Future Honda electric motorcycles and scooters might feature an alarm to warn pedestrians unaware of the approaching quiet vehicle.
Japanese company has secured a patent through the Indian patent office for the device.
Honda’s compact alarm device fits under the seat with speakers on the front of the bike.
It features an audio processor that sounds the alert and controls the sound level depending on the time and the level of surrounding environmental noise.
We imagine it would be similar to the beeping tone on some vans and trucks when they are in reverse to warn pedestrians.
Most electric motorcycle and scooters make no more noise than a bicycle, so pedestrians could step out in front of them, causing a collision.
While it may be a safety device for both the rider and pedestrian, it could make traffic noise even more annoying than it is now.
Honda patents
This latest patent from Honda continues its blitzkrieg of patent applications.
Honda patent for variable riding position
This is one of many patents Honda has lodged in the past year and we are not sure how many of these they will put into production.
This new patent join the following from Honda over the past year:
In modern society, eco-friendly products are getting more and more popular. People want to make an effort in order to save our planet. Electric cars are widely used all over the world when electro motorbikes are just gaining popularity.
Electric motorbikes are not powered by fuel, but by batteries, and they have a special electric motor. What is really comfortable about them, that the batteries can be charged at your regular socket right at your home. While the battery is charging, you can relax at home and enjoy your favorite hobby – read, watch movies, play online casino. If you are looking for a nice and unusually designed gambling platform, we recommend checking Ignition casino review where you can find a lot of online gambling tips.
5 reasons why you need an electric motorcycle
If you are reading this article, you are considering buying an electric bike. Before making a final decision, check the 5 main advantages.
It is silent – you will not be annoyed by the sound the fuel motorbike makes. If you ride it on an empty road, you will hear nothing but your thoughts.
All those features that fuel bike offers – you will not feel any discomfort as you will have all the features you are used to; also, you are not limited in speed.
No spending on maintenance – there is no need to check the engine oil, time belts, or clutch. You do not need to spend additional money on it.
No need to look for petrol stations – just charge your battery overnight when you need it, as it takes 6-8 hours to charge it fully. No need to be worried if there is a petrol station on the way.
Prices are going down – today, an electric motorbike is still more expensive than a fuel one. However, as the popularity of electric bikes is growing rapidly, the prices tend to get lower and lower.
BMW Motorrad Vision DC Roadster electric boxer
Electric motorbikes seem to be a good decision for those who care about global warming and pollution.
Electric motorbike insurance
When it comes to insurance, it is still a bit difficult with electric motorbikes. They are still considered as a risky vehicle because pedestrians might not hear you coming. The silence does not work well here. Also, electric motorcycles are used in urban areas, so there is always a risk of an accident on the road or theft. That is why it is important to get your vehicle insured. Even when it is a bit difficult now, anyway, most insurance companies offer a good insurance plan for your electric motorbike. Check the plans of different companies and choose the best for your needs.
License to ride an electric motorbike
Do not confuse electric motorcycles with electric bicycles. When it comes to a bicycle, everyone can ride it without any special license. When it comes to an electric motorbike, they are only allowed to be ridden by a person over 16 years old. Also, a driving license is the same as for petrol bikes.
Two of the most famous electric motorbikes offered are the Harley-Davidson LiveWire and Honda CR-E. But you can choose from a wide range of models available on the market today.
If you care about nature and want to decrease pollution, if you are open to new innovations and inventions, you should consider an electric motorbike. The future is here, and it is already available to us. Start saving the planet from small things and riding an electric device is a big step to planet-saving.
Alessandro, who is a designer at exotic car company Pagani Automobili, says his “desire would be to work for Ducati”.
After reading that Ducati wants to make an electric motorcycle, I thought the Monster project could be ideal,” the Panigale 959 rider says.
“Monster is the Ducati icon, so it could be a new beginning. I hope Ducati can see my idea and be inspired by it.”
An electric Monster also makes a lot of sense as most electric motorcycling in the near future is expected to be short distance and commuting, because of the limited range and long recharge times.
