Brammo Owners Forum
General => Off Topic => Topic started by: Gavin on September 24, 2010, 06:14:36 PM
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Is there a suggestions area here??
If so, please move this....
I was walking across campus today (University of New Mexico) and on the way out I saw a campus cop driving his car around the student area around the Student Union Building (SUB). On the way back I saw a different campus cop riding a ATV around near the same area. Now the ATV was an ok, but not great, way to patrol on the walkways between buildings...but the cop car was way too big...and it hit me....(not the cop car, the thought :) )
Brammo could sell thousands of Enertias to campus police. Will they still need cars to carry people in the back? Sure. But for general purpose patrolling, the Enertia is perfect. Quiet, nimble, emissions free...And the range and speed shouldn't be an issue on any campus (if the police like it so much to put more than 40 miles a day, well buy two and have the officer come back at lunch and exchange the Enertia for a "fresh" one).
Just targeting Moderate to Large campuses in the south west, south and south east would give thousands of potential sales....
Just a thought.
Gavin
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Hey Gavin
That's a really good idea
sounds like the motorcycle is perfect for that setting.
Lets hope that Brammo takes you up on that.!
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I know that Hong Kong police have been using Enertias for some purposes.
Brammo scrums for Hong Kong Rugby Tournament. (http://brammofan.wordpress.com/2010/03/29/brammo-scrums-in-hong-kong-rubgy-tournament/)
(http://brammofan.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/sevens001.jpg?w=450&h=600)
See the post for more pics.
I think this would be an ideal application for the Enertia. I also think that State Parks and U.S. Parks could make good use of these bikes.
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Nice....a good sales staff could, with minor changes, have a set pitch for each group.
For Campus patrols (and even small town police forces) you pitch, quiet and stealthy, quick and nimble, emissions free, no gas, cheap electric charging.
For Rangers...quiet and emissions free--so good for the environment, no gas and can be charged by solar panels on ranger stations.
For college kids...cool and enviro friendly transportation...and you can store it and charge it in your dorm room (no gas, no oil leaks)
Gavin
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http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/12/california-cops-on-stealth-patrol-with-zero-motorcycles-ds/ (http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/12/california-cops-on-stealth-patrol-with-zero-motorcycles-ds/)
I'm telling you, there is a big market for electric motorcycle sales to police dept....especially on campus police as the area to cover is less and the top speed is less important (not going to have high speed chases across campus)...The Enertia Plus for campus police, the Empulse for City Police?
Get out there and make a big university police and city police push Brammo... :)
Gavin
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Get out there and make a big university police and city police push Brammo... :)
Gavin
I agree. I wonder if there's a way that we, as Brammo owners (and wanna-be-owners) could help them with this push. Ideas?
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One: The letter to Police departments would be fairly simple and standard...one letter for campus police, one for city police, one for Parks and Recreation departments.
Two: Join with Sirlin in making graphics for the bikes. Maybe offer free personalized graphics for sales of 2 or more bikes. It is easy to grab a Logo from the University or the City...Send a photoshop of White bike and Black bike with City/University logo on the side...maybe a photo of bike with side bags with logos too.
Three: City gets offer of Enertia Plus or Empulse. Graphics are more just city logo, police logo...simple, a bit agressive. University get Pluses with University logo, but also mentions "Electric", maybe "Emissions Free". City cops won't care about mentioning that, but Universities will like to promote that. Rangers and parks police could be a special drab green bike with heavier emphasis on Electric and Emissions Free.
Four: Expand market: 1) Mall Security. Sell as quiet, sell as ecomonical (buy a bike and put a solar panel or two your your Mall roof and the bike is now fuel free.) 2) School Security at High Schools, Middle schools. 3) Business security to large businesses....google campus would be a no brainer. Apple, MS, Intel....why aren't there multiple electric bikes at Google like yesterday? :)
The benefit of getting Brammos on schools and universities is the kids are then going to want one. A couple of non or low profit sales to a university or high school can easily lead to multiple sales to students at full price. Same with selling to these high tech businesses....a couple of them driving around the business buildings and parking lots could easily get the hipsters working there to buy some.
