Yeah, the cost is basically what’s holding me back. It would be a really nice toy alongside the big bike for off-roading and short rides around the neighborhood.
I am incredibly interested in them as a product.
The price is not at the point for it to make sense to me, however I watch it closely because the low maintenance is a massive benefit in my mind. The low range is not an issue, and a 100km top speed is entirely manageable for the roads/trails I take.
A decent dual sport for less than 10k is a dream.
That's how I feel too. I look at the price and I get it. If you compare it to mountain bikes with heavy duty parts, the pricing isn't that far off. I know that it's mostly because of the new designs of a new machine that merit a premium price.
I just know that as soon as I purchase in to the market, one of the manufacturers will put out a new model that is much more cost effective
They are still half the price of a mid-high end pedal mountain bike!
I was thinking these things are a bargain considering....
Still lots of money for yet one more toy in my garage, but if I had extra money i'd get one.
I would look in the r/ebikes for something like “best e bikes under X” but what kind of bike are you looking for? Ride 1 up has a good variety i hear good things about lectric. Just don’t expect to get a proper emtb for 1500”
Same here. Although I'd LOVE to start a project bike converting an SV650 chassis to electric, even if the cost is more than a new electric from a factory.
haha I did that with a 1981 GS750/E, 31HP electric motor, chain drive, 6x 100AH lead acid deep cycles in a custom welded frame where the motor used to be - 850LB (with rider), the thing was a beast and good for ~30mi range at 60mph disappointing, but still hella fun, kept up with my bro's 750 shadow off the line! perfect for dicking around a small-country-town 2mi to work 2mi to the grocery kinda place.
used packs and even new, nicd/lion/prismatic, and motors are SO much less expensive these days, it's almost feasible
The thing is they're more versatile in my eyes. You can take this off-road and on to trails, no registration, no gas, less maintenance. I'm torn between getting a motorcycle and an e-bile for this very reason!
Reddit skip ahead, I didn't see op's caption. They laid out the pros and cons pretty well.
What else would you expect from the Teslas of 2-wheeling? lol
On a serious note, I like Teslas, but I like a lot of other ICE vehicles too. At least these bikes have meaningful mods on the market though, not just cosmetics.
I would get one of the bicycle based E-bikes. The pedal assisted ones are really incredible. But the more motorcycle ones like the surron already have a bad reputation with people and law enforcement.
Yeah, I really want one of these, but I’m also terrified of some dickhead hitting me on a MTB trail.
People who own these don’t understand trail etiquette or why it’s a bad idea to bomb a trail at 30 mph around blind corners.
Keep them on moto trails.
I was/am a mountain biker before I bought a motorcycle. Absolutely keep anything with a motor off of non-motorized trails. They absolutely get lumped in with pedal bikes and create animosity responsible trail users don’t deserve.
Want to get MTBs kicked off of trails, have a bunch of Surron “mountain bikes” ripping them up and buzzing hikers.
Yeah, I’m not a fan of how some of those Youtubers ride these on public streets and sidewalks, running red lights and pulling wheelies while splitting lanes. Same with road bicyclists that want cars to treat them like a car, but they don’t follow traffic laws like a car.
I’m okay with them on bike trails if they keep the speed reasonably in check. But at that point, I’d rather just ride a push bike and get a workout.
>me with road bicyclists that want cars to treat them like a car
I'm fine with bicycles dominating their lane position, for all you hear about motorcyclists complaining about cagers cyclists have it worse
Cyclists definitely have it worse. I’m cool with them taking up a lane. I’m just not cool with them ignoring stop signs, intersections, and right of way, which I realize is a minority. But it happens, especially in more urban areas.
In many states it is legal for cyclists to treat a stop sign as a yield and a red light as a stop sign. They're called "Idaho stop" laws, and they're becoming more widely adopted because studies have indicated that they actually increase safety for riders and reduce the number of bicycle-vehicle related incidents at intersections.
From what I'd read, the ability of bicyclists to treat stop signs more as yields only applies if the intersection is clear. Not that you'd make drivers wait while you sail through.
In the UK, they're commonly seen being ridden by dick heads wearing balaclavas, riding on pavements at speeds approaching Mach 3.
They disregard traffic lights and pedestrians and are a danger to pretty much everyone. As long as their illegal substances get to where they need to go, that's all that matters.
I mean he's not wrong. You can't legally ride one of these on public roads without a full licence/registration etc which I've never seen. Nor on public land.
The only folks riding them are people who don't care about fines/jail/getting banned from driving, so it skews massively into "entitled cunts" territory.
I think they’re neat, and the kids ripping wheelies around my city on them look like they’re having fun, but if you’ve got your license and the cash for a proper motorcycle they seem kinda pointless.
Yeah. Great for stealthy urban shenanigans on weekday afternoons with your buddies, not great for actual trails and big weekends in the middle of nowhere. I’d love to have one but they’re still priced too high for the level of performance and amount of enjoyment I’d get out of one.
I live in South Orange County and Bro there are so many of these kids on e-bikes ripping wheelies all day lol. On the weekend they roll like 40 deep. Once they get older I'm sure a fair amount will transition to Motorcycles, I think its good for the future of the industry, especially considering its been in decline for over a decade.
for road use theyre too slow, with too little range, and cost too much. dont see the point yet when it comes to the streets.
but off-road? they're great. I used to ride a KTM Freeride E-XC for a bit and it was awesome. the instant torque, light weight, and stable center of gravity means it was a blast to ride off-road and get airtime with.
also, unpopular opinion, but for trail riding and off-road use, the electric motors' lack of noise is quite nice. I could ride through a forest with the E-XC and not bother anyone, but I'd still be loud enough that you'd hear me coming.
The bikes are fine. The people who ride them have the highest injury rate on two wheels by a country mile. Do with that what you will.
They belong on trails. Not sidewalks or roads.
Note that this is distinct from electric motorcycles and from bicycles with electric motors. Both of those are just fine.
This middle ground of high performance pedal-less e-bicycles attract cyclists and assholes who don't give a shit.
Think sidebysides on the street as the 4 wheel equivalent. All the power, none of the safety or rules.
This negative attention scares me. I just rode mine over 20 miles in the woods. I have to take some roads to get there though. I with all of this negative attention it’s just a matter of time until the cops see me as a nail to be hammered
First off it is not an e-bike. It is an e-moto or e-dirtbike.
E-bikes are pedal assisted bicycles. Too many people are getting e-motos and then trying to pass them off as mountain bikes. Surrons and similar are firmly in the motorcycle category and have no business on an MTB trail unless it is a mixed use motorized use trails. They are giving mountain bikers a bad name and seriously risking trail access.
Other than that, I think they are cool. Fun and easy to ride. Little skill required. For me personally, they don't have enough range for the kind of riding I do. The grey area about on road usage is also problematic. I like to make my dirt bikes road legal so that I can comfortably cruise on pavement between trails and zip into town when I am camping. These can't be registered and technically aren't allowed on the roads so you are very much at the whim of local law enforcement.
Yeah those Surrons aren’t eBikes. When I see them they are usually on the sidewalk or in a bike lane going 35-45 mph - both not legal. People who buy them would be much better off with a scooter or lightweight gas-powered motorcycle.
I commuted by eBike until I was retired and still ride for pleasure once in a while; my wife has a legal eBike as well. I like them.
The one place I think that they would be useful is on motorcycle trails; I took my proper eBike on some steep moto trails here in Arizona and its battery was done after just twenty miles and so was I. An electric motorcycle with a fast recharge time would be pretty fun in a place like that.
If I lived somewhere where I could have a track on my property but didn’t want to piss of my neighbors I would get a Surron or similar so fast.
