+JC Webb just look at the bike eat up the hills like its going against laws of gravity, friction, thermodynamics and the other cat physics that go along with it!!
sean theberge Turbos don't magically prevent an engine from losing power. the turbocharged motor at high altitude loses power, just not as significantly as a normally aspirated motor. The electric motor loses no power at all at altitude.
It's videos like this that remind me of why I like Jay so much. He's a collector of *many* vehicles, old and new, and at heart, he's a petrolhead but he also respects electric (and hybrid) powered vehicles. So it's for that reason that he has *my* respect. Nice one, Jay, we love you, man!! :D
Yea i dont see how you beat that.. Also the ride is just so smooth on electric bikes single speed no highups in the power. And you can really take in the scenery when you drive, when you produce almost no sound.. its amazing
I agree. Personally, I've always loved motorcycles though I quit riding because I just couldnt find the "me" bike. After testing a Zero S, then seeing these. I know exactly what I am getting, and my passion is refueled.
Dude, everyone's talking about lack of sound, there is sound people. Quieter? Yes. But, and ,maybe it's just me and my affinity for brushless RC cars, I love the sound of an electric motor. The low end whir building into sharp pitched whistle into an all out scream at full point, tingly. Especially knowing that the only way to make it scream is to have enough balls to top it out at 215 mph, a gasoline bike will scream as loud as it can at 80 mph in first gear, not nearly as many balls does it take to make a gasoline engine sound like its going it's fastest.
You are looking at the wrong issue.It's not about going fast enough. It's the 25 year old douche in the audi that doesn't look before he changes lanes and runs you over in 20 mph traffic because he didn't hear your bike. Loud pipes save lives!
***** If thats the best rebuttal you can come up with, i'm just going to stop here, because you've made yourself look ignorant enough for the both of us. Go read a dmv handbook and come back and try to at least sound like you know what you're talking about. : )
Im not even going to argue about the stupidity you just wrote. I'll just leave it at your opinion means nothing to me so all you are doing is wasting your time responding to me( and in fact entertaining me) : ) : ) : )
How about that idiot that is doing 20 mph over the speed limit not watching for cars that don't notice a small object flying way faster than is expected along the road. Even when they're old people who are probably DEAF anyways. Go read a DMV handbook and learn that its your responsibility to protect yourself on the roadway and not put yourself into a position to be hurt.
+archinuk417 $38,800 and you can! : )' Not really too outrageous when you consider the price of the only car (McLaren's new hybrid) that has acceleration anywhere close is selling in the $1,700,000 range!
Wow. I want one. It looks and sounds somewhat stealthy and it's performance surpasses almost all other bikes, modified or otherwise. Awesome. Thank you for sharing.
Everybody has different expectations from their motorcycles, some like them loud some not. Some like sports bikes some like enduro. Some like big bikes some small. Everybody is right nobody is wrong. I ride electric, it works for me. I commute 200 miles per week it costs me £3.00 in electricity for the whole 200 miles. My bike a Zero S, is as fast as I need it be it has the range I need it to have. I don't believe it being quiet puts me at greater risk of being hit by a car, because car drivers live in bubbles of music, mobile phones and conversation with passengers, car manufacturers put a lot of effort into sound proofing their vehicles. I feel that I am at more risk of hitting other road users like pedestrians and cyclists, because they do hear motorcycles before they look and step out. I like the fact that I am never in the wrong gear there is no tap dancing on the gear lever when you can't get the neutral or when you've had to pull up of sharply. At some point the major manufacturers will come onboard and that will be a game changer. Stay safe everybody.
loud pipes deafen riders of loud pipe bikes.. and that is ALL they do. they also make a self-entitled rider "right" on the road, and as we all know, being "right" with their loud pipes means being dead when they feel they're noise should have "been enough to let you know they're there and so you should have stayed in your lane" - and so they are right, and they are dead. The silent rider has better senses and is scanning like ANY rider should always be doing and getting away from risks 5 steps ahead. Loud pipes don't save lives. They can even make someone swerve into them if they rev bomb and scare a driver who would have stayed in their lane if not startled.
I can sympathize with this. I drive an Ecooter, a small motorcycle, which goes 95 km/h but it's electric, it's cheap and it's fun. And basically free to drive
I'm just waiting for the electronic speed wars , lets see who will be the big players then , just like those old busa days , maybe there will be sone bike as insane as a H2 , but electric! That's the speed wars
This has to succeed and be the future. For those that think this is not cool because of lack of sound, just think that you can have ANY sound you want on a bike like this. Just had a speaker and a subwoofer and you can ear any sound at all. It may sound stupid, but I believe that they will eventually make it. Imagine that you can have combustion engine sound or a super cool synthesized sound. Theres only one thing missing and that is super fast charging batteries. Im afraid they will never come to exist because of oil, but if they do see the light, combustion engine dies that day.
it will take a long long long time before we get electirc vehicles that dont use fossil fuel since 96% of electricity world wide is coal/oil/gas. The cost is also a huge issue. for the "battery" search for "graphene supercapacitor", we are getting there. it is the future, but wil take at least 100 years before fossil fuels are not used any more. in combustion engens or power plants. that is if they start developing thorium reactors (check it out)
You can listen to the sound privately through headphones in your helmet, and whatever kind of sound you choose. But you may run into pedestrians or horses because they won't hear you coming.
