Future Motorcycles
In 1867, Massachusetts inventor Sylvester Roper built what is credited by most as the world's first motorcycle. Powered by a twin-cylinder steam engine, the 25 mph machine was stoked to life via a charcoal-fired stove located under the rider's seat. Flash forward seven score years and we have 150-hp production motorcycles capable of over 180 mph with computer controlled fuel injection and ABS. Quite a bit of technological ground covered since the days of Sylvester Roper. Which begs the question - what does the future hold for motorcycles?
Due to environmental concerns and the fact that $4/gallon gas is now a reality, the desire for alternatives to the internal combustion engine are more in demand than ever before. So, like automobiles, future motorcycles figure to be greener, more efficient machines. Who knows, 50 years from now riders may look back at our gas-engine beauties the same way we look at Roper's steam-powered relic.
Plug-in electrics, hybrids, fuel cells and even compressed air all hold promise in the years to come. And the next big thing in motorcycle design may already be out there. So let's take a fresh look at the alternative two-wheelers.
ELECTRIC
Electric powered motorcycles are the most developed alternative technology available. And electric power seems well suited to a two-wheeled design, as a lighter overall weight means smaller motors and fewer heavy batteries are required than those on an electric car. The electric motor also figures to be a good application for a commuter motorcycle, with immediate torque delivery for quick spurts of power (in theory, as we have yet to sample any electric-only designs yet, although we're working on it.)
Electric vehicles like the Vectrix ZEV scooter, produce no emissions and operate at a high level of efficiency.
Right now the biggest drawbacks to electric motorcycles are low top speeds and short ranges. Most bikes are limited to 50 mph top speed, or less, with ranges under the 50-mile mark as well - usually under 20 miles. Breakthroughs in battery technology, however, may solve some of these shortcomings, with new Lithium-based batteries promising lighter weight and more potential power.
On the plus side, those few miles traveled will be affordable ones for the operator, as some estimates place the electric cost per mile as low as $0.02 or less. (Compare that to a 25 mpg gas car, which at $4/gallon costs $0.16 per mile - at $4 gas even a 70 mpg conventional gas scooter is over a nickel per mile.)
Another advantage to electricity as an alternative source of motorcycle power is the delivery infrastructure is already in place, with electric bikes needing only an empty socket to get juiced back up. While charge time takes longer than filling up at the pump, getting to the station is a lot quicker and the monthly payment of one utility bill would replace all those depressing, budget-shrinking fuel stops.
The environmental benefits of the electric motorcycle come from zero emissions produced. The catch being that while fossil fuels are not burned directly during the operation of an electric motorcycle, the majority of electricity in the U.S. is still generated from coal-burning powerplants. Electric designs are not wasteful, however, with claims of up to 90% efficiency and the big green pay-off comes with the future development of renewable energy as a significant contributor to the electric grid - still decades away but a growing sector nonetheless.
A fold-away commuter and internet connection, the BOBBY is still a Yamaha prototype, but a quirky example of two-wheeled electric transportation.
In its infancy, the electric motorcycle industry is being developed by intrepid start-ups and large volume manufacturers alike. Here are a few designs that we've come across:
Yamaha BOBBY
The Big Four have dabbled with electric designs in the past, often revealing them as concept bikes at yearly bike shows. Yamaha unveiled a handful of electric designs at last year's Tokyo Motor Show, with our favorite from the tuning fork engineers being the BOBBY. An all-black electric scooter that resembles a fold up bicycle, the BOBBY was designed as a stow away commuter. The futuristic design sports some interesting features, including the ability for the owner to turn it on and off with their cell phone. The scooter is also internet capable, endearing it to an online site such as ourselves. The BOBBY remains a prototype.