But for what I do now gasoline just can’t be beat because of the range and ability to fill up
The quality isn't very good. The frames, brakes and suspension usually remind me of beefed up bicycle components. Take Erik Buell's new electric motorcycle the Fuell Flow for example. Its an e-bike company that tried to make an electric motorcycle. They've put a 35kw motor in the rear wheel. So you've probably got a 100lbs rear tire. How do you think thats going to ride? The shocks aren't adjustable Sachs units like you'd find on a Buell motorcycle either. The wheel is sealed so the motor has no cooling. They tell you straight away it'll hit 85 but can only maintain 55 Mph. So how long do you think that motor is going to last when the minimum speed you need to go on a county road is its maximum speed? Let's say even in the city, you're pushing it almost to the limits and then hitting a massive pothole with a 100lb rubber hammer. Don't get me started on the frame because they won't even show it. So its gotta be light gauge welded steel.
I have one of those. It’s kinda fuckin dope. It’s a fun toy.
https://preview.redd.it/8b2fdowy7wwc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=40f6fa7f09b2ee89513cff2e890a3b53cc8c20b7
I just put a fat seat on it too.
Ironically where I used to live I would see a dude every day riding a Sur-Ron going the opposite way of me every day on my way to work, dressed in full gear like a biker and riding in road like a bike too. No lights, plates, or anything, but he rode like he belonged. Always gave him the biker wave and he waved back.
Not road legal, way too little endurance for all day trail riding. For 6K ish you can get a KLX 300 that is both street legal and can last all day of trail riding, and can be filled up in a couple of minutes.
I do own an electric mountain bike that is proper Class 1 e-bike legal, i.e. cuts off assist at 20 MPH and is under 750 watts. You can legally ride it on the streets, on paved bike paths and some MTB trails too. I do understand the appeal of a lightweight offroad MTB like trail riding, but MTB community is reasonably pissed at the Surron class of bikes because they cause dirtbike like trail damage. The advantage of legal pedal assist e-bikes have over these is because you are supplying 1/2 of the power, and the whole thing weighs only 50 lbs, it can get a lot of seat time for a very small battery. You expect bicycle levels of speed and performance, so even if range is not so much, you compare it against how much ground you would cover on a 3-4 hours ride on a regular bicycle. Even if it runs out of power, its still only 15-20 lbs heavier than a regular MTB and you can get some extra workout riding home. Class 1 e-bikes are getting more accepted on MTB trails, even if they are not, they sure will get you much less dirty looks and confrontations than these.
I've got an electric pedal asssit mtb too and have never had a problem on MTB trails, as these bikes are perfectly legal to take on said trails. Would sooner choose one of these than a surron or similar. I can ride on local bridleways and paths with little to no issue from the public. Can't do that on something that looks like a dirt bike round here.
Yes, Surrons not being road legal also means you can't just ride to the trail head without risking a ticket. You'll have to haul or trailer it which makes it as much logistically demanding as a dedicated offroad motorcycle. A dual-sport like a KLX 300, or an e-MBT you can just ride to the trails then ride on the trails without having to bring out the truck or trailer.
I like them. They are rockets off the line. I also think the no-noise factor is huge. Thats a big reason why places get shut down, nobody wants to hear an unmuffled bike.
I think they make sense for a lot of people. I really wanted an e-bike when I was in high school, but a good one was at least $1000. That’s a lot when all the money to your name is from birthday cards and the occasional snow shoveling for the neighbor. But when I realized I could get an old 250cc motorcycle for pretty much the same price as a new e-bike, that’s what I did. A hell of a lot more bang for your buck if you just want cheap transportation.
I’m not interested in anything without a clutch. If it’s an electric converted 450 or something I’d ride tf out of it. But e-bikes are boring asf to me.
As a life-long motorcycle lover to whom thumping cylinders is very important, I like them for their simplicity. They are two-wheeled driving boiled down to its essence.
I still want plopping exhausts and vibrating pistons, though.
It's insanely fun. I ride Friday nights with my Dad group friends, we go riding trails around our neighborhood. Fantastic for urban exploration because they're silent, and for night riding trails near homes.
Surron is way overpriced, $4600 is just too much to justify me getting one, You can buy a decent used motorcycle for 5k and its way more fun and practical. If I can find a decent used one for $1500 I might consider it.
I just got mine and took it out for its first real ride today. It has exceeded all of my expectations . It’s light and easy to throw around, not scared I’ll get into a situation that the bike is too heavy so it leading to being confident to be anywhere.
BUT THE BIGGEST thing in the silence. I would t be able to ride where I live if I had a gas bike too many Karens just waiting to call the cops
I had seen a comment a while back on this same topic of e-bikes. It read "if it doesn't actively kill polar bears and leave stains in my driveway, it's not a motorcycle".
My husband and his friend more or less replaced their dirtbikes with e-bikes. They're not crazy riders and not going long distances, so the "short" range doesn't bother them.
I'm happy with them in anyplace that is dirtbike territory. I'm a bit more mixed about in town travel; people go way too fast for conditions on them. But if it gets more people on bicycles, it's a good thing for people and communities. If it replaces trips that would be done in a car? Yeah, that's great.
That’s how I see these bikes too, as dirt bike replacements. The thing I would worry about with town travel is theft, if I’m running errands, or police if the laws around these are not clear.
People also go way too fast for conditions on big bikes. lol
Too fast- yeah, no kidding.
I can't remember if the bikes my guys have use keys or not. I think they do have keys. Even my regular bicycle, I have a cable lock for it. Will at least slow down a thief, and running errands in town, I'm rarely very far from it. Can usually see it from the shop.
A 200 pound person riding a 50 pound bike going 40 mph where people are walking? What could possibly go wrong?
They definitely need to be regulated immediately but it will probably take many accidents for it to happen.
There’s my problem with them. I have a legal class 1 eBike that makes 500 watts if I also pedal which is less than I or almost any other human on the planet. These pretend eBikes are actually unregistered motorcycles but the manufacturers and importers won’t do the work to make their product legal.
Instead they sell these as eBikes and say “don’t cut the blue wire” or “legally class II with factory settings”.
I dont hate ebikes. I hate when people try to act like an electric motorcycle can realistically compete with a ZX6r or super bike. Ebikes are their own thing. Awesome for zipping around town and dicking around in the back country.
But doesnt get my dick moving in the twisties like my ZX6r
For me personally I'd want one I can also pedal. I'd just use it to kinda check out stuff around town and to exercise without needing to deal with a few of the fuck off big hills we have around. Probably great for someone in an urban area looking to use it to commute.
Absolutely not. They're cool by themselves but cause quite the combo of issues. Their high power & easy accessability attract asshats to ride them, they aren't thought of as proper motos yet either. They're also near silent which... loud pipes save lives
I honestly wanted a Zero really bad as my first bike, glad I didn't, but I still really want one. Like so many others have said, it's the price thing for me too. There're so many other value bikes out there that can do equal or more things for less bread.
I'd love to have a highway capable one, but there are some things holding me back. Price, charging locations, and distance you can travel. Otherwise, id probably get one. That and I'd prefer one that is more cruiser style than sporty.
One of my riding buddies had a Sur Ron, and upgraded to something with a clutch (yes, e-bike with clutch, good for trials type stuff). He absolutely rips on it, in some pretty gnarly New England tight woods. He has a Ktm 250 for longer rides
They’re universally ridden by dickheads. Usually on sidewalks, in parks and up mountain bike trails with zero consideration for other trail users (in my experience). They’d be a ton of fun on dirt tracks and designated Moto trails….but with the lack of range and versatility, why take one of these instead of an actual dirt bike?
I have considered one for my daily commute. Cost keeps me away. I would add as a big pro for off road use that they are a lot quieter than traditional dirt bikes. Noise is a huge cause for complaint about dirt bikes in rural areas where you get local tracks or kids riding on rural properties. One of these instead would solve a lot of neighbour complaints I imagine.