Jay, I live in Atl, Ga and have to set an alrm to wake me up in the middle of the night so I can watch the videos as soon as they come on. Amazing job and, thanks for all the great entertainment over the years.
i have to admit at first i`ve wanted to resist the electric bikes but after seeing what lighting motorcycles has come up with i don`t think i can deny them any longer it really looks to be an excellent bike, i hope Tesla sees the light and allows the charging facilities to be universal it would only mean there cars have more appeal.
I build Richard Hatfield's first prototype we featured it on LA Times along time ago I am very impressed with where this bike has gone we never thought it would get to this point.
I am extremely impressed by this motorcycle. That's saying a lot considering my love for all things Sportbike, gasoline, and horsepower. I think the price is reasonable for a cutting edge bike. Even with up to 150MI range, which is amazing even by motorcycle standards, if they don't get the charging figured out it they will fail. Almost all urban and suburban areas in the country have charging pumps now. I live by a Podunk city in south central Michigan that has them. Random thoughts and opinions. Great vid btw and keep up the good work.
I really hope they can figure out a deal with Tesla to be allowed use of their Supercharger stations. I can understand Tesla's reluctance though, at least for another ten years until their network is as ubiquitous as gas stations. What would be even better though is if another rich company came along and started their own version of the Supercharger network and covered the place with new stations available to all electric vehicles. They'd have to charge, obviously, but as long as it's cheaper per mile than gasoline then the electrics market will still win out. I love that commercial for the Nissan Leaf which shows everything being powered on gasoline, from the guy's kettle to computer to iPhone etc, and then it ends by saying "Imagine if everything was powered on gasoline." Makes you realise just how backwards it is that transportation hasn't kept up with literally every other industry.
Thank you for sharing! I remember seeing some people who worked out of their garage with drill batteries and were the fastest of that time, although my memory is not the best I think that they were the first!
At 215 mph, you would definitely hear me coming. You'd hear me SCREAMING IN TERROR! I did 125 a few times on a FZ1, and my butt still puckers a bit thinking about it.
Hi Jay Other automotive videos I usually jump around the video listening to bits and parts due to boredom. But on your videos I listen the whole way through because of the stories that you provide.
For the rear brake set up, they should completely do away with the mechanical rotor and caliper, and make the brake pedal linked directly to the electronics so that the electric motor is used as regenerative braking system- charging the battery and slowing down the rear wheel.. (as they already have on the bike) but to use the electric motor as a brake..
Siopao.Sauce the rear brakes will never matter for safety, they are essentially pointless on gas and electric bikes, something like 20% of the braking force. It would effect handling on a sports bike, losing the ability to rotate the bike, only reason I can think of
@@HumbertoYi0878 Man, and when my rear master cyl goes out on any of my bikes, I really notice a difference, won't ride till it is fixed. Maybe I just have the wrong bikes???
This bike is soo cool! I bet it's a blast to ride, reminds me of how fast electric RC cars have become! I bought a mini Traxxas Revo that hits 60 mph, crazy fast for 1/16 scale car!
"dont ride bikes all dead people on the road ride bikes" story of my life she'd rather have me walk 6km's from school under the scorching 2 pm malaysian sun than letting me get a moped license
The sound of the motor suits bikes more so than cars I think. That Lightning looks brilliant and can give reasonable mileage, pretty amazing performance too. It's all still extremely expensive though.
maoristereo Not really, it's comparable to the HP4 but lacks many features. It also costs far more than the HP4. Also, the HP4, for the moment, is even a more practical bike, as it can get gas anywhere, and go on long trips, has more storage options, and still has 200hp. Not to mention the HP4 is most likely more comfortable than this bike. While this bike is impressive, it's more of a niche market than electric cars IMHO.
Wolf Seisenbacher Hopefully it will come down in price significantly. The thing is though, a 'cheap' version of *this* bike maybe something like the price of an MT-09 would be rubbish, it couldn't be done. I suspect the reason is because of battery technology. It's got to be a long way off yet before we can have a decent 'budget' option that actually works.
Electricity is the Essence of Power! We use electric motors everywhere we can and now have cars and 200 HP rockets, riding one of these with a belt has to be the best ride ever. Congrats, Maui and the other islands should love these.
I met Jay at the Rock Store in '86. I was looking at his antique German motorcycle with solid spoke wheels. I was stooping down close looking at the engine and noticed what appeared to be a reproduction of the original battery box. I suspected the old one had rusted out years ago. Jay came up behind me and asked me my thoughts. Shocked, I answered that I was really happy inside that someone took the time to custom manufacture what looked to be an original battery box, with good craftsmanship. He got a big smile and said he built it himself. Again, I was shocked. I asked where he gets the time. He smiled. Then, as usual, a large cloud of people that constantly swarmed moved in and took over. My 45 seconds with Jay. No handshake, no introductions, just gearhead chat. Everything I could ever ask for.
And presumably you're about to suggest an even cleaner technology? Or is the fact that electrics are quantifiably cleaner than ICE cars (yes, even if you power them on coal) irrelevant just because electrics aren't yet 100% clean?
Dan Paveley people never think about tve whole chain, they think electics just is there in the sockets. starting a. bunch of dirty brown coal plants to charge all of these is not to think it thru totally. especially with tve really short rances a bike would get still if you want it to be sporty like this one. take the bus.
