Hate the very idea of electric bikes? You’re not alone. But whether we like it or not, they look like they’re going to be a big part of the future of two wheels. Much of that will be in the form of dull commuters and scooters aimed at cleaning up city centres, of course. But is there any chance that we’ll see an electric fast bike any time soon?
One place to look is racing. It’s always been the case that the best parts of performance motorcycling are developed in competition – the technology on the race track passes down the line to our road bikes.
That’s how we get the amazing 215bhp engines, super-sticky tyres, incredible brakes, suspension and high-end electronics, which make life worth living. So in theory, a new electric race series should be honing the high-end performance tech we all want – just powered by moving electrons rather than combusting hydrocarbons.
Enter MotoE – the electric support series that’s been running alongside MotoGP at selected rounds this season. It’s a one-make set up, with Modena-based firm Energica supplying a stable of control bikes, based on its Ego superbike. Insiders we spoke to say that Dorna was spooked by what happened in the four-wheel world of electric racing. There, Formula One was slow to take up the opportunity for a global series, and Formula E has snatched the initiative. The firm behind both MotoGP and WSBK seems unlikely to make a similar strategic blunder – and so threw its weight, together with IRTA (the International Road Racing Teams Association), behind the new series.
Denne historien er fra February 2020-utgaven av Fast Bikes.
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Denne historien er fra February 2020-utgaven av Fast Bikes.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Sensational Suzuki Live - Blending decades of motorcycles, racing legends, track time and a beer tent with a cracking band, Suzuki Live's formula proved a winner for the thousands there.
Blending decades of motorcycles, racing legends, track time and a beer tent with a cracking band, Suzuki Live’s formula proved a winner for the thousands there. As motorcycling events go, Suzuki Live's 2024 effort is surely set to take some topping. Held over two days at the iconic Cadwell Park circuit, the event played host to a list of two-wheeled legends and a mixed bag of iconic Suzuki machinery spanning five decades.
Steve Parrish
It's been a busy old month but so good being back in the thick of it. Despite the great British weather, it finally feels like summer is here, and I've been all over the place with some really great events since we spoke last month.
Christian Iddon
It's a long time since I had that feeling... 1057 days, to be precise, and if you were to ask if 'that day' was the day it would happen again, then I would have bet all my worldly belongings against it.
BOTH A CRIMINAL AND CIVIL CASE
There’s a time and place to lawyer up to the hills, and this is one them...
LONGTERMER KAWASAKI ZX-6R
Last month, I was gearing up to consign my ZX-6R to the back of my garage while I disappeared for the best part of three weeks to work at the TT with Batham's Racing.
YAMAHA WABASH RT
When you live a life of wheelies, burnouts and fast laps on race tracks, it's hard to spot a midlife crisis... but six months on in the saddle of Yamaha's Wabash e-bike, I daresay that's exactly where I'm at. I'll be honest, cycling isn't for everyone, and quite frankly, Lycra is even more polarising, but for me, life on two wheels, be it powered or pedalled, has formed my staple diet for as long as I can remember.
24 HOURS FLAT-OUT!
Ever fancied a crack at 24-hour endurance racing? You might think again after reading this...
PROJECT 37 A TEST OF TIME
Having got his head around the standard bike at Cadwell, Timmy heads to Powerslide Motorcycles with a wish list of improvements for the Suzuki GSX-8R...
'WHY WE GO RACING...5
Ever wondered why big brands spend big money and put in huge amounts of effort to go racing? Well, we did too, so we didn’t hesitate to ask the man who makes that call for Honda Racing UK...
9 BIKES WE WISH WERE STILL HERE...
No one’s worked out how to bring things back from the dead, but if we had our way, these are the bikes we’d oe see makingareturn.