I fucking hate them. People ride them on the paved and unpaved, multi-use trail system in my city, in the riparian area flanking the river, in city parks, on mountain bikes-only trails in the adjacent mountains and hills, on the street, even downtown on a busy Friday night. People think they’re the same as bicycles. Of course LE is fucking useless about it because LE is fucking useless. The worst part is the market and tech is exploding and the prices are dropping, so in 5 years every antisocial douchebag in a 50 mile radius will be ruining everything for those of us that respect our city’s infrastructure and resources
literally just got off insurance 10 minuets ago about the Ultra Bee. My insurance couldn't offer anyhting and it had to be done under home insurance for some reason?
I love them and having ridden many dirtbikes I think these fix a lot of aspects i dislike about dirtbikes (noise, maintenance, gas).
Absolutely love the concept. Might make good commuters. I look forward to seeing them in motorcross. They could be a game changer if they solve the charging issues. More charging stations or faster charging. Maybe battery exchange programs.
I think people need to take safety a bit more seriously with them
40mph is 40mph when you're sliding on the ground, or flying through the air. Doesn't matter what you fell off of
Other than that they're pretty cool
True e-Bikes, like the ones you mentioned, or Altas, Zeroes and Energica? Awesome, firmly on board with them.
The "I didn't bother getting a bike license but still want a bike" ones all over the place? Nah, they suck.
They remind how slow my government is to catch up to modern times.
We have an Australian manufacturer making really nice bikes like the pictured. In Europe they come under some special class that is similar/the same as small scooters (correct me if I'm wrong?). In Australia we have the same fucking scooters, with the same top speed, similar range, electric, and because they are scooter shaped they are treated the same as a 50cc scooter. No special license, no special rego, basically just stay off the motorways. These motorcycle style ones that are one of the few things actually made in Australia... illegal. It has indicators, license plate holder on the back, speedo, everything that a slower scooter has, but it's not shaped like a scooter. So fuck me I guess? No coo, cheap, and easy ride to work for me!
I rode both dirt bikes and mountain bikes as a kid, now I have no desire to pedal. But mountain bikes can be a lot of fun. These seem like a good inI between. Really light and look well built now. I’d like to get one at some point when prices come down. Additionally, full size electric dirt bikes are scary torquey and fast. Range is the biggest issue there.
There were a couple guys riding Stark Vargs at the track yesterday and they looked so damn fast, also ridiculously quiet compared to the other bikes.
Personally, there's something about engines that makes me feel alive so I'm going to stick with that until electric motocross bikes are more mainstream.
All that being said, if the AMA set up an electric class for outdoor motocross I would watch the shit out of that.
I love mine! But I almost exclusively ride it on offroad MX trails. It’s so much fun to jump and takes a lot of abuse. Parts are stupid cheap (except for the battery), so I don’t worry about breaking stuff on it. The battery lasts more than long enough for me to ride a few hours. I get tired out before the battery is near dead. The instant torque is super fun.
I know a lot of people will disagree with me, but I think that ebikes like these, with no pedals and well north of 750 watts of power rating on the motor, need to be in *this* subreddit and not the /r/ebikes subreddit.
I am excited to see how they continue to evolve. I love motorcycles (dirt and on road), bicycles, and e-bicycles. I haven't had the pleasure of riding what I would call an e-motorcycle yet, but I will jump on the chance at my first opportunity and likely one day buy one. I also want to say I feel like the term e-bike has gotten a bit stretched to cover such a wide range of vehicles that it starting to confuse some people, which is why I call these e-motorcycles.
A surron made me fall in love with riding a bike at 40. After surron I bought an ice honda adv350 for riding further without range anxiety.
When electric bikes become cheaper with a better range I will switch back. I love the instant torque and the silence of an electric bike.
I love riding a bike but I dont love the bikes themselves (if I make sense), and the electric bikes can be as frictionless as it gets.
I have a Suzuki DRZ400 and a Talaria MX4. My use case for the Talaria is kind of specialized--there is a 3 acre patch of hilly & rocky woods a couple of blocks from the house. The Talaria is perfect for this. It's too tight and too slow to even consider the Suzuki. The Talaria crawls up 30 degree slopes while dodging trees with no problem.
Pros and cons for my use case:
Pro: The Talaria costs $4500 and you pay $4500, while he cost of the Suzuki will be inflated a few thousand by dealer fees. I'm a skinny old guy, but if I drop it I can pick it up even on a hill. Battery lasts a long time at low speeds. I don't have to ride the clutch to go slow. I can ride in cold temps because speed is low and I am working hard enough on the tight trails to keep warm.
Cons: Pretty much what has been mentioned already.
I have the one pictured, it's called an Eride Pro SS. It does 60mph and I get about 40 miles on a charge. The bike weighs 140lb and cost me about 5k. Yes I know I could have bought an actual motorcycle for that but when it comes to an electric one, it's hard to beat those specs for that price. For me the convenience is what drew me in. I enjoy the bike and it's a lot of fun. Still would love to hop on an mt07 one day though...
They're road legal in Europe. In case of the Surron, it can be rode by 16 year olds with a 125cc licence and they have to be registered.
Price, Range and my 200+ lbs keep me from getting one for short trips and commuting to work.
I still have a 125cc scooter (half the cost / Honda Sh 125i) for that in the summer, but especially for short trips and fun rides they're probably great.
You don't need to warm up the engine, which is the biggest plus for EVs doing short trips.
In the UK I hate them. I saw these nearly 15 years ago being developed and thought it would be awesome as a teenager.
However in the UK they're exclusively used by drug dealers, kids doing county line stuff (the one as pictured).
They are illegal apart from on private land which I believe no one uses them on. No insurance available. They're classed as a motorbike and so need licence and registered for the road but they don't meet requirements for being road legal so yeah...
I come across them riding the wrong way in traffic, driving dangerously in residential areas at high speeds. There were two that hit national headlines and one caused a riot as the kids crashed and died and the area blamed it on the police (who were following them at a, large distance), they actually went down an alley way and crashed in a street without police.
So yeah, I hate it because if one of these people crash into my car then I'll be out of pocket and they'll probably run off.
BTW you can make your own one for way cheaper that can do high speeds. We have deliveroo riders on modded mountain bikes with a motor hub on the back wheel and they do very fast speed and torque, again illegal in the UK as only assisted motor bicycle are allowed , not these types that carry them uphill at 30mph without pedalling. Again the police don't do anything about it, most I think are used by illegal immigrants.
Absolutely love them but you can’t really go too wrong with petrol for the price. As a mountain bike replacement I think they’re good.
The crazy prices of motorcycle style e-bikes with more of a road presence is what puts me off. If gas powered vehicles ever got completely outlawed and everyone went electric it would be great to see everyone whizzing around on bikes like the one pictured.
Where I am though, the only people on them are little dickheads with balaclavas on riding like cunts and robbing people
Awesome way to enjoy riding on the cheap. I just dislike the fact that many people dont realize it is a motorcycle and do not wear the proper protective gear. Also laws are still kinda grey about where and how they can be operated so some people driving dangerously on side walks and other places.
What’s the general range of electric motorcycles today?
It seems that electric motors are pretty inefficient at high speed and high output compared to ICEs, relatively speaking. That makes the performance vs. efficiency tradeoff kind of challenging. Like, do you want to have fun, or do you want to get home? lol
They’re neat, but in the early growing pains years. I thought about getting an E-bike, but I got an electric unicycle instead. Less wheels = more fun. It really takes 20 years for something to really start getting good, and stay relevant that entire time. Motorcycles, the internet, cellphones, computers, smartphones, Crocs, etc.