Lots of accidents are just simply unavoidable. I have a zx6r with stock exhaust, it's no louder than a car on the highway, unless of course I'm really on the throttle, at which point you don't hear it til I'm a few hundred feet in front of you. My point is I have a quiet bike and I've been in hundreds of situations where cars just do not see me...and I've avoided them in every situation. Been riding through Dallas for three and a half years. If you rely on sound to alert the driver, they are oblivious to you anyways so what makes you think their going to just suddenly see you? Some of the time you are lucky and the driver does notice you after cutting you off or pulling out in front of you, but still by the time they notice you it's too late. Don't ever rely on anyone to see you. Drive offensively and 110% on guard at all times while on public roads. Sorry if this is TL;DR I just wanted to say I have experience on a sportbike in a very busy city and have had many close encounters but I ride maturely and ultimately I think that's why I've never been in an accident.
When I was on my Aprilia the jackass beside me pulled into my lane she said I couldn't see you. You should of bought a smaller vehicle woman if you can't drive it! Loud pipes do save lives on a electric bike you probably can hook up one hell of a stereo lol!
Everyone saying loud pipes saves lives, please also mention that you need to be at a fairly high speed for the sound to be noticeable. I am talking about stock motorcycles here as most riders dont put aftermarket pipes. So in high speed it may work but if you are cruising you still depend on the sanity of the people around you. As for high speeds, I think riding over limit on highways(go to a track) is the first risk you automatically put yourself into.
I still think the future won't be a purely electric vehicle but a vehicle more like the Porsche 918 Spyder, a hybrid with a seriously ballsy sounding engine. I don't think bike guys would be able to give up the roar of the exhaust. If you could make a 500lb bike with a great sounding engine with a combined at least 30hp/100lbs and the electric hybrid added in so you got over 100mpg I think it'd take off.
ali khan There have been many unnoticed instances of "reassuring", long since known sounds....do you really think your digital-camera "needs" that "Kachunk" sound when you press the shutter button?, no, that sound you hear is artificial, for your sake...an imitation of the sound of an old film camera. If you really want, future electric bikes could have a menu of various sounds available for you if you wish?...a security blanket kinda thing?
That's an amazing thing that they've done. I personally cannot wait until this is the new standard of motorcycle..... just gotta wait for that price to drop a little bit for the average rider. Right now you can have a top of the line Japanese bike that is about $13,000 and requires little maintenance. Thank you Jay for being a bad ass and showing us all what is out there and going into the depth you do in your reviews!
@Angus Chandler what? No evidence? Did you watch the video? Did you hear the bike? No? Exactly. It's silent. It makes a tiny electric toothbrush sound. Nobody can hear you coming. Loud pipes save lives, this is common knowledge among people that actually ride motorcycles.
We'll have to wait until more producers enter the market and compete for buyers.. But until then, there is not enough providers/customers to drive the price down. The best we can do right now my friend is spread the word ;)
I'm all in... never like noisy engine anyway! without the noise you really can connect with nature riding through the peaceful country and canyon. Its like sailing. Now if they would work on solar charging to have unlimited range that would be the ultimate road machine don't you think?
whataname01 buy a bicycle then my friend. Instant connection with nature. There's something very pristine about a scenic backdrop on a windy road and the exhaust note of your motorcycle. Electric is no doubt the future, but the exhaust note, the clutch and the overall engagement of man and machine, makes me want to cling on IC for as long as I can.
The electric idea sounds awesome, but I do agree that it can be dangerous. I have never ridden a bike, but I know when I'm driving, I usually here the sound of bikes far before I can see them, even if they are very close. A lot of riders speed, so the amount of time I have to actually see them is very small. The sound is often the only indication I have that there is a bike about to pass me. I already feel uncomfortable driving around regular motorcycles, I can imagine it would be even worse with an electric one.
No soul? No rider connection? No passion? Sure, you try riding a motorcycle @212 mph and come back here and tell us how it's "dumbed down motorcycling" you hipster tool.
Ex Ducati rider here. Now on a Zero. There's much *more* rider connection on an electric than there is on a Ducati. Not constantly breaking the drive to change gears. You, the road, nothing between.
To all you nay sayers out there.... this bike kicks some serious @$$ and its saving the environment to boot !!! Thanks Jay for bringing us such great info on everything that moves, especially FAST!! I'd gladly kill myself riding this bike!!
This doesn't take an hour either on fast charger. Sure it can take multiple hours at home with a level 2 charger but that's not the same as a gas station and ICE bikes can't be refilled at home with the same convinience and ease either. It's a trade off not a total disadvantage.
I don't like electric motorcycles but that bike does look sick. However, speed without proper engine sound is boring. I was bored riding my 12 cbr1000rr when it just had a stock exhaust, so I couldn't imagine riding that quiet electric bike. I don't care how fast that bike is, without proper sound it would bore me. PS. Jay cracked me up when he waved to that lady and said all moms hate motorcycles. haha
i bet you hae never tryed an e-vehicle? Pure e-power cars and motorcycles are unbeliveable to drive. it is just better in every way. The Sound is a big isue for a lot of People. A silent gas bike ist boring, but e-power is just a hole other universe
"However, speed without proper engine sound is boring." If sound is all it takes to excite you, you could just sit still and rev the engine. Sounds boring to me.
so you still did never try an e-vehicle. if you did, and you still say you want the Sound i take it back. but up till then, i will still say that there is no Need for a loud Sound from e e-vehicles.
