Nearly $8000 for 60 miles of range riding at 30mph is the biggest scam i have ever seen, i think manufacturers should wait until battery tech gets better. If the range is better, i would consider one
Props to Kawasaki for having a bike for everything,sticking with the 600's in europe where most 600s have been discontinued and also making the awesome ZX4RR. Now them making EV's and HEV's is another ballsy move. Respect!
I love Kawa for doing that too, I mean I'm not gonna buy any of those bikes since i hate fully faired sports bikes, and i4s and electric bikes are too smooth for me, but still.
Love how optimistic you are about alternative motorcycle development. Nothing starts off at the last step, and recognizing this is just an incremental step to where E-Cycles need to be is huge.
Most likely Kawasaki used the Ninja/Z 400 platform as a cost saving measure when R&Ding these bikes. They already print out a gazillion of them, so what's the harm printing few more. I commute to work mostly on a Yamaha Scorpio 225cc with 13.4 kW (18.0 hp) that weighs 136 kg (300 lb). And almost every Uber Eats rider here is on a Honda CB125e with 7.6 kW (10.2 hp) that weighs 137 kg (302 lb). So if you're commuting in the inner city, or bopping around the suburbs, the Ninja E-1 and Z E-1 power figures should be enough. Besides, us Aussies & those in the UK already have the 103kg (227 lb) Super Soco TC Max with 3.9-5.1 kW (5.2-6.8 hp) & it gets the job done.
The SuperSoco sort of goes under the radar for the cost. But that CPX I feel is the best one they do. If Kawi can get future EV 125 models priced somewhere in between current price and that it'll be about perfect. The A2 or upper Lams like the 400cc Targeted bike for around the current will also hit the mark.
@@Klooney9mm I didn't look at the CPX. I saw scooter & my brain went "Next!". But you're right. Dual batteries for range and a hub mount motor for minimal loss of power in the drivetrain. If I was buying one I'd still go with the TC Max though. The specsheet warrior in me says CPX every day, but there's just something about the TC Max that floats my boat.
@@ADingoTookMyDasco I honestly looked at one multiple times before the small price jump last year, used to see an orange one all the time on my way to work. Plus I live 10m walk from a Ducati Dealership which have them. Just a few little things which made me pass on it. The indicator switch gear doesn't return properly being one. I think also since it looks good and is "sporty" people expect more from it and it kind of falls short. The CPX no one has any expectations from it IMO.
As a commuter it might not be bad. The battery packs slide out so you can stuff them in your backpack as you head into work, plug them in somewhere, and you’ve got a full charge when it’s time to go home. It’s not what most of us are asking for but they probably didn’t make this for the people who watch this channel.
The batteries do not deplete one after the other. They work at the same time. By the way, this is also the only way to use the boost; otherwise, the motorcycle is somehow limited. I'm not sure, either without boost or possibly only in Eco mode.
I don't see the design a problem. This is not a bicycle... It's designed to look and feel like a motorcycle. So, I think it's cool that Kawasaki making it look like a Ninja. I'm not looking to buy an electric motorcycle at this time, though. Maybe in the future when Kawasaki has the experience in developing electric motorcycles and it's in the 10th generation. Something with higher mileage and more HP.
Swappable batteries is awesome for those that live in apartments. Carry them inside and charge them both at the same time :) Looks like a pretty cool bike and the price isn't bad considering the cost of ownership would be so low. I like it but I think I will stick with my Livewire :)
So basically it's an electric ninja 125, probably learner legal here in the UK. It's going to get more people riding bikes, so that can only be a good thing. Now, when they start working up the range and make something equivalent to the 650/1000 Ninja, that's going to be interesting. I get that some people from the get-go don't want a bike that runs on anything but petrol, that's cool, that's your choice. I've ridden a Zero though, and it's great at what it does (particularly the going fast bit). Yeah, it's different to a petrol bike, in the same way my road bike's different to my dirt bike. The removable battery's probably a great security feature too.
