantages on an e-moto.
With that in mind, I do think somewhere down the road the moto will go the way of the dinosaur. Might not be in our lifetime, but eventually the government will truncate the importation and development of IC and moto will be collateral damage. Does that mean I like it? No. I love the palpable feel and sound of an IC engine and absolutely lament the slow degradation of the technology. But, I also want my kids, grandkids, and their grandkids to enjoy clean air and nature the way I did, and with pollution emittance still as egregious as it is, something has to give—I'm not that selfish.
As far as charging at the track, the development of charging stations are making massive headway. Heck, you could probably rack up enough tax and carbon credits here in California and have one installed at your local track for free. And along with the recent massive breakthrough in nuclear fusion, there's a very good chance that we'll have properly 'clean' and renewable energy in this century (make your investments now).
Somehow I totally get what your saying, I feel the same way about the excitement and feel of an IC engine and there is a nostalgic sense to that.
However I'm all for progression and have become very concerned with the environment as I've grown up. I am willing to forgo the loud sound of a bike in order to feel the speed and excitement of moto.
I also am keen on what could be the advantages of an electronic motor. Less regular maintenance, smoother power delivery, and above all less environmental impact.
I guess the biggest issue would be cost and I could see that swaying folks away from the sport.
New stuff isn't always bad.
I think you could be onto something Lasse.
I saw these bikes a couple days ago and thought it could be a really interesting sport!
I think manufacturers will slowly build up from the little bikes. Kids don’t have the nostalgia, and parents who don’t know motocross / maintenance will be more comfortable with electric bikes.
I think you could be onto something Lasse.
I saw these bikes a couple days ago and thought it could be a really interesting sport!
As far as regulation goes F**k it. That is what your right wrist is for, we don't need 40 classes. Bitches needing handicaps to win, if you can't keep up that's your problem. Too many classes will kill the sport long before IC engines will.
Pit Row
I don’t care about the ice engine...other than I like the performance and the range...if e bikes can replicate that, with no significant additional cost, I’d ride one in a heart beat.
But I’m also under no illusion that they will save the sport...greenies will still want them banned from public land, and wIill still try and close tracks...that wont change.
The tree huggers will be coming after them as soon as they get rid of ice and cows.
It's going bye bye.
However the skill set to ride one is much, much less and will have much, much less appreciation.
Quad = easy and anyone can do it
Bike = lots to learn, challenging, interesting
Boogie Board = easy and anyone can do it
Short board = challenging, interesting, rewarding
But hopefully it will bring new ideas to keep the interest because there will be a day.
Works in RC, and Formula E, no reason it can't work on Moto E
Entertainment factor aside, it's honestly far easier to cheat with a combustion setup
Agree on the rest of your post
Electric MX will come, you won't have to shift, but most likely they will leave the smokers in the dust one day... but the same people will be the fastest, those who spend endless of hours practicing, but they won't be practicing shifting and using the clutch, instead on more worthwhile things like jumping better, cornering faster etc.
It sucks for us 40+ riders, but the shifting skill will become obsolete one day.
Then again, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen looks pretty cool in their super expensive auto-shift cars
The future is different, but not necessarily bad at all.
btw. I used to have a KTM E-XC, sold it... not because it didn't have gears, but it was a playbike, not built for moto... if Honda releases the their 'electric CRx' and it's as good as a CRF250/450 in every way but it has electric engine, I will be first in line. I won't have any use for my clutch/shift skills, but it will be a lot of fun and very fast... now this is mostly for recreational moto riding, I guess we are far far from professional/semi-pro moto going electric, as the industry is a large tanker to change course.
I think the biggest problem is cost really. If e-bikes would become the norm and requirement for some (close to housing areas) tracks, then it would limit riders, as only 'affluent' riders who can afford this $12.000-$15.000/bike can ride for the first 3-4years until there is a used market where good e-bikes can be picked up for maybe 4-5-6k??? Right, Wrong?
The positive is the noise.. the hate we receive from the general public is great, would be lovely to do a sport where people would care as little for us as they do for mountain bikers.
Personally I don't see the noise 2-4-strokes produce do anything for the riding experience, in some cases, it makes it worse... sh*t, how much noise that bikes makes and barely moves.
I think it will come down to Cost + Weight!
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