2010 Brammo Enertia Review

[Jeff Cobb]

Originally Posted by Kenneth_Moore

Brammo's zero-emission bike is delivering on the promise of being a real motorcycle while offering a deep hue of environmentally-friendly greenness.

Jeff, I'm a proponent of electric motorcycles, and look forward to the day when they're available as a serious alternative to gas bike. But I have to wonder if you're a bit premature with catagorizing the Brammo as a "real motorcycle." I saw a Zero bike next to the Brammo in one of the photos, did you get to ride both? Frankly the Brammo looks a lot like the Zero, which, in my opinion after riding one, is more electric bicycle than electric motorcycle.

Comments notwithstanding, a great article, and thanks for keeping the E-Bike information flowing!

Hey Ken,

Sure thing. Wait till you see what I'm also working on ...

I think this Brammo is a "real" motorcycle. It feels solid like a midweight-to-lightweight bike, and I like riding it – except for the limited range. The Zero has wimpy brakes, and does show its evolutionary trail from downhill mountain bicycles more than the $2,000 cheaper (MSRP) Brammo.

I had both on loan last week, parked in my garage at one time, and will again soon. (Still have the Brammo.)

The Zero is faster, but the Brammo feels like something ready for the "next step," in battery technology, when ever that might be.

Look at the sizable alloy perimeter frame, and how burly the fork is. Its tall aspect ratio tires are pretty meaty, and roll like a "real" motorcycle's would. My '83 GS1100ED had tires something around this size, and now they come on this bike with less power than my GS had with two plug wires pulled.

[Kenneth_Moore]

Thanks Jeff.

If you have a chat with the Brammo people, ask them to consider setting up at the track (or Convention Center) at Bike Week and offer demo rides. If they want to reach potential customers, that's a great way to do it. Zero must have put 100's of people on their bikes last year.

[Jeff Cobb]

Originally Posted by Kenneth_Moore

Thanks Jeff.

If you have a chat with the Brammo people, ask them to consider setting up at the track (or Convention Center) at Bike Week and offer demo rides. If they want to reach potential customers, that's a great way to do it. Zero must have put 100's of people on their bikes last year.

I'm sure they've considered it. Not sure what they've done in total. I'll ask them their thoughts on the matter.

[Jeff Cobb]

Originally Posted by Kenneth_Moore

Thanks Jeff.

If you have a chat with the Brammo people, ask them to consider setting up at the track (or Convention Center) at Bike Week and offer demo rides. If they want to reach potential customers, that's a great way to do it. Zero must have put 100's of people on their bikes last year.

I have an answer for you Ken, from Brammo's Adrian Stewart --

Bike Week is something Brammo would be very interested in attending. And we will certainly be considering it for 2011. As a small company we can do just about anything but we can't do everything! We have concentrated on the West Coast this summer. Next year we will have Brammo dealers in Florida and up the Eastern Seaboard so there is a much greater chance that we will attend Bike Week 2011.



Thanks

Adrian

[seruzawa]

Originally Posted by Kenneth_Moore

You don't understand, Mr. Duke. Dr. Seruzawa is a leading physicist, engaged in battery theory and development at MIT. He knows everything there is to know about batteries, and if he says there will never be batteries that work in an electric bike, you can take that to the bank. Brammo, Zero, and the rest of them might just as well give up now.

Of course, Ken Moore and Kevin Duke know absolutely nothing about batteries but rely on the positions of the stars for their unerring predictions. Are you aware that huge amounts of money have been shoved into battery tech specifically for automotive applications for a couple of decades now? There are plenty of areas of technology that have had massive amounts of money spent on with virtually no result. Fetal stem cell research for example. At least when they spent a billion in WWII to build an atom bomb they had a good idea of what they were doing. It wasn't pie-in-the-sky as opposed to other things billions are spent on today.

So tell me the great breakthrough that's coming. Is it zinc-air batteries? Lithium? Is it chemical batteries at all? A hydrogen storage lattice? I'm waiting to tap your vast knowledge beyond, "Wah wah! I want it!".

