Motoring Discussion > Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal)	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: R.P.	Replies: 33

New Mon 17 Jul 23 22:42   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - R.P.

Had a go on one yesterday. It's a full size bike (there a various styles) - supersmooth and quiet, handled like a proper bike and probably better than some bikes I've ridden, designed and assembled in California out of top quality bits. Rage is around 120 miles so a bit pointless for European touring (making the trek from here to Dover a lengthy prospect) For a hobby rider they are interesting, if rather pricy prospect.Performance is good, whizzed up to 75ish very easily. Possibly the future. Last edited by: R.P. on Mon 17 Jul 23 at 22:43 Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 17 Jul 23 22:50   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - smokie

"supersmooth and quiet, handled like a proper bike and probably better than some bikes I've ridden,....Performance is good, whizzed up to 75ish very easily." Bit like electric cars then!! :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 18 Jul 23 09:10   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - Bobby

How is the noise element in relation to other vehicles/ pedestrians? Motorbikes are vulnerable enough when they are so noisy, not sure a silent electric bike on windey twisty roads would be good for being spotted by other vehicles? Or even just in urban areas as well. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 18 Jul 23 09:49   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - bathtub tom

The IOM zero class was abandoned because there was so little interest. I suspect it'll a good few years before the motorcycling public sit up and take notice. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 18 Jul 23 11:29   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - CGNorwich

"How is the noise element in relation to other vehicles/ pedestrians? " Yes noise is a major issue with some motor cyclists. Their main aim in life is to to make as much of it as possible especially in urban environmnents Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 18 Jul 23 12:04   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - Zero

You really are settling into this Victor Meldrew role rather well in your old age.. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 18 Jul 23 13:02   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - CGNorwich

Absolutely. Can’t really disagree with most of his views. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 18 Jul 23 12:09   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - Bromptonaut

We have a couple of neighbours who've got into, or I assume back into, biking as their kids grow up. Both go out on Sundays, holidays etc and leave the bike idling for a bit before setting off. Is this something bike engines need? Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 18 Jul 23 13:06   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - CGNorwich

>> We have a couple of neighbours who've got into, or I assume back into, biking >> as their kids grow up. Both go out on Sundays, holidays etc and leave the >> bike idling for a bit before setting off. >> >> Is this something bike engines need? >> I’ve often wondered that as have a guy over the road who does the same thing. Do they need warming up or something. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 18 Jul 23 13:27   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - Zero

If it's a high revving two stroke, yeah you need to warm it up at idle. You first shake the tank to mix the oil/fuel in the tank, kick it over over with a closed throttle so it doesn't rev when it starts, and leave it ticking over till its really warm. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 18 Jul 23 13:32   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - Bromptonaut

>> If it's a high revving two stroke, yeah you need to warm it up at >> idle. You first shake the tank to mix the oil/fuel in the tank, kick it >> over over with a closed throttle so it doesn't rev when it starts, and leave >> it ticking over till its really warm. Are they mostly 2 strokes these days? Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 18 Jul 23 13:40   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - Zero

No mix of 2 strokes and 4 strokes. Lightweight dirt and trail bikes up to about 250cc, from the likes of KTM, Husqvarna, Yamaha, GasGas, are two strokes. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 18 Jul 23 13:56   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - Bromptonaut

Ahh, right. What about sporty(ish) road bikes which are what folks round have. IIRC when I was a young 'un Yamaha were mostly two strokes and Kwakkers four. Is it still a maker by maker thing? Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 18 Jul 23 14:00   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - sooty123

I think quite alot of owners like to listen to the noise of them, nothing more than that. That they're loud is no doubt half the attraction. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 18 Jul 23 14:07   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - CGNorwich

That’s basically what I said.i Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 18 Jul 23 13:59   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - Rudedog

I was at Goodwood on Friday and happened to be in the garage when they started the Honda RC174 - I was stood no more than 2 feet away when it screamed into life! The Honda official politely refused a pair of ear defenders offered to him by the mechanic - very brave... this 300cc revs to 17,000 rpm.... Wow, I'm a fan of the pre-war Mercs and Auto-unions and they are loud but this was on another level. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 18 Jul 23 14:16   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - Fullchat

I like a good exhaust sound but this fashion of quickshift and exhaust banging is not my cup of tea. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 18 Jul 23 15:04   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - Robin O'Reliant

>> You first shake the tank to mix the oil/fuel in the tank, >> The last bike I rode where you had to mix the fuel was a '63 Bantam. They've all had separate oil resevoirs for at least 50 years now. Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Tue 18 Jul 23 17:38   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - bathtub tom

>> You first shake the tank to mix the oil/fuel in the tank, The last 'bike I bought was an old CZ (it was something I thought I'd like to have a play with), even that had oil metering. I assume it was an emissions matter. I used to run my old 2Ts on 50:1 or even less oil. I discovered they only needed so much oil for when running downhill with the throttle closed. There was a minimum amount of oil required to prevent them from seizing and that was supplied at tickover throttle openings. I'd pull in the clutch downhill. I suppose it was why 2T Saabs had freewheel hubs. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 18 Jul 23 18:36   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - R.P.