Electric only with the limited range doesn't entice me, but the electric power delivery sounds excellent. Now that they've announced the 2024 Ninja 7 Hybrid, that one sounds a lot more like what I would be interested in, and I think the market at large will accept it far more.
The problem is these make no real power to deliver. Now if you wanna feel fun electric power delivery, go ride a live wire. They’re an absolute blast. Too damn expensive, but undeniably fun. These glorified e-bikes from Kawi are not gonna be fun
Spite there is no "sack" in Kawasaki. Cow-uh-sock-ee. Would you go to a Japanese restaurant and order sack-ee, I think not Sir! Im starting to think you've been hanging out with Eric too much lol! Most motorcycles get such good gas mileage I feel these electric bikes are superfluous. The hybrid bike may be worth the hassle to help cut emissions but with the pollution from mining the lithium and manufacturing/recycling of the batteries probably not.
Or that's not Chinese junk like most ebikes. I've ridden a 40yr old kawasaki, no e-bike I've been on strikes me as being anything but coke cans in 10-15yrs.
I can't see this appealing to anyone other than short-distance "around town" riders. I understand that getting in early and living with losses does get you ahead of the game. (e.g. look at all the other car companies trying to catch up with Tesla). The sooner you make a start working on the tech, the more ahead of the game you will be understanding and getting the most out of the technology.
The biggest thing standing in the way of these things right now though are E Bikes (specifically the non-pedal type, like Surron). Why would you buy a Ninja E-1 when for the same money or less you can get a Surron that is as fast, has equivalent or greater range, is SIGNIFICANTLY lighter, has off-road-ish suspension for potholes and jumping curbs, and has none of the legal requirements that a "proper motorcycle" does. Surrons ride around on sidewalks, on walking trails, mountainbike trails. People take them into their apartments and offices. They simply skirt any sort of rules because lawmakers seem to be blind to them. They may not be plated as easily, but as it stands it doesnt seem to matter because they are treated as bicycles. I'm not saying Surrons should or shouldn't be allowed to do all those things, but the point stands, actual motorcycles (in the legal sense) are simply kneecapped by the existence of these E Bikes. You are nearly unable to become cheaper than them, and meaningfully outperforming them leads you down the issue existing e-motorcycles have in that they are prohibitively expensive for the demographics they make the most sense for (young urban commuters). Would love an entire episode on Spite's thoughts about e-bikes and the challenges they pose for the growth of e-motorcycles. As an aside, referencing your point about these things looking like actual motorcycles being potentially a good or a bad thing. I forget if it was Zack or Spurgeon who made this point on the High Side Low Side podcast, but I agree that motorcycle companies are making a mistake by trying to market these to motorcyclists. They should be targeting people who are stuck in cars in their shitty city commute, or people riding bicycles to work. Trying to convince existing motorcyclists to take on the various compromises (to say nothing of the debate about sound and soul) is an uphill battle until the battery tech and pricing is significantly improved.
The issue is that the Surrons are still not street-legal in the US. Second, even if they were, the tall, off-road, profile won't fit a lot of potential riders.
Because they are treated as bicycles in most regions, they largely get to ride on the road legally regardless (as bicycles are allowed to ride with traffic in most areas, highways excluded). @@robertcrawford718
Age and its curses made me give up riding a couple years back. You can't imagine how 'thirsty' that Gutzi of yours makes me. A beautiful and soulful wheel to be sure. KUDOS!
I have a dual sport that tops around 65 and an Ebike that lives in my extra bedroom. I don't have a use for this, but I love the idea. Like most people, I will be glad to watch how this goes and hope that it turns into something cool.
These bikes are 125/155 replacements for the european and asian markets where its common to use these types of motorcycles in the cities especially considering their ranges, speeds and licence requirements. In europe car license can be used to drive motorcyles uo to 11kw of power.
