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    Luxury Electric Motor Bikes



    Along with their hybrids and EVs, luxury automakers have been developing prototype e-bikes, like the Audi Wörthersee above. These aren't full-fledged motorcycles, like the Brammo or Zero, but they aren't just bicycles either:


    Audi e-bike Wörthersee (above) is being marketed as a trick bike, but it could be a commuter. You can pedal the 46 lbs with no assistance, or you can let the bike squire you around at 30 mph, or if you can pedal hard enough, the electric motor will assist you up to 50 mph. Range varies from 31 to 44 miles.

    Daimler also has their smart e-bike, starting at €2,849, or $3,700. They claim up to a 62 mile range, which is good because pedaling a 61 lb discharged bike would not be fun. One review says the standard 230W smart e-bike is difficult to pedal faster than 15 mph, but reviews of the 500W Brabus version list its top speed as 28 mph.

    Lexus and Volkswagen showed slick prototype e-bikes (above) two years ago but there is little word on them now. The Daimler does seem to be for sale.


    There are all sorts of e-bikes out there, especially in Asia, and as shown below, the simplest ones help you pedal easier or faster. But I see a continuum of motorized two wheelers from motor-assisted bicycles to full-fledged motorcycles like the Brammo and Zero. I rode a Honda 250 for several years, and had my share of near misses, so when a bike starts moving me way faster than I can pedal I start asking myself, How much rubber is on the pavement? How strong are the brakes? If that car turns left can I stop? etc.


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    Thanks.  

    Was just e-shopping for an electric tricycle last week.  Want to use it for local errands.  Know anything about them?


    Currie has this upright delta trike, the EZip Tricruiser and I know I've seen others. Make sure to test ride them because delta trikes feel stable, but if you turn too sharply, they will go over. There are all sorts of recumbent trikes, too, but I worry about poor visibility being down so low.

     


    Love it!  Thanks and also for the tip about tipping. Not to worry, recumbent bikes are definitely not for me.  


    Here's another one, the Atlas 24 Cargo Trike, from a store in Portland.


    Thanks again.  

    Interesting development on the first link.  I clicked through and located nearest dealer.  Today via snail mail I got a flyer from the manufacturer addressed to my real name and my home address.  How did they do that?

    This time I will copy/paste the link into an incognito window. :-D


    It's getting creepier. I checked out Angie's List once, a month ago, and now everywhere I go I see ads for Angie's List. It's like the whole internet has become Amazon.com.


    I just love these things!

    Pedal for exercise and then, when it seems impossible it will take up that gd hill!


    Kind of like an electric moped. Speaking of which, I owned a moped at one time. And yes I did have to peddle it and no it was not fun.


    I had a Puch MaxiLuxe for a while. I only pedaled to start it, and from a standing start at traffic lights. It went about 25 mph, and got 120 mpg. But the two-stroke put out dirty exhaust.


    I think that was the updated version of the Sears Moped, which I had.


    Tomos, a Slovenian firm, still makes these sort of bikes.


    Actually they look more that the original Honda 50s.

     


    Nowadays they call these step-through types "Underbones". If you enjoy reports of amazing adventures, check this link out.

      2 Symbas, 1 Couple, No Sense, Underboning Around the World

    http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=716979


    An Allstate [Sears] Moped was my first moto too. Then a Lambretta, a Suzuki X6 Hustler, a Honda 305 Super Hawk, Suzuki 180 dirt bike, Honda 750 K2, Bajaj 150 scooter, Yamaha TW200, Honda Pacific Coast, and now a Suzuki VStrom 650, and a Honda VFR 800 Interceptor. Quarter mile in 11.22 seconds and 155 mph top end and corners like its on rails [they say] but not with me on it. Not anymore.
     A couple questions about the picture. Is that moped yours? What is the naked bike in the background, and who is the girl on the locker? I think I might know her. 


    OMG I had a Lambretta too. But some lady rand into me on it and put me in the hospital for 6 week.


    Bad luck about the wreck. Sounds like I could have said bad luck about the bad break and been right. I tried to think of some clever political metaphor joke about how people turning left kill motorcyclists. But it is no joke, left turns by four wheel drivers are the number one way bikers are killed  in accidents with other vehicles. I've ridden a lot of miles and had close calls with other vehicles but I have also been lucky and never hit one. The worst accident I had was a high speed slide on asphalt. Injured about a third of my body, but only skin deep. To paraphrase Jimmy B:

     Some people say

     There was whiskey to blame

     But I know.........,

     It was my own damned fault.

     


    I found this 15 minute youtube of a high speed ride on the Stealth electric bicycle, which was developed in Australia, but is available in the US:

    I also found this webpage devoted to getting away with riding ebikes that travel over the legal limit of 20 mph.

     


    The videos were fun to watch. I kind of want one of those that the Aussies are riding, the ride I am going on today has some big hills! I want to fly up them and leave everyone behind in the dust. However, it did freak me out a bit to see them ride on the wrong side of the road... damn that is dangerous! surprise


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