December Delivery News

[Ain]

Hi Bill,

I'll take a stab your list of questions...

As part of the ordering process, were you asked your weight so the correct springs could be chosen for the shocks? I live and work (from my bike) in San Francisco and am very much interested in shocks that can soak up some of our terrible street nightmares. I had some Wilburs on a R1200R that were solid in the twisties AND just lovely over rapid quick harsh surfaces. I would like to duplicate that experience on the Empulse.

Please clarify, if you can, the reasoning behind keeping the bike in "Normal" mode initially. Is that so YOU can break in to the bike? Ease the batteries into their cycles? Baby the new bearings in the motor? This just doesn't make obvious sense to me.

When I got to test ride the Empulse R, I and others noted the drive train lash when transitioning from throttle to regen. Don said the software update fixed that. What's your experience in that area with your bike? Smooth enough?

The latest Motorcycle.com review video mentioned a "kind of clunky" tranny. Although I've experienced balky gearboxes that loosen up with break in (and synthetic oil), I'd like to hear your impression.

Any experience to give us a good estimate of the range at a constant 65 mph on the freeways?

Did you get any sense about the flow of future bikes into Scuderia West?

Any word on an ETA for the side and top cases? Windshield?

Do you have any idea of the wattage limit of the 12V accessory port?

1)  I asked the same question on springs since I had always upgraded mine on bikes I used for the track.  They didn't have numbers for me when I took delivery, but I'm guessing they're standard for the suspension components since the bike only weighs 470lbs.  I'll see if I can get some photos of part numbers on the forks/shock to try and match them.

2) "Sport" seems to effect the abruptness of the throttle - both accelerating harder and kicking in regen more aggressively (see the photo of the owners manual below).  I'm guessing the "break in" is more for the transmission/clutch since I did have the clutch slip once on quick acceleration onto the freeway while shifting.  It's feeling a lot better after 180 miles.

3) The driveline lash is not an issue at all while the bike is rolling.  It feels different, but not "bad".  The only real lash that I find a little strange is starting from a dead stop, if you try to accelerate aggressively from a dead stop with the clutch out, there's a little bit of a clunk.

4) I'll have to do a 65MPH test and see where the range seems to settle.  I've been a bit heavy handed, so I know that continuous 75-80MPH seems good for 50-60 miles.

5) Talk to Don about the next bikes at Scuderia - he'll be the best source.

6) The Brammo guys let me know they have a whole range of accessories in the works, but I'm assuming they're focusing on getting the bikes out right now.  I'll probably start with some more universal stuff like bar-end mirrors.

7) I asked about the 12v port too, and they didn't have the specs when I picked it up.  I'll follow up with an e-mail.  I'd like to plug in a heated vest for this time of year, and didn't want to blow a fuse.

- Ain

[Ain]

Same here with the Volt, 0% financing is such a beautiful thing! Again, congrats on your Empulse purchase Ain!

BTW I will be using ONE 120v plug to charge both the Volt and the Empulse... I dont foresee an issue with that.

If you've got a Volt, definitely look into ordering the 240v Voltec charger from SPX for $495.  It's the cheapest one you can find, and will work great for both vehicles.  Cutting the charging time in half from 110v is a big win.

I had an electrician pull a 240v line from my panel to the garage and it was only $150.  I then mounted and wired the Voltec myself.  It's pretty straightforward and took about an hour.

The photo below was charging the Empulse on 110v.  I switched it to 240v and was full up in 1.5 hours.

- Ain

[Gavin]

The problem with the horn is that it's a bit rude. It's like yelling "Get Out Of The Way!" Perhaps I'll install a bicycle bell on my Empulse -- it's a lot more cheerful than a horn. Ideally, the horn would have two settings. The regular sound and a much more quiet sound that says "Please excuse me..."

I always wanted two horns...one to say hi to friends, one to say...well something less polite. The problem might be saying hi to a car cutting you off and saying something less polite to friends...

Gavin

[protomech]

The owners manual doesn't have specs on the transmission, but I think they changed the sprockets from what's on the web site...  The site specs list 14/48 for the sprockets, but the rear one on my bike has "38" stamped on it.

The transmission ratios are pretty close, but for most riding in the 30-50MPH range (e.g. back roads), you almost never need to leave 2nd gear.  The higher gears are really only useful at highway speeds to keep the engine in the 4000-6000 "sweet spot".

Hm.. yes, they might have changed the rear sprocket when they switched to the Parker motor. Do you see any kind of badging on the motor housing indicating a Parker motor?

Put another way - at what steady speeds do you see (say) 3000 RPM indicated on the tach?