Never felt the need to leave a bike on idle for a long time, some people do for an odd reason, it's not as if modern bikes need to come off their chokes or anything. Usually I start up after mounting the bike. The Guzzi has its own distinctive beat which will alert other road users (mainly pedestrians) of its presence. I had to ride the Zero into the car-park at a popular bike cafe...pedestrians seemed to be totally unaware of my progress - something needs to be done about that. I have a sophisticated helmet (Shoei GT Air 2 for those who know) the wind noise was quite loud (no screen) on the particular model. Lots of noise issues to consider. UK is producing a luxury two stroke - it sounds and looks impressive, again not my cup of tea at all. More here: www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-reviews/langen/two-stroke/2022/ Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 18 Jul 23 21:32   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - Robin O'Reliant

>> >> >> UK is producing a luxury two stroke - it sounds and looks impressive, again not >> my cup of tea at all. >> >> More here: >> >> www.motorcyclenews.com/bike-reviews/langen/two-stroke/2022/ >> You may have seen The Motorbike Show on ITV4 where Henry Cole test rode one. As polite as he was trying to be he seemed seriously less than impressed at a bike that had no more performance than a similar bike from the seventies and cost a whopping thirty five grand. It looks nice, but it's in the Harley Davidson camp as just being a boutique show pony. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 18 Jul 23 22:30   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - bathtub tom

>> leave the bike idling for a bit before setting off. I've noticed bikers do this with modern bikes, but not with the old classics. I would've thought there's no more need any more than with modern cars. I'll admit I used to let my Vitesse idle a bit before setting off sometimes, but that was because the girlfriend lived about a hundred yards from the M1 and I didn't like to push it too much before the oil had reached temperature and pressure and I didn't like to join the motorway at too low a speed. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 19 Jul 23 09:01   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - HughA

My neighbour has 3 classic bikes (Harley, Laverda and Moto Guzzi) and a modern BMW for everyday use. He always lets the classics tick over for at least 5-10 minutes before riding away, much to the annoyance of my wife as they are rather loud. With the BMW its pretty much start up and ride away. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 19 Jul 23 13:41   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - CGNorwich

It is of course an offence to leave your engine idling unnecessarily. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 19 Jul 23 14:23   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - Bobby

Used to have a neighbour with an Impreza Turbo something or other with very very loud exhausts. He used to start his car in his driveway at 6.30am and let it idle for 10 mins until the whole street was wakened and then he took off. And on return it would sit there idling for 10-15 mins to let the Turbo cool down before switching off. He was a complete and utter shortened Richard. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 19 Jul 23 16:10   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - Duncan

A potato inserted in the exhaust pipe would make it a lot quieter. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 19 Jul 23 16:59   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - Zero

Have you seen the price of spuds! Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 19 Jul 23 20:20   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - Kevin

Some engines need to be warmed up a bit before you can give them too many revs. It allows the pistons and rings to fully expand into the cylinder bore. The V8 in my Chevy makes a light rumble on cold startup that goes away after about 1min as she gets warm. Something to do with the length of the piston skirts and the offset of little end to piston centre apparently. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 19 Jul 23 20:22   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - Bobby

In the past I have seen engine specialists saying not to let the car sit idle whilst it’s heating up as this can focus the heat in one area? But instead you drive straight away but not to use high revs etc until the engine has heated. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 19 Jul 23 20:29   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - Bromptonaut

>> In the past I have seen engine specialists saying not to let the car sit >> idle whilst it’s heating up as this can focus the heat in one area? But >> instead you drive straight away but not to use high revs etc until the engine >> has heated. That's pretty much my thing. Start the engine then fasten seat belt, sort heating/aircon and radio then away, enough for oil to circulate and, in BX etc days for the ride height to sort out. Not too much accelerator until it's had a bit to warm up. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 19 Jul 23 21:34   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - Lygonos

I think the reason for not idling is it takes a lot longer to bring the car up to operating temperature than just driving away. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 20 Jul 23 15:29   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - Manatee

With cars, I listen for the top end to stop rattling which is literally a couple of seconds, then go. I don't touch the accelerator anyway until I set off from the gateway. No need to leave it idling except when freezing and I'm scraping the windows. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 20 Jul 23 17:01   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - CGNorwich

With and EV you can save that couple of seconds and step into a pre warmed car with no ice on the windows. :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 19 Jul 23 11:01   Zero electric motorbikes (totally legal) - VxFan

>> Rage is around 120 miles Is this when you start to argue with other road users? Reply to this message | Report message