Chief Designer Dr Wattson Lightvolt suggested in an interview with a European publication that he has long been a fan of the Mighty Flying Brick and that internal design cues crept into his sketches repeatedly until he stopped resisting them and just went with it.
 
We have known all along.

Back in the 2000s I sold parts to a guy down in Berkeley (where else ) who converted a K75 to electric.

Yep, folks in the Bay Area are in the vanguard.

Two Wheels Better wrote:Chief Designer Dr Wattson Lightvolt suggested in an interview with a European publication that he has long been a fan of the Mighty Flying Brick and that internal design cues crept into his sketches repeatedly. . .

He was reluctant to admit to the Moto-press that his design was actually inspired by his microwave oven while it was warming day-old pizza.

FCEB  Fuel Cell Electric Bike  is next ! 

Dr Wattson Lightvolt

The inspiration of the chassis is obviously based on Ducati...
But that's right, the engine is very similar to the electronic ignition box of the K's.

I took a lunch ride under sunny, 26 degree skies, on a Zero SR/F. Only once did I reach for a non-existent clutch lever. This thing is so much fun, smooth and stable, I was electrified with exuberance upon my return to work.

Range is (under 'normal' circumstances)?

Dai wrote:Range is (under 'normal' circumstances)?

Real world? Dunno, but after reading several test articles they suggest one can expect 140 miles in urban traffic and 80 plus highway miles at a constant 70 mph. Not far enough for even a short tour. The 6.6kwh charger gets it from near 0% battery to 100% in two hours' time. I rode mainly in stop n go traffic for 35 minutes of my hour, starting with 52%, returning with 49% charge remaining, all the while in 'sport' mode. 

Extend the battery life to two hunnerd miles and I'd consider one of these as a second bike, but I already have five runners of nine, and so it will remain an electric dream, even with those healthy dealer employee and gubmint rebates.

Zero SR/S
I took this one out on a lunch date this arvo. She's a third base when you're only seeking a ground ball to first. I've never accelerated faster to 110mph from 30mph on any other motor.
She wins kudos for the best mirror placement ever on a motorbike.

Nice bike! Looks pretty fast.

Who do I talk to about a head to head solo road race on stock bikes from Seattle to Spokane on I-90 against my 1994 K75RT?

We can do it for pink slips.

Two Wheels Better wrote:
Zero SR/S
I took this one out on a lunch date this arvo. She's a third base when you're only seeking a ground ball to first. I've never accelerated faster to 110mph from 30mph on any other motor.
She wins kudos for the best mirror placement ever on a motorbike.

I test-rode a Zero about 5 years ago and had the same reaction... it just blew me away with its lightness and power and handling. It felt light like a 250 but with the power of a good 600.

Except for that small detail of range (sigh)... It's essentially a wonderful in-town bike.

Point-Seven-five wrote:Nice bike!  Looks pretty fast.  

Who do I talk to about a head to head solo road race on stock bikes from Seattle to Spokane on I-90 against my 1994 K75RT?

We can do it for pink slips.

You win. Spoklahoma to Seattle is 279 miles. This Zero goes under 100 miles on a full charge at 70 mph on the highway, never mind up and over Snoqualmie Pass. Around town you might squeak 140 miles out of it. Range is the issue. When they're good for 200 miles where ever you roam, I'm in. They're perty nice bikes. They just need a few more tweaks. And to cost less. And to have a bit more spartan style. Folded origami plastic doesn't do it for me. I might have to clip an Ace of Spades playing card in the spokes to get a bit of noise out it, too.

The queen of hearts makes a much more soothing sound.

Must be nice to work at a place that lets you barrow the toys.

I agree on the busy fairing work. It would need to be capable of 200 miles on a 10 minute charge to get my money. I seldom ride less than 50 miles one way, and it's almost never under 50mph, so range is way, way more important than lightning acceleration.

Heard a funny story yesterday about a subdivision in a small town in Michigan where a number of auto industry engineering types lived. Being tech geeks, and sorta encouraged to drive new technology, a lot of the residents of the neighborhood were driving electric vehicles. They suddenly started having blackouts every weekday evening around 6 o'clock when everybody got home from work and plugged their car in. The solution the electric company came up with was to bring in a trailer mounted diesel generator to provide the extra electric power to charge the batteries.

There was also a story of a engineers putting a portable generator in the back of their SUV so they could charge thier batteries when they were at work and unable to park at a charging station.

When I was a kid we used baseball cards, usually somebody from the Phillies, the Orioles, or the White Sox.

On the other end of the scale,the TVS-made BMW from India, the G310R with 34 ponies & 28Nm of torque.

The shop received 21 of them yesterday, and a tech stayed late and arrived early to prep them. I test rode 7 of them before lunchtime.

Two Wheels Better wrote:I might have to clip an Ace of Spades playing card in the spokes to get a bit of noise out it, too.

Thanks for the memory but no thanks for the tea I nearly spat on the keyboard!   We used to use wooden ice-lolly sticks jammed in behind the brake blocks. It made a really loud braaaaaa sound until they dried out and snapped.