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Getting tempted by Emotion bikes….


pindie
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As it says, I have a 2012 Beta Evo 300 atm. Only used occasionally. Love it when I do. 

Those that have gone petrol to electric, will you stay on electric or are you looking to go back to petrol?

The flexibility of epures and lack of noise is super appealing as it means I can triple my riding locations. 
Is electric the way to go🤷‍♂️

 

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I've been having similar thoughts, and intend to test ride latest model this month. I did get a ride on one a couple of years ago but nothing about it tempted me to change (from the point of view of competing in trials - not sure if this is your situation).

Relevant points for me are:

- They're improving significantly year by year. Buying one now could leave me with a bike seriously out-dated by new model in two or three years.

- Although it may cause less bother, riding it on private land without permission is just as illegal, with the same penalties, as a petrol bike. I accept this isn't important to some.

- Virtually nobody in my area, which is a trials riding hotspot with loads of experienced riders, has made the move. Why?

- Looking at the owners FB page, they're not entirely without their problems, and there is a reported tendency for the factory to be deaf to complaints or claims.

- They do get loads of good reviews.

 

 

Edited by cleanorbust
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3 hours ago, pindie said:

As it says, I have a 2012 Beta Evo 300 atm. Only used occasionally. Love it when I do. 

Those that have gone petrol to electric, will you stay on electric or are you looking to go back to petrol?

The flexibility of epures and lack of noise is super appealing as it means I can triple my riding locations. 
Is electric the way to go🤷‍♂️

 

I changed from an Evo 250 to an Epure Race and I love it. There is no way I would go back to petrol.

The Race version has the clutch, which I don't use. The flexibility right down to zero revs takes the place of clutch slipping, and I find it better. It also has the flywheel which I have left in the heaviest configuration. Perhaps I should experiment with taking off one or two discs one day.

Grip in slippery going was the only downside, but I think I've got that mastered now. If the back wheel spins, it's hard to get the grip back again. Instead a light, smooth application of throttle is the way to go, and let it plod along like a 4 stroke.

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13 hours ago, cleanorbust said:

I've been having similar thoughts, and intend to test ride latest model this month. I did get a ride on one a couple of years ago but nothing about it tempted me to change (from the point of view of competing in trials - not sure if this is your situation).

Relevant points for me are:

- Although it may cause less bother, riding it on private land without permission is just as illegal, with the same penalties, as a petrol bike. I accept this isn't important to some.

 

 

This is one that appeals to some and I can see why, the lack of noise makes them less noticeable and in general people also don't associate electric powered vehicles as "motor" vehicles so they are less alarmed when they see one ridden in areas not allowed, thus less likely to report them. However this will probably change over the years as electric vehicles become more popular, the "nuisance" association as per combustion powered vehicles will prevail also. Thus eventually people will frown on and/or report them. The only positive that might stick with the general public is the notion that electric vehicles are "friendlier" to the environment. 

On a side note,

I've ridden the very latest EM bike and its very good! However the cost of replacement batteries and the lack of regaining lost grip, puts me off purchasing one. You have to ride them similar to a four stroke to make them grip, which takes a little getting used to. I like the traditional clutch and feel of it and do like the addition of a idling sound when the throttle is shut off. Both make the experience more similar to a petrol bike, which helps an old fossil like me! I'm sure in the near future the younger generation will quickly adapt, and at some point frown upon petrol engine bikes!  

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19 hours ago, pindie said:

Those that have gone petrol to electric, will you stay on electric or are you looking to go back to petrol?

It does take more than a little acclimation time. To me, considerably more than when switching from 2-stroke to 4-stroke. It requires a deft throttle hand, for sure. I can't totally agree with the comment on difficulty regaining traction once the tire slips. Provided you don't have, or use, the tickover mode (counter-productive in my opinion), it is as simple at closing the throttle. Then SLOWLY reapply. The bike performs incredibly well when you learn to stay off the clutch and ride with throttle only. Totally eliminates a variable that can effect (jar) smooth traction management.

Bike maintenance, or lack thereof, is brilliant. As is the absence of kickstarting, waiting for engine warm-up, hot having a hot engine or exhaust, etc. Once you get beyond the missing petrol engine noise, the bike makes its own sounds. Things that you acclimate to and learn to hear instead. The whir of the clutch gears, tires on the dirt, chain, etc. No desire to return to petrol, whatsoever!