I'm a internal combustion kinda guy..... but I cant wait for electric motorcycles, especially dirt and trials bikes! LETS GET OUR LANDS BACK FOR RECREATION !!!! (and just think how nice a quiet Harley would sound at 6am !)
It'd be excellent if we had something that beat the versatility, reliability, and efficiency of chain drives but it simply hasn't happened yet. It'll be anachronistic when a better machine exists.
So much for the "gentlemen's agreement" to not try and top the worlds fastest bike? I guess the Ninja ZX-12R started it but still, is this bike a practical every day bike?
MrSlowestD16 Sorry to burst your bubble. This came off of a zx-12 site... From the first production ZX-12R, in the 2000 model year, its top speed was restricted by a motorcycle manufacturer gentlemen's agreement.[1][2][3] This was due to a voluntary gentlemen's agreement that included BMW Motorrad and the Japanese manufacturers, amid fears of government regulation of motorcycle speeds mainly in Europe.
If I wasn’t so addicted to the Desmodromic music of my Ducatis, I’d be interested in the 20kWh version. Useful range, gobs more power and torque than I’ll ever need, and looks sharp to boot. But I’d miss the dry clutch rattle and the rhythmic thump of that distinctive L-Twin.
I knew I'd be reading that old "Loud pipes save lives" bullshit. By the time I hear some motorcycle in a car or truck it would have been too late to react anyway. Loud bikes are for people who want attention and glances their. I'm cool with that but just admit it's not for safety lol what a joke
You could do that and have none of the acceleration or top speed with either of those machines, plus you'd still keep using fossil fuels. I'm not saying this because it invalidates one's preferences, some may well prefer a slower car and a slower motorcycle, I'm just saying that your scenario is incompatible with that of those who would want that kind of performance which would not be readily attainable in any other way.
But it's slower both in acceleration and top speed and it runs on fossil fuels. I mean, I get not caring if it's electric, but performance matters. What you're saying is no different than buying a vintage car from 15 years ago and saying it's better somehow because it caters to your subjective sensibilities. Objectively, without caring about what powers them, the ICE motorcycle you're talking about is inferior.
kalimul Of course the Lightning is faster, but for the money I can buy a Tesla Model 3 (a practical vehicle for daily driving) and a bike that's nearly as fast and still have a thousand or so bucks to spend. Excuse me but I'll go for the latter.
You have to excuse others that want more performance and electric. Your ideal use of the money is not universal, it just better suits your interests. Trying to suggest that to be a universally better deal is wrong, you're not getting the same performance from either machines.
I would have not known these bike existed until I saw one last week. There was no tailpipe and it passed silently as I was walking down the side walk. I was very curious to find out more. I own an electric assist bicycle which will match the power you are creating by pedaling or you can turn off the power for better exercise. I have an old knee injury and one day it seized up on me, so I just used the throttle and it got me back home at 20mph for 12 miles distance. Thanks Jay
Yes, I believe you might be. I will say that I am a huge fan of 4 wheels but, there is nothing better than a cross country trip on 2 or, cruising down some back road.
I love cars but really it's incredibly hard to have fun in them on an average day. But with a bike you can spend a few thousand and have supercar levels of performance yet still have immense fun at legal speeds.
in the LA area and any other big city area, it's always nicer to be on a bike... especially in California where lane splitting is legal. Instead of spending hours in wall to wall traffic you can just take off down the center between them and go have fun and riding a bike is a much more visceral experience. You smell all the smells, you feel all the temperature changes, and you really feel more a part of the world instead of apart from it. Plus unless you are driving a Prius or some other ugly little econo car (or a Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid but that doesn't count) you would be hard pressed to find a car that can get the mileage of a bike.. and even if they do (918 excluded) odds are you can't have anywhere near the fun in them that you can on a bike.
This is the tipping point Jay mentioned, in that it has now exceeded the performance of petrol fueled motorcycles. It has the looks, performance, and almost the range I'd want...just waiting for the production levels to rise to lower the price per unit for consumers.
Have been unable to find an owner to get an up close inspection. Have confirmed existence of at least 3 of these, but no idea if the specifications match what was promised.
14:15 I can feel Richard Hatfield thinking how much of a gigantic bell Jay Leno is 😂... and the torque figure flies right over Jays massive hydrogen heed
The biggest place this bike is going to have an issue is in parking lots and cross walks. Had a Prius years back and people would walk right in front of the car without looking because they would not hear an engine noise. Followed one lady 20 parking spaces before she looked behind her and screamed murder when she saw the car following right behind her. Best day ever!!
1. Depends how you ride. And most of crashes are happening because someone going out to the road and bum you hit him. and most important he fucking does not care if he will hear you because he is fucking talking on cellphone or something....
MHrVr couldn't agree with you more. I used to commute by bicycle and eventually stopped worrying about safety lights because they seemed to have no impact on the attentiveness of the drivers around me. we have to be responsible for our own safety, as no one else on the road pays attention. I even had a school bus run me off the road in broad daylight on an empty residential street.