It may not be worth it for the US but in EU with the insane gas prices and high taxation based on emissions it is an alternative for a commuter for those who don't want a boring bad handling Chinese electric scooter.
Range probably won't be 41miles if you use the more powerfull mode to get to 60mph, i feel like you get a electric moped that looks and feels like a motorcycle
honestly im planning on getting into motorcycles, so this might be perfect. its not designed for long distance and its not meant to be racing. means that it could be good for a beginner to use to build tolerance to speed, the feel of the bike, and just getting used to being on a motorcycle. i dunno though. i've never ridden one. this is just my perspective as a non-motorcycle rider
This is like a glorified scooter, but would be great for around town. Maybe good for new riders too. Props to Kawasaki for making this bike, and under 10k too.
I was wondering when someone would talk about this. I've no interest in an E-motorcycle (the hybrid model might be neat), but it's great that Kawasaki is attempting to be innovative, while the other Japanese brands seem to be stagnating. Also, as batteries get better, I can see a dealer software update on the (then) older bikes that will raise the hp and torque.
Japan as a country already has a stressed electric grid. It's an island nation with little natural resources about the size of the US east coast. They've been opposed to the EV phase from the get go because they lack the capacity to charge millions of EVs. That's why they've developed so many hybrids, and are working so hard on hydrogen fuel cells.
I like that these use real motorcycle parts, are from the big 4, and have proper chain drives, not hub motors, but yes a bit pricey. I am hopeful that with other electric bikes from the big 4, we get battery swap stations.
I was getting mad at the thumbnail, thinking "here we go, more hate for EV's" (when really they should be judged on their own merits)... Then you stated the power and range... Yah, fair, lol. wtf. But yeah you hit the nail on the head with many of ya points, and you're bang on about them bridging a gap. And for the record, yes some of us do want to hear about EV's!
In all fairness. These bikes are in all purposes a more expensive EV update from the Honda Grom. Great for city and hooligan riding but with swappable batteries it makes the whole charging wait less of an issue so that's a plus
Yeah I was thinking that might be the case. It would have been neat seeing it crammed into a z125 frame instead, but my guess is they either couldn’t, or think the z400/ninja400 frames will sell better
I am probably going to get one of these. I had commuted on a 72V Sur Ron for a bit, and it was a great experience minus the range anxiety. I also used a Grom and a z125 for the same commute. The torque on the e-kawi will be enough to lane split to the front and jump ahead of traffic. Something the 125s could not do. Also, I welcome the simplicity of only having to deal with chain maintenance.
Electric motercycles are super common in China, and they have battery station subscriptions where you don't own the batteries, you just go up to a station with like 100 cells and scan a qr code with an app and that verifies your subcription and then you pick if you need 1,2,3 or 4 batteries and you're on your way. When they are dead, show up to another station and swap out
The hard part for me is that Ebikes seem like just... better offerings if you want electric 2 wheel commuters. They can easily go 30mph, 40 miles range, storage capacity, cheaper, and easier to store. Not to mention, in those places you mentioned they're 'meant' for, a bicycle will likely be faster because you can ignore traffic basically everywhere. Even more so since we're seeing more and more bicycle infrastructure support. I want electric motorcycles, they seem really cool. But it doesn't seem achievable, yet. I'd rather have an ebike with a throttle in all cases, for half the price.
In comparison to the Fly bike R2, Emmo GTS, Tao Leo (Ninja 300 clone, and i have one) which sell like crazy in the NE US and Canada, these should have better reliability and build quality. This is the first effort I've seen from the big four at combating the Chinese manufacturers, and this will only force all parties to step their quality UP and bring their prices down. Do you think Honda, Yam, and Suzuki are going to let Kawa have this market segment all to themselves?! The consumer wins when there's more competition. You might see Zero share R&D with Honda, Braap, Yamaha, or Suzuki. This E motorcycle game bout to get wild. Sheeit, you might see Surron get into road legal commuter bikes.... again, we, the consumers win.