“Given the rumour of a Ducati interest in making an electric motorcycle, I wanted to imagine how this could appear if it became a reality,” Alessandro says.
Noticeably, he has retained chain drive, but it must be one gear as there is no clutch.
Electric Ducati Monster
Here is Alessandro’s video and his electric concept in his own words:
Mixing the vintage style of the Cafe Racer, the beauty of the Ducati brand and the architecture of an electric motorcycle, I designed the Ducati Monster Electric Concept.
Aesthetically appealing; to give the sensation of speed, most of the volumes fall on the front.
This means that the tank is very low and almost invades the front wheel and the rear has no tail, so as to give greater optical lightness and make the tire appear even larger.
This presents the typical trellis frame fixed no longer to the engine but to the battery which, placed inside a carbon cover, becomes structural.
The tank, of considerable size, no longer has the traditional fuel reserve function. This becomes a convenient trunk to store the helmet and various objects. In addition, the “fake” tank is composed of two easily interchangeable side covers to update the style.
The bike, with the combination of materials such as ABS, brushed aluminum and carbon, creates distinct “zones” that at the same time form part of the same assembly.
The meticulous research of the details (like the components milled from full with angles of 45 ° and brushed) must give the perception of “premium”. A luxury that is now present in cars but not in motorcycles.
The cycling odds are more like a sport bike than a naked one, to make the most of a powertrain with lots of torque.
Ducati amps up
At a student event in Spain this year, the Ducati boss told the crowd: “The future is electric, we’re not far from starting series production.”
It’s no news that Ducati has been considering an electric model since about 2017 when a Ducati executive revealed they had electric plans for a motorcycle and a scooter by 2021.
In the same year, VW Group Chairman Matthias Mueller upped the ante saying Ducati would have an electric motorcycle “by 2020”.
Harley-Davidson boss Matt Levatich (above) has called on motorcycle journalists to help the industry’s future by not just explaining the product but telling readers what it’s like to ride.
As Harley and the motorcycle industry slump through trade wars, ageing riders, tough finance and a lack of interest among millennials, the finger of blame has been pointed at everyone from manufacturers all the way down to dealers and customers.
This is the first time motoring journalists have been included.
Boss Hog
Matt was talking to a bunch of “motor noters” at the recent media launch of the Low Rider S in Sydney.
MBW at the Low Rider S media launch (Image: Lyndon Marceau / marceauphotography)
“What we need to do as an industry — and I would include all of you in this request — is start leaning into what it’s like to ride,” the company president and CEO told us.
“Why should people ride? What is it that people get from riding? Why is it worth the trip?
“Because it’s hard: It takes a lot of energy, it takes a lot of commitment, it takes a lot of time and it costs a fair bit of money before you actually realise all the things you get from riding.”
The boss Hog says many in the industry, including journalists, have forgotten what it’s like to learn how to ride because we learnt so long ago.
“It’s intimidating, it’s hard, it’s challenging, but it’s an achievement,” he says.
“We need to help people understand why riding is worth the trip and what’s on the other side of becoming a great rider.
“What is the feeling? What’s the transcendent moments you have on a motorcycle that you never have in any other part of your life?
“If we can all collectively start to do that we’re gonna … start to light up people who might be on the outside looking in and wondering why.
“Start thinking about how you talk about what it means to be a rider, not just about what it means to have a great product to ride.
“If we all do that, we will all be stronger as an industry and we will all have a great future.
Quick visit
Matt was only in town a couple of days and was limited to talks to staff, dealers and two media agencies; sadly not us.
We were not allowed to ask any questions, so after his talk I rushed up to ask a quick question before the minders could lead their boss away to safety.
Shame he didn’t talk about Ewan and Charley’s adventure because that could inspire many future riders just as their first two Long Way instalments inspired thousands of adventure riders.
Last week we confirmed that their third travel documentary, Long Way Up, from Tierra del Fuego, South America, to Los Angeles would feature the electric bikes.
