Electric Motorcycles Ready to Roar (quietly)

2024 will be a pivotal year when it comes to battery-electric motorbikes – but traditional riders are not expected to lead the EV switch.

Instead, the rise of electric-only bikes is likely to usher in a new type of motorcyclist.

This is the prediction of leading Adelaide motorcycle dealer Mark Flynn ,owner of Coast Powersports in South Australia since 2001.

“The EV side of things is still pretty new to motorcycling,” he said.

“It’s really only minibikes and kids bikes now, whereas the next 12 months you’ll see the landscape change semi-dramatically with a lot of mainstream motorcycles.”

New entrants

As with the car industry, new players are entering the game.

“The mainstream manufacturers have been the slowest to adapt to the market and the wants of the customers.

“You’ll see brands like Zero, Savic, Super Soco, Energica and Stark VARG.

“It will create opportunities in our industry for people who are potentially not customers at the moment.”

Mark predicted the commuting market might take off first, leading to rapid growth in electric scooters.

“People may want to buy a scooter to ride to an office job in town and feel like they’re doing the right thing by the environment,” he said.

“I think you’ll see the big companies bring out electric scooters in the next 12 months.”

Purists welded on

Mark doesn’t expect the traditional motorcyclist to embrace the change.

The “purists” are not yet asking about the emerging technology.

He said people who liked long country rides “are going to have range issues, so they are not interested in electric bikes at this point.

“They want the whole experiencethe acceleration, engine noise and to hear the tyres.”

He said high performance bikes would cost $40,000-$60,000, making them prohibitive for a lot of people.

Personal fan

Mark is already a fan of the electric bike.

He described the torque as “phenomenal” and noted that they are heavy due to the battery, with weight sitting low on the bike.

That meant people needed to ride them differently to a traditional bike.

Mark also highlighted other challenges.

“It’s a little bit scary when you ride one because of the lack of noise.”

“It’s like floating on a cloud, listening to your tyres on the ground.”

However, changing the battery after 7-10 years may present a challenge, with the possibility of needing to dismantle much of the bike to remove the battery.

“If the bike’s value is $10,000 in five years and a $9000 battery replacement is required, walking away becomes an option.”

All eyes are on 2024 to see what’s in store for two-wheelers.