Issue #256 Electric Bikes: Changes Coming Fast
Written by John Molony   
Tuesday, 01 December 2009
The world is a changing place: this includes motorcycles, even if you do ride off-road which, until very recently, was often construed as a simple man’s pastime, even though it is also a highly competitive sport. Essential changes have been few and far between in the sector, and only with the recent advent of fuel injection have off-road bikes become particularly complex. It took hardcore riders many years to get used to liquid cooling or to accept the new-generation four-strokes.
What hasn’t changed though is that riders still expect a good balance of performance, style and reliability and will still ask one very basic question: How much usage per repair dollar?
So with the 2010 model year now at hand, riders are keeping an ever-more watchful eye on the looming realities of mass produced electric dirt bikes—particularly if KTM, as is expected, introduces a zero-emissions all-electric enduro for 2010. California’s Zero Motorcycles is at the very front of this movement and its latest offering, the Zero DS, is a full-on dualsport model with enough power to propel it to 90 kmh and with a claimed range of some 90 kilometres. These speed and distance figures are most certainly only a hint of what’s to come.
Also in the “hope-for/maybe not” box for the off-road segment is electronically dampened suspension, but somehow I can’t quite imagine how an electronics-infused and dependent bike will be restarted after a failed river crossing leaves it floating in the water—a scenario I have witnessed many times.
Yamaha’s new WR250R dualsport has a servo-actuated flapper valve in the airbox and exhaust, altering diameters depending on conditions. But what’s the effect on that system to being submerged in water? Will it prove reliable enough to get you back home? It seems not long ago that a simple sidestand kill switch was enough technology to cause grief when it failed on the trails. Are newer electronics going to operate more reliably? Dirt bike fuel tanks have been getting increasingly smaller over the past 10 years. The reason, we are told, is to improve ergonomics, making it easier for the rider to move around on the machine. Perhaps the real objective is to keep us closer to home in the event of a full system collapse.

RECENTLY A FEW FRIENDS WERE dualsport riding on Vancouver Island when they noticed an airplane apparently observing them. But to the astonishment of the licenced and insured dualsport pals, a helicopter suddenly landed nearby, dispatching uniformed guards sent to pay them a warning visit. Three men and countless community dollars were used by the Vancouver Island Capital Region District to inform a couple of recreational riders that the area they were riding was now closed to the public, pending an upcoming construction project that was still months from commencement. Would a public notice in the paper or even a mass advertising campaign not have accomplished more, with a better cost/results ratio? Was a helicopter really a good use of resources?
When a recreational rider decides to go into the forest, a pastime which is shared by many, he may find very little to enjoy in terms of multi-use opportunities. We dirt bike riders are not the only ones affected by land access closures. Ask any hunter or fisherman and you will hear the same. If you think riding areas are endless and land access is not a concern in Canada, think again. Across this country, trail systems are in jeopardy from all angles. Riding areas are on lock- down and unregistered trails will be off limits once all legislation concludes. Clubs and some organizations such as the British Columbia Off-Road Motorcycle Association, are doing their best, but no club can protect all areas.
And the unfortunate truth is this: if  trails are not used they will disappear.
Education is what we all need: about the danger of fires, about preservation and low impact travel, so that we can all show respect during our use of the back country. Perhaps a little unity is also in order. So, get involved, learn more, and get in the habit of defending our lifestyle.

HARLEY CANADA-SPONSORED DIRT track rider Don Taylor added another page to the Canadian Motorcycle Association record book by notching his sixth consecutive number one plate with a win in Leamington, Ontario in mid-August.
The Welland, Ontario native rebounded from a mediocre start that saw him in sixth place entering turn one, and quickly dispatched three riders on the exit of turn two on the first lap. At the start of lap two, he closely trailed race leader, the Harley XR 750-mounted Jon Cornwell, and second-place rider John Parker on his Rotax 600. But Taylor drove his own George Evans-tuned XR 750 hard on the back straight to take over the points beginning on lap three of the 15-lap national championship final. He added to his lead with every lap to enjoy a cushion of nearly seven seconds when the checkered flag flew.
“George set up the bike the same as it was last time [I was] here, and I was very comfortable on it,” said a smiling Taylor immediately after the race. “It was getting slippery out there and I was starting to get dust in my eyes, but once I got past Jon I knew they’d be really riding hard if they wanted to catch me. I caught up to lappers towards the end, but they got the blue flag and there were no issues.”

TEAM TOYOTA YAMAHA RED BULL Blackfoot Fox Racing celebrated a decade of domination as team rider Colton Facciotti captured the coveted King of Walton title enroute to his second consecutive MX-1 national championship at the Walton Trans-Can on Aug. 16. Facciotti’s victory gives the Blackfoot Racing organization a total of eight premier-class MX-1 Championships in 10 years for a total of 14, and further cements the team’s status as Canada’s elite motocross team.
Facciotti wasn’t alone on the podium as his teammate Dusty Klatt put in a strong ride at the final round by taking the first moto win over a hard charging Facciotti and finishing second overall on the day and in the series. Klatt’s runner-up ride marks the fifth time the team has taken the top two spots in the MX-1 championship chase this year.
A NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE American Motorcyclist Association in late August weighed in on a debate now raging throughout the US by condemning proposed changes to that country’s health care system.
Millions of on-highway and off-highway motorcyclists—as well as all-terrain vehicle riders —may be adversely impacted by the various heath care bills currently under consideration in Congress, said the AMA. The news release went on to cite a precedent for the Association’s concern. “In 1996, Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act that was intended to ensure non-discrimination in health coverage in the group market. However, when it came to implementing the law, the [current] Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a rule allowing insurers to deny health benefits for an otherwise covered injury that results from certain types of recreational activities, such as skiing, horseback riding, snowmobiling or motorcycling. Even though the AMA has fought this discriminatory rule with legislation, this indicates what could happen if a new health care bill is implemented by bureaucrats in Washington using biased data.”
Comments (0)add comment

Write comment
You must be logged in to a comment. Please register if you do not have an account yet.

busy
 
Next >
[ Back ]
Copyright Canadian Biker Magazine 2009 - Website Development Baratta Design
Google Analytics Alternative