 

IMG_0897.jpg

Edited by dgshannon
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4 hours ago, dgshannon said:

It does take more than a little acclimation time. To me, considerably more than when switching from 2-stroke to 4-stroke. It requires a deft throttle hand, for sure. I can't totally agree with the comment on difficulty regaining traction once the tire slips. Provided you don't have, or use, the tickover mode (counter-productive in my opinion), it is as simple at closing the throttle. Then SLOWLY reapply. The bike performs incredibly well when you learn to stay off the clutch and ride with throttle only. Totally eliminates a variable that can effect (jar) smooth traction management.

Bike maintenance, or lack thereof, is brilliant. As is the absence of kickstarting, waiting for engine warm-up, hot having a hot engine or exhaust, etc. Once you get beyond the missing petrol engine noise, the bike makes its own sounds. Things that you acclimate to and learn to hear instead. The whir of the clutch gears, tires on the dirt, chain, etc. No desire to return to petrol, whatsoever!

 

IMG_0897.jpg

Thanks for this input. Other than launching the bike for big steps, I would have thought the clutch was superfluous as you can go right down to zero and pick away again smoothly on the throttle only. In effect, the bike is unstallable. Or am I underestimating the benefits of the clutch?

Edited by cleanorbust
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11 minutes ago, cleanorbust said:

Thanks for this input. Other than launching the bike for big steps, I would have thought the clutch was superfluous as you can go right down to zero and pick away again smoothly on the throttle only. In effect, the bike is unstallable. Or am I underestimating the benefits of the clutch?

Dis-engaging the wheel from the motor using the clutch, many assist in regaining traction ?

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3 hours ago, cleanorbust said:

Thanks for this input. Other than launching the bike for big steps, I would have thought the clutch was superfluous as you can go right down to zero and pick away again smoothly on the throttle only. In effect, the bike is unstallable. Or am I underestimating the benefits of the clutch?

No, I think you have it spot-on.

I think the clutch (to some degree) and the tickover are basically there to woo people over from petrol. Although I'm reluctant to tell EM how to do their job, I think that's a mistake. Electric is different, and in many ways better. Embrace the difference!

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Some good points raised. The grip aspect will only be down to technique. Probably something we will all master the more we ride electric, don’t forget motors make loads of torque just as they turn. Surely the clutch is there to help soften it a tad? I would do the odd competition, why not? It would be for my own fun a lot of the time though but I’ve a lot of riding venue choices so am lucky there. The quiet bit helps loads as even my own garden is a venue. 
 

The public perception of electric bikes is very different. They are quiet. They don’t make people come to see “who’s making all that noise”. Without that engine sound people are confused as to what it actually is. It won’t stay like this though. People will still moan about somebody enjoying themselves when they are not. 

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I have ridden an electric trials bike without a clutch and found that I really missed it.... It is fine to say just roll off the throttle but when you give it a bit too much throttle and are looping out, it is funny how much you miss that finger on the clutch :). I suppose you can adjust to anything over time (although it gets tougher as you get older) but for me a clutch would be mandatory to switch to electric. 

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I am definitely tempted once my current petrol bike needs upgrading. I echo the comments about them becoming outdated very quickly due to enhancing technology.

My main concern would be the weight. The Race model is quoted as 75kg, which seems heavy compared to 68kg for a 300 GasGas, or 66kg if you want to spend £10k on a Vertigo Titanium model. I'm guessing that is all batteries though?

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2 hours ago, ksv said:

I am definitely tempted once my current petrol bike needs upgrading. I echo the comments about them becoming outdated very quickly due to enhancing technology.

My main concern would be the weight. The Race model is quoted as 75kg, which seems heavy compared to 68kg for a 300 GasGas, or 66kg if you want to spend £10k on a Vertigo Titanium model. I'm guessing that is all batteries though?

Like any new technology, it moves fast at first but then slows down. The step from 2019 to 2020 was pretty big. I don't think the 2022 is such a big evolution over 2021.

The battery is heavy (10.5kg I think). However bear in mind that the EM weight is "ready to go". All the petrol bikes are quoted "dry" so you need to add in coolant, gearbox oil and petrol to get a true comparison.

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That puts the ready to ride weights pretty close I reckon. I also can’t see a few kg different making me any worse on one. It might help keep it closer to the floor 🤣.

I think I’ll get up to inch perfect and try one…..

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  • 1 month later...

Today I popped into Inch Perfect Trials as I was on my way past with work. I had a good look around the Epure bikes and they answered many questions. They let me take one (epure race) for a rip about. I was blown away with how good it was. It’s my next bike for sure. Amazing traction. Super stable. Strong feel to the build of the bike. Quality feeling kit. So nice just to zip about on. Scoots up banks, up over obstacles in a very fuss free way. It took a few minutes to adjust to it but I really liked it. 

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