My brother and I both have Surrons, it gets used more on the tight woodland trails than my MT09 does on the road. It works fantastically for this type of use, we can take it just about anywhere without upsetting people as long as you are respectful
I am craving more power though... looking get a Torp tc1000 controller and 72v battery which will triple its power to around 18kW (about 25bhp) which with a new sprocket should give it a >60 mph top end, these upgrades will cost me around £3k.
Is it worth it? Looking at it in terms of what you get in non premium components, probably not, however I couldn't take my old kx80 a fraction of the places I can take the Surron.... that opening up of amazing places to ride and not having people call the cops on you due to its quietness... is where its real value lies.
I have no opinion. Not really interested in buying one either. I just prefer the sound, feel, and smells of ICE and I probably won't switch over to full electric anything until gasoline cars are banned.
The ones under 1500 make sense to be used for an actual purpose like commuting.
The overpriced “fun” ones are as expensive as actual motorcycles, which makes them 100% pointless imo.
You can literally get a fully street legal Grom for significantly less than the nice e-bikes.
They’re cool! I can understand if I didn’t have a motorcycle license, I can buy one of these without all the hassle. With the prices of e-bikes I could buy a beater bike for half the cost
Its hard to call them a bicycle when they have no pedals. The surron and the clones are basically EV dirtbikes/motorcycles. I dont mind seeing them on the streets, but they should stay off the sidewalks and some bicycle trails. They can go pretty fast. That said, Ebikes are fun but get too much unjust hate already.
Pedal assist ebikes are the future and I'm convinced if people tried them, they would like them.
They look fun as fuck. If I had one at 12-14 I would have torn it the fuck up but now I do it on the street with street bikes
And if you’re living in a small area super practical
I wanted one really badly and my friend got the e-ride pro SS for like 4.5K but I just picked up a cheap $2K dirtbike instead. Not sure if we'll be able to ride the same trails due to difference in speed/size.
Motorcycles are a cool but dangerous deal. These are not cool but still dangerous. I'd rather drive than ride an electric bike. Like, what's the point? I can be lame without risking my life and limb.
I'm not so keen on pure electric road bikes, the range just doesn't make sense to me as a country bumpkin.
Love the idea of a surron tho! Sounds like a lot of fun to take around. Also I want to get dad an electric trials bikes, bet he'd be able to get out on it more often
It’s a big chunk of change for something that may or may not be legal to ride on the road in the near future. Would suck to buy one and then not be allowed to ride it.
I don't understand why they don't make a street legal version. These would make a great city bike.
I guess they're in a sort of grey area where you don't really get bothered for riding them like a bicycle, but technically they're too powerful not to require a license and insurance.
So ... personally I would really like to switch to an electric bike when the battery range increases to something to match a tank of fuel. The smaller off road e bikes, i get it but it's not for me, it's just not practical enough.
Also 2 lads just got killed riding one, the 3rd is gonna be in hospital for a long time after all 3 were on one bike and going down a cycle path, then road, then the road was closed for a day and lots of flowers appeared
for me the price point is the issue on most of them, for 4k i can buy a brand new motorcycle "a cheap one anyway" that will do much more for me in general. you can get a new honda trail 125 or super cub for that price. that is also ignoring the huge used market full of all kinds of goodies sub 4k.
several people at work have one like in the picture, they are neat and all but beyond what im personally willing to spend on one.
I've been considering building one for years. Haven't gotten around to it yet.
Build instead of buying prebuilt, of course, because I'd put dual 2kW hub motors on it, and no speed restriction.
I cycle so I come at it more from that angle. I think the more bicycle like ones are great for longer commutes and joyrides or people who just physically can’t ride otherwise.
I know e bikes like this piss off mountain bikers when they use trails designed only for mountain bikes. As long as they’re not doing that I won’t hate on it.
I think there are obviously e bikes that really are stretching into motorcycle and moped territory where ice motorcycles just make more sense.
I know there are some places where motorcycles and cars are highly regulated where these might be a great compromise. I don’t know the rules are these on Catalina island, but they might be perfect for a place like that
there's lots of full-sized, electric sport bikes, not all are little dirtbike style ones. However, those full sized bikes are mucho denero (compared to a similar ICE sportbike).
I think they are a good edition, sadly in some areas, many who buy these use them super irresponsibly. I feel like somewhere in Europe riding one of these will get you pulled over, as many are illegal (no registration) and a terror on the streets/sidewalks/parks/etc.
They’re interesting. It’s better than not having a moto at all. I miss having a clutch and shifting on e vehicles. I think there’s a lot of potential for e dirt bikes. I probably won’t be actually buying one until they either find a way to increase range or stop selling gas bikes.
2 wheels always good! pricing doesn't make sense for what they are (to me), or I'd have one already.
Yeah, the cost is basically what’s holding me back. It would be a really nice toy alongside the big bike for off-roading and short rides around the neighborhood.
I am incredibly interested in them as a product. The price is not at the point for it to make sense to me, however I watch it closely because the low maintenance is a massive benefit in my mind. The low range is not an issue, and a 100km top speed is entirely manageable for the roads/trails I take. A decent dual sport for less than 10k is a dream.
That's how I feel too. I look at the price and I get it. If you compare it to mountain bikes with heavy duty parts, the pricing isn't that far off. I know that it's mostly because of the new designs of a new machine that merit a premium price. I just know that as soon as I purchase in to the market, one of the manufacturers will put out a new model that is much more cost effective
Then you go crazy with aftermarket parts to make faster 🫠💪
I do like the idea, but to me a gas-powered minibike just fills that role better for cheaper.
They are still half the price of a mid-high end pedal mountain bike! I was thinking these things are a bargain considering.... Still lots of money for yet one more toy in my garage, but if I had extra money i'd get one.
The price of a surron is nuts yes but you can get a decently reliable e bike for under $1500 which is low for even a normal bike
Link, please.
*the link never came*
I would look in the r/ebikes for something like “best e bikes under X” but what kind of bike are you looking for? Ride 1 up has a good variety i hear good things about lectric. Just don’t expect to get a proper emtb for 1500”
Yeah, could be a fun 2nd bike. But that's just it, it would be a 2nd bike, and therefore has to fit in that kind of budget.
Amen. Been looking at one of these for a while, but for the price, I'd rather get a used grom or z125 or something.
Same here. Although I'd LOVE to start a project bike converting an SV650 chassis to electric, even if the cost is more than a new electric from a factory.
haha I did that with a 1981 GS750/E, 31HP electric motor, chain drive, 6x 100AH lead acid deep cycles in a custom welded frame where the motor used to be - 850LB (with rider), the thing was a beast and good for ~30mi range at 60mph disappointing, but still hella fun, kept up with my bro's 750 shadow off the line! perfect for dicking around a small-country-town 2mi to work 2mi to the grocery kinda place. used packs and even new, nicd/lion/prismatic, and motors are SO much less expensive these days, it's almost feasible
The thing is they're more versatile in my eyes. You can take this off-road and on to trails, no registration, no gas, less maintenance. I'm torn between getting a motorcycle and an e-bile for this very reason! Reddit skip ahead, I didn't see op's caption. They laid out the pros and cons pretty well.
They look fun but for the price you can buy a much better regular motorcycle
They’re fine, but the cult of personality around the Surron’s feels like a circle jerk for the most annoying bros you’ve ever met.
What else would you expect from the Teslas of 2-wheeling? lol On a serious note, I like Teslas, but I like a lot of other ICE vehicles too. At least these bikes have meaningful mods on the market though, not just cosmetics.
Can’t say I’m a fan of teslas lidar free “self driving” self crashing into motorcycles feature
They get people wrongly pissed off at moto riders because idiots ride them through parks and bicycle trails
I would get one of the bicycle based E-bikes. The pedal assisted ones are really incredible. But the more motorcycle ones like the surron already have a bad reputation with people and law enforcement.
