Empulse Pre-ordernotification.

[EmpulseRider]

I think that WanderLust got a job with Brammo, and he's been inducted into their code of silence!

@EB - I'm surprised that your keyboard still works after mashing F5 all night long.

No kidding, I thought we were going to hear something soon... and everyone knows how patient I am. BTW, where was that Wired Autopia article Wes Siler mentioned a while back? He cant be that busy.

[Brammofan]

BTW, where was that Wired Autopia article Wes Siler mentioned a while back? He cant be that busy.

You mean this one?:
http://www.wired.com/reviews/2012/08/brammo-empulse-r/

[WanderLust]

Alright guys,
I'm sorry it took so long, it was one meeting after the other yesterday and then I had a date in the evening...
But between work and the date I had to run to the MVD (Motor Vehicle Dept), shop for insurance, apply for licenses etc etc...
Before you get too excited, none of this was for "My" empulse....
But more on that later.

About 4 days ago I sent out an email to Brammo's Director of Marketing, Adrian Stewart, and he responded to them very quickly,
Here are my questions and his responses...

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1) If I did end up getting the empulse R, how soon can I expect it, and by when would I need to get it financed?
I'm in the middle of getting my citizenship, and may not be able to get my finances in order till that is taken care of.
 
I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT LATE NOVEMBER IS REALISTIC FOR THE EMPULSE R
 
2) If I decide to go in for the empulse (regular) what kind of time frame are we looking at? would it be 6 months or more?

THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2013 FOR DELIVERIES OF THE EMPULSE
 
3) I heard that you guys have some engineering test models, is there any chance I can buy one of those? and if so, how much?
 
THE TEST BIKES REMAIN TEST BIKES FOR THE WHOLE OF THEIR LIVES THIS IS HOW WE ACCUMULATE TEST DATA OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD
 
4) When will the enertia plus be available to customers? if it is sooner rather than later that might be a possibility for me as well...
 
THERE ARE MANY PRE ORDERS FROM CUSTOMERS AND FLEET BUYERS SO THE EARLIEST YOU COULD GET A PLUS WOULD BE FIRST QUARTER OF 2013
 
5) If the plus will be available sooner than the empulse (regular) would it be possible to change my preorder from empulse to enertia and still maintain my place in the queue I'm presently #5 for the empulse)
 
NOT REALLY THE PRE ORDERS ARE MODEL SPECIFIC –
 
Depending on cost my preference is probably as follows right now, Empulse engineering test machine, plus/regular empulse (toss up based on availability), empulse R (if I can get it financed)
 
YOU CAN MAKE A CREDIT APPLICATION NOW IF YOU WANT TO SEE IF YOU GET APPROVED…
 
http://www.sheffieldfinancial.com/dealersuite?dealer=brammo

WHATS REALLY IMPORTANT IS THAT YOU GET THE MOTORCYCLE THAT MEETS YOUR NEEDS. IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO RIDE AROUND TOWN AND THE PLUS RANGE WORKS FOR YOU THEN THAT IS A GREAT MACHINE AND YOU WOULD NOT BE DISSAPOINTED. IF YOU LIKE THE LOOKS AND PRESENCE OF THE EMPULSE / EMPULSE R NEED SEATING FOR TWO THEN THAT COMES AT A PREMIUM…
IF YOU WILL BE RIDING ON HIGHWAYS I WOULD GO EMPULSE/EMPULSE R FOR THE TOP SPEED.
 
HOPE THIS HELPS

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My questions in Blue, Adrian's responses in black and CAPS
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Hopefully that answers some of the questions we have all had over the last few months. Moving on.

Yesterday, I got the following email.
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Hello,
 
The wait is getting shorter and shorter for your Brammo Empulse!  We are in the process of working with dealers to get you your motorcycle, but need a little more information from you.
 
Please reply to this email with your phone number so we may contact you regarding your Empulse.
 
