Brammo Owners Forum

It shows a 5-15 in the pictures, but the line claiming compatibility with multiple outlet types says "with adapters".  It's hard to tell from the pictures if the 5-15 pigtail is removable and they don't mention providing any other outlet adapters or show any in the pictures, but that would have to be how they did it.

Technically the Tesla UMC is a similar product that varies its output depending on which outlet adapter you put on the end of it.  (But, at 10kW max power.)

I'm not referring to the mirror stem, I'm referring to an adapter that goes between the mirror stem and the mount in the handlebars.  One of my mirrors had the adapter, the other did not.  It just screws on so it is removable and transferable.

The adapter is small, it's just a nut with a piece of threading welded to it.  You might not even see it if you didn't lift the rubber boot on the mirror high enough.  I took a picture of the ends of my mirror stems and the adapter (which was sheared in 2 when I dropped my bike or I'd send you mine) so you can see what I'm talking about.

The 2014 models had an updated instrument cluster (i.e. all of the gauges) that was plug compatible with the 2013 cables so you should be able to buy a new cluster and plug it in if the Victory dealer can find the part number.

After filing a number of patents, one learns not to add any details to a patent description that aren't vital to the invention itself, otherwise a competitor can implement your invention with that one detail omitted or changed and claim that they are not infringing.  I've sat in meetings with patent attorneys poring over every detail and making sure it was required for the invention.

If the transmission is not required for the squat mechanism then they should not show it in the drawings and probably shouldn't have mentioned it in the text.  The drawings in their patents have nothing to do with their actual products, they are theoretical mechanisms used solely to demonstrate the patent.

You should have seen the diagrams of a computer included in my software patents.  Nobody would build a computer like that, but it was the least specific way to describe the computer in which it was implemented...

And, to add to Ashveratu's comment - I get just as much utility from my Schuberth SRC and an automation app on my phone.  And it follows me from bike to bike...

For my own experience, I need to find a dealer for two purposes and I'll update this thread with my experiences as I go.

First, I need a transmission oil change (which I could probably do on my own, but it will be a good chance to check out the local dealers).

Second, I've discovered that my handlebars are a little wonky after my spill last summer so I'll need to get the front suspension checked and replace the handlebar.  This will be a little tricky because the handlebar is one of those parts that was modified during the Brammo Empulse life cycle so it will be interesting to see if their new parts supply channel can keep up with these model differences.

I've contacted Spirit Motorcycles in San Jose because they aren't too far from where I visit my team for work in Santa Clara.  Their home page says that "Spirit Motorcycles is the core dealer in the country for Victory Empulse TT - Victory (sic) 1st electric bike".  OK, sounds promising, and they are open on Sundays (sales only) so I was able to talk to a salesman who mentioned that they've seen a couple of Brammos already and he seemed eager to provide good service for this new venture (being positive, but honest about what they've been able to accomplish so far).  He wants to get me on the phone with the owner and the Empulse mechanic to discuss the parts issue and scheduling for when they can get the parts and I can drop it off for service.  Sounds like we're off to a good start...

The snopes article pretty much confirms what the article is saying with a lot more detail.  The issue is over whether race-only vehicles were ever exempt from emissions legislation and whether there is going to be any enforcement.

An interesting excerpt from the snopes article:

The EPA considers “emission control devices” to include the engine, the computer that runs the engine, the intake and the exhaust, so any changes to these components would be prohibited. The fact that the EPA says that they don’t plan on enforcing it does not change the fact that they are adding it to the regulations. SEMA also disagrees with the EPA’s position that this was already the law because the Clean Air Act, as written and amended by Congress, was never intended to extend to racing vehicles.

Pretty interesting that it includes the full engine and exhaust.  Noting that aftermarket exhausts on street vehicles is a big market, this interpretation has a lot larger scope than just race conversions.  Race conversions are at least not likely to see a lot of enforcement, but it could make any aftermarket exhaust illegal to sell...?