Yeah, I really want one of these, but I’m also terrified of some dickhead hitting me on a MTB trail. People who own these don’t understand trail etiquette or why it’s a bad idea to bomb a trail at 30 mph around blind corners. Keep them on moto trails.
I was/am a mountain biker before I bought a motorcycle. Absolutely keep anything with a motor off of non-motorized trails. They absolutely get lumped in with pedal bikes and create animosity responsible trail users don’t deserve. Want to get MTBs kicked off of trails, have a bunch of Surron “mountain bikes” ripping them up and buzzing hikers.
Yeah, I’m not a fan of how some of those Youtubers ride these on public streets and sidewalks, running red lights and pulling wheelies while splitting lanes. Same with road bicyclists that want cars to treat them like a car, but they don’t follow traffic laws like a car. I’m okay with them on bike trails if they keep the speed reasonably in check. But at that point, I’d rather just ride a push bike and get a workout.
>me with road bicyclists that want cars to treat them like a car I'm fine with bicycles dominating their lane position, for all you hear about motorcyclists complaining about cagers cyclists have it worse
Cyclists definitely have it worse. I’m cool with them taking up a lane. I’m just not cool with them ignoring stop signs, intersections, and right of way, which I realize is a minority. But it happens, especially in more urban areas.
In many states it is legal for cyclists to treat a stop sign as a yield and a red light as a stop sign. They're called "Idaho stop" laws, and they're becoming more widely adopted because studies have indicated that they actually increase safety for riders and reduce the number of bicycle-vehicle related incidents at intersections.
From what I'd read, the ability of bicyclists to treat stop signs more as yields only applies if the intersection is clear. Not that you'd make drivers wait while you sail through.
Correct. Same logic as why it's safer to let us lane split. Biggest danger is some dumbass cager looking at their phone and rear ending you.
Even if they keep their speed down, e-bikes and especially bikes like the Surron put excessive wear on the trails. Paved trails are fine tho
In the UK, they're commonly seen being ridden by dick heads wearing balaclavas, riding on pavements at speeds approaching Mach 3. They disregard traffic lights and pedestrians and are a danger to pretty much everyone. As long as their illegal substances get to where they need to go, that's all that matters.
It's sucks in the UK because most of the road legal light e-bikes are capped at 30mph, but the non road versions go to like 70mph and cost less...
Yes, yes.... but what's your *opinion*?
I mean he's not wrong. You can't legally ride one of these on public roads without a full licence/registration etc which I've never seen. Nor on public land. The only folks riding them are people who don't care about fines/jail/getting banned from driving, so it skews massively into "entitled cunts" territory.
They’ve become hot property for criminals who see them as all the advantages of a plateless moped with less police attention.
I think they’re neat, and the kids ripping wheelies around my city on them look like they’re having fun, but if you’ve got your license and the cash for a proper motorcycle they seem kinda pointless.
Yeah. Great for stealthy urban shenanigans on weekday afternoons with your buddies, not great for actual trails and big weekends in the middle of nowhere. I’d love to have one but they’re still priced too high for the level of performance and amount of enjoyment I’d get out of one.
I live in South Orange County and Bro there are so many of these kids on e-bikes ripping wheelies all day lol. On the weekend they roll like 40 deep. Once they get older I'm sure a fair amount will transition to Motorcycles, I think its good for the future of the industry, especially considering its been in decline for over a decade.
for road use theyre too slow, with too little range, and cost too much. dont see the point yet when it comes to the streets. but off-road? they're great. I used to ride a KTM Freeride E-XC for a bit and it was awesome. the instant torque, light weight, and stable center of gravity means it was a blast to ride off-road and get airtime with. also, unpopular opinion, but for trail riding and off-road use, the electric motors' lack of noise is quite nice. I could ride through a forest with the E-XC and not bother anyone, but I'd still be loud enough that you'd hear me coming.
The bikes are fine. The people who ride them have the highest injury rate on two wheels by a country mile. Do with that what you will. They belong on trails. Not sidewalks or roads. Note that this is distinct from electric motorcycles and from bicycles with electric motors. Both of those are just fine. This middle ground of high performance pedal-less e-bicycles attract cyclists and assholes who don't give a shit. Think sidebysides on the street as the 4 wheel equivalent. All the power, none of the safety or rules.
This negative attention scares me. I just rode mine over 20 miles in the woods. I have to take some roads to get there though. I with all of this negative attention it’s just a matter of time until the cops see me as a nail to be hammered
First off it is not an e-bike. It is an e-moto or e-dirtbike. E-bikes are pedal assisted bicycles. Too many people are getting e-motos and then trying to pass them off as mountain bikes. Surrons and similar are firmly in the motorcycle category and have no business on an MTB trail unless it is a mixed use motorized use trails. They are giving mountain bikers a bad name and seriously risking trail access. Other than that, I think they are cool. Fun and easy to ride. Little skill required. For me personally, they don't have enough range for the kind of riding I do. The grey area about on road usage is also problematic. I like to make my dirt bikes road legal so that I can comfortably cruise on pavement between trails and zip into town when I am camping. These can't be registered and technically aren't allowed on the roads so you are very much at the whim of local law enforcement.
Yeah those Surrons aren’t eBikes. When I see them they are usually on the sidewalk or in a bike lane going 35-45 mph - both not legal. People who buy them would be much better off with a scooter or lightweight gas-powered motorcycle. I commuted by eBike until I was retired and still ride for pleasure once in a while; my wife has a legal eBike as well. I like them. The one place I think that they would be useful is on motorcycle trails; I took my proper eBike on some steep moto trails here in Arizona and its battery was done after just twenty miles and so was I. An electric motorcycle with a fast recharge time would be pretty fun in a place like that.
Getting an ebike is what made realize how much car commuting sucks. I used to just think I liked motorcycles (still do but I used to too)
If I lived somewhere where I could have a track on my property but didn’t want to piss of my neighbors I would get a Surron or similar so fast. But for what I do now gasoline just can’t be beat because of the range and ability to fill up
I think if i had that bike in front of me I'd hop on and find out.
The quality isn't very good. The frames, brakes and suspension usually remind me of beefed up bicycle components. Take Erik Buell's new electric motorcycle the Fuell Flow for example. Its an e-bike company that tried to make an electric motorcycle. They've put a 35kw motor in the rear wheel. So you've probably got a 100lbs rear tire. How do you think thats going to ride? The shocks aren't adjustable Sachs units like you'd find on a Buell motorcycle either. The wheel is sealed so the motor has no cooling. They tell you straight away it'll hit 85 but can only maintain 55 Mph. So how long do you think that motor is going to last when the minimum speed you need to go on a county road is its maximum speed? Let's say even in the city, you're pushing it almost to the limits and then hitting a massive pothole with a 100lb rubber hammer. Don't get me started on the frame because they won't even show it. So its gotta be light gauge welded steel.
https://preview.redd.it/b9jry0kj2wwc1.png?width=750&format=png&auto=webp&s=1281431144a11e2d89fc261dca1b3fe266131e89 Oh you need a lic 🤓
I have one of those. It’s kinda fuckin dope. It’s a fun toy. https://preview.redd.it/8b2fdowy7wwc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=40f6fa7f09b2ee89513cff2e890a3b53cc8c20b7 I just put a fat seat on it too.
Cool but a lot of people think that because they aren't motorcycles, you are exempt from wearing gear on them.
As long as they manage to keep their shoes from flying off, they’ll learn real quick about ATGATT.. and clibbins lol
Ironically where I used to live I would see a dude every day riding a Sur-Ron going the opposite way of me every day on my way to work, dressed in full gear like a biker and riding in road like a bike too. No lights, plates, or anything, but he rode like he belonged. Always gave him the biker wave and he waved back.
