Electric RX3

Meloman · 12-24-2018, 04:01 PM

Found this on the web and thought it would be interesting for those who hadn’t seen it.

https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocia...ure-motorcycle

mckayprod · 01-25-2019, 12:31 PM

I want to keep up on the development of this bike. It looks like a good alternative for the kind of riding I do, although Zongshen's choices of batteries, etc. will make a huge difference. Thanks for posting.

Huck369 · 01-25-2019, 02:39 PM

Link doesn't work for me......I'd like to check it out too!

calvarez · 01-25-2019, 04:15 PM

Worked fine for me.

sqwert · 01-27-2019, 12:26 PM

Being the stinkiest, nastiest places in the world, nice to see Chinese cities starting to clean themselves up. However, these days electrics simply are not compatible with my lifestyle, so no real interest.

Biker_Andy · 01-27-2019, 10:09 PM

Electric is great for a city bike, not so good for an adventure bike.

mckayprod · 01-28-2019, 06:11 PM

So, a typical "adventure" ride for me might be like the one I did yesterday. From my home in far northeast Solano county, California to the BART train station in El Cerrito, north of Oakland. Took the train to San Francisco & back, rode home. No freeways, just San Pablo Avenue from the delta down and back. Total distance, 140 miles. Why can't an electric bike do that? If a Zongshen could, I'd be interested.

calvarez · 01-28-2019, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mckayprod

Why can't an electric bike do that?

Because the power to weight and cost becomes a significant challenge.

2LZ · 01-29-2019, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mckayprod

So, a typical "adventure" ride for me might be like the one I did yesterday. From my home in far northeast Solano county, California to the BART train station in El Cerrito, north of Oakland. Took the train to San Francisco & back, rode home. No freeways, just San Pablo Avenue from the delta down and back. Total distance, 140 miles. Why can't an electric bike do that? If a Zongshen could, I'd be interested.

Yer a brave man riding a bike there! Our old office was in El Cerrito and I worked all around the Bay Area in my old job. Maniacal traffic there. I guess I'm geared more for Volcano. ;-)

sqwert · 01-29-2019, 10:32 AM

Because cheap batteries are heavy and there comes a point where adding more batteries kills performance--it takes more amps to move more weight, so adding more batteries won't go enough further to be worthwhile.

On the other hand, expensive batteries don't weigh nearly as much, but some types tend to spontaneously combust when the chemicals that store the amps are exposed to air. Some types literally explode when hit with a significant jolt of electricity, such as when lightning strikes a power line nearby.

Some batteries do not perform well when weather is hot or cold. Some batteries require extensive computerized charging systems. Some must be refrigerated to be charged. Others must be heated. Charge times can ruin your day.

Most all batteries wear out, so batteries loose range over time. Your 140 mile range goes away a little every day.

Electric vehicles simply do not provide the turn-key readiness of gasoline engines.

Greenheads don't mention the myriad downsides of electric vehicles. Yes, electrics will adequately serve a few people, but not really all that many. Improperly managed charging and maintenance consume a lot more energy overall than is saved. Specialty metals for better battery types are very limited in supply, so, if you use them, and you need to replace them, and many such batteries have been sold in the mean time, it is reasonable to expect demand to significantly increase over supply, and the replacement battery costs skyrocket.

Battery manufacture and remanufacture is extremely polluting.

And that's just the tip of the contaminated iceberg. Electricity powering vehicles has its place, but it really isn't much of one. Some applications electricity is golden, but rare. Research the negatives thoroughly before investing.

calvarez · 01-29-2019, 10:35 AM

Five years from now, ICE will start to be replaced more easily with electric. Ten years from now we'll wonder if there's any future for gasoline at all. But it's just slightly early yet.

Krasi_BG · 01-30-2019, 02:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sqwert

Because cheap batteries are heavy and there comes a point where adding more batteries kills performance--it takes more amps to move more weight, so adding more batteries won't go enough further to be worthwhile.

If we put the ecological aspect aside, because it's controversial to say the least, I always wonder how one expects to have a battery serve as a propulsion source, while the same battery technology can't even provide enough juice for a modern mobile phone to last more than a day or two at best. I know vehicle Li-Ion batteries have much more sophisticated management and are much bigger (and heavier as you point out), but still they can't really "run away from their roots/handicaps", can they?

Huck369 · 01-30-2019, 07:44 AM

I'd be more than happy to be a Beta tester, for one of their Electric RX3's to use on my daily commute

calvarez · 01-30-2019, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krasi_BG

can't even provide enough juice for a modern mobile phone to last more than a day or two at best.

They can. But consumers have chosen lighter and thinner over more time without charging. When it costs next to nothing to have a charge cable everywhere, why would you neglect to charge for days? My phone charges every night while I sleep, and it's in a dock on my desk right now while I work. Why would I want a thicker phone?

Krasi_BG · 01-31-2019, 02:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by calvarez

T... to have a charge cable everywhere...

