A Bultaco electric motorcycle

[Richard230]

Bultaco has shown their new electric motorcycle prototype. Here is an article about the motorcycle:

http://news.motorbiker.org/blogs.nsf/dx/bultaco-their-new-electric-motorcycles---a-winner.htm

and here is a video where their engineers outline the bike's features:

[Shinysideup]

The most novel item to me in the video was the reference to the "electrical  brake" as something other than the motor regen and also separate from the hydraulic braking system. The fact that it utilizes a supercapacitor sounds very leading edge and, quite possibly, very effective. May it's so effective they don't need but one front disc brake?

[Richard230]

Check out the front suspension of the Bultaco in the photo at the motorbiker link.  Talk about a knock-off of the suspension that BMW uses on their in-line four and six-cylinder models.    I bet that will not make it into mass production.

[frodus]

It's a Norm Hossack front end..... Same guy who designed the K1200S front end. Many bikes have used this style front.... It's nothing new. I've seen Ducati with them, Yamaha, Triumph and even the Amarok electric race bike.

They're not using BMW tech,  but Hossack tech.

[Richard230]

Here is another article regarding the Bultaco, with links to a number of photos, including (apparently) a map of proposed dealers around the world. The attached "press release" provides a lot more information regarding the Bultaco:

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/05/19/bultaco-rapitan-electric-motorbike-revival/

And here is a detail of the front suspension, showing the central strut and the linkage that that allows the suspension to move.

http://www.autoblog.com/photos/bultaco-rapit-n-and-rapit-n-sport/#photo-2624066/

[Roan]

It's a Norm Hossack front end..... Same guy who designed the K1200S front end. Many bikes have used this style front.... It's nothing new. I've seen Ducati with them, Yamaha, Triumph and even the Amarok electric race bike.

They're not using BMW tech,  but Hossack tech.

I agree. At first glance I thought it was a Telelever system. But this is more like the Duolever of the BMW K1200S.

Let's say a Hossack / Fior system.

The storage space (where once the fuel tank was located) for eg a helmet was already shown on the 2002 BMW F650 CS Scarver.

In 2012 Honda did the same with the NC700S:
http://moto-images.caradisiac.com/IMG/jpg/8/6/5/4/1/Honda_NC700S_2012_07.jpg

Bultaco is a brand with history and the Rapitan seems to be a very promising electric urban motorcycle. I hope the price tag is not too high.

[Richard230]

Motorcycle News reports on the Bultaco and asks its readers to vote on their interest in owning an electric motorcycle.  You can vote too.  It seems like the voting is going in the expected direction, though:

http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/General-news/2014/May/may2114-can-bultacos-tempt-you-to-go-electric/

[protomech]

I think 23% of voters saying "yes" is pretty huge .. and only 19% saying "never".

[flar]

The question in that poll is a little biased, I'm not even sure that I'd answer "Yes" given the way it is worded.

What does it mean to "tempt me away from petrol"?  Give up all petrol bikes entirely and only own/use electric from now on?  No.  Enough to be my daily driver with a backup petrol bike - a definite yes.

If they'd ask "enough to own one" I think they would have gotten a lot more yes votes.

There is also a lot of misinformation in the comments about how LPG and Hydrogen are the future.  Even one guy claiming that a clutch is mandatory for precise torque control.