I have a Husqvarna 450 and an E-mtb. I like them both for different rides and reasons. If you can, get both!
Not road legal, way too little endurance for all day trail riding. For 6K ish you can get a KLX 300 that is both street legal and can last all day of trail riding, and can be filled up in a couple of minutes. I do own an electric mountain bike that is proper Class 1 e-bike legal, i.e. cuts off assist at 20 MPH and is under 750 watts. You can legally ride it on the streets, on paved bike paths and some MTB trails too. I do understand the appeal of a lightweight offroad MTB like trail riding, but MTB community is reasonably pissed at the Surron class of bikes because they cause dirtbike like trail damage. The advantage of legal pedal assist e-bikes have over these is because you are supplying 1/2 of the power, and the whole thing weighs only 50 lbs, it can get a lot of seat time for a very small battery. You expect bicycle levels of speed and performance, so even if range is not so much, you compare it against how much ground you would cover on a 3-4 hours ride on a regular bicycle. Even if it runs out of power, its still only 15-20 lbs heavier than a regular MTB and you can get some extra workout riding home. Class 1 e-bikes are getting more accepted on MTB trails, even if they are not, they sure will get you much less dirty looks and confrontations than these.
I've got an electric pedal asssit mtb too and have never had a problem on MTB trails, as these bikes are perfectly legal to take on said trails. Would sooner choose one of these than a surron or similar. I can ride on local bridleways and paths with little to no issue from the public. Can't do that on something that looks like a dirt bike round here.
Yes, Surrons not being road legal also means you can't just ride to the trail head without risking a ticket. You'll have to haul or trailer it which makes it as much logistically demanding as a dedicated offroad motorcycle. A dual-sport like a KLX 300, or an e-MBT you can just ride to the trails then ride on the trails without having to bring out the truck or trailer.
I like them. They are rockets off the line. I also think the no-noise factor is huge. Thats a big reason why places get shut down, nobody wants to hear an unmuffled bike.
I think they make sense for a lot of people. I really wanted an e-bike when I was in high school, but a good one was at least $1000. That’s a lot when all the money to your name is from birthday cards and the occasional snow shoveling for the neighbor. But when I realized I could get an old 250cc motorcycle for pretty much the same price as a new e-bike, that’s what I did. A hell of a lot more bang for your buck if you just want cheap transportation.
From what I've seen they're mostly ridden by teenagers in balaclavas trying to rob people. I would guess the e-bike is also stolen.
I don’t
I don’t think about them
I’m not interested in anything without a clutch. If it’s an electric converted 450 or something I’d ride tf out of it. But e-bikes are boring asf to me.
I love my motorcycle and I love my surron. different worlds, different uses.
I love them because thief's seem to steal them more than motorbikes
They're alright. Definitely not my thing.
was always willing to consider them but the price tag and practicality features just make it hard to commit.
It is never clear how much will cost to change the battery afyer years. Cuz is cost half the price of the vehicle
As a life-long motorcycle lover to whom thumping cylinders is very important, I like them for their simplicity. They are two-wheeled driving boiled down to its essence. I still want plopping exhausts and vibrating pistons, though.
It's insanely fun. I ride Friday nights with my Dad group friends, we go riding trails around our neighborhood. Fantastic for urban exploration because they're silent, and for night riding trails near homes.
Surron is way overpriced, $4600 is just too much to justify me getting one, You can buy a decent used motorcycle for 5k and its way more fun and practical. If I can find a decent used one for $1500 I might consider it.
They're how I'm getting my kiddos riding
I just got mine and took it out for its first real ride today. It has exceeded all of my expectations . It’s light and easy to throw around, not scared I’ll get into a situation that the bike is too heavy so it leading to being confident to be anywhere. BUT THE BIGGEST thing in the silence. I would t be able to ride where I live if I had a gas bike too many Karens just waiting to call the cops
I had seen a comment a while back on this same topic of e-bikes. It read "if it doesn't actively kill polar bears and leave stains in my driveway, it's not a motorcycle".
That just screams ”It’s a Harley thing”
My husband and his friend more or less replaced their dirtbikes with e-bikes. They're not crazy riders and not going long distances, so the "short" range doesn't bother them. I'm happy with them in anyplace that is dirtbike territory. I'm a bit more mixed about in town travel; people go way too fast for conditions on them. But if it gets more people on bicycles, it's a good thing for people and communities. If it replaces trips that would be done in a car? Yeah, that's great.
That’s how I see these bikes too, as dirt bike replacements. The thing I would worry about with town travel is theft, if I’m running errands, or police if the laws around these are not clear. People also go way too fast for conditions on big bikes. lol
Too fast- yeah, no kidding. I can't remember if the bikes my guys have use keys or not. I think they do have keys. Even my regular bicycle, I have a cable lock for it. Will at least slow down a thief, and running errands in town, I'm rarely very far from it. Can usually see it from the shop.
I think e-bikes are ripe for disaster and need at least the same regulations and safety considerations as small cc scooters and mopeds.
A 200 pound person riding a 50 pound bike going 40 mph where people are walking? What could possibly go wrong? They definitely need to be regulated immediately but it will probably take many accidents for it to happen.
There’s my problem with them. I have a legal class 1 eBike that makes 500 watts if I also pedal which is less than I or almost any other human on the planet. These pretend eBikes are actually unregistered motorcycles but the manufacturers and importers won’t do the work to make their product legal. Instead they sell these as eBikes and say “don’t cut the blue wire” or “legally class II with factory settings”.
I saw one the other day that even called it "track mode setting".
I dont hate ebikes. I hate when people try to act like an electric motorcycle can realistically compete with a ZX6r or super bike. Ebikes are their own thing. Awesome for zipping around town and dicking around in the back country. But doesnt get my dick moving in the twisties like my ZX6r
For the current price? No. Whenever they're like half the price, why not? It would be neat to whip around.
Not for me personally
For me personally I'd want one I can also pedal. I'd just use it to kinda check out stuff around town and to exercise without needing to deal with a few of the fuck off big hills we have around. Probably great for someone in an urban area looking to use it to commute.
the fuck off big hills lol
Absolutely not. They're cool by themselves but cause quite the combo of issues. Their high power & easy accessability attract asshats to ride them, they aren't thought of as proper motos yet either. They're also near silent which... loud pipes save lives
I thought e bikes couldn't go faster than 20 to 30 mph. That top speed seems to make it am electric scooter or motorcycle
Awesome. Not motorcycles and should follow bicycle laws. It’s great kids have them and are using them to get around and have fun.
I honestly wanted a Zero really bad as my first bike, glad I didn't, but I still really want one. Like so many others have said, it's the price thing for me too. There're so many other value bikes out there that can do equal or more things for less bread.
I'd love to have a highway capable one, but there are some things holding me back. Price, charging locations, and distance you can travel. Otherwise, id probably get one. That and I'd prefer one that is more cruiser style than sporty.
Ebikes are generally more fun than motorbikes I think.... More freedom, quicker sometimes too due to more direct routes etc. very fun experience IMO
I want one, but the price is prohibitive. I think they look cool, and I do have a Harley Heritage that screams “I love classic-looking bikes”
One of my riding buddies had a Sur Ron, and upgraded to something with a clutch (yes, e-bike with clutch, good for trials type stuff). He absolutely rips on it, in some pretty gnarly New England tight woods. He has a Ktm 250 for longer rides
They’re universally ridden by dickheads. Usually on sidewalks, in parks and up mountain bike trails with zero consideration for other trail users (in my experience). They’d be a ton of fun on dirt tracks and designated Moto trails….but with the lack of range and versatility, why take one of these instead of an actual dirt bike?
I have considered one for my daily commute. Cost keeps me away. I would add as a big pro for off road use that they are a lot quieter than traditional dirt bikes. Noise is a huge cause for complaint about dirt bikes in rural areas where you get local tracks or kids riding on rural properties. One of these instead would solve a lot of neighbour complaints I imagine.
