motorcycle knowledge vs ebikes

[avronb]

I have owned motorbikes /scooters since the 60s and have restored several bikes over the years,but when it comes to ebikes you guys can run circles around me when it comes to electronics and batteries,you are a credit to your hobby/means of transport.Several forum members have been very informative as to my novice questions and i thank you all.In years to come i wonder if there will be a classic e bike forum,and if so which bikes do think will make it ??

 

[RoadieRoger]

I have 3 Classics avron and an Ebike .A 1982 Suzuki X7 250cc Motorcycle , a 1982 Suzuki CS 50 Roadie Scooter which I have had since new and a 1979 German Folding bike .My E bike is a 2010 Batribike Folder . I look after my machines but age will defeat me now, as I am 73 next birthday . The machines will survive if looked after , but the Batteries won`t , mainly as there are so many different capacities , fittings and sizes .The only hope is if an Entrepreneur starts a business offering a reasonably priced reconditioning service , when they need replacing .

 

[indalo]

In years to come i wonder if there will be a classic e bike forum,and if so which bikes do think will make it ??

It may well happen.....one day! At the moment, however, the ebike scene is not dissimilar to the computer printer market where it's possible to buy a printer fully loaded with ink cartridges for next to nothing only to find that when you need a replacement cartridge, it'll cost you more than you'd pay for a new printer.

The cost of some replacement batteries for ebikes is more, in some cases considerably more, than the cost of a perfectly adequate ebike at the budget end of the market. For the time being, we enjoy great variety in the market but that may not always be the case.

So, I don't think we'll be reading "Classic Ebike" any time soon.

Indalo

 

[flecc]

In years to come i wonder if there will be a classic e bike forum,and if so which bikes do think will make it ??

There are already classics, the premier one being the Giant Lafree Lite that was on the market from 2001 to 2006 inclusive. An original Yamaha ebike like the PAS or XP26 is also a definite possibility

Other future classics will be the Curry Electrodrive motor, the BionX motor and the Heinzman brush motor.

The doughty heavy original Powabyke models based around their powerful brush motor and SLA batteries which have run since 1999 will probably have classic status also.

An outsider which might just make it is the British TGA Electrobike, in production with mods from the early 1980s to 2009.

 

[timidtom]

It may well happen.....one day! At the moment, however, the ebike scene is not dissimilar to the computer printer market where it's possible to buy a printer fully loaded with ink cartridges for next to nothing only to find that when you need a replacement cartridge, it'll cost you more than you'd pay for a new printer.

The cost of some replacement batteries for ebikes is more, in some cases considerably more, than the cost of a perfectly adequate ebike at the budget end of the market. For the time being, we enjoy great variety in the market but that may not always be the case.

So, I don't think we'll be reading "Classic Ebike" any time soon.

Indalo

I agree: the SLA Powabyke with a reasonably priced battery deserves to survive. The daft position of more upmarket ebikes which will only perform on idiosyncratic batteries makes their survival more unlikely. What would be the situation of the motor car if Fords only ran on Shell petrol, BMWs required only Esso, Skoda only Tesco & so on?
Tom

 

[johnc461165]

Guess I shall keep both my Powabikes then and store it with my 1966 MGB Roadster. I now need a three e-bike carrier for the MGB