The Unofficial Motorcycle Thread!

[Boat Bum]

That is so cool, your motorcycle camps too!

 

[Old_Crow]

That is so cool, your motorcycle camps too!

I'll admit to trailering the bike though. I'm too old to do 500-mile days in the saddle anymore. That, and this old Honda is a bit smaller than my old Shovelhead touring bike.

 

[DonTom]

I spent most of the day today riding my 1971 BMW R75/5 in this area of CA (use the "+" to scale in). You can see my Spot Messenger on the rear of the seat that sent the location in the link above.

I now have a newer photos of the bike:




-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

I took a nice ride around Lake Tahoe today. I stopped on the Mt. Rose Highway near the 9,000 foot mark to take this photo of my 2023 Energica Experia (with Lake Tahoe in the distance):

 

[DonTom]

Today's ride was on my Kaw 650 to Collins Lake.



-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[DonTom]

I bought a new toy today. I want to get rid of some of my ICE bikes because I ride mostly electric. But I still have 11 motorcycles, but now one less gas and one more electric.

I traded in my 2016 Motor Guzzi Stevio. They gave me 6K$ for it. The new bike has a special deal, with a $4,500.00 instant rebate if cash is paid, so I did:

Cash Price: $25,990.00
Trade:- 6,000.00
Net Sale: $19,990.00
NV Sales Tax 1,682.67
Reg Fees 28.25
Doc fees 369.00
Sub total: $22,069.92
Rebate: 4,500.00
OTD price: $17,569.92


My new toy is a green 2023 Zero DSR/X. This bike has a reverse, slow forward, hill hold, heated grips plenty of storage space and a lot more.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Dan_Frisbie]

I’m still not totally onboard with the electric bike/car trend. The battery technology continues to improve, but it’s not where I need it.
I can see this range as suitable for a city commuter/in town bike, but not for any trips out of town or any half decent off-road excursions.
85 highway miles will not get your very far…
Plus, part of the joy and adventure for me in motorcycle trips is going back roads to places seldom travelled by the masses. Chances are that a recharge in Livingston, Alabama while I eat one of Dandy Don’s Crackburgers is not gonna happen.
(Dandy Don’s closed down, too.)
Not knocking you, if this is your thing, then more power to you. I‘ve been following the electric vehicle trend and always look at the new stuff, but I have got to have a 400+ range on a road bike before I will consider it.
A commuter bike over $10,000 is simply out of my sensible range…

 

[Ex-Calif]

I’m still not totally onboard with the electric bike/car trend. The battery technology continues to improve, but it’s not where I need it.

I am seriously done with cross country riding after 1 close call and one accident. It's becoming more and more dangerous.

However, my day trips tend to be 200-300 miles. Even if eBikes get there I will miss the sound of the pipes too much.

I could easily see an electric trail bike. When I rode Don's eBike I was totally impressed with the torque, especially how smooth it rolls on. The only issue might be weight but for a trail bike that's not really an issue.

 

[DonTom]

The battery technology continues to improve, but it’s not where I need it.

All bikes have their pluses and minuses. All I can say, is there are countless things I prefer about the electrics, more than I can list here. As far as the range, I normally find that unimportant as long as there are chargers on the way. I enjoy a stop every hour of riding. Charge station locations are more important than range. If the battery is double the size in KWH, it will normally take twice as long to charge to full at the same charge stations. No real advantage to me if there are charge stations on the way.

The very first couple who purchased an Energica Experia electric motorcycle lived in south Florida. They picked up their bikes in South San Francisco, CA and rode them home to south Florida. Is more range really needed these days? IMO, if we need anything, it is better charge locations in some areas that are far from any freeways. And we already have 10,000 non-Tesla fast DC chargers in the USA and soon we will also be able to use the Tesla Superchargers on other vehicles. Tesla still has the best, most reliable and best charge locations.