Totally agree. If you are relying on other people to notice you while you are riding a motorcycle then you are the safety hazard. Most modern cars come with huge amounts of sound damping and 8.1 surround sound entertainment systems so it doesn't matter how loud your pipes are they aren't going to save you.
Can you post some videos? There is almost nothing on youtube from the owners. Maybe, if you got time and inclination, invite one of the youtubers that review bikes to make a video on it.
no sound on a motorcycle is extremely dangerous.... i have a very loud CBR600 and many peope dont even notice me. 3isih weeks ago i got into my first "accident" when a taxi just blatantly hit the side of my bike while i was revving to warn him (did not lay it down, driver was 75+ y/o and probably had hearing problems). but over the past couple years I get cut off like 20-30x more than in a car, so i cant even imagine what it will be like when people dont see you OR hear you....
***** Hmm, that gives me an amazing idea! What if I removed the horn from a truck, and fitted it to my bike! YES! EVERYONE WILL HEAR ME!!!! Sorry, but good ideas make me do that.
***** They sell upgraded horns, there's a truck horn you can buy for your bike and it's actually very inexpensive and plug and play. Try doing a google search
HeroDanny the ambient sound of my bike has prevented people from turning into me and having to use a horn in the first place. with a stock exhaust i got cut off like 10x more than i do now, so i cant even imagine what its like with NO sound at all... also no need for horn - my bike can rev louder and can do it quicker without unwrapping my thumb around the left grip (if you get hit and arent holding onto the handle bars say goodbye to your chance of recovering...), also you risk completely missing the horn button (its not like in a car, mine is like 2mm big) or electrical failure especially if its a DIY horn. makes no sense for anyone without an after market exhaust.
***** I am not saying the noise is in any way effective, but it is in no way completely silent. Besides, having an electric bike isn't for everyone, some people will want to take the risk, and some people won't.
I'm sorry but if you take a 200 horsepower motorcycle out onto a public road and you give it all that it has to give...well you are just asking to die. Save it for the racetrack. I had a Yamaha RD400 with 43 horsepower and that was more than enough to get me where I wanted to go, and more than enough horsepower to kill me. Stop the insanity of these horsepower wars...please for the love of God!
Have been riding for 25 years. Actually had a few RD350's. Funny you mentioned the RD. A the performance and racing derived bike of Yamaha's line up of the time. Based completed on the ability to go faster than necessary. Wasn't the 400 one of the last and biggest in the US for that engine/model? The RD125 had way over speed limit capability, and by your logic was enough.
Wow, what an awesome bike. It really couldn't get anymore practical. It looks amazing, sounds great, and the price is really not that bad for such a wonderful bike. My biggest dislike is that it has no clutch lever or shifter but I could probably get over that. I can see these things going for 8k in 5years
One thing I think they should make optional is the REGEN. I love the "smooth slingshot" feel of a gas powered bike when you just accelerate and pull in the clutch to glide. I'd make it so half of the brake is regen, and at some point the disc brakes take over for fast stopping. (I know this is wasteful, but so is spending this kind of money on a motorcycle so don't @ me. I LOVE THIS THING AND NEED IT.)
The electric bike does not lose power at elevation - a giant advantage at Pikes Peak.
+JC Webb just look at the bike eat up the hills like its going against laws of gravity, friction, thermodynamics and the other cat physics that go along with it!!
Only a few mph faster than Burt Munroe 1920 Indian scout. Oh well Burt had lots of practice. LOL.
Interesting thing to note, didn't even think about that!
Thats what turbos are for :)
sean theberge
Turbos don't magically prevent an engine from losing power. the turbocharged motor at high altitude loses power, just not as significantly as a normally aspirated motor. The electric motor loses no power at all at altitude.
I like this gentleman and his bike. I wish him success.
Heh
No success
This will be confusing for a lot of riders, because they'll have no idea where to put their Twin Brothers slip-on exhaust.
Crunge92 that's *two brother. known the name before commenting
expensive stuff Well of course it's two, they're twins.
Fucking hell 😂
Crunge92 zip tie it on the side
@@expensivestuff1189 shut it nerd.
A CEO on the show, that knows about the engineering - great :) !
It's videos like this that remind me of why I like Jay so much. He's a collector of *many* vehicles, old and new, and at heart, he's a petrolhead but he also respects electric (and hybrid) powered vehicles. So it's for that reason that he has *my* respect.
Nice one, Jay, we love you, man!! :D
Man, these guys improved so much in 4 years! The 2019 Lightning Strike stats are incredible: $13k, 150mph, 150-mile range and 35-min charge.
Yea i dont see how you beat that.. Also the ride is just so smooth on electric bikes single speed no highups in the power. And you can really take in the scenery when you drive, when you produce almost no sound.. its amazing
I agree. Personally, I've always loved motorcycles though I quit riding because I just couldnt find the "me" bike. After testing a Zero S, then seeing these. I know exactly what I am getting, and my passion is refueled.
You know that this motorcycle is scam, and no one owns it!!!! They try to buy it and this company never delivery the bike!!!
Dude, everyone's talking about lack of sound, there is sound people. Quieter? Yes. But, and ,maybe it's just me and my affinity for brushless RC cars, I love the sound of an electric motor. The low end whir building into sharp pitched whistle into an all out scream at full point, tingly. Especially knowing that the only way to make it scream is to have enough balls to top it out at 215 mph, a gasoline bike will scream as loud as it can at 80 mph in first gear, not nearly as many balls does it take to make a gasoline engine sound like its going it's fastest.
