As a motorbike rider I first became aware of electric motorbikes through the KTM Freeride E off-road bike back in 2015. Brands such as Alta and Brammo, both of which are no longer around, had preceded KTM, but the Freeride E got the headlines here in the UK. Expensive and short range were the defining characteristics both for electric cars and electric bikes back then. But now in 2021 things have definitely moved on, to the point where I want to go electric.
I've looked at four potential options, from BMW, Energica, Harley Davidson and Zero:
The BMW C-Evolution is a maxi-scooter, with a 35kW peak / 72Nm motor, a 12.5kWh battery, and a 3kW AC charger with a Type 1 connector. It weighs 275kg, is good for a top speed of 75mph and a range of up to 99 miles.
The Energica Ego+ is a sports bike, with a 126kW peak / 215Nm motor, a 21.5kWh battery, and a 3kW AC / 24kW DC charger with a Type 2 CCS connector. It weighs 260kg, is good for a top speed of 150mph, and a range of 153 miles.
The Harley Davidson LiveWire is a naked bike, with a 78kW peak / 117Nm motor, a 15.5kWh battery, and a 1.4kW AC / 24kW DC charger with a Type 2 CCS connector. It weighs 249kg, is good for a top speed of 114mph, and a range of 146 miles.
And the Zero SR/S is a sports tourer, with a 82kW peak / 190Nm motor, a 14.4kWh battery, and a 3kW AC charger with a Type 2 connector. It weighs 229kg, is good for a top speed of 124mph, and a range of 123 miles.
That's four different manufacturers and four different styles. The Energica stands out from the rest on paper, with the largest battery, highest power and top speed, and Italian styling. But we haven't touched on price yet. The Harley Davidson is the most expensive in the UK, starting at £28,995. The Energica starts at £26,690. The Zero starts at £18,090. And the BMW starts at £16,010. None of these are cheap, and these are the starting prices before adding any options.
[Edit: The BMW C-Evolution has been superseded by the CE04, which has lower power and shorter range, and focussed on urban commuters. It is cheaper though, starting at £11,920.]
As I've got older my riding style has mellowed. My days of wringing the last horsepower out of a bike on a Sunday morning blast are well behind me. I'm not adverse to carrying corner speed, but these days I've got half an eye on the view and am much more likely to pull over to appreciate the countryside than try to set a new personal best on the way to the bikers' cafe. My bikes are comfortable enough to ride all day, and that's what I enjoy doing.
So essentially I ruled out the Energica due to the aggressive riding position, the Harley Davidson due to the price, and the BMW due to short range and slow charging. Which leaves the Zero, which on paper also has the slowest charging. But the Zero's charging system is modular, and can be boosted up to 12kW by fitting additional AC chargers. That's still half of the Energica and Harley Davidson, but reduces the 20%-80% charge time to around 30 minutes. It is worth noting that the Zero doesn't support DC charging, which the Energica and Harley Davidson do. DC chargers are the standard on the UK motorway network, but AC chargers are simpler and cheaper to install, are pretty much everywhere, and inherently more reliable than DC chargers. This map shows where the 43kW, 22kW and 11kW AC chargers are currently installed in the UK (7kW AC chargers are hidden for clarity):
Other factors that swayed me towards the Zero are the air-cooling and belt drive. The Zero has pretty much zero maintenance required, outside of replacing consumables such as tyres and brake pads. Meanwhile the Energica and Harley Davidson both have liquid cooling, and the Energica has a chain drive. Did I mention I was getting older? Less faffing and more riding appeals to me, so no messing around with chains and minimal annual servicing is a good thing.
To sum up, it looks like the sweet spot for me is a Zero SR/S Premium, with optional Charge Tank fitted. That comes in at £22,315 on the road, after the UK government's Plug-In Vehicle Grant has been deducted.