If some people here are interested in buying an electric motorcycle, this is the deal of the year!! We're talking about 30% discount on 2013 and 2014 models. Brammo US Incentives Brammo uses higher quality components than Zero (which I own and love).
Not sold in the UK. Strange and a missed opportunity. Bikes aren't bothered that we drive on the correct side of the road.
Hey Grumpy! DW and I have e-bicycles (currently in Germany) and I'm thinking of that e-motorcycle. My question to you is how hard will it be to recharge on the road if we take either our bicycles or an e-motorcycle around the UK for a road tour? Are public charging spots available over there? Free or what cost? I don't think we would need a dedicated charging station, just an available 240-volt AC outlet, but either would suffice. Thanks for info! But you are also spot-on when you commented about motorcycles shifting much more easily from right-hand side (Europe ) to left-hand side (U.K.) driving --when I crossed the channel on a ferry from Hook Von Holland to Harwich in 1973, I drove the motorcycle off and just flowed onto the left hand side of the road without any of the changes in viewpoint or hand-control usage that you get when you do the same type of shift in an automobile . Much safer, IMHO!
There are thousands of charge points in most towns and many many Chademo and CCS points, mostly on the motorways. You will need a charge card for the latter and they are available free for UK residents. You might get one if you asked nicely or explained your situation. This is a map of all UK chargers including many which have restrictions on use (hotels, Renault only dealers etc); Open Charge Map - The global public registry of electric vehicle charging locations And this for a free fast charge motorway network; Our Electric Highway - For The Road - Ecotricity The last link is an electric company who relish their 'green' credentials. They might be interested in an electric bike and definitely worth contacting them - you've nothing to lose. Their boss is a bit of a hippie and featured on fullychargedshow on youtube. Maybe have a word with Robert Llewellyn (of Red Dwarf fame Robert Llewellyn - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ) and see if he wants to test ride your bike?
Great links, Grumpy! That global one can be used for Germany, too, (I found chargers near our bicycles), but I need to have an BEV to register for the Ecotricity one (bicycles don't count, I think), so that must wait until I buy an e-motorcycle --I hope they will give a card to foreigners.
For some time, UK motorcycles had gear lever on the "corrrect" side. Which in fact was opposite for the side the rest of the world used...
You're right. Many motorcycles driven on left hand traffic had their clutch on the other side to right hand traffic vehicles. This had been the way since the early 1900's when such layout was up to the manufacturer. This also applied to Japanese motorcycles. The early days of these vehicles issues such as where pedals and levers were placed were pretty much chance. I believe it wasn't until the mid 1930's that automobile foot pedals started to become common to the way we have them now. Prior to that there were all sorts of weird and wonderful arrangements. Just try driving a Ford Model T! I'll grant you, it wasn't until the Japanese started to standardise their motorcycle pedal arrangement to that used on right hand traffic did the UK manufacturers follow suit. Since then there has been standardisation. Previously it was UK, Japanese and American bike manufacturers who lead the world at the time. American bikes sold in America, British bikes sold in the UK and many commonwealth countries and Japanese bikes in Japan until the 1970's when they started to export worldwide. I'm sure I can't recall it being the world famous Portuguese motorcycle manufacturers leading the way, but perhaps I missed that?
Not to mention lack of standardization on where Neutral was located in the shift pattern and whether one pressed down to go up a gear or upwards. Yes I'm that old.
The throttle in the middle of the clutch and brake pedals made heel-and-toe shifting much easier IIRC. Similarly, non-synchromesh transmissions made double-clutching a necessary skill then. And dinosaurs ruled the Earth!