You are looking at the wrong issue.It's not about going fast enough. It's the 25 year old douche in the audi that doesn't look before he changes lanes and runs you over in 20 mph traffic because he didn't hear your bike. Loud pipes save lives!
***** If thats the best rebuttal you can come up with, i'm just going to stop here, because you've made yourself look ignorant enough for the both of us. Go read a dmv handbook and come back and try to at least sound like you know what you're talking about. : )
Im not even going to argue about the stupidity you just wrote. I'll just leave it at your opinion means nothing to me so all you are doing is wasting your time responding to me( and in fact entertaining me) : ) : ) : )
How about that idiot that is doing 20 mph over the speed limit not watching for cars that don't notice a small object flying way faster than is expected along the road. Even when they're old people who are probably DEAF anyways. Go read a DMV handbook and learn that its your responsibility to protect yourself on the roadway and not put yourself into a position to be hurt.
@@credigy5889 just use your horn
I would give anything to ride this beautiful bike!
+archinuk417 $38,800 and you can! : )' Not really too outrageous when you consider the price of the only car (McLaren's new hybrid) that has acceleration anywhere close is selling in the $1,700,000 range!
LOL
This is growing on me now, love this thing. The thought of never having to change cam tensioners and do valve clearances etc again is appealing lol
Wow. I want one. It looks and sounds somewhat stealthy and it's performance surpasses almost all other bikes, modified or otherwise. Awesome. Thank you for sharing.
Everybody has different expectations from their motorcycles, some like them loud some not. Some like sports bikes some like enduro. Some like big bikes some small. Everybody is right nobody is wrong. I ride electric, it works for me. I commute 200 miles per week it costs me £3.00 in electricity for the whole 200 miles. My bike a Zero S, is as fast as I need it be it has the range I need it to have. I don't believe it being quiet puts me at greater risk of being hit by a car, because car drivers live in bubbles of music, mobile phones and conversation with passengers, car manufacturers put a lot of effort into sound proofing their vehicles. I feel that I am at more risk of hitting other road users like pedestrians and cyclists, because they do hear motorcycles before they look and step out. I like the fact that I am never in the wrong gear there is no tap dancing on the gear lever when you can't get the neutral or when you've had to pull up of sharply. At some point the major manufacturers will come onboard and that will be a game changer. Stay safe everybody.
Well Said
And some men like taking wieners in their butt, to each his own.
loud pipes deafen riders of loud pipe bikes.. and that is ALL they do. they also make a self-entitled rider "right" on the road, and as we all know, being "right" with their loud pipes means being dead when they feel they're noise should have "been enough to let you know they're there and so you should have stayed in your lane" - and so they are right, and they are dead. The silent rider has better senses and is scanning like ANY rider should always be doing and getting away from risks 5 steps ahead. Loud pipes don't save lives. They can even make someone swerve into them if they rev bomb and scare a driver who would have stayed in their lane if not startled.
I can sympathize with this. I drive an Ecooter, a small motorcycle, which goes 95 km/h but it's electric, it's cheap and it's fun. And basically free to drive
I'm just waiting for the electronic speed wars , lets see who will be the big players then , just like those old busa days , maybe there will be sone bike as insane as a H2 , but electric!
That's the speed wars
This has to succeed and be the future. For those that think this is not cool because of lack of sound, just think that you can have ANY sound you want on a bike like this. Just had a speaker and a subwoofer and you can ear any sound at all. It may sound stupid, but I believe that they will eventually make it. Imagine that you can have combustion engine sound or a super cool synthesized sound. Theres only one thing missing and that is super fast charging batteries. Im afraid they will never come to exist because of oil, but if they do see the light, combustion engine dies that day.
it will take a long long long time before we get electirc vehicles that dont use fossil fuel since 96% of electricity world wide is coal/oil/gas. The cost is also a huge issue. for the "battery" search for "graphene supercapacitor", we are getting there.
it is the future, but wil take at least 100 years before fossil fuels are not used any more. in combustion engens or power plants. that is if they start developing thorium reactors (check it out)
You can listen to the sound privately through headphones in your helmet, and whatever kind of sound you choose. But you may run into pedestrians or horses because they won't hear you coming.
maybe I should add an electric motor to my twin turbo supercharged two stroke?
That design and color is absolutely beautiful. The front LED lights...amazing looking.
Thanks for another great video uncle Jay. Also, never get rid of that leather jacket. It's badass like no other.
Even the experience of listening to Jay speak with a helmet on was much quieter. Surreal. Great video!
They need to bring that bike to Isle of Man TT and have Michael Dunlop race it.
i think gas bikes would be faster at nearer sea level
I think there would be battery life issues at those speeds and over those distances. Otherwise I think it would be very interesting.
This thing would need its own class because it would destroy any gas machine at TT as well.
At full power it wouldn't make a single lap...the CEO said 20 miles range.
There already is TT Zero, BTW.
@@AdaptivePhenix This video is 4 years old now though, the 2019 version does 100-150 miles on a full charge.
