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Lightning Electric Motorcycles

For $20k I'm interested but I was also very close to buying the Alta MXR and then poof gone. I'll hold out for a bigger manufacturer to put something out.

This shot though.....makes them look really cheap as if it was a line of pepboys pocketbikes made in china. Change those headlights. A line of LEDs would be cool.
0727191317-XL.jpg
 
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They look pretty nice to me
 
Direct Drive?

How does a direct drive power delivery feel in comparison to your every day 4 stroke with a 4-6 speed tranny?

I am curious about engine braking, how it feels on decel, and traction on acceleration.
I've never really bonded to really smooth inline 4 cyl bikes, and am thinking that I might really hate how e-bikes feel in that regard.

Gimme a lumpy power delivery any day over a buttery smooth motor. I like tweed, not cashmere.

I suppose I'll have to ride one to get a real sense, but the press I've read all make a point about the smoothness of power delivery.

I do like the sound, though; was on Park Presidio one day when a Brammo guy pulled up next to me at the light, and zzzoooommmmed off with a distinctive whine/growly sound.
 
All motorcycles have different personalities, and I like them all. Admittedly, some not alot.

Electric powertrain is different. I have put almost 4500 miles of singletrack on the Altas and conclude for a dirtbike... Way better.

I'd like to ride the Lightning at the track for an hour to reach a conclusion. And up and down Mt Hamilton.
 
You know that feeling of having lined up the powerband correctly and taken the chicanes so well you get a combo bonus? On a direct drive electric that feeling lasts until you come up on traffic or choose to come to a stop. I think it's sprotbile's 2.0.
 
moto-rama said:
How does a direct drive power delivery feel in comparison to your every day 4 stroke with a 4-6 speed tranny?

I am curious about engine braking, how it feels on decel, and traction on acceleration.
I've never really bonded to really smooth inline 4 cyl bikes, and am thinking that I might really hate how e-bikes feel in that regard.

Gimme a lumpy power delivery any day over a buttery smooth motor. I like tweed, not cashmere.

I suppose I'll have to ride one to get a real sense, but the press I've read all make a point about the smoothness of power delivery.

I do like the sound, though; was on Park Presidio one day when a Brammo guy pulled up next to me at the light, and zzzoooommmmed off with a distinctive whine/growly sound.
Click to expand...

I have a lot electric moto riding experience and can tell you that it feels just as similar to an internal combustion motorcycle. The regen is so good on the Empulse I rarely use the brakes to stop during normal riding. I can let off midcorner and get the bike to slow down (I know your not suppose to) if I want to.

That's not to say the throttle is a little weird on electric motorcycles that have throttle off regen. There is a twist zone where the bike doesn't do anything. I call this the regen zone. In this zone the bike will regen/engine brake. It's similar to letting off the throttle of an ICE bike but a little different. Kinda like activating a switch compared to opening of a throttle body type thing. From having drag raced the Empulse and Light Bee I can tell you electric motorcycle throttle have a lag time from when you twist the throttle and the wheel actually starts moving. It might be a fraction of a second but fraction of a seconds count in drag racing.

Also in the my light bee has a 1 speed direct drive and I find it hard to figure out how much to twist the throttle because of the regen zone. I have to remind myself you need to open the throttle more. I've never tracked a Zero motorcycle before but I would imagine it would be similar.

Also you will get a kind of sensory deprivation from riding an electric motorcycle and it weirds me out on the Empulse because you have gears on the Empulse and you still need to shift however unlike an ICE bike the bike doesn't get louder or start to shake/vibrate more. So if I didn't have the tachometer I wouldn't know when to shift because the bike doesn't really get louder or vibrate more, it's like freakin magic. One thing I really wish I had on the Empulse was a shift light so I wouldn't have to look down tell when to shift.

Lucky you got to see another Brammo I have never seen another Brammo on the road. The Lightning Strike while I haven't heard it yet I think will sound very similar to a Zero motorcycle, near silence maybe a little whir. Each bike kind of has a unique sound.

Here's a comparison video I made a while back from different electric motorcycles I have ridden. I should probably update this I've ridden a few more electrics since then =P
[YOUTUBE]j8JDlum1Aw4[/YOUTUBE]

This one has the Light Bee in it
[YOUTUBE]EedAdsFhrmU[/YOUTUBE]
 
HadesOmega said:
I am really interested in the range specs because this is like the only electric production bike that has proper fairings, it should make a difference.
Click to expand...

A conventional fairing is still really poor for aerodynamics. I would not count on it to improve range much until it started looking more like a "stream liner".
 
moto-rama said:
How does a direct drive power delivery feel in comparison to your every day 4 stroke with a 4-6 speed tranny?

I am curious about engine braking, how it feels on decel, and traction on acceleration.
I've never really bonded to really smooth inline 4 cyl bikes, and am thinking that I might really hate how e-bikes feel in that regard.

Gimme a lumpy power delivery any day over a buttery smooth motor. I like tweed, not cashmere.

I suppose I'll have to ride one to get a real sense, but the press I've read all make a point about the smoothness of power delivery.

I do like the sound, though; was on Park Presidio one day when a Brammo guy pulled up next to me at the light, and zzzoooommmmed off with a distinctive whine/growly sound.
Click to expand...

On the Zero you can adjust the toque and throttle response. You can also adjust the regeneration braking. The throttle response on the Zero is one of my favorite parts. There is not a lot of drive train backlash with a belt drive and a direct drive electric motor.
 
I'm not surprised.
 
mrzuzzo said:
Looks like Lightning is in some sort of scandal with a dealer accusing them of stealing their money and ghosting them.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10219987769068102&id=1339250492


So about those July deliveries...
Click to expand...

Uh, is FriendFace real news? Jeese, you can put anything on the internets.
I am not discounting that this could be real, but why would put something that has legal implications on BookFace? Bad idea. That compromises the credibility in my view.

But, hey, sensational bullshit sells clicks.
 
The Lightning has landed or should I say struck! From Facebook
Screenshot_2019-09-16-15-17-42-X4.png

Screenshot_2019-09-16-15-17-24-X4.png

Screenshot_2019-09-16-15-16-51-X4.png
 
well I'll be damned. I never expected them to deliver. Hopefully they stick around keep competition going.
 
Yep at least we know it's not vaporware now, now just waiting for the reviews to roll in. The question is will they be able to keep up with demand, it's gonna sell like hotcakes at that price point, but we don't "really" know the price yet also.
 
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HadesOmega said:
Yep at least we know it's not vaporware now, now just waiting for the reviews to roll in. The question is will they be able to keep up with demand, it's gonna sell like hotcakes at that price point, but we don't "really" know the price yet also.
Click to expand...

Well they only have the carbon edition on their site and the price is in line with what Zero and energica are offering. I'll wait and see how the other trims end up. Would be really nice if they made a standard/streetfighter. I like bars instead of clip ons and know other folks do too.
 
Yeah I'm not even sure that is the Carbon Edition is there a way to tell? You'd think it'd have the CF swingarm right? Supposed the Carbon is the fully spec'd out one.
 
I remember that they were gonna build an fulfill the carbon edition ones first.
 
Perhaps I can investigate tomorrow...
 
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