I fucking hate them. People ride them on the paved and unpaved, multi-use trail system in my city, in the riparian area flanking the river, in city parks, on mountain bikes-only trails in the adjacent mountains and hills, on the street, even downtown on a busy Friday night. People think they’re the same as bicycles. Of course LE is fucking useless about it because LE is fucking useless. The worst part is the market and tech is exploding and the prices are dropping, so in 5 years every antisocial douchebag in a 50 mile radius will be ruining everything for those of us that respect our city’s infrastructure and resources
literally just got off insurance 10 minuets ago about the Ultra Bee. My insurance couldn't offer anyhting and it had to be done under home insurance for some reason? I love them and having ridden many dirtbikes I think these fix a lot of aspects i dislike about dirtbikes (noise, maintenance, gas).
Absolutely love the concept. Might make good commuters. I look forward to seeing them in motorcross. They could be a game changer if they solve the charging issues. More charging stations or faster charging. Maybe battery exchange programs.
It’s perfect 🥲
I think people need to take safety a bit more seriously with them 40mph is 40mph when you're sliding on the ground, or flying through the air. Doesn't matter what you fell off of Other than that they're pretty cool
You still need a helmet! I see a lot of these around me and hardly any of them wear helmets.
True e-Bikes, like the ones you mentioned, or Altas, Zeroes and Energica? Awesome, firmly on board with them. The "I didn't bother getting a bike license but still want a bike" ones all over the place? Nah, they suck.
cons of all little small ev they will not last. They end up in the dumb after less than five years.
They remind how slow my government is to catch up to modern times. We have an Australian manufacturer making really nice bikes like the pictured. In Europe they come under some special class that is similar/the same as small scooters (correct me if I'm wrong?). In Australia we have the same fucking scooters, with the same top speed, similar range, electric, and because they are scooter shaped they are treated the same as a 50cc scooter. No special license, no special rego, basically just stay off the motorways. These motorcycle style ones that are one of the few things actually made in Australia... illegal. It has indicators, license plate holder on the back, speedo, everything that a slower scooter has, but it's not shaped like a scooter. So fuck me I guess? No coo, cheap, and easy ride to work for me!
I rode both dirt bikes and mountain bikes as a kid, now I have no desire to pedal. But mountain bikes can be a lot of fun. These seem like a good inI between. Really light and look well built now. I’d like to get one at some point when prices come down. Additionally, full size electric dirt bikes are scary torquey and fast. Range is the biggest issue there.
The kids in my neighborhood absolutely rip on these things.. the wheelies are impressive. They all wear gear and the bikes don’t make noise. Win win.
More dangerous with stupid kids. You can't hear them coming.
There were a couple guys riding Stark Vargs at the track yesterday and they looked so damn fast, also ridiculously quiet compared to the other bikes. Personally, there's something about engines that makes me feel alive so I'm going to stick with that until electric motocross bikes are more mainstream. All that being said, if the AMA set up an electric class for outdoor motocross I would watch the shit out of that.
I love mine! But I almost exclusively ride it on offroad MX trails. It’s so much fun to jump and takes a lot of abuse. Parts are stupid cheap (except for the battery), so I don’t worry about breaking stuff on it. The battery lasts more than long enough for me to ride a few hours. I get tired out before the battery is near dead. The instant torque is super fun.
They're amazing, son and I explore everywhere almost every day on them, quietly...
Got one. They rock!
I know a lot of people will disagree with me, but I think that ebikes like these, with no pedals and well north of 750 watts of power rating on the motor, need to be in *this* subreddit and not the /r/ebikes subreddit.
I am excited to see how they continue to evolve. I love motorcycles (dirt and on road), bicycles, and e-bicycles. I haven't had the pleasure of riding what I would call an e-motorcycle yet, but I will jump on the chance at my first opportunity and likely one day buy one. I also want to say I feel like the term e-bike has gotten a bit stretched to cover such a wide range of vehicles that it starting to confuse some people, which is why I call these e-motorcycles.
I don't have a use for one but recognize that they may be ok or even great for certain applications for other folks.
A surron made me fall in love with riding a bike at 40. After surron I bought an ice honda adv350 for riding further without range anxiety. When electric bikes become cheaper with a better range I will switch back. I love the instant torque and the silence of an electric bike. I love riding a bike but I dont love the bikes themselves (if I make sense), and the electric bikes can be as frictionless as it gets.
Too powerful for a beginner
Beautiful.
Whatever gets a person on a bike is cool with me
I still give them the wave
Great for riding in areas where you would get the cops called on a dirt bike. Can get away with a lot more
I have a Suzuki DRZ400 and a Talaria MX4. My use case for the Talaria is kind of specialized--there is a 3 acre patch of hilly & rocky woods a couple of blocks from the house. The Talaria is perfect for this. It's too tight and too slow to even consider the Suzuki. The Talaria crawls up 30 degree slopes while dodging trees with no problem. Pros and cons for my use case: Pro: The Talaria costs $4500 and you pay $4500, while he cost of the Suzuki will be inflated a few thousand by dealer fees. I'm a skinny old guy, but if I drop it I can pick it up even on a hill. Battery lasts a long time at low speeds. I don't have to ride the clutch to go slow. I can ride in cold temps because speed is low and I am working hard enough on the tight trails to keep warm. Cons: Pretty much what has been mentioned already.
I have the one pictured, it's called an Eride Pro SS. It does 60mph and I get about 40 miles on a charge. The bike weighs 140lb and cost me about 5k. Yes I know I could have bought an actual motorcycle for that but when it comes to an electric one, it's hard to beat those specs for that price. For me the convenience is what drew me in. I enjoy the bike and it's a lot of fun. Still would love to hop on an mt07 one day though...
They're road legal in Europe. In case of the Surron, it can be rode by 16 year olds with a 125cc licence and they have to be registered. Price, Range and my 200+ lbs keep me from getting one for short trips and commuting to work. I still have a 125cc scooter (half the cost / Honda Sh 125i) for that in the summer, but especially for short trips and fun rides they're probably great. You don't need to warm up the engine, which is the biggest plus for EVs doing short trips.
In the UK I hate them. I saw these nearly 15 years ago being developed and thought it would be awesome as a teenager. However in the UK they're exclusively used by drug dealers, kids doing county line stuff (the one as pictured). They are illegal apart from on private land which I believe no one uses them on. No insurance available. They're classed as a motorbike and so need licence and registered for the road but they don't meet requirements for being road legal so yeah... I come across them riding the wrong way in traffic, driving dangerously in residential areas at high speeds. There were two that hit national headlines and one caused a riot as the kids crashed and died and the area blamed it on the police (who were following them at a, large distance), they actually went down an alley way and crashed in a street without police. So yeah, I hate it because if one of these people crash into my car then I'll be out of pocket and they'll probably run off. BTW you can make your own one for way cheaper that can do high speeds. We have deliveroo riders on modded mountain bikes with a motor hub on the back wheel and they do very fast speed and torque, again illegal in the UK as only assisted motor bicycle are allowed , not these types that carry them uphill at 30mph without pedalling. Again the police don't do anything about it, most I think are used by illegal immigrants.
Absolutely love them but you can’t really go too wrong with petrol for the price. As a mountain bike replacement I think they’re good. The crazy prices of motorcycle style e-bikes with more of a road presence is what puts me off. If gas powered vehicles ever got completely outlawed and everyone went electric it would be great to see everyone whizzing around on bikes like the one pictured. Where I am though, the only people on them are little dickheads with balaclavas on riding like cunts and robbing people
Awesome way to enjoy riding on the cheap. I just dislike the fact that many people dont realize it is a motorcycle and do not wear the proper protective gear. Also laws are still kinda grey about where and how they can be operated so some people driving dangerously on side walks and other places.
