When do you expect ev bikes to become practical road bikes.

[wyly]

Having had an electronic repair shop for 10 years, I can tell you that the problems you are going to face with speed controllers, windings burning out, bearings, and a whole slew of other problems, E.V.'s aren't going to be the maintenance free car you may think they will be. I'll know how to fix that kind of stuff, I have O'Scopes and circuit tracers, in circuit capacitor testers (that you have to be licensed to own), but the average person or backyard mechanic won't. I do see an increasing I.C.E. parts industry booming as people keep their cars going, fixing them, converting them to propane, or doing any modification if necessary for synthetic fuel.

Older ICE technicians will die off with the ICE's The younger techs will adapt as you suggest to the new technology.

I don't know anyone who can afford a $100K pickup. I know people who lease trucks close to that amount, and are constantly looking for good used trucks so they can get out of their lease. I know a lot of people who lease E.V.'s and I.C.E. vehicles, and it costs them a lot. They rent condos, or apartments, and are paying off massive student loans for jobs that don't pay what they thought they would. I doubt they will ever be able to own a home, which is paying yourself rent, and getting all the equity from that process.

It might be the demographics of the region where you live and who you know. Where I live $100,000 pickups and cars are common and I know a number of people who think nothing of spending $1K on a bottle of wine (and buy a case of it), $5k on a handbag, $25k on a watch or $100k on a car. That's not me even if I can, though I had no issue drinking that wine:cheerful:

 

[wyly]

For myself, we are very, very, very, very close....Generally only go out for a few hours at a time, so yes....

Used bikes are almost there, cost wise....

I could have fun with this....
https://www.cycletrader.com/listing/2021-Zero+Motorcycles-SR+ZF14.4-5026298600

I was a local dealer a couple weeks ago many used bikes for a lot more than that. I think we only need Solid State batteries to arrive and we're there, range power and fast charge time.

We'll probably get a better idea when thats going to happen when we see Honda install SS batteries in it's cars. Honda is by far the worlds largest motorcycle producer will most likely be the 1st to introduce SS to motorcycles. Toyota has no interest in motorcycles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzWuGmk6KSU

 

[wyly]

There is a lot of pollution going on in the making of E.V. batteries that has not been addressed. 3rd world poor countries always get these cr@ppy jobs and beautiful ecology systems are forever destroyed.

Just 1 of many articles on this issue.

https://earth.org/environmental-impact-of-battery-production/

I have a friend who is a chemist specializing in industrial contamination of waterways, he's given advice to countries all over the globe, China, Egypt, Russia, and here in Canada. I spoke to him about our local river system which he said was laden with toxins/carcinogens from open pit oil sand mining, that oil that's refined for fuel in ICE's. So it's just not 3rd world countries and toxins come from many industrial sources. I watched a documentary on denim processing in Indonesia a few years ago and how that's destroying some river systems, I'll bet everyone on this forum wears denim and none give a thought to the damage it causes the ecosystem in another country.

It's not up to us to police 3rd world countries industrial processes that's their issue and we don't have a right to deny them the resource income that will help them develop and become 1st world countries.

 

[Suzukian]

Massachusetts and Connecticut are at war with each other because of the Pollution Masschusetts allows to be dumped into the Housatonic River, and that flows right through the whole state of Connecticut, right out to the sound.

As far as policing anybody, posting what our selfish goals are and stating, posting links to what it is doing to other countries is no policing anybody. I don't know where that came from. How can with take the sliver out of someone's eye when we have a log in ours. We could police the pollution we are contributing to them, and ourselves.

 

[Suzukian]

Older ICE technicians will die off with the ICE's The younger techs will adapt as you suggest to the new technology.