Dealer support is huge. I have had two parts failures with my Tao Leo in my first season of owning it. 600km, and the dash went. Not all, just my battery level wasn't reading correctly. Two months later my breaker went which took my DC to AC converter with it. The dealer buys and redistributes/sells for Tao, but is responsible for settling issues rather than sending back to the manufacturer who has a warehouse about 50km away. The dealer had me doing shuttle runs after work to bring my charger, then the battery for inspection before I finally had to use two of my five CAA free calls to get the bike up to here shop, a good 30km north. Her bike shuttle is $300 round trip, my CAA was $160/year.. The dash was inspected in house and confirmed to be the fault after all that jumping around. As stated, the breaker blew up, and so did I. I wasn't about to use up 4/5 CAA free tows on a bike that wasn't a season in on the road. She organized a subcontractor to meet me closer to my home, and the manufacturer never said boo to me. Dealer support would be much better with the big four. Their name means something to them.
This is purely a commuter bike. Both batteries are used in parallel at the same time to run the bike. The bike is designed for in city commuting. Pop the batteries out and carry them into the office woth you and no one is riding away with your bike. You can wall charge both batteries in an avg 8 hour day from a wall outlet. Doesn't work for me where I commute 60miles each way. But a great start to the market.
If all you need to do is zip from your pod to your office job in your hive city theres small ICE bikes that will do that just as well for a lot cheaper.
@spitescorner Have you heard about the BMW CE02? Would be interested in hearing your thoughts about that. I'm toying with the idea of getting one as a city commuter.
@@spitescorner I do not. They have a 2nd electric bike announced for next year with similar but imho slightly better specs than the Kawasakis. Maybe the CE02 will only come to Europe. Don't know about that.
Love it, Spite….and dare to offer one constructive comment🙏. In broadcasting its normally best to ‘say what you see’. At 0:16 you dramatically announce verbally the new Kawazaki whilst equally dramatically showcasing visually your new Guzzi. 🤔Threw me for a hot minute there😂
Honestly instead of a ninja, they should’ve released a scooter. Just makes so much more sense for commuters in urban areas plus probably save some money not having to pay for suspension and big wheels
Thanks for the video! I've only been on ebikes that top at 25-28 and only on the road in neighborhoods where I can stay with traffic. Question(s): How much "experience" do you think one would need to ride these? What are your thoughts on taking a bike like this to 40-45 zones with no motorcycle experience?
great to see so much stuff on electric motorcycles on your channel! seriously thinking about testing the livewire one or energica next spring! unfortunately, the kawasaki batteries are 42 miles combined (togther they pack only about 3 kwhrs or so)
I get what you're saying. Different consumers. Still even if I wanted it simply for city commuting I'd still go with the 400, it's just more versatile in that yeah I can commute but I can also take it on the highway if I get the urge.
Thanks for the metric conversions as per usual, lol. I like that they did it as a regular motorcycle, but also I don't lol. It's a start though! Love to see what Kawasaki is doing then and now. Don't understand the specs that much, but I also kinda get since it literally a bike for town use, like an electric bicycle or scooter. But registered as a motorcycle with lower spec numbers to keep it approachable for multiple people who ride scooters or bicycles. Even though price wise it's not really appealing, but that's for me personally. I don't just ride city traffic, but also having a license a ICE bike is cheaper to get still.
My understanding is the range is 40 miles between both batteries, and that batteries run in parallel. You CAN run one battery, but that halves the range and cuts speed to 35mph. They went with two smaller batteries instead one 1 larger one so that you don't have to have a 50lbs battery. Easier to remove with 2x25lbs.
Also that Guzzi music in the background sounds good. It might be fun to break up longer videos with a minute or two of “raw exhaust sound” with no voiceover.