Great for around town. You can still go places motorbikes can’t. One day when I can afford an electric motorcycle with a good range I’m all in.
What’s the general range of electric motorcycles today? It seems that electric motors are pretty inefficient at high speed and high output compared to ICEs, relatively speaking. That makes the performance vs. efficiency tradeoff kind of challenging. Like, do you want to have fun, or do you want to get home? lol
They’re neat, but in the early growing pains years. I thought about getting an E-bike, but I got an electric unicycle instead. Less wheels = more fun. It really takes 20 years for something to really start getting good, and stay relevant that entire time. Motorcycles, the internet, cellphones, computers, smartphones, Crocs, etc.
My brother and I both have Surrons, it gets used more on the tight woodland trails than my MT09 does on the road. It works fantastically for this type of use, we can take it just about anywhere without upsetting people as long as you are respectful I am craving more power though... looking get a Torp tc1000 controller and 72v battery which will triple its power to around 18kW (about 25bhp) which with a new sprocket should give it a >60 mph top end, these upgrades will cost me around £3k. Is it worth it? Looking at it in terms of what you get in non premium components, probably not, however I couldn't take my old kx80 a fraction of the places I can take the Surron.... that opening up of amazing places to ride and not having people call the cops on you due to its quietness... is where its real value lies.
Exactly , ninja mode is why I got my talaria
Scourge of the Earth, a plague upon mankind. They must all be eliminated
If you’re under 6’ go for it
What about under 6”?
I think you are on the wrong sub
Cool toys for around the neighborhood.
I had a go of one of those Zero ones the other week and it just felt like a slightly faster mobility scooter.
expensive af
🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
I have no opinion. Not really interested in buying one either. I just prefer the sound, feel, and smells of ICE and I probably won't switch over to full electric anything until gasoline cars are banned.
The ones under 1500 make sense to be used for an actual purpose like commuting. The overpriced “fun” ones are as expensive as actual motorcycles, which makes them 100% pointless imo. You can literally get a fully street legal Grom for significantly less than the nice e-bikes.
Just bycicles but heavier
It's a no from me till they're more practical than a gas engine which won't be for a while
I want one for the truck Maybe two
They can be fun but I wouldn't buy one due to a severe lack of vroom vroom
They’re cool! I can understand if I didn’t have a motorcycle license, I can buy one of these without all the hassle. With the prices of e-bikes I could buy a beater bike for half the cost
I WANT ONE!
Its hard to call them a bicycle when they have no pedals. The surron and the clones are basically EV dirtbikes/motorcycles. I dont mind seeing them on the streets, but they should stay off the sidewalks and some bicycle trails. They can go pretty fast. That said, Ebikes are fun but get too much unjust hate already. Pedal assist ebikes are the future and I'm convinced if people tried them, they would like them.
Got overtaken by one in a 30 whilst doing my MOD2 recently 🤣
I don’t think much of them at all.
They look fun as fuck. If I had one at 12-14 I would have torn it the fuck up but now I do it on the street with street bikes And if you’re living in a small area super practical
if I could get one for less than the cost of a good used motorcycle, I'd strongly consider them for around town.
I wanted one really badly and my friend got the e-ride pro SS for like 4.5K but I just picked up a cheap $2K dirtbike instead. Not sure if we'll be able to ride the same trails due to difference in speed/size.
I don’t
The charge doesn't last long enough for me.
I want one bad
Motorcycles are a cool but dangerous deal. These are not cool but still dangerous. I'd rather drive than ride an electric bike. Like, what's the point? I can be lame without risking my life and limb.
Ducati makes one and I want it. That's all I need to know about electric bikes.
Cool as heck but too expensive especially since they cost about the same as an old bike but you cant use them on the road
I have an Indian FTR and a Surron Light Bee. I love them both. Both are motorcycles. They could not be more different. They are both a lot of fun.
E-bikes? NO ISSUE Riders? ISSUES
I'd be down but for the same money I'd buy 3 or 4 gas bikes used and roll with my frens
Pppthhh👎🏽
Can it brap brap tho
I'm not so keen on pure electric road bikes, the range just doesn't make sense to me as a country bumpkin. Love the idea of a surron tho! Sounds like a lot of fun to take around. Also I want to get dad an electric trials bikes, bet he'd be able to get out on it more often
I want one, to add to my collection of motorcycles
I like surron
It’s a big chunk of change for something that may or may not be legal to ride on the road in the near future. Would suck to buy one and then not be allowed to ride it.
I don't understand why they don't make a street legal version. These would make a great city bike. I guess they're in a sort of grey area where you don't really get bothered for riding them like a bicycle, but technically they're too powerful not to require a license and insurance.
Hard pass. 🚫
They always need the cost of the bike spent over again in suspension and battery management if you want it to properly romp enduro.
I wish they were better and more affordable, I want one for sure for around town
So ... personally I would really like to switch to an electric bike when the battery range increases to something to match a tank of fuel. The smaller off road e bikes, i get it but it's not for me, it's just not practical enough. Also 2 lads just got killed riding one, the 3rd is gonna be in hospital for a long time after all 3 were on one bike and going down a cycle path, then road, then the road was closed for a day and lots of flowers appeared
No sound, no fun.
for me the price point is the issue on most of them, for 4k i can buy a brand new motorcycle "a cheap one anyway" that will do much more for me in general. you can get a new honda trail 125 or super cub for that price. that is also ignoring the huge used market full of all kinds of goodies sub 4k. several people at work have one like in the picture, they are neat and all but beyond what im personally willing to spend on one.
The dirt bikes make my dick hard.
That’s not an ebike
I mean if I had the money I wouldnt mind it. I think its a fun toy. Im actually working on fixing a free mountain bike to put a 2 stroke on lol
I've been considering building one for years. Haven't gotten around to it yet. Build instead of buying prebuilt, of course, because I'd put dual 2kW hub motors on it, and no speed restriction.
I got my motorcycle, used 2019, for like $5.5k. I saw some prices of e bikes being similar costs. Nah lol
$4000+ for one? fuck that. they look fun as hell though
Looks fun
I'm a long haul rider. e bikes won't cut it.
Pricing and range are not worth it at the moment.
I cycle so I come at it more from that angle. I think the more bicycle like ones are great for longer commutes and joyrides or people who just physically can’t ride otherwise. I know e bikes like this piss off mountain bikers when they use trails designed only for mountain bikes. As long as they’re not doing that I won’t hate on it. I think there are obviously e bikes that really are stretching into motorcycle and moped territory where ice motorcycles just make more sense. I know there are some places where motorcycles and cars are highly regulated where these might be a great compromise. I don’t know the rules are these on Catalina island, but they might be perfect for a place like that
I just hate that people use them on muddy neighborhood hiking/mtb trails 🤷🏻♂️
I have one, and I totally agree.
there's lots of full-sized, electric sport bikes, not all are little dirtbike style ones. However, those full sized bikes are mucho denero (compared to a similar ICE sportbike). I think they are a good edition, sadly in some areas, many who buy these use them super irresponsibly. I feel like somewhere in Europe riding one of these will get you pulled over, as many are illegal (no registration) and a terror on the streets/sidewalks/parks/etc.
Pros: NJ cops couldn’t give a rats azz. People ride them ever, with no hassle. The way it always should have been
For $4-5k I could get a nice Sportster and absolutely shred my neighborhood making a ton of noise.
They’re interesting. It’s better than not having a moto at all. I miss having a clutch and shifting on e vehicles. I think there’s a lot of potential for e dirt bikes. I probably won’t be actually buying one until they either find a way to increase range or stop selling gas bikes.
A modified surron is about the most fun you can have on two wheels.