It might be the demographics of the region where you live and who you know. Where I live $100,000 pickups and cars are common and I know a number of people who think nothing of spending $1K on a bottle of wine (and buy a case of it), $5k on a handbag, $25k on a watch or $100k on a car. That's not me even if I can, though I had no issue drinking that wine:cheerful:

I live in Connecticut, have you ever heard of the "Gold Coast". I have a few millionaire friends. They have more than a few times asked me to get in on solid investments (insider trading) and they make a fortune (to help me get more money), in that sense, they are generous, if they get caught, they're going to jail, but they never get caught.. I have a couple that always seek my company though I don't know why. I have nothing to offer them except conversation, and we do have some pretty good ones.

They just aren't people who's presence I enjoy. I know a lot of people like that, and it has nothing to do with how much or little money they have. In Greenwich, Ct. they get those pickups to their Gardeners. They wouldn't actually drive such a vehicle.

 

[GS1150Pilot]

So you have friends whose presence you don't enjoy?

 

[Suzukian]

So you have friends whose presence you don't enjoy?

Yes, I do, if they needed something, and reached out to me, I would help them. They are not close friends, for my part. I take nothing from them, not even their time. I do not require people to call me when they wish to visit, so sometimes they just show up. Never knowing what someone might need, I am reticent to turn people away. On one such occasion, a person was considering suicide. Having worked in this field, I stayed with him through his immediate crisis, then had him call someone and make an appointment with a shrink I knew to make sure he did not have a chemical imbalance, or something out of my "pay grade" was going on. This wasn't a "close friend", but someone I knew close enough to wish help if he reached out. That is possible. It would be better if people were more open to just being nice. It all turned out well, for not much effort on my part. You don't have to be butt buddies to help each other out. IMHO. :smiley_simmons:

 

[GS1150Pilot]

Huh, okay. I call those acquaintances, or associates.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming. These are cool:



Can-Am Unveils Two Electric Motorcycles | Rider Magazine​​

 

[rphillips]

So much to learn. It says has onboard charger with rapid charging time at home, I thought plug in to a 110V plug and it will charge itself, read farther then said you have to find a level 2 charging station... I guess in the future we'll all know about this stuff, just like pumping gas today.

 

[Baatfam]

So much to learn. It says has onboard charger with rapid charging time at home, I thought plug in to a 110V plug and it will charge itself, read farther then said you have to find a level 2 charging station... I guess in the future we'll all know about this stuff, just like pumping gas today.

It hasn't really changed in many years. All EVs work with a Level 1 charger, which is 110V, but it is slow. A level 2 charger uses 220V and is fast enough to charge a car overnight, 8-10 hours, or a bike in a couple hours (because of the smaller capacity). DC Fast chargers are the quick ones. 80% full in about 30 minutes, depending on the vehicle.

And now you know....

 

[rphillips]

I never thought anything like that, level 2 charger just needs a correct 220V outlet. I've never noticed any, but are there places that have the correct 220V outlets outside and accessible now or will that be like the charging stations, a coming thing?... Something I just learned last wk. I'd have thought all EVs would use the same charging stations, kind'f like all ICE use the same gas pumps. The Ford CEO, on a road trip in a new Lightning Pick-up, said he pulled into a charging station and couldn't use the Tesla Supercharger, using the Ford charger he got 40% charge in 40 min. It did say, later in the article, that Ford, GM, and Ravian was doing something with Tesla to make it where they could use the Tesla chargers. But it's hard to imagine all EVs wouldn't have used the same chargers just from the first get'go... I guess it just took a little thinking to figure out all using the same chargers would be good.

 

[Suzukian]

Every home in America has 220V coming into it.

 

[rphillips]

No doubt every home does and every business has 220V available inside of the place. My question was are there places that have the "correct" 220V outlet, outside, that is accessible for people to drive up to and get charged? I haven't looked but don't remember seeing any.

 

[Suzukian]

That's why you hire an electrician. Depending on where you live, you may have only single phase, which would not get you a station as powerful as a 3 phase, but one that would definitely work, hey just mount a power supply box in parallel next to where you plan to put the charger (that would be outside you home, as it is not recommended you charge any vehicle indoors,as they can go "boom". Voltage remains the same in parallel, so you lose no current or voltage availability to your home,A lot of zoning does now allow 3 phase systems in residential areas, while some don't care if you put in a D.I.Y. fission reactor. There is no one universal answer, only ones specific to an area.

