TOPIC:

insideevs.com/iron-butt-terry-rides-elec...1000-miles-24-hours/

Interesting ride...

Back in December, 1976 a KZ650 ran 1,000 miles in 8 hours 26 minutes. We've come a long way? Ed

That we have Ed... a true statement!!! LOL

650ed wrote: Back in December, 1976 a KZ650 ran 1,000 miles in 8 hours 26 minutes. We've come a long way? Ed

Apples to oranges, the 650 ran for 8 hours on a race track, the electric bike did it on public highways.

I'd be willing to bet money you couldn't ride 1000 miles in eight hours on public highways on a KZ650. I'm not saying there are no bikes that could do it, but a KZ650 couldn't.

I have no doubts Ronkz650 could do 1000 miles in less than 24 hours on a KZ650 though, Heck, he's probably already done it.

I agree that track miles are apples to oranges to street miles, but as you pointed out others have ridden far more than 1000 miles on public roads in a 24 hour period (not me, I don't even know where I would ride to that is that far away). In fact, Ronkz650 rode more 1,664 miles on public roads in one day which sort of puts that electric bike record to shame in my books, and Ronkz650 wasn't even trying to compete for some sort of record. I'll wait to see when an electric bike rides further. Ed

Electric bikes (and cars) are right at the cusp of becoming far better than their combustion counter parts. in a few more years when the prices come down and rapid charge stations become more prevalent I would really like to own one. From what i've read the torque is unreal.

DoctoRot wrote: From what i've read the torque is unreal.

But, like the internal combustion versions, will be dumbed down as they become more prevalent. I'm sure there will those of lower IQ that manage to thin the genepool with the `lectrics... just how it is in our society today.

Then ya gotta wonder how long till gas powered autos are outlawed. (think RUSH: Red Barchetta) Predictions anyone?

!Seymore wrote:

DoctoRot wrote: From what i've read the torque is unreal.

....Then ya gotta wonder how long till gas powered autos are outlawed. (think RUSH: Red Barchetta) Predictions anyone?

Not in our lifetime where I live.

We already have soft brownouts and Pepco (our electric company) calling customers every week asking them to reduce usage. Pepco supplies electricity by burning (hold on tight ) coal. There are literally millions of cars in my metropolitan area and most folks use them to commute every day to work. The average one-way commute to work is 30 - 60 minutes and for many the commute is more than 90 minutes even though the distances generally are are less than 20 miles (see link). A very high number of commuters work outside their home state. Even with some subway and ride-sharing, there are still 100's of thousands of cars commuting in this area every day because the population is roughly 6 million people. And the commuters are only a part of the total number of cars and trucks riding around doing business and personal errands every day.

Now image when all those folks get home in the evening and plug all those vehicles into an already overstressed power gird. Lights out! Then the population growth will really spike not to mention the huge increase in power grid infrastructure needed and the huge increase in coal being burned to meet the demand. Ed

dcist.com/2013/03/work_in_washington_many_commutes_ta.php

!Seymore wrote:

DoctoRot wrote: From what i've read the torque is unreal.

But, like the internal combustion versions, will be dumbed down as they become more prevalent. I'm sure there will those of lower IQ that manage to thin the genepool with the `lectrics... just how it is in our society today.

I don't know if they will be dumbed down like combustion engines. They will never have any emissions regulations which what has been the choke collar on combustion engines for decades. Although they likely will impose some type of governor when they start to get crazy fast.

650ed wrote:
Not in our lifetime where I live.

We already have soft brownouts and Pepco (our electric company) calling customers every week asking them to reduce usage. Pepco supplies electricity by burning (hold on tight ) coal. There are literally millions of cars in my metropolitan area and most folks use them to commute every day to work. The average one-way commute to work is 30 - 60 minutes and for many the commute is more than 90 minutes even though the distances generally are are less than 20 miles (see link). A very high number of commuters work outside their home state. Even with some subway and ride-sharing, there are still 100's of thousands of cars commuting in this area every day because the population is roughly 6 million people. And the commuters are only a part of the total number of cars and trucks riding around doing business and personal errands every day.

Now image when all those folks get home in the evening and plug all those vehicles into an already overstressed power gird. Lights out! Then the population growth will really spike not to mention the huge increase in power grid infrastructure needed and the huge increase in coal being burned to meet the demand. Ed

My neighbor installed solar panels on his house a couple years ago, and claims that he cut is power bill by 90% and the panels will pay for themselves in another couple years. He makes a surplus of power in the summer, but he does have to rely on the grid some in the winter. The utility company here can only charge on net usage, so what he puts into the grid in the summer offsets his usage in the winer. If he had an electric car he could be powering it by that electricity most of the year. As far as a large number of commuters, It would stress out the grid in its current state. However, if people started setting up solar on their houses at the same rate they bought cars there likely would not be a problem. (I could see some type of promotional deal here) If I didn't rent I would put up solar panels tomorrow. I have been trying to get my landloard to put them up, but as he doesn't pay the utility bills, he doesn't care.
I, for one, am optimistic. As this technology becomes more widespread it will become cheaper and more readily available. To the Future!

Around here there are more apartments and condos than you can count; that's why there are so many people, so there aren't a lot of solar panels . Ed

650ed wrote: Around here there are more apartments and condos than you can count; that's why there are so many people, so there aren't a lot of solar panels . Ed

I think most apartments must have solar power. Nice clean way to produce electricity..

I don't know where you live or where you got that information, but none have solar power in my area. Heck, they would need to have acres of panels to power them - they are tall buildings containing many apartments. Here are just a couple examples. Solar panels need to evolve WAY past their present state to be effective for buildings like this - not to mention the Sun needs to start putting out more energy where I live before solar panels can make a dent on the electricity demand buildings like this create. Ed