![]() I got started with motorcycling this very way. Speaking of ease of control, a light electric motorcycle makes a great upgrade from a powerful electric bicycle since the controls are so similar. Having tested an electric Harley on the track, I can tell you that easily and repeatedly doing 0-60 mph in three seconds is positively wild. When you’re riding in traffic or otherwise commuting through a city with lots of starts and stops, shifting turns from something fun into an annoying chore. The other saving grace here is for commuters. ![]() But since the tradeoff is that you can repeatedly unleash the crazy performance of electric motorcycles like Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire One with its 3 second 0-60 mph time - all without needing to shift - usually makes up for it. I do miss it sometimes, and it’s pretty much the only part of riding gas bikes that I enjoy more than electrics. The downside of the single-speed setup on e-motorcycles is that you don’t get the fun feeling of running through the gears. Those things will eventually be second nature to the point that you don’t even think about them, but when learning to ride it is much easier to learn those things without also having to think, “Wait, that car just pulled out in front of me, did I slow enough for second gear or should I be in third before I let this clutch back out?” That means more mental energy for bike control, car awareness, road debris, lane presence, etc. ![]() Without worrying about any shifting, 100% of your focus is on your riding. Having gone through both learning processes, I can tell you that it’s just much easier to learn to ride on an electric. Those are two very different but equally important concepts and motions. If you’re new to manual transmissions, you have to learn not only how to control a motorcycle’s movement, but also how to shift gears. The same goes for learning to ride a motorcycle. But it was also much more to learn, complicating the process. I learned to drive on a car three times my age with a stick throw so long I had to lean forward to hit first and third gear. They aren’t automatic transmission since there isn’t any shifting, but it’s fairly analogous to comparing a car with a manual transmission to one with an automatic transmission. One of my Zero FXE test rides in California Ease of controlĮlectric motorcycles are generally ( but not always) single-speed, meaning you have no gears to shift. That’s about it.Įverything else comes up heads for electric motorcycles, especially when you’re talking about a new rider getting their first bike. And so I fortunately had the chance to compare both without being forced to fall in love with only one because it was my single option at the time like most older riders.Īnd that has taught me that combustion engine bikes have essentially two and only two advantages over electric motorcycles: It’s fun to run through the gears, and they can be ridden on cross-country trips for more than a couple hours without needing to stop for a charge. You’ve got options now, and one of those options is the choice to leapfrog century-old technology and go electric right from the start.Īs a relatively young rider (34, to be exact), I’ve come of age in my motorcycling journey during a time when both electric and combustion-engine bikes were readily available. What a terrible reason to do something, “because that’s the way it used to be done.” We’re living in the future, congratulations! Doctors no longer prescribe arsenic to treat headaches and you no longer have to ride on a loud, leaking, and vibrating combustion chamber. Many folks who have been riding for years or decades will tell you that you have to learn on a gas bike. It’s for you, a prospective rider who sees the advantages of getting around on two wheels (fun, convenience, cost, lifestyle, parking, etc.) and is trying to decide if it’s time to join up and on what type of bike. This is going to be controversial for traditional riders who grew up on gassers. From better control to reduced maintenance and even lower operating cost, electric motorcycles are the perfect starter bike. ![]() Electric motorcycles are the perfect first ride for anyone entering the world of two wheels, offering numerous advantages over traditional combustion engine-powered bikes. If you’re considering getting your first motorcycle, there’s never been a better time to join the electric revolution. ![]() The world of motorcycles is rapidly changing, with the rise of electric motorcycles heralding a new era of motorcycling. ![]()
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