48 volt batteries make the thing a non-starter. A guy could buy a Sur-Ron Ultra Bee, 12.5KW 74v, and a nice set of supermoto or proper dirt bike wheels or both for the price of the Kawasaki. Now you're on a bike that not only weighs over 100 pounds less but has more than double the power most of the time. It's also a bit larger than the Lite Bee so you don't look like a monkey mating with a football while you're riding it. The Sur-Ron already has a huge aftermarket so you can hot rod the thing if you want. I have a 14kw Lite Bee that is surprisingly fast.
I do like how light the e1 is. My conspiracy is that as battery tech improves, they'll start providing more powerful batteries to make them actually good bikes. If someone could check the voltage/ amperage limits on the controllers, that could confirm if my little theory could be true
The reason it's so light is it only has 50lbs of battery, hence the low power(speed) and 40 mile range. For comparison the previous Livewire model has 250lbs of Li-ion batteries.
One thing that should have been mentioned, FAST CHARGING. If the big four can get fast charging (240v or level three) standard, they would have a serious advantage over the Chinese bikes that have flooded the market for the passed five or so years. My bike was $5,689 msrp with a 40ah battery, 3.4 Kwh, and no fast charging. I'm about to spend another $1,742.00 (plus installation) on a chinese built 100ah upgrade just so i don't have to worry about fast charging/charging on the road. I use roughly 1/4 battery when i travel 27km at a steady 60/70kmh for 35/40min to work each way. Topping off using a 110v is an cool 3hrs, so 240v or level three is a huge advantage to have over my Tao Leo
The removable batteries are genius -- just carry them into apartment or the office and plug them in. The problem is top speed.... If it would go 80 on the highway, have a 40 mi range, and have the removable batteries... I might pay 8k for a commuter. Edit: I might pay 4k for these specs but not sure it would work for me... I need 75 mph for a little part of my commute.
Kawasaki missed a chance to do a really cool line of electric scooter. I agree the fact that it looks and feels like a motorcycle traps it in a box a little bit.
It doesn't really fit what i want in a motercycle, but maybe some day it will become advanced enough to suit what i want. I could see it being useful for what i use my groms for, maybe except for stunting, but it's not something that would replace one of my full-size bikes. Maybe someday we'll get there.
ngl i'm also in Austin and i'm looking very closely at potentially grabbing one of these as my second motorcycle. I can use the ninja for quick city trips and my Vitpilen for anything i'd go on the highway for. I can scratch the itch for a full fender bike and have a trunk that these are promising.
I'm in the ICE camp, that said, I see great potential in this battery system. If the rumours are true, it sounds like the big four will be using the same batteries which can open a network for battery swapping, not to mention that when battery density improves then all you'll have to do is buy new batteries and increase range and power. As to the packaging, maybe this can be a way for people on ebikes to jump onto the motorcycle world, they don't have the same preconceptions about the whole ICE->EV motorcycle concept.
I can't see myself needing those motorcycles at all. I'm not against any electric motorcycles at all. I love that Kawasaki is trying to make something different. If anything, these bikes will serve as major R&D for future motorcycles. Like you said it's not a perfect 10 but maybe in a few years they'll have a better product. 🤘🤠
I was on the website last night looking to order a Ninja 1000 and got super excited when I saw this. Then I read the specs and got disappointed. Specs usually don't matter much, but when a bike only has peak 12hp (8hp sustained), there's only so much that can go right. I think it's better to think of it as an electric bicycle than a motorcycle. Except it's the sized between a Ninja 125 and 400, so you can't use bicycle infrastructure. I like the idea, but won't be interested until it can do close to Ninja 650 performance for close to Ninja 650 money. No one should be mad about these bikes, but you probably shouldn't buy one either. If you're in a city, an ebike is much more usable. If you're anywhere else the power is insufficient. The Fuell looks a lot better in every way with the subjective exception of anesthetics.