 

[Baatfam]

No doubt every home does and every business has 220V available inside of the place. My question was are there places that have the "correct" 220V outlet, outside, that is accessible for people to drive up to and get charged? I haven't looked but don't remember seeing any.

Just get out and look around. They are popping up everywhere.
At Norris Dam....New this past spring.

 

[rphillips]

No doubt more and more charging stations every day. My thought was maybe just a 220V outlet may be more available, "today", than a charging station. I see 110V everywhere, and wondered if 220V here and there that I haven't noticed. The article did say the bike didn't need a charging station, only a 220V outlet.

 

[Suzukian]

Any place that has 110V going to is has 220V going to it. It is split to give you 110V each side. The only issue is the Main coming off of the transformer, and how many amps it can provide. Amps is the issue, not voltage, 220v is everywhere, it the amps that are the issue. My home is old, small, and only has an 80 amp from the Main. My new Barn is bigger (2X) than my home, and has 200 amp service to it. I could definitely power a power station in the Barn. Amps is always the issue.

 

[wyly]

Any place that has 110V going to is has 220V going to it. It is split to give you 110V each side. The only issue is the Main coming off of the transformer, and how many amps it can provide. Amps is the issue, not voltage, 220v is everywhere, it the amps that are the issue. My home is old, small, and only has an 80 amp from the Main. My new Barn is bigger (2X) than my home, and has 200 amp service to it. I could definitely power a power station in the Barn. Amps is always the issue.

I'd say you're in an enviable position, not only do you have the right situation but the electrical knowledge to make it a reality. Solar panels/tiles on the barn?

An ev with average range may free you from fuel costs for 98% of your transportation needs. I base that on estimates that most people drive less 80 miles per day for commutes, you may be in the small percentage that need more. An ev scooter or motorcycle for short hops, an ev car/motorcycle for daily commuting, a used ICE/hybrid for longer trips.

And it will only get better as technological improvements keep coming.

Then if you could power your home with solar and sell back to the grid life is golden, energy independence.

 

[rphillips]

Sounds very good, we'll just have to see how long the batt. evolution takes. . It took, just ball park, 60 yrs for ICE engines to evolve from the 100K mi. range of the 1960's to the 300K mi. engines of today. Hoping the EV's come around much faster... Just sitting here watching the game, I just punched up cost of charging an EV, google said varied by location & charger but roughly from $10 to $30. When I started driving no regular auto would ever hold $10 of gasoline. You could fill a 100 gal. road tractor tank for less than the $30...Dang how things have changed.

 

[Suzukian]

I'd say you're in an enviable position, not only do you have the right situation but the electrical knowledge to make it a reality. Solar panels/tiles on the barn?

An ev with average range may free you from fuel costs for 98% of your transportation needs. I base that on estimates that most people drive less 80 miles per day for commutes, you may be in the small percentage that need more. An ev scooter or motorcycle for short hops, an ev car/motorcycle for daily commuting, a used ICE/hybrid for longer trips.

And it will only get better as technological improvements keep coming.

Then if you could power your home with solar and sell back to the grid life is golden, energy independence.

I've had people come out for placing solar panels on my house and barn, but the 100 foot tall beautiful trees, which give my property beautiful wonderful shade would have to come down. I would rather have the trees. At best, I would not live long enough to recover the investment, and at this stage of the game, I just don't really care too much. I live on the side on a hill, between two lakes, and I have probably 1 of the 3 flat properties on this hill. If the town would let me put up a Windmill, I' be most interested. The town has zoned them out though. I live in a very short sighted town. There are cylindrical turbine windmills that are silent vertical tubes, with a few solar panels to supply voltage to aim them, in the even a battery went low, these windmills would supply much amperage. The industry it stuck on panels though, so it is what it is.