Eg:
1st gear 30 mph
2nd gear 40 mph
3rd gear 50 mph
4th gear 60 mph
5th gear 70 mph
6th gear 80 mph

Does the Empulse come stock with a 12V DC plug? This was indicated some time ago but not confirmed 'til now. You can probably find the current limit by locating the fuse for the 12V supply .. subtracta few amps for the headlight and perhaps the dash display.

Edit: I recall Brammo saying that 7000 RPM was the sweet spot for efficiency and power. Since that doesn't give you much room for increasing revs, you might choose to operate (for example) at 6500 RPM instead of 7500 RPM if those are your gearing options.

[Brammofan]

Hm.. yes, they might have changed the rear sprocket when they switched to the Parker motor. Do you see any kind of badging on the motor housing indicating a Parker motor?

I think that the photo of the Parker motor that was posted a week or so ago was actually the motor for the Empulse RR - I think the Empulse R still uses the SMRE motor. 

[protomech]

Hm.. perhaps the original rear sprocket size was for the Perm 150 motor then. Who knows.. it'd be nice to get an update to the specs list.

[flar]

I always wanted two horns...one to say hi to friends, one to say...well something less polite. The problem might be saying hi to a car cutting you off and saying something less polite to friends...

Gavin

Having recently switched from a pair of bikes with the standard Japanese-style switchgear to an '05 R bike I now have 2 horns.

When I manage to find the horn button when I'm fumbling about for the turn signal cancel button I have 2 horns blaring away on 2 different notes.  It sounds pretty authoritative compared to my prior bikes' horns actually, and not wholly appropriate to the situation of coming out of a corner.

But, when I'm in traffic and someone is cutting me off and I want to blast them with "*@$% off you're going to kill me!" my finger mashes on the turn signal button over and over and my bike just sits there saying "I'll just sit here blinking and look pathetic whilst you run me over".  8|

Somehow I wish they were wired up differently all around...

[Gavin]

Should be easy to tell the RR (single gear) motor from the R (6 gears)

Gavin

[Gavin]

I always wanted two horns...one to say hi to friends, one to say...well something less polite. The problem might be saying hi to a car cutting you off and saying something less polite to friends...

Gavin

Having recently switched from a pair of bikes with the standard Japanese-style switchgear to an '05 R bike I now have 2 horns.

When I manage to find the horn button when I'm fumbling about for the turn signal cancel button I have 2 horns blaring away on 2 different notes.  It sounds pretty authoritative compared to my prior bikes' horns actually, and not wholly appropriate to the situation of coming out of a corner.

But, when I'm in traffic and someone is cutting me off and I want to blast them with "*@$% off you're going to kill me!" my finger mashes on the turn signal button over and over and my bike just sits there saying "I'll just sit here blinking and look pathetic whilst you run me over".  8|

Somehow I wish they were wired up differently all around...

HA, yes...the horn should be one button, but touch sensitive so the ANGRIER you are, the louder it is...

so cute girl you like on the side of the road (meep meep), insane person reading, texting and eating McDonald nuggets with dipping sauce while moving into your lane without looking (HONK, MUTHER&^$#$& HONK, HULK SMASH, HONK)

Gavin

[Gavin]

Hm.. yes, they might have changed the rear sprocket when they switched to the Parker motor. Do you see any kind of badging on the motor housing indicating a Parker motor?

I think that the photo of the Parker motor that was posted a week or so ago was actually the motor for the Empulse RR - I think the Empulse R still uses the SMRE motor. 

Brammo posted this on their (*gack) Instagram page with the caption, "Coming to an Empulse near you."

from another post...

Coming to an Empulse near you sounds like the R, not the RR...

Gavin

[EmpulseRider]

Im fairly certain the new R has a different motor now... but I could be wrong. Trans is most definitely SMRE though.

[flar]

My questions:

- what are the standard maintenance intervals on everything (the page from the manual you posted earlier mentioned a 600 mile first oil change and a 3000 mile standard oil change, anything else?  And how much oil does it take - assuming it's just the transmission that needs it?  Time will tell, but I'm hoping the smoother electric motor will be kinder and gentler on chains than a piston engine...)

- you mentioned wanting bar end mirrors.  On my test ride I couldn't see much past my shoulders, but I may be wider than the average bear.  How are the stock mirrors for you in practice?