@@JamesBiggarclearly you haven't been on any of the ebike groups/forums. If you had you wouldn't have said that with the current landscape in them and bikes from emmo, armada and daymak wouldn't be sold
@@JamesBiggar It takes 5 minutes of looking to fine an electric bicycle with peddles that has an 8kW (11hp) motor, 60mph top speed, and 50+ miles of range. Granted those bicycles are in legal grey areas. The category used to be called mopeds and they had a whole bunch of restrictions. Since becoming electrified most of those restrictions are no longer applicable and the boundaries of the category have gotten muddled. They very much are bicycles with motors and are no closer to scooters than they are to this Ninja.
I've been interested in E-Bikes (superbike style electric bicycles) and getting into either that or motorcycling for the better part of the last year. I hate to say it but that 41 miles may be the total trip off of the two batteries. Also going fast really kills the range on them. The e-bikes I've looked at could reach 111 miles but since I'm Canadian you're locked to a top speed of 19.88mph (32kph or sensible units). Mind you those batteries look a lot smaller so I'm wondering about the battery tech.
The oems are going to have a fun time playing catchup to Energica and Livewire. Atleast Ducati has made a great Electric motorcycle, but I wonder if the public is going to ever get them
I agree with Spite's sentiment. Until the specs of electric bikes can truly stack up to tradition engines, they need to stay out of the 'regular motorcycle' aesthetic and market. I think the other manufacturers like Zero are getting away with it, because that's all they do, they don't occupy other markets besides electric motorcycles. Kawasaki is having to put the E-1 on their showroom floor with their other bikes that objectively stand out as a more capable and cost-effective options to most riders. I think that's a really risky thing to do from a sales and marketing perspective.
Designing as a traditional motorcycle is definitely the problem. These really should be more like eBikes. There’s no sense in making something that only compares to their range and practicality while charging many times more and needing a bigger battery. I’d buy a Kawasaki eBike if they made one with 100 mile range and a third the price of their electric motorcycles.
These would get 10-15 more miles per charge if they were actually built to model their power output and braking needs. They don't need a Ninja chassis because they don't have Ninja power. Lighter swingarm and forks and main chassis. I really hope it's not running a 525 chain for its puny sub-10hp motor. This is the type of rig that needs to be running a belt drive, like Zero does with their much more powerful bikes. I'm not an advocate of belt drives generally and Zero putting them on their dual sports is just stupid, but this type of bike really merits one. I think bicycle rotor brakes are just fine on these things, especially when the bike gets down well under 200 pounds like the Surron and cannot get going more than 50mph.
Okay why i kinda see these as a miss is quite simple. They are targetting urban commuting, the biggest pro of this bike is that you can just grab the batteries and charge em at home that is where i'd say pros end. For urban commuting i wish they would've used something that is more close to the Versys, they should have a frunk which fits your helmet and when you are riding back home instead of a helmet fits a bag of groceries. Storage room is how you appeal to people who are looking for alternate transportations. The most important key thing about these bikes. They are not targeted at old school riders, they wanna break into a new market of people. Sorry that this ended into an essay. Edit: also i just realised BMW got it right with their first entry to the EV motorcycle market. BMW CE-04(Electric scooter) got most of this right, major con in comparison is non removable battery. On pro sides, storage space, better range, more power, easier ergonomics for people who dont want a motorcycle but a vehicle to easily get around town.
It's almost certain that it can drain both batteries while installed and the stated range is almost certainly both batteries. Like how a car/bike battery is really just a whole bunch of cells, in this way they're separate housings. That being said, anyone who thinks electric is a phase is just not paying attention. Like it or not ICE bikes are going to go away. Yes, all the legislation right now is focusing on cars but once all the cars have electrified do you really think we're going to keep the gas infrastructure just for bikers? I feel like people don't understand how expensive that would be.
I've got nothing against them releasing electric models but this is essentially a Honda CB125e with less range for 3x the price. Utter insanity! I know it's an uphill battle for electric since it's all about juggling the balance between battery life, power and weight but I don't really see any advantage to this over the alternatives.