In my view, that kind of defies the idea of a "cordless phone". I mean, you just substitute the signal cable with the charging one, i.e. "tomeytoes" vs. tomatoes. I know this is oversimplification and there are nuances, but one can't argue much that using modern cordless gismos (or it's spelled "gismoes"?) involves quite a bit of hesitation and anxiety of the type, "Should I really use it now?", prompted by the awareness that every action drains the battery and that drainage is not that easy to replace.

I know I'm weird and by no means normal (

), but I'm sure everyone's eyes and minds are much more often focused on a battery indicator than on a fuel gauge. My philosophy is that a in the abstract system called "Man and Machine", the weak element should be the "Man". In other words, I should be the one that runs out of energy before does the car, the motorcycle, the computer, the drill, the mower, etc.

From my perspective I can outrun most, if not all, modern battery-powered "tools". With ease! And I'm old... And grumpy. Well, my electronic wristwatch runs longer than me on a single charge, but it's not modern, so it doesn't count

12-24-2018, 04:01 PM	#1
Meloman Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Applegate, Oregon Posts: 101	Electric RX3 Found this on the web and thought it would be interesting for those who hadn’t seen it. https://www.bennetts.co.uk/bikesocia...ure-motorcycle
	4

01-25-2019, 02:39 PM	#3
Huck369 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Somerset, KY Posts: 684	Link doesn't work for me......I'd like to check it out too! __________________ Huck 2013 Honda NC700X 2013 Moto Guzzi V7 Stone 2016 AJP PR4 2022 Templar X 250 2021 Sondors Metacycle AMA Life Member
	0

01-27-2019, 10:09 PM	#6
Biker_Andy Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 347	Electric is great for a city bike, not so good for an adventure bike. __________________ Electrician & Electronics Tech 2014 Honda CB500XA 2016 CSC TT250 1976 Honda CJ360T 2022 Honda Navi
	3

01-30-2019, 07:44 AM	#13
Huck369 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Somerset, KY Posts: 684	I'd be more than happy to be a Beta tester, for one of their Electric RX3's to use on my daily commute __________________ Huck 2013 Honda NC700X 2013 Moto Guzzi V7 Stone 2016 AJP PR4 2022 Templar X 250 2021 Sondors Metacycle AMA Life Member
	3

01-25-2019, 12:31 PM	#2
mckayprod Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Dixon, CA Posts: 75	I want to keep up on the development of this bike. It looks like a good alternative for the kind of riding I do, although Zongshen's choices of batteries, etc. will make a huge difference. Thanks for posting.
	0

01-25-2019, 04:15 PM	#4
calvarez Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 334	Worked fine for me.
	0

01-27-2019, 12:26 PM	#5
sqwert Join Date: Jun 2017 Posts: 382	Being the stinkiest, nastiest places in the world, nice to see Chinese cities starting to clean themselves up. However, these days electrics simply are not compatible with my lifestyle, so no real interest.
	0

01-28-2019, 06:11 PM	#7
mckayprod Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Dixon, CA Posts: 75	So, a typical "adventure" ride for me might be like the one I did yesterday. From my home in far northeast Solano county, California to the BART train station in El Cerrito, north of Oakland. Took the train to San Francisco & back, rode home. No freeways, just San Pablo Avenue from the delta down and back. Total distance, 140 miles. Why can't an electric bike do that? If a Zongshen could, I'd be interested.
	0

01-29-2019, 10:32 AM	#10
sqwert Join Date: Jun 2017 Posts: 382	Because cheap batteries are heavy and there comes a point where adding more batteries kills performance--it takes more amps to move more weight, so adding more batteries won't go enough further to be worthwhile. On the other hand, expensive batteries don't weigh nearly as much, but some types tend to spontaneously combust when the chemicals that store the amps are exposed to air. Some types literally explode when hit with a significant jolt of electricity, such as when lightning strikes a power line nearby. Some batteries do not perform well when weather is hot or cold. Some batteries require extensive computerized charging systems. Some must be refrigerated to be charged. Others must be heated. Charge times can ruin your day. Most all batteries wear out, so batteries loose range over time. Your 140 mile range goes away a little every day. Electric vehicles simply do not provide the turn-key readiness of gasoline engines. Greenheads don't mention the myriad downsides of electric vehicles. Yes, electrics will adequately serve a few people, but not really all that many. Improperly managed charging and maintenance consume a lot more energy overall than is saved. Specialty metals for better battery types are very limited in supply, so, if you use them, and you need to replace them, and many such batteries have been sold in the mean time, it is reasonable to expect demand to significantly increase over supply, and the replacement battery costs skyrocket. Battery manufacture and remanufacture is extremely polluting. And that's just the tip of the contaminated iceberg. Electricity powering vehicles has its place, but it really isn't much of one. Some applications electricity is golden, but rare. Research the negatives thoroughly before investing.
	1

01-29-2019, 10:35 AM	#11
calvarez Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 334	Five years from now, ICE will start to be replaced more easily with electric. Ten years from now we'll wonder if there's any future for gasoline at all. But it's just slightly early yet.
	0