Brammo Empulse preview: Up close with the ultimate electric motorcycle

[Brammofan]

http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/brammo-empulse-preview-up-close-with-the-ultimate-electric-motorcycle/

With the aggressively designed Empulse, Brammo hopes to evolve the electric motorcycle beyond mere novelty to the sort of rubber-burning, hair-raising machine enthusiasts expect.
In the end, it could be that Brammo’s timing is just about right.
Read more: http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/brammo-empulse-preview-up-close-with-the-ultimate-electric-motorcycle/#ixzz21HN7ukcx

LOTS of information here. 

[protomech]

The batteries [supply] the output needed to carry the bike to more than 100mph, or 100 miles of relatively conservative (70mph) riding.

You see this? This is my frowny face.

Regen for the Enertia Plus is neat and unexpected. I assume the 2012 Enertia 3.1 will also get regen braking.. assuming that model still exists. (As the E+ is a 24s7p config, the non plus will probably be a bit less or a bit more than 3.1 kWh.)

A bit worrying that journalist rides are still verboten.

A tach instead of an analog speedometer is a good use. Wish the Zero had the same.



Screaming for a tail chop..

Good info. Definitely worth a read : )

***

Things that make me grumble:

* implausible range claims
* continued use of a "maximum capacity" specification. Zero started this horseshit, but shame on Brammo for perpetuating it.
* continued use of an MPGe specification. The only purpose this specification has is confusing consumers and mental masturbation. Wh/mile or kWh/100 miles is a much more useful specification. Even Joules/mile or BTU/mile would be better.

[protomech]

*double-post*

[Deadly Silent Ninja]

A bit worrying that journalist rides are still verboten.

From the article:

Due to lawyer-enforced obligations, Stewart could not power up the bike so we could see the instrumentation, which includes an LCD panel that shows speed, gear position, power system information and more. Next to the LCD display is a large, traditional tachometer with an 8,000rpm redline. There will also be indicators the bike is “on” when it’s sitting silently at a stop.

Until the journalists can actually turn on the bike, all they can do is work with whatever spiel Brammo gives them. You can say the article has good information, but the truth is there is nothing new there. It's all the same stuff coming out of Brammo's press releases and other pubs. Until someone who can make an honest comparison between riding an Empulse and riding anything else, we won't get any actual new information. We basically know everything we can know without riding the Empulse, but for when we will be able to ride it.

Screaming for a tail chop..

It doesn't look like it can take any weight, so... yeah, Karate chop that tail.

Things that make me grumble:

* implausible range claims
* continued use of a "maximum capacity" specification. Zero started this horseshit, but shame on Brammo for perpetuating it.
* continued use of an MPGe specification. The only purpose this specification has is confusing consumers and mental masturbation. Wh/mile or kWh/100 miles is a much more useful specification. Even Joules/mile or BTU/mile would be better.

I think these are all on point and tell us that deep in there, Brammo is not above the general marketing b.s. other companies use. It's sad, but the "all the other kids are doing it" seems to rule the market even when it doesn't help anyone, much less the (potential) customers.

[machone]

It looks good from that angle!

However, if there was a 'like' button I'd click it on the last three posts. It seems that many experts think more sales will result from 'spinning' instead of highlighting the facts, which are good enough. I find it condescending and deceitful but the majority of potential customers may not.

I don't understand the strategy but it seems to be industry wide. Maybe there's an insecurity there? Maybe the majority like not knowing what they are spending their hard earned savings on?

This will still be the best electric production road bike in the world when it eventually gets produced, as long as nothing else gets produced in the meantime!

[Gavin]

About the tail...yep, just put the lights in the seat without the extender...

I am really liking the Empulse more and more...

2 up, fast, highway "happy"

I'm a huge Enertia fan...but I am wondering if maybe the Empulse is the bike I should get...

Of course it is a bit more money...ok a lot more money....

G

[Virtually Yours]

The all carbon fiber faux tank is exactly what I was writing about on the other thread but was just an idea of mine... So its true, great minds do think alike! It looks awesome! I want that bike!

[FreepZ]

The batteries [supply] the output needed to carry the bike to more than 100mph, or 100 miles of relatively conservative (70mph) riding.

You see this? This is my frowny face.

I had the same frowny face when I read that. Okay, maybe it was more of a face palm.

* continued use of a "maximum capacity" specification. Zero started this horseshit, but shame on Brammo for perpetuating it.

I wonder how much of that is Brammo making vague statements that may be interpreted in various ways and how much is the journalist just not checking their facts. E.g. The range facts are (somewhat) clearly stated on Brammo's webpage. Was Adrian deliberately misleading William (the journalist), or was William getting a little excited and confused on his own? Either way, he should have checked his facts with the spec sheet.

I don't want to be too critical. Even if not totally accurate, that's the first bit of Empulse news that we've had in quite a long time.

The news that was new to me in that article included:

• Regen on the Enertia
• Definite August release date (although exactly when in August would have been better)*

It was also nice to get an opinion from someone who got a first hand look at the bike, even if they couldn't ride it. (I wonder what the "lawyer-enforced obligations" are that won't allow journalists to ride the bike?)

* The August date may have appeared before, but the depressing lack of substantial news about the Empulse was keeping me away from looking too close at Brammo. Every time I saw something posted on Facebook that failed to give me an clue as to when the Empulse would be ready to ship, I felt like adding the comment "That's nice, but where's my Empulse?!" I figure that the Internet doesn't need another jerk, so I've resisted the temptation. (For now!)

[Shinysideup]

Every time I saw something posted on Facebook that failed to give me an clue as to when the Empulse would be ready to ship, I felt like adding the comment "That's nice, but where's my Empulse?!" I figure that the Internet doesn't need another jerk, so I've resisted the temptation. (For now!)

Don't worry, Richard, I am that jerk!