Now Instagram photos and ADV Pulse show the bikes are equipped with wire wheels and dual-sport tyres for the many kilometres of unpaved road ahead.
It must be cold, because they also have handlebar gauntlets to keep the chill off their hands.
We wonder how that cold will affect the LiveWire’s 150km of highway range.
Other modifications for the trip include: windscreens, engine guards, highway pegs, bash plates, auxiliary lights, saddlebags and fender bags.
They also seem to have removed the rear guard and plate holder.
They are being supported by two electric Rivian R1T pick-up trucks which have 650km of range.
Charley and Ewan are also supported by two Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 4WD vans and a Ford F350 pickup truck, so we suspect they are carrying DC fast chargers with them.
Mobile DC fast chargers at work
Harley claims their Fast Charge (DCFC) technology will recharge a flat battery to 80% in 40 minutes and full in 60 minutes.
The trip may just do for electric motorcycles, particularly the LiveWire, what Long Way Round and Long Way Down did for adventure riding and the BMW GS range.
Long time coming
The long-awaited third Ewan and Charley travel documentary has been a long time coming.
Charley has been telling us they have been planning their Long Way Up America trip for about 10 years.
The problem has been that Ewan has been so busy with Hollywood movies he could not afford a few months off.
There was also the fact that Ewan is ambassador for Moto Guzzi and Charley is ambassador for Triumph.
The pair rode BMWs in their 2004 Long Way Round and 2007 Long Way Down.
Charley told us last year that Ewan’s relationship with Moto Guzzi would not necessarily foil their plans:
We’ve been talking about it a long time and if the stars align we will do something like a Long Way up from Tierra Del Fuego to Alaska in the next couple of years. It really is close now. Ewan’s always had a loose relationship with Moto Guzzi so there’s no conflict there.
But rather than Moto Guzzi and Triumph, the pair have opted for the new Harley-Davidson LiveWire.
While it was thought they would go all the way to Alaska, Charley recently said the ride would go from Argentina to LA.
Maybe they don’t want to cover the same territory through Canada and Alaska that they did in the Long Way Round.
Long Way Back
It’s been a long time between trips for Ewan and Charley.
From 14 April 2004 to 29 July 2004, they rode across Europe and the USA in Long Way Round and from 12 May to 4 August 2007 they rode from the top of Scotland to Cape Town in South Africa for Long Way Down.
With Ewan becoming increasingly busy with Hollywood movies, Charley squeezed in the 2006 Dakar rally for his series, Race to Dakar, and has produced several other travel shows.
Among the 2020 line-up of Can-Am Spyder and Ryker roadsters unveiled last week is a range of electric two- and three-wheeler prototypes.
The Canadian company is short on details, but the Ryker EV (above) appears to be the same structure as the current Ryker, only powered by an electric motor. They also unveiled the TWeLVE electric leaning three-wheeler.
Can-Am TWeLVE
Electric three-wheelers makes a lot of sense because battery weight and size is not as big an issues with motorcycles.
Yet Can-Am also showed the CT1 electric scooter and CT2 electric motorcycle.
Can-Am electric scooter and motorbike
While technical details of these prototypes are not available, we expect they feature Alta Motors powertrains.
Meanwhile, Can-Am has revamped their 2020 Spyder RT lineup for better touring capability.
They now include new LED headlights, a redesigned cockpit, extended floorboards, lower seats that are also heated, increased lumbar support, a new adjustable electric windshield with memory function, and upgraded suspension.
Luggage space is now increased to 177 litres and the top box features a quick-release system.
Australian prices and availability for the 2020 line-up have not yet been released.
BMW Group has announced an electromobility milestone of one million electrified vehicles on the roads by the end of 2021.
However, electric BMW motorcycles are still some way off, according to BMW Motorrad spokesman Tim Diehl-Thiele.
The electromobility milestone was announced by board chairman Oliver Zipse at this week’s Frankfurt Motor Show claims BMW was “at the forefront of electromobility”.