The big 4 committed to building an electric motorcycle that shares the same swappable battery for markets like India where the power ratings are similar to the scooters they ride over there. I haven’t looked but I’m guessing these bikes will not be sold in the US or European markets.
I'm pretty sure you are incorrect about the battery packs. I doubt 1 pack is the total of the range rather the two of them together make that range. You also go onto talking about bringing your motorcycle into your apartment to charge, making a point that looking like their normal street bikes and not like an E-bike may make that an issue. With these battery packs wouldn't you just carry them to your apartment to charge not your entire motorcycle? I feel that would be a key point of making them easily accessible.
For those of us that would just be using it to commute back and forth to work it's not a bad price and because it shares the body of an already existing platform it would allow those of us that purchase it to dress it up pretty easily. As is the cost and battery setup makes it a slightly better option than a used zero especially if you don't plan on taking it on the hwy long distances or down want yet another electric bike that looks like a mountain bike/cafe/scrambler clone that so many of us in the US are getting shoved down our throats in that price range. With that being said the only competition in the price and sport bike style for us is the "China made" ones coming from boom moto in Oklahoma or a heavily modified fly ebike bike which is going to take some custom personal work if you follow one guys page that does them in the Bronx,NY. I myself bought too early and got an emmo zone GTS which is nothing more than a ninja 300 clone with slightly worse specs than what kawai is making with these for 2 grand less imported from canada through "ride the wind"
So basically an over priced scooter that is just powerful enough to not be legally classified as a scoter. Or a Grom but larger, more expensive, and heavier. And to the point that it should be stripped down like the Solar, then you could probably run it legally without a plate.
I really like this bike because I would absolutely love to buy it for myself it would absolutely be great if people would absolutely stop hating on it so everyone else please definitely give it a chance
The main competitor is Zero, specifically the FXE and S. Both have bigger batteries and more hp. I am glad Kawasaki got into the 125cc game, but their offer just isn't compelling enough.
I disagree, the Chinese e motorcycles have been selling like crazy. Lesser costs and near specs, mind you, you can get an Emmo or Tao with +50ah from the sales floor.
@@nokintendo9132agreed, I got an emmo zone GTS last year around this time and now im kind of salty because this is exactly what I wanted for $2k more than what I paid to import the EMMO to the US. It would cost me slightly more than what I paid for the EMMO to upgrade it to barely surpass what's being offered by Kawasaki in parts alone
@@rodneybryant1326 I bought my Tao Leo with a 40ah lithium ion battery October of last year on sale for $3,600 CDN before financing (third party lender trying to triple up on me). As I mentioned in this thread, I'm grabbing a 100ah lithium battery for $1,729 Cdn shipped. Yet to confirm installation hours and additional costs as I will be upgrading to 0 or 2 gauge wire rather than OEM trash. All in all, I'd rather have to support of the big four than the Chinese bikes and their satellite retailers here in North America. Mind you, as I mentioned in this thread, this will force Zero to heavily consider ANOTHER price drop, especially on the FX, and FXE. Consumer wins. If kawasaki and the rest of the four are smart, 240v charging (Level 2) should come standard. 30ah should be a 1/2hr on a 240v if not less. I'm definitely looking to add a J1773 port to my Tao Leo. I'll have to buy a new charger for the 240v and place that under the gas tank.
Those batteries are quite small when normal scooter can have easily that much battery. With only 3 kwh of battery you need to drive like 30 mph to get advertised range. Without battery swapping this bike has quite limited usage.
Have absolutely no interest in an electric motorcycle due to the kind of riding I do. But a hybrid mid size ADV bike with swapable battery and a 4-500ish cc parallel twin would be game changing. Enduro riding doesn’t need big hp and should be pretty efficient on battery usage with lots of braking regen and having that ICE to run the highways to get you where you want to be.
Seems like it’s nerfed for some reason. Like, did they not do any market research beforehand? I feel like they absolutely could have made something better. Maybe someone inside Kawasaki forced this through before it was ready?
