Motorcycles Go Electric

With fast acceleration and a purr like a jet engine, battery-powered motorcycles are finding ready fans.

​MILWAUKEE July 8, 2016; NACSonline reported that electric motorcycles might seem a bit off-putting, as most motorcycle lovers enjoy the loud rumbling and the quick takeoff of a gas powered bike. But Alta Motors, Harley-Davidson and Yamaha, among others, are aiming to change that with their battery-powered versions, The Wall Street Journal reports.

These electric motorcycles have fast acceleration and their engines purr like a jet. The pluses include less maintenance and less energy consumption on city driving. No transmission also means riders can forgo shifting gears while riding.

The top five electric bikes offer consumers a variety of options. Debuting four years ago, the Victory Empluse TT can hit a top speed of 100 mph and go 100 miles on a single charge. The Zero Motorcycles Zero SR feels more like a bicycle than a motorcycle due to its controls, and the small bike can go 161 city miles between charges.

The Alta Motors RedShift SM was designed with city riding in mind, with its four-hour charge from a regular outlet. But it only has a 50-mile range between charges. The Harley-Davidson LiveWire also has a 50-mile range, but the company said that would double before it’s officially launched in several years.