However, no Zeros allow DC fast charging. But they charge faster than Energicas on AC charging. 6.6 KW on my new Zero. 3.0 KW on my Energicas, but the Energicas will charge at 25 KW on a DC fast charger. AC charging is more common in this area and by far, most of them are free to use. Zero batteries are too low of a voltage for DC fast chargers. Zero uses a battery just a little above 100 VDC. Energicas use a 350-volt battery.

A few of the main things I like about EVs is the endless torque, the regen when going down hill (it can only compare to an ICE bike being in first and 6th gear at the same time), the lack of maintenance (my new zero has almost none at all--even the drive belt tension self- adjusts). No tranny, no clutch and the home charging is nice. On AC charging, any voltage from 90 to 250 VAC will work. Don't really need charge stations if just an AC outlet can be found on the way.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

When I rode Don's eBike I was totally impressed with the torque

And that is the smallest, most gutless electric motorcycle I own.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Krazeehorse33]

I like the recharge time on my ICE bikes.

 

[Daimbranaged]

This was my 1st and only bike,
Got it from granddads estate in pieces at 15 yrs.old.
Pic. I was 25
1947 wla 45" suicide/w reverse
Still own her, sadly in storage.
I'm 63 now...

 

[DonTom]

I like the recharge time on my ICE bikes.

I don't. My motorcycles only take a few seconds to plug in for a home charge during the night. Never need to go to a gas station. I always leave home with a full "tank" unlike my ICE pickup truck that needs to wait at a gas station the next time I drive it.

And on the road, for a longer trip, after an hour of riding, I look forward to the charge break.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Krazeehorse33]

Get that WLA going!

 

[DonTom]

WLA? Which one do I pick from here?

Edit: Disregard, I now see it is the model of that 1947 bike. I wouldn't know as that was even before I was born--and that was a long time ago!

I would love to see one of those on the road too. It will make my 1971 BMW look like a very modern bike!

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

It was 102°F/38.9°C today when I left for a motorcycle ride to nice and cool Mt. Rose, near 9,000' /2,750m elevation.

From there, I rode to the Truckee, CA Airport PD to get a free charge that I did not need to get back home. But I wanted to check the place out which was very nice. Building always open, rest rooms. Sign on door says "open to public 24 hours". Places to sit in the shade outside under trees. They have benches too. Or inside. But I decide to wait until I get home before I type this message as I only wanted to charge for a few minutes to put my new bike on Plugshare for that location. 

 

[DonTom]

Here is my bill for my charge today. Exactly $0.00 as are most of the AC charge stations I use on the road. If I stayed charging for longer than four hours, I would then start to be charged $3.00 per hour. If the bike was totally drained (will never happen), it would be charged to full in around two hours on that charger. That charge would be good for around 100 miles on the freeway, but around 200 miles when in the city. 100 miles is far enough for me to ride non-stop. That will be a 1.5-hour ride if I keep the speed at freeway speeds. A lot more when slower


On Saturday, July 15, 2023 at 07:09:45 PM PDT, ChargePoint <[email protected]> wrote:

Hi Donald, We wanted to let you know that at 11:09 pm, the station time rate set by the property owner increases from $0.00/hr to $3.00/hr. Sincerely, Team ChargePoint

ChargePoint, Inc. 254 East Hacienda Avenue | Campbell, CA 95008 USA | 1.888.758.4389 | chargepoint.com ©2023 ChargePoint, Inc. ​

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[Old_Crow]

Finally got my bike set up to my liking. Have you got any idea how hard it is to find accessories to fit a 44-year-old Honda that aren't piles of rusty crap? The rack/backrest are an actual Hondaline accessory and not some aftermarket cheapo piece. Now all I have to do is ride.

 

[jymbee]

Directed at no-one in particular, but thought of this thread when I saw this:

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

85 highway miles will not get your very far…

The sportster I had would go about 70 miles to reserve, like a gallon and a half tank and a quart reserve. There were a few times I pushed that turd to a gas pump. On trips I'd carry a motocross gas bottle bungeed to the sissy bar and even then I'd wonder if I'd make it to the next pump.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM