Blog-off: ‘Electrics will be fun’
Vanessa rides a KTM and Beta off-road, a Harley-Davidson on it, and says we should park our preconceptions and try an electric bike
I took a ride to the English Electric Motorcycle Company the other day with this whiny voice in my head repeating the mantra that ‘electric is the future, we’re running out of gasoline, the death of the combustion engine is nigh.’ Blah blah blah. And boy do I feel ignorant now. One of the most impressive advantages that electrics offer over their gas-powered brethren is their inherent ability for extreme acceleration. With huge torque that is instantly available with a twist of the wrist, it’s unarguable that electric motors are capable of performance that is nearly impossible to match with petrol. After gripping on for dear life I’m convinced they’re the future, but it’s not led by emissions. Will we miss the good old combustion engine purr, after all #loudpipessavelives, right? You pull away in silence as if you forgot to turn the engine on. Then you’re accompanied by the unusual sound of the tyres rolling, chain slapping, brakes hissing, motor whining – all the while feeling slightly confused by how the hell you’re moving so blinking fast! But the world around somehow feels closer without being inside the bubble of a roaring engine, heightening the sense of speed as the tarmac rushes beneath you. You also feel oddly more exposed because of the sensory freedom. Instant smooth power that sends your mind giddy. I can hear gloating: ‘yeah, but you won’t get far.’ True. If you wring its neck you might not, but you’re looking at around 80-120-mile ranges if you tone your right hand down a bit. And some models, like the Energica, have DC fast charging compatible with the EV car infrastructure giving a full recharge in 20-25 minutes. I don’t know about you, but a coffee every 120 miles is quite welcome, and not many of my riding buddies manage to take their helmet and gloves off, have a pee and a fag, fuel and kit up in less than 20.
Like with so many new things, it’s just a different experience and one I’d urge you not to mock until you’ve tried. Just like when steam engines were replaced with electric trains, many wanted to hold on to outdated technology.
We won’t be going electric because the fuel ran out. We’ll be going because we want the performance electric bikes can already deliver. I’m still buzzing.