Jay, I live in Atl, Ga and have to set an alrm to wake me up in the middle of the night so I can watch the videos as soon as they come on. Amazing job and, thanks for all the great entertainment over the years.
Damn, I'm impressed. I was excited about the H2 until I saw this bike.
better than h2r
Thanks Jay for sharing your beautiful people movers .... We all appreciate what you have done for us all ....
i have to admit at first i`ve wanted to resist the electric bikes but after seeing what lighting motorcycles has come up with i don`t think i can deny them any longer it really looks to be an excellent bike, i hope Tesla sees the light and allows the charging facilities to be universal it would only mean there cars have more appeal.
true that if I owned this bike and wanted to use the same chargers I would most likely go to tesla just because they use the same
I build Richard Hatfield's first prototype we featured it on LA Times along time ago I am very impressed with where this bike has gone we never thought it would get to this point.
I am extremely impressed by this motorcycle. That's saying a lot considering my love for all things Sportbike, gasoline, and horsepower. I think the price is reasonable for a cutting edge bike. Even with up to 150MI range, which is amazing even by motorcycle standards, if they don't get the charging figured out it they will fail. Almost all urban and suburban areas in the country have charging pumps now. I live by a Podunk city in south central Michigan that has them. Random thoughts and opinions. Great vid btw and keep up the good work.
I really hope they can figure out a deal with Tesla to be allowed use of their Supercharger stations. I can understand Tesla's reluctance though, at least for another ten years until their network is as ubiquitous as gas stations. What would be even better though is if another rich company came along and started their own version of the Supercharger network and covered the place with new stations available to all electric vehicles. They'd have to charge, obviously, but as long as it's cheaper per mile than gasoline then the electrics market will still win out.
I love that commercial for the Nissan Leaf which shows everything being powered on gasoline, from the guy's kettle to computer to iPhone etc, and then it ends by saying "Imagine if everything was powered on gasoline." Makes you realise just how backwards it is that transportation hasn't kept up with literally every other industry.
Thank you for sharing! I remember seeing some people who worked out of their garage with drill batteries and were the fastest of that time, although my memory is not the best I think that they were the first!
At 215 mph, you would definitely hear me coming. You'd hear me SCREAMING IN TERROR! I did 125 a few times on a FZ1, and my butt still puckers a bit thinking about it.
Hi Jay
Other automotive videos I usually jump around the video listening to bits and parts due to boredom. But on your videos I listen the whole way through because of the stories that you provide.
For the rear brake set up, they should completely do away with the mechanical rotor and caliper, and make the brake pedal linked directly to the electronics so that the electric motor is used as regenerative braking system- charging the battery and slowing down the rear wheel..
(as they already have on the bike) but to use the electric motor as a brake..
aydinvideo y
fly-by-wire-only-brakes... hmmm.....
Might be a safety issue. If your electronics fail you should still be able to bring the bike to a stop safely with conventional brakes.
Siopao.Sauce the rear brakes will never matter for safety, they are essentially pointless on gas and electric bikes, something like 20% of the braking force. It would effect handling on a sports bike, losing the ability to rotate the bike, only reason I can think of
@@HumbertoYi0878 Man, and when my rear master cyl goes out on any of my bikes, I really notice a difference, won't ride till it is fixed. Maybe I just have the wrong bikes???
Man, even in 2022 this is the best review of the ls-218
1:32 gave me a small heart attack
Me too Bro, me too.
Death wobble?
nero91 yeep
This bike is soo cool! I bet it's a blast to ride, reminds me of how fast electric RC cars have become! I bought a mini Traxxas Revo that hits 60 mph, crazy fast for 1/16 scale car!
All moms hate motorcycles.
My mom rides a harley road king lol
Funny my mom gave me an R1 for my 13th birthday
"dont ride bikes all dead people on the road ride bikes"
story of my life
she'd rather have me walk 6km's from school under the scorching 2 pm malaysian sun than letting me get a moped license
Think Meta except she didn’t
@@robertlangdon494 Sedih
part of the nostalgia and foreplay of riding is the sound of your bike;
The sound of the motor suits bikes more so than cars I think. That Lightning looks brilliant and can give reasonable mileage, pretty amazing performance too. It's all still extremely expensive though.
Its as expensive as any bike with a comparable performance
maoristereo Not really, it's comparable to the HP4 but lacks many features. It also costs far more than the HP4. Also, the HP4, for the moment, is even a more practical bike, as it can get gas anywhere, and go on long trips, has more storage options, and still has 200hp. Not to mention the HP4 is most likely more comfortable than this bike.
While this bike is impressive, it's more of a niche market than electric cars IMHO.
Wolf Seisenbacher Hopefully it will come down in price significantly. The thing is though, a 'cheap' version of *this* bike maybe something like the price of an MT-09 would be rubbish, it couldn't be done. I suspect the reason is because of battery technology. It's got to be a long way off yet before we can have a decent 'budget' option that actually works.
maoristereo
Maybe purpose built race bikes, but the street versions of comparable performance are roughly 20k cheaper.
Electricity is the Essence of Power! We use electric motors everywhere we can and now have cars and 200 HP rockets, riding one of these with a belt has to be the best ride ever. Congrats, Maui and the other islands should love these.
I love this bike. I may buy one one day.
