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  • Maroon92

    Sept. 9, 2011 7:38 a.m. Maroon92 SuperDork

    My new job is only about 10 miles from home, and I have been using the MB5 to get back and forth for the last year.

    In Ohio, the MB is registered as a motorcycle, and I don't have a title for it, so it will be difficult to begin the transfer process. I am going to try, but it may not work.

    An alternative thought was electric. I just saw one of those Zero motorcycles this weekend, and it looked like it would work great. It's a bit bigger, a bit sportier, fairly light, and kinda futuristic looking.

    I liked it!

    The range is about 40 miles, so i could definitely get to work and back on a charge, and I will have a garage, so there is a place to charge it.

    What is the downside? The silence of it is a bit unnerving, but I think I could get over that with judicious use of high viz clothing...

  • Graefin10

    Sept. 9, 2011 7:57 a.m. Graefin10 HalfDork

    In reply to Maroon92:

    Have you checked on the price? I think they're quite expensive. However, it would be a cool commuter. Put a light weight trailer behind it and use it for a short haul grocery/parts runner too. Make it pay for itself.

  • pinchvalve

    Sept. 9, 2011 8:05 a.m. pinchvalve SuperDork

    If you come home almost out of juice, all you do is plug in overnight. Very different than coming home on an empty tank. I love the idea of an electric commuter motorcycle, the price has been too high so far.

  • johnnytorque

    Sept. 9, 2011 8:21 a.m. johnnytorque New Reader

    Last I checked they are in the $10000 range. Not cheap considering what a new CBR250R costs which is what I'd personally use a a commuter.

  • nderwater

    Sept. 9, 2011 8:26 a.m. nderwater Dork

    Brammo Empulse, very sexy:

  • cghstang

    Sept. 9, 2011 9:32 a.m. cghstang HalfDork

    This is GRM, you're supposed to build your own 'lectric bike.

    build thread on ecomodder

    (not the one linked to above)

  • BoxheadTim

    Sept. 9, 2011 9:44 a.m. BoxheadTim SuperDork

    I actually considered looking at the Zero bikes when my commuter bike gave up the ghost, but for me both price (around $10k) and the limited range with IIRC no regenerative braking (yet) put that idea out to pasture. Well, mostly the range and the shortest commute is around 50 miles round trip and I'd have to recharge the bike at work just to make it home.

    That said, for a 10 mile commute I'd definitely look into one if you can stomach the cost.

  • minimac

    Sept. 9, 2011 9:45 a.m. minimac SuperDork

    Maroon92 wrote:

    What is the downside?

    $$$$

  • Osterkraut

    Sept. 9, 2011 12:51 p.m. Osterkraut SuperDork

    You son of a bitch, I was about to make a similar thread.

    That said, I ran the numbers, and there's no way I could come out, even versus the WRX, much less a WR250X (10 mile commute).

  • foxtrapper

    Sept. 9, 2011 1:10 p.m. foxtrapper SuperDork

    10 mile commute? What about electric motoring a bicycle?

  • Osterkraut

    Sept. 9, 2011 1:15 p.m. Osterkraut SuperDork

    foxtrapper wrote:

    10 mile commute? What about electric motoring a bicycle?

    60 mph zone most of the way for me

  • ditchdigger

    Sept. 9, 2011 1:36 p.m. ditchdigger Dork

    Maroon92 wrote: In Ohio, the MB is registered as a motorcycle, and I don't have a title for it, so it will be difficult to begin the transfer process. I am going to try, but it may not work.

    If it was registerable as a moped it could be easy and cheap.

    http://www.motorecyclenow.com/title-service.html

    It looks like it is $250 for a motorcycle though.

  • Rusnak_322

    Sept. 9, 2011 3:44 p.m. Rusnak_322 HalfDork

    pinchvalve wrote:

    If you come home almost out of juice, all you do is plug in overnight. Very different than coming home on an empty tank. I love the idea of an electric commuter motorcycle, the price has been too high so far.

    I have used the lawn more gas in my bike on more than a few occasions.

    To me, in 2011 or 2012, a electric motorcycle will never be more than a gee whizz toy (like a iPad) for people who like to be early adapters of technology.

    There is no way to make a case for it economically.

    Maybe in 10 years from now.

  • chaparral

    Sept. 9, 2011 4:36 p.m. chaparral Reader

    We haven't gotten to the point where an electric motorcycle is the cheapest distance between two points. It'll happen fairly soon - but fairly soon is 5-10 years out. For that, there's a reason the Honda dealers can't keep CBR250s in stock around here.

    On the other hand, I'd think the electric motor would make very pleasant power - easy to ride, low vibration.

  • Maroon92

    Sept. 10, 2011 7:42 a.m. Maroon92 SuperDork

    Yeah, there is the price difference (about double the aforementioned CBR which I would cross shop), however, there is a 3000 dollar tax credit on 100% EVs...

    I dunno, maybe, maybe not... we'll see.

  • Sept. 11, 2011 5:13 p.m. mistanfo SuperDork

    A shop called Vintage Velocity in Richmond VA had a used Zero recently, but I didn't ask for a price. Interesting as a commuter, though I would want at least a 100 mile range.

 
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