How to start....forming the letter. Next, making the photoshop image of a white and black bike. Then hitting city and campus and business websites for logos. Put logos on bike with photoshop. Send both emails and snail mail of letter and images of bikes. Follow up with sales phone calls.
Will take some work, but really not a horrid amount.
Gavin
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mmmm, from post by BrammoBrian....
on the future Enertia Plus law enforcement model.
Ahhhh, so Brammo may already have a lot of this covered :)
Is there plans for a Empulse law enforcement model?
Can I buy a Enertia Plus law enforcement model? It might impress the wife :)
Gavin
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Good ideas, Gavin. And I can't imagine why you would need to impress your wife. Doesn't she already know what a prize you are?
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One problem with "authority" motorcycles, as BMW likes to call them, is that they need a lot of surplus electrical power to run the lights, siren, radio, donut and coffee warmer, etc. When BMW converted the R1100RT into the R1100RP they had to install an additional battery to supplement the stock 750 watt alternator. Still, I agree that the Brammo Enertia and in particular the "Plus", would be a great vehicle for a campus environment.
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Lets not tell Police departments about the Empulse just yet. We don't want them competing with our orders, do we? :)
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:) Ok, no Empulses mentioned for a while.
http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/12/pentagon-t3-series-electric-three-wheeler-security/ (http://green.autoblog.com/2011/01/12/pentagon-t3-series-electric-three-wheeler-security/)
also add: The Government. The Military. Could get plenty of use at Walter Reed, The military academies, Pentagon, Congress...hell, especially the White House. Brammo needs a second Shock tour...though named maybe something less volatile in the current environment.
Gavin
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If Brammo wants to make the Anti-Scooter...well I think they should basically mimic the original anti-scooter....
(http://scootinoldskool.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/gray_ruckus.jpg?w=600)
Not made anywhere for over 4 years, so making something that looks similar isn't cribbing on a current model...plus motorcycles and cars crib off each other all the time...
Plenty of space down low for batteries (and crazy low center of gravity), nice single seat ride becomes two seater when you put down the back rest...rough and tumble looks and drivable on roads or off...and highway or city capable...
make this an EV please....
Gavin
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more senseless follow up on a bike Brammo will not be making...but they do mention an anti-scooter from time to time...so more thoughts..
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7148/6674016797_16cfdbecf9_b.jpg)
1) Huge space for batteries and BMU and charger.
2) Motor goes here...then really almost nothing else...so a much more open back
3) Lose the Air filter on this side and the pipe on the other and you have open area for off roading or open area to add some side bags.
4) Love this design. Riding single? put up back rest and you have an area on back to tie down stuff. Riding double, put seat back down and your passenger has a comfy place to sit. With the underside being opened up you could add a bit of enclosed storage under this area.
5) The one area Brammo could really improve this design esthetically. The front is just not lovely.
But an easy to ride motorcycle/scooter. Low center of gravity. Good balance. Lots of space for batteries. And the toughest looking scooter around. (just forget the Dewalt power tools color scheme...Black and Yellow only works in Pittsburgh)
Gavin
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Two more small suggestions...perhaps already planned with the 2012 models.
1) While charging the headlight should be off by default. There have been a couple of times when I'm charging when I forget to turn the light off....Once when charging outside of my garage I had a neighbor come up to the house and tell me I've left my motorcycle running (the headlight was on and the charging fan was running...it did seem like the bike was actually on instead of charging)...and I've done it in the garage at work and it confuses people to see bike light on and bike making noise....
2) Slightly longer power cord as standard. Again, charging at work and when I plug in I have my bike fairly far back into the parking spot...cars don't see bike until they are halfway pulling into the "occupied" spot...then they have to back up and it pisses some people off... a standard cord even 2 feet longer would let the bike be more easily seen...
Gavin
ps...per number 2, I had a friend make a facebook post about the bike...
(http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s320x320/406413_2639677477784_1430962075_31922138_2012476477_n.jpg)
Ian Moore
Dear asshole that keeps parking his stupid electric bike in an entire parking spot,
Every time I come to the hospital, you have taken up one of the best spaces, and I almost hit your bike thinking that there is a free space. As I try to pull out of the parking spot people honk at me as if I am a douche that does not know how to drive, but in fact you are the douche. That is all.