“No manufacturer has delivered more electrified cars to customers in Germany so far this year than the BMW Group. In Norway, three out of every four new BMW Group vehicles sold have an electrified drive train,” Oliver said.
But the Bavarian company has not been inactive in two-wheeled electrics:
“Electromobility will be very important in the future of motorcycling,” Tim says.
“As a next step, BMW Motorrad’s electric products to come will focus on e-mobility especially in urban environment.”
By e-mobility we expect he means electric bicycles and scooters like the Lime scooters we see around many cities these days, not full-sized scooters like the c Evolution.
“When developing these products, the fact that BMW Motorrad can call on the great expertise of the BMW Group in the area of electromobility creates a unique advantage in competition. And that from a technological as well as from a business point of view,” Tim says.
BMW electric Mini CitySurfer
Electric BMW bikes
“If we look further ahead, electromobility will clearly play an important role in the motorcycle sector as well.
“A prerequisite for this especially in the leisure and often on long trips far away from the city using motorcycles is an evolving battery cell technology and a future growing density of charging stations.
“On the basis of this expected progress in ranges and charging infrastructure, other segments will also be electrified at BMW Motorrad.”
The Harley LiveWire is the first full-size electric road motorcycle from a traditional motorcycle manufacturer.
The now-axed Victory Motorcycles slapped their brand name on an electric Brammo in 2015, but it wasn’t their product.
Like BMW, Honda has produced electric scooters, while Yamaha and KTM have a couple of small electric trail bikes.
Focus on electric cars
BMW board chairman Oliver Zipse at this week’s Frankfurt Motor Show
BMW expects electromobility to develop at different rates around the world – due to the differences in infrastructure, customer driving profiles and political frameworks.
They expect customer demand for electric vehicles of more than 50% of new vehicle registrations in China’s premium segment by 2030.
Europe ands the US are expected to be about half that number.
Oliver told the motor show audience that BMWwould not only have conventional engines, but also battery-electric drive trains, plug-in hybrids and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles suitable for long distances.
BMW will launch a test fleet of fuel-cell vehicles in 2022 and present the BMW i Hydrogen NEXT development vehicle later this year.
A promised 25 electrified models previously announced for 2025 will now be available two years earlier with more than half fully electric.
“We aim to reduce emissions significantly,” Oliver says.
“To realise this, we must concentrate on areas where we can achieve the greatest impact. We are therefore focusing on the question: Which drive trains, technologies and services will our customers want in the future? And how can we achieve the best outcome for climate protection? One thing is clear: We are committed to the Paris Climate Agreement.”
Fonzarelli has produced the first Australian-made production electric motorcycle, the fun, dual-sport Grom-sized NKD capable of up to 120km range and 100km/h top speed.
Founder Michelle Nazzari says their NKD mini-bike is now available through Fonzarelli retailers and online, starting at $A9990. She says they will be “ready for summer”.
The Redfern-based company has already produced three electric scooters ranging in price from $5490 to $9890.
Fonzarelli X1 electric scooter
Now their NKD will beat the Savic Cafe Racer to the market as the first Australian electric motorcycle, albeit a mini version.
Savic electric motorcycle
Powered up
The NKD is powered by a mid-drive brushless motor producing 9.6kW of power and 56Nm of torque, reaching 100km/h in five seconds.
You can also buy optional fat knobby tyres so it can do some off-road work.
The Panasonic Lithium-Ion 3.5kWh inbuilt battery can be charged via the onboard AC mains charger from flat to 100% in about five hours.
It’s a type 1 Japanese charger as used in the Nissan Leaf and other electric cars.
So Fonzarelli is collaborating with design researcher Simon Modra of the University of South Australia, to create a compact two-wheel optional charger.
Michelle says the optional portable charger could be “rolled out in cafes, hotels and other public spaces”.
“You can charge up another 20km of range in the time it takes you to have a cup of coffee,” she says.
The optional single-phase 10amp charger costs $1200.