Thank you,
 
Sarah Red-Laird
Marketing Assistant
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Unfortunately, They got back to me just a couple days too late... After having waited for almost two and a half years, I decided it was time for me to move on for a number of reasons. The new empulse isn't what I signed up for, and I didn't want to wait another 6 months for the plus or the regular empulse. I didn't want to pony up another 5K for the privilege of driving an "R" either.
Instead for about $15,000 (including tax, insurance, license fee and a tank of gas) I decided to buy this....
I'm enjoying driving around with the wind in my hair for now.
I think Brammo seems to have come out with a great product, it just isn't what I had signed up for...
I wish them the best, and hope they keep moving on to bigger and better things.
May be one day in the not too distant future, I might decide to buy a second hand Brammo

[EmpulseRider]

BTW, where was that Wired Autopia article Wes Siler mentioned a while back? He cant be that busy.

You mean this one?:
http://www.wired.com/reviews/2012/08/brammo-empulse-r/

No there was a separate article that he said would be up on wired autopia: http://www.wired.com/autopia/
He suggested that it would be related to Empulse production line.

@wanderlust. Thanks for the update! Sorry to hear you changed your mind about the Brammo, nice ride though!

[implovator]

Wow. Thanks for the update and all of the information. Sad to see your Brammo ownership is delayed. Even more sad to see to see a #5 withdraw. That was indeed a long wait.

For Brammo's sake, I really hope this isn't a trend. I can only speak for myself, but there was a month or so when I talked myself out of an Empulse R...and I'm exactly the person that the Empulse R was designed for: environmentalist, ex-amateur roadracer, sportbike enthusiast, single, engineer, geek, etc., etc., etc.

The fanboy in me really hopes that a large number of pre-orders convert to sales, but the pragmatist in me just doesn't see it happening. When the pre-orders started, the Empulse was a very different animal.

[implovator]

...one more thing: +1 on the new ride. I've wanted a Miata since I was a wee little lad. I just don't want to be a two car household...and I can't give up my pickup.

...one more thing: Congratulations on your forthcoming citizenship.

...one more thing: Wanna buy my Enertia? I would have knocked of some cash for that #5 spot.

[protomech]

It's hard to go from $10-14k available summer 2011 to $19k available maybe "late november" 2012. Obviously the bike has changed significantly in that time period. I think it's a much nicer and much more flexible bike than what was originally being sold (and more so than Zero's current product line as well) .. but we'll see if the price tradeoff is worth it.

I think if the Empulse had shipped in its fixed-gear state we would have been somewhat disappointed. I pegged its 0-60 mph time at 6-7s on one of the track videos a little while back; I think the shipping product would have been around that speed. Much faster than the current Zero lineup, and still faster than most cars, but doesn't cut it for a bike with sporting aspirations.

MX5 is nice. Two friends bought a NA and a NB MSM recently. They love them. I want one : )

[Deadly Silent Ninja]

Even more sad to see to see a #5 withdraw. Cry That was indeed a long wait.

And another one bites the dust...

Well, I'll give some "sort of" good news as we seen one less Empulse hitting the road. I was in the sustainability committee meeting in my college today and they finally decided to implement the electric charging stations. Now, it's a matter of deciding how many,where, etc.
I suggested that, once they have them, the campus police could check out some electric motorcycles, humhumenertia . We are not big enough to be anything Brammo would be interested in dropping with the whole troop like in HK, but even one Enertia could make a difference in getting people curious and interested.
The only sad part for me is that, even being one of the biggest supporters of the charging stations, I will probably not be using them anytime soon. Right now, we only have one electric car on campus and one coming (another faculty member is building an electric car out of a Miata --Is that the Baader-Meinhoff Phenomenon to which you were referring Brammofan?).

[Brammofan]

That may indeed be a bit of the Baader - Meinhoff.
Also, just saw this tonight:

[Deadly Silent Ninja]

 

[machone]

Apologies if this has been posted before but last week I got a general email from Team Brammo marketing saying homologation for Europe would start early in 2013. This 'normally' takes around three months but that's a loose estimate.

So Spring 2013 for the Empulse in Europe!

No mention of R or otherwise, prices or pre-order lists but I assume the homologation will be done for both R and Empulse and the bike will be shipped in bulk orders, so it will be largely irrelevant. We will be kept informed! 

Light in the tunnel!