Sincerely,
Me
PS. Love you G.
pss...the facebook comments
Joe Martinez Geeze it sure looks windy at that parking lot... Im sure the wind picks up and can swiftly kick up and move a electronic bike....
February 16 at 3:58pm · Like
Gavin McCullough Ha, stop coming to the hospital so much...
February 16 at 4:19pm · Like
Gavin McCullough Just knowing I am making people do that many many times a day makes me feel powerful
February 16 at 4:21pm · Like · 2
Kevin Gick So... Gavin
February 16 at 5:37pm · Like
Kevin Gick Owning up to your passive agressiveness?
February 16 at 5:37pm · Like
Gavin McCullough Passive aggressive? Im aggressive aggressive
February 16 at 5:44pm · Like · 1
Kevin Gick Mmm hmm.
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There's always this option:
http://brammo.com/store/Charging_Cord-20/ (http://brammo.com/store/Charging_Cord-20/)
(http://brammo.com/store/images/P/extCord.jpg)\
Sure, it's $22. Sure, it's 20' long so probably won't fit under the seat.
Or, you could buy a 2 - 4' long extension cord.
Just trying to give you some options here. ;)
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Yeah, i don't mind the 22 bucks, I do mind the not fitting under the seat :)
the current cord is what, 5 or 6 feet? Just make the standard 8 feet and all is good in the hood...
not really a bigger expense to Brammo and still fits under seat.
Gavin
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http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10228&cs_id=1022801&p_id=5280&seq=1&format=2 (http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10228&cs_id=1022801&p_id=5280&seq=1&format=2)
$2.47 + shipping, 10 foot 18 AWG PC-type (IEC C13) power cable. Rated for 10A operation, should be fine for the Enertia.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10228&cs_id=1022801&p_id=5293&seq=1&format=2 (http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10228&cs_id=1022801&p_id=5293&seq=1&format=2)
Or 14 AWG, $4.73 + shipping if you want something a little heavier.
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not sure that has the correct bike end plug style...
and will it fit under the seat?
But thanks :)
Gavin
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Can't find a picture of the socket the cable plugs into. Looks like the Brammo cable linked above is a C13, but hard to say.
@Gavin - What's the socket look like?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60320#Connector_standard_sheets (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60320#Connector_standard_sheets)
Grounded + flat back = C13, C19, or C21. C13 is by far the most common connector (in my world!), C19 and C21 are meant for higher current applications.
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C-19
will take a photo of it at lunch time...
gavin
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Of course the 2012 Enertia, Plus and Empulse could come with totally different plugs...
Gavin
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That's true. Brammo's choice of pinout may be dictated by what charger they use.
Here's a $17 (J&R) 10 foot 14 AWG C19 to NEMA 5-15 cable.
http://www.amazon.com/Tripp-Lite-P034-010-Standard-Power/dp/B0012EK2RE/ (http://www.amazon.com/Tripp-Lite-P034-010-Standard-Power/dp/B0012EK2RE/)
If space is tight under the seat as-is, you may not be able to fit a longer cable under there.
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Thanks...that's the one...as soon as I get my plus and see what connection Brammo used, and what length cord they put in as standard, I will definitely check that out and post back...
Gavin
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You don't need to replace the whole power cord. Just splice an extra couple of feet into that wire. A bit of duct tape, and you're good to go! Or you could even use one of these fancy connectors:
(http://www.summerville-home-inspector.com/system/files/images/powered%20by%20extension%20cord.preview.JPG) (http://www.summerville-home-inspector.com/content/powered-extension-cord-summerville-home-inspection)
(P.S. If you're smart enough to read this, then I assume that you're also smart enough to know why that would be a bad idea!)
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That looks like how I extended my vacuum cleaner power cord so that I could vacuum the entire house without having to unplug from the outlet. :o
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Forgot I took this photo at lunch...better late than never...kinda like the February newsletter :)
Gavin
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7189/6796518914_58453889dd_z_d.jpg)
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That wouldn't work on my Zero, it uses round holes not square ones. I hear that round pegs won't fit into square holes - or was it the other way around? ;)