- have you done a Santa Cruz mountain run?  I live just south of SF and I'd be curious if it could make it all the way down 92 + Skyline + Hwy 9 to Santa Cruz on a single charge and then spend a couple of hours in SC at a J1772 outlet before returning along the coast.  If I'm fairly smooth on the throttle (I tend to stay at a consistent speed <70 in the twisties rather than gun it from corner to corner) it should probably be able to just make that from the specs, but specs don't always tell the whole truth particularly when mountains and twisties are involved.  A trickle charge at Alice's or Boulder Creek may be needed to bridge the distance.  And, a 3.5 hour break in SC would turn an extended ride into an all-day affair.  I'd assume that SF to Alice's and back would be no problem on one charge since I think Richard230 can make that on his ZF9 from Pacifica without much worry.

[Richard230]

My longest ride would be from Pacifica, up Sharp Park Road to 35, then down 280 to Canada Road, though Woodside, up 84 to Alice's (which has just had its intersection overlaid with new asphalt on top of the new chip seal), down 84 to San Gregorio and back to Pacifica along Highway 1. However, I would have to keep my speeds at or below the speed limit and pray for no headwind when returning north along the coast. By the time I would arrive home, I would likely be on "emergency" power (the hidden twelfth bar on the "fuel" gauge).

I think I might be able to make it to Santa Cruz, going from Alice's, south along 35 to Highway 9.  Then it is pretty much all downhill from there to Santa Cruz.  But that would be a one-way trip for me as my bike would take 10 hours to recharge.  Plus, I am not sure I could make it back home along Highway 1 due to the fast traffic along that stretch of highway.  I would probably have to keep my speed under 50 mph and pretend there is no headwind to make it home from Santa Cruz.   

[implovator]

The problem with the horn is that it's a bit rude. It's like yelling "Get Out Of The Way!" Perhaps I'll install a bicycle bell on my Empulse -- it's a lot more cheerful than a horn. Ideally, the horn would have two settings. The regular sound and a much more quiet sound that says "Please excuse me..."

I always wanted two horns...one to say hi to friends, one to say...well something less polite. The problem might be saying hi to a car cutting you off and saying something less polite to friends...

Gavin

This is what you need.

http://screaming-banshee.com/

It's the only system I've seen that integrates an airhorn with the OEM horn instead of replacing it.

[Ain]

My questions:

- what are the standard maintenance intervals on everything (the page from the manual you posted earlier mentioned a 600 mile first oil change and a 3000 mile standard oil change, anything else?  And how much oil does it take - assuming it's just the transmission that needs it?  Time will tell, but I'm hoping the smoother electric motor will be kinder and gentler on chains than a piston engine...)

- you mentioned wanting bar end mirrors.  On my test ride I couldn't see much past my shoulders, but I may be wider than the average bear.  How are the stock mirrors for you in practice?

- have you done a Santa Cruz mountain run?  I live just south of SF and I'd be curious if it could make it all the way down 92 + Skyline + Hwy 9 to Santa Cruz on a single charge and then spend a couple of hours in SC at a J1772 outlet before returning along the coast.  If I'm fairly smooth on the throttle (I tend to stay at a consistent speed <70 in the twisties rather than gun it from corner to corner) it should probably be able to just make that from the specs, but specs don't always tell the whole truth particularly when mountains and twisties are involved.  A trickle charge at Alice's or Boulder Creek may be needed to bridge the distance.  And, a 3.5 hour break in SC would turn an extended ride into an all-day affair.  I'd assume that SF to Alice's and back would be no problem on one charge since I think Richard230 can make that on his ZF9 from Pacifica without much worry.

1) You're correct - it's just transmission oil.  They have a drain plug, and "sight screw" that you remove.  Drain the oil, then fill it until you can see it in the sight screw hole and you're done.  I was told it holds about 1qt, and the change interval is every 3000 miles.  There's a "permanent coolant", but the guys told me it might not hurt to swap it every couple years.

2) The stock mirrors are decent and I can see past my elbows (unlike many sport bikes...and pretty much all Italian bikes), but given the narrow/compact style of the Empulse, I think the bar end mirrors will give it a sharp look on top of a clear side view.  I'll post before/after pics once I get some time to mount them.

3) I haven't tried a Santa Cruz trip, but mapping a run from 280/84 (closest access to Skyline for me) to Santa Cruz is just about 47 miles, so I think it's totally doable...with a charging stop.  I did the upper Skyline loop from 280/84, top of skyline, 92 back down 101 (stopped for coffee), ran an errand in San Carlos, then back home (total of 40-ish miles) and I still had 40% battery remaining.  No attempt at maxing range either - I was just riding normally.  Don at Scuderia was talking about lobbying for a Level 2 charger at Alice's and I think all of us in the Bay Area would find that extremely useful.  It could become a magnet for Leaf drivers, so we might need a couple ports, or mark it "EV motorcycles only" on Sundays.    Putting a couple in Boulder Creek and Half Moon Bay might be nice strategic locations too.

- Ain