KTM reveals race-ready electric motorcycle, production within 2 years

[KX125rider]

What are your guys opinions on electric motocross and enduro bikes?


http://hellforleathermagazine.com/2008/10/ktm-presents-electric-enduro.html

[JohnN]

Hey KX125rider - Welcome to the site!!

Just so you know we have talked about the electric bikes a couple of times... I think they are cool and have potential. They may be a wonderful way of bringing off-road riding/racing to inner city areas.

Be prepared to duck the roost, many folks are allergic to electric bikes!! LOL

[offroader]

Must admit that new ktm looks pretty good.I don't think it will be replacing internal combustion just yet though.

[KX125rider]

First off i want to say that i love this site. I have been lurking on here for at least 6 months now.

I currently ride a 98 kx125 and am all for 2 strokes.

as for electric bikes, i find a few things appealing-

1. no exaust Noise!- this will contribute to more riding areas

2. matinence- no tops ends, bottom ends, jetting, air filter cleanings, oil changes

3. throttle response

4. weight- although it is only marginally ligher than the two strokes now, image what a few years of R&D could do

5. power control- it would have a near perfectly flat torque curve. i see the biggest advantage in technical off-road riding. for racing this could also be beneifical to faster lap times. however, i will agree that it might not be as fun to ride. keep in mind they could always make a setting to make it deliver power like a 2 stroke 

[JETZcorp]

The only things I have against electric bikes are the power delivery and lack of noise.  I'm all for making bikes quiet so they don't annoy people, but I this crowd more than any other can recognize how sad it would be to lose the beautiful crackling and screaming we've all fallen in love with.

However, I do agree with John that electric bikes could revolutionize the nature of the sport in the cities, and also during the dead of winter which I don't think has been mentioned yet.  Small AX-type tracks, or even some freestyle or general mess-around tracks would be a far more attractive proposition to for someone who wants to set up a riding area that's not 300 miles away from riders and constantly at war with hippies and logging companies.  Also, I think this could bring back some hiking trails.  From talking with people who do hike and ride horses and such, their main concern is the noise that bikes make.  Even a well-muffled two-stroke putting about is enough to drown out the sounds of chirping birds and crunching granola.  An electric bike might just be leverage enough to get beautiful hiking trails like those at Silver Star Mountain by Washougal opened back up to bikes like they were in the olden days.

So yes, I can definitely see some major advantages to having an electric playbike, but I don't think I could ever enjoy one as much as a two-stroke, even if the powerband were reproduced.  I ain't selling the 120, let's put it that way.

[2smoker]

Just LOL!

[rdub934]

Overall, I would say that I am excited about this. I think electric bikes would do alot to open up alot of riding areas, as JETZcorp mentioned. But they will never replace internal combustion. Not completely, anyways. They may well steal a portion of the market, though.

[Hondacrrider]

imagine this, urban motocross, intead of having skateboard parks, we could be having arenacross parks

[JETZcorp]

High-school motocross teams, anybody?

[JohnN]

You see I grew up in the inner city, Yonkers, NY to be exact. my house was located less than 1 mile from the Bronx/NYC border.... probably a bit different view point than many people involved in motocross today or in the past.

So you see I have a unique view of the possibilities that would be opened to a whole new fan base. No one likes to drive 2 to 3 hours just to take a ride on your bike, but if there was a place to ride within 20 or 30 minutes?? Well let's just say the base of racers and fans would increase greatly.

Just to clarify, I don't think that the electric will "take over" the industry and replace the ICE, but they will have their place and introduce folks to our wonderful sport. How can that be bad?

Here is an article just posted on MXA online about the new KTM....

KTM GOES ELECTRIC WITH THE FREERIDE:
FOR $13,000 YOU CAN GO 43 MPH FOR UP TO AN HOUR (AND AFTER 90 MINUTES OF CHARGING GO AGAIN); KTM TAKES THE FIRST STEP



Under the label "Freeride", the KTM zero emission motorcycles was shown at the Tokyo Motorcycle Show this week. From a technical standpoint, the first Freeride motorcycle has the comparable performance to a 125cc two-stroke machine with a combustion engine with its 22 KW motor. The series production of the new KTM Freeride sports Enduro will begin in the coming year.



THE PERTINENT INFO ABOUT THE KTM FREERIDE
 
What is the range of the Freeride? That is dependent on the uses, but goal is one hour of riding

How long does it take to recharge the battery? 90 minutes. It is possible to recharge the battery while still installed in the bike, but it can also be simply and quickly removed and replaced with another battery.

How many times can the battery be recharged? The ones that are presently in the bike can be recharged 500 times (which KTM says is equivalent of the normal life of an Enduro motorcycle.

What is the frame made of? The frame is a Delta Box design with forged aluminum components and a self supporting monocoque tail. The suspension is by WP and thefront wheel is 21-inches.

Where is the rear brake pedal? There is no rear brake pedal, both the front and rear disc brakes are hand operated.

[miedosoracing]

Another thing these electric bikes will do, is make it viable to have inside events with no exhaust that bothers some.  You could completely hear the PA system and also not get smoked out, even in a small venue.  More tracks could open for winters in small abandoned warehouses etc. 

[juliend]

The only things I have against electric bikes are the power delivery and lack of noise.

Can you elaborate on that power delivery part? I'm curious. In my experience with brushless ac/dc motors the power delivery quite frankly puts IC engines to shame. The power/torque curve can be programmed in infinite ways depending upon the ESC in use and it's capabilities. There is no "peak" for HP or Torque in these electric motors, so the motor is producing it's peak power regardless of RPM. What's not to like?

I think electric has a long way to go before it could even be considered as a replacement for the IC engine in dirt bikes, but for me it's nice to see someone taking the first steps!!

[JETZcorp]

I don't like how they make peak power at any RPM.  It would feel awesome on low-end, but then you'd get ready for the top-end and it would feel, well, flat.  The problem four-strokes have is that their power curve is a smooth, shallow arc.  Two-strokes are more fun because their dyno chart looks like the Matterhorn, so you've got to shift and clutch and stay in the meat of the power.  There's challenge.  With an electric bike, it would feel like going back to the one-speed 50cc with the centrifugal clutch.  "Okay son, twist this to go fast, push on this to go slow."  There's no challenge; nothing to do.  When you take away the powerband and transmission, you get to the point where you might as well have training wheels.

That said, if someone could program it to feel like a two-stroke in power delivery, and figure out that the transmission is not just a means to an end but an end in itself, I'd be satisfied for a playbike.

[offroader]

I likemthe idea of urban riding and old abandoned warehouse tracks.Unfortunately i don't think they would allow them in state parks with mtb and hiking trails.Wonder how much a spare battery would cost?

[Hondacrrider]

I likemthe idea of urban riding and old abandoned warehouse tracks.Unfortunately i don't think they would allow them in state parks with mtb and hiking trails.Wonder how much a spare battery would cost?

I likemthe idea of urban riding and old abandoned warehouse tracks.Unfortunately i don't think they would allow them in state parks with mtb and hiking trails.Wonder how much a spare battery would cost?

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