Oh yeah, and the inherent problem with disposing of chemical batteries. What about that? I'm waiting for the inevitable demands that these batteries be banned because of environmental concerns. We know it's coming. Enviro-fascists are entirely predictable.

And they need to think of a different name than "Brammo". It's too much like "Whammo"... a producer of crappy toys.

No more time. I need to go stretch Galileo some more. Thinking that chemical batteries is a dead end is of course exactly the same as running the Inquisition.

[The_AirHawk]

Originally Posted by seruzawa

And they need to think of a different name than "Brammo". It's too much like "Whammo"... a producer of crappy toys.

Maybe it's Japanese for "Blammo" - maker of Loud Explosions........?

[jjn]

Well,Brammo is coming out with another motorcycle I just read about, the Empulse.It can do 100 mph and can be bought three different ways.Set up with a battery system good for 60 miles, 80 miles, or 100 miles.And though I think the Enertia actually looks good, this new bike looks like a Ducati Monster, which is s great looking bike in my opinion. The Enertia could easily handle my current commute which is a 15.5 mile round trip on a nice 40-50 mph back road. But I will be moving to the Big Island of Hawaii in a year or two where a 40 mile range will be pretty limiting.I can deal with a 50 mph speed, but range is a problem. The 60-100 mile range of the Empulse is stepping in the right direction. I think Brammo is doing a good job here, and I would love a test ride.

Jon ion Puyallup, Wa.

[DataDan]

seruzawa wrote:

And they need to think of a different name than "Brammo". It's too much like "Whammo"... a producer of crappy toys.

Bite your tongue. Wham-O gave us the Frisbee, the Hula Hoop, and other products that made America great [insert Star Spangled Banner link here].


Here's a question about the Brammo Enertia I haven't found an answer to in any test or even at the factory website: Is it freeway legal?

In California, a motorcycle must have an engine of at least 150cc to be legally ridden on the freeway. Other states have other laws, expressed either as displacement or power.

The laws obviously predate the age of electric motorcycles, but certain minimal capabilities are necessary. You can't have 45mph tiddlers clogging freeways where traffic typically moves at 70mph or higher.

Though the Brammo Enertia hasn't yet risen to the level of a menace, the potential exists. If discovered by the my-poop-don't-stink enviro-wackos who decide to carry out their mission to annihilate ManBearPig by riding anywhere and everywhere astride underpowered pseudo-cyles, mass carnage could ensue.

[Kevin_Duke]

Originally Posted by jjn

Well,Brammo is coming out with another motorcycle I just read about, the Empulse.It can do 100 mph and can be bought three different ways.Set up with a battery system good for 60 miles, 80 miles, or 100 miles.And though I think the Enertia actually looks good, this new bike looks like a Ducati Monster, which is s great looking bike in my opinion. The Enertia could easily handle my current commute which is a 15.5 mile round trip on a nice 40-50 mph back road. But I will be moving to the Big Island of Hawaii in a year or two where a 40 mile range will be pretty limiting.I can deal with a 50 mph speed, but range is a problem. The 60-100 mile range of the Empulse is stepping in the right direction. I think Brammo is doing a good job here, and I would love a test ride.

Jon ion Puyallup, Wa.

For those who haven't yet seen it, here's probably the best Empulse article out there: Sturgis Tales Feedback

(Farking stupid link title generator! Really, despite the name showing up here, it's an article on the Empulse.)

And great to hear from the brilliant DataDan!

[The_AirHawk]

Originally Posted by Kevin_Duke

For those who haven't yet seen it, here's probably the best Empulse article out there: 2011 Brammo Empulse Preview

(Farking stupid link title generator! Really, despite the name showing up here, it's an article on the Empulse.)

And great to hear from the brilliant DataDan!

Last edited by Kevin_Duke : Today at 08:08 PM. Reason: (Farking stupid link title generator! Really, despite the name showing up here, it's an article on the Empulse.)

What you should do is just use the header-tool to embed the link in your own titles, like this:

"For those who haven't yet seen it, here's probably the best Empulse article out there."

(the tool is the cute lil' "earth" icon with the bit of chain. just type it out, highlight, then click and paste your URL. and if you mess-up, just highlight and click the chain with the red "X" through it)