Custom design
Owners can option up the NKD with a hand-stitched honeycomb saddle in Lambo-style Alcantara suede, a USB port for charging devices on the go, integrated LED headlamp, tail-lamp and bar-end turn signals, LCD dash screen, and dual sport off-road knobby Pirelli tyres.
Fonzarelli design director Wenley Andrews has been working on the design for 10 months.
“I’ve built and designed all manner of bikes in my time,” Wenley says.
“I wanted it to be versatile where you could take it off-road into sand dunes and hills – and compact enough to put in the back of my Jeep.”
Michelle had an unlikely education as a motorcycle manager studying Mid-East politics and Arabic at Sydney Uni.
She then spent some time working in her father’s bus company helping to make Australia’s first hybrid and electric buses.
“I developed a real passion for developing electric motorcycle powertrains as I was already a rider,” she says.
Fonzarelli have so far sold 800 electric scooters in Australia and New Zealand and Michelle hopes to branch into Europe and UK with the NKD and X1 scooter.
Millions of taxpayer dollars is being given to private companies to provide charging points to create electric highways, paving the way for electric motorcycles and scooters.
Last year Chargefox received $6m in Federal Government funding and $1m from the Victoria Government to install 21 charging sites from Adelaide to Brisbane, around Perth and in Tasmania.
Now the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has announced $15 million in funding to Evie Networks for more charging stations that will be about 100km apart.
These electric highways should go some way toward easing “range anxiety” that is preventing the adoption of electric motorcycles and scooters in our wide, brown land.
For example, the Harley-Davidson electric LiveWire (pictured above) has 230km of city range, but only 150km of highway range.
So highway charging points about 100km apart will be more suitable for motorcycles.
LiveWire on a fast charger
Electric highways
The latest funding will support the first phase of the $50.2 million electric highways charging network with 350kW ultra-fast chargers powered by renewable energy.
Some 42 charging sites will be installed at roadside service centres connecting Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane, plus charging stations in Far North Queensland, Tasmania and Perth.
Construction has started on the first site north of Brisbane, with 23 sites operational in the first year.
Each of the 42 sites be able to charge two vehicles at the same time providing about 100km of charge in 15 minutes using Tritium ultra-fast chargers.
Riders will be able to use the stations via special apps that find stations and handle payment.
In the initial stages, there could be a long wait at these charging points. However, we suspect that demand will drive more charging stations.
Evie Networks boss Chris Mills says they estimate Australia needs about 350 sites to cover all the highways in our National Land Transportation Network.
So far only about a quarter of that amount is planned. By comparison, there are about 6500 service stations in Australia.
Chris expects that most motorists will charge their electric vehicle at home, work, public carparks or shopping centres.
In a major advance for electric vehicles, in particular motorcycles, a Texas company has produced the Hunstable Electric Turbine (HET) motor that is quieter, cooler, cheaper, smaller yet has double the torque output.
HET claims
Linear Labs’ HET motor is named after founders CEO Brad Hunstable and his father and CTO Fred.
The Hunstables claim their compact motor would suit motorcycles and scooters as well as cars, trucks, forklifts, golf carts, UTVs and even drones.
They have attracted US$4.5 million in seed funding to develop and commercialise the motor.
Their HET motor features a unique arrangement of magnetic forces acting on the rotor in the direction of motion.
They claim it it is capable of producing nearly 100% more torque at lower revs than similar-sized motors.
One of the HET attributes is that it uses direct drive rather than a reduction gearbox which makes it more compact and cheaper.
“We believe the drive system of the future is a direct drive system, no gearbox, no expensive high RPM mechanical designs with simple, less expensive power electronics,” Brad says.
So far, most electric motorcycles have a single motor with a final drive by belt, chain or shaft.
However, there are some that use a direct-drive system such as this Finnish RMK E2.
RMK E2
Of course, they could also have two electric motors directly driving both wheels such as the Ethec electric cruiser designed and built by Swiss university students.
Ethec
When it comes to electric motorcycles, the rule book is being thrown out.