Black Hearted same and use it on those days were I want to take a quite ride somewhere and not listen to a loud exhaust.
i love that you drive everything on your show.
i want one
I met Jay at the Rock Store in '86. I was looking at his antique German motorcycle with solid spoke wheels. I was stooping down close looking at the engine and noticed what appeared to be a reproduction of the original battery box. I suspected the old one had rusted out years ago. Jay came up behind me and asked me my thoughts. Shocked, I answered that I was really happy inside that someone took the time to custom manufacture what looked to be an original battery box, with good craftsmanship. He got a big smile and said he built it himself. Again, I was shocked. I asked where he gets the time. He smiled. Then, as usual, a large cloud of people that constantly swarmed moved in and took over. My 45 seconds with Jay. No handshake, no introductions, just gearhead chat. Everything I could ever ask for.
electric vehicles rule
also extremely toxic.
And presumably you're about to suggest an even cleaner technology? Or is the fact that electrics are quantifiably cleaner than ICE cars (yes, even if you power them on coal) irrelevant just because electrics aren't yet 100% clean?
Dan Paveley people never think about tve whole chain, they think electics just is there in the sockets.
starting a. bunch of dirty brown coal plants to charge all of these is not to think it thru totally.
especially with tve really short rances a bike would get still if you want it to be sporty like this one.
take the bus.
Agentum Silwer Silwe
Nah
once that dude settled in he was in the zone. what a clean ride!
It's cool, but it aint no jet turbine!
You must be subscribed to all the same stuff as me. I guess that means I have good taste.
I know what a turbojet is, but what's a jet turbine? ;-)
phillipzx3d I'll Google it for you, don't go anywhere.
*****
You don't have to. I've been a commercial pilot since 1971. There are turbofans, turbojets, and turboprops, but no jet turbines. :-)
Me too! I'm also an astronaut!
I like the idea of electric motorcycles and this one's truly beautiful
So many comments about the lack of noise. Noise is a bad thing. If you need noise to keep from getting hit, you're an incompetent rider.
Lots of accidents are just simply unavoidable. I have a zx6r with stock exhaust, it's no louder than a car on the highway, unless of course I'm really on the throttle, at which point you don't hear it til I'm a few hundred feet in front of you. My point is I have a quiet bike and I've been in hundreds of situations where cars just do not see me...and I've avoided them in every situation. Been riding through Dallas for three and a half years. If you rely on sound to alert the driver, they are oblivious to you anyways so what makes you think their going to just suddenly see you? Some of the time you are lucky and the driver does notice you after cutting you off or pulling out in front of you, but still by the time they notice you it's too late. Don't ever rely on anyone to see you. Drive offensively and 110% on guard at all times while on public roads. Sorry if this is TL;DR I just wanted to say I have experience on a sportbike in a very busy city and have had many close encounters but I ride maturely and ultimately I think that's why I've never been in an accident.
When I was on my Aprilia the jackass beside me pulled into my lane she said I couldn't see you. You should of bought a smaller vehicle woman if you can't drive it! Loud pipes do save lives on a electric bike you probably can hook up one hell of a stereo lol!
+phlodel Yup noise can actually startle drivers and cause them to actually hit you. Happened to my sister.
+FSociety Sometimes I think it makes drivers want to hit the motorcycle.
I would probably have both an electric bike and a normal motorbike because i like to just rev my bike when im alone in my garage :)
Good on you Jay for doing what you did for that soldier!
"Keep reaching the clutch and it's not there"
Same problem here with automatic cars XD
Everyone saying loud pipes saves lives, please also mention that you need to be at a fairly high speed for the sound to be noticeable. I am talking about stock motorcycles here as most riders dont put aftermarket pipes. So in high speed it may work but if you are cruising you still depend on the sanity of the people around you. As for high speeds, I think riding over limit on highways(go to a track) is the first risk you automatically put yourself into.
I still think the future won't be a purely electric vehicle but a vehicle more like the Porsche 918 Spyder, a hybrid with a seriously ballsy sounding engine. I don't think bike guys would be able to give up the roar of the exhaust. If you could make a 500lb bike with a great sounding engine with a combined at least 30hp/100lbs and the electric hybrid added in so you got over 100mpg I think it'd take off.
the 918 is a prius on hypersteroids. i dont think it was a good idea though
Loved the opening to this, felt magical.
Great innovation, but without the sound it just doesn't feel right.
ali khan Engineers will solve that :)
ali khan There have been many unnoticed instances of "reassuring", long since known sounds....do you really think your digital-camera "needs" that "Kachunk" sound when you press the shutter button?, no, that sound you hear is artificial, for your sake...an imitation of the sound of an old film camera.
If you really want, future electric bikes could have a menu of various sounds available for you if you wish?...a security blanket kinda thing?
That's an amazing thing that they've done. I personally cannot wait until this is the new standard of motorcycle..... just gotta wait for that price to drop a little bit for the average rider. Right now you can have a top of the line Japanese bike that is about $13,000 and requires little maintenance. Thank you Jay for being a bad ass and showing us all what is out there and going into the depth you do in your reviews!
Change your underwear Mr.Leno I'm glad you loved the ride. One day I'll own something like this!
It’s incredible that something i used to think could only power my little rc car can be turned into this
Only downside is the lack of noise making it harder to notice if you were in traffic
@Angus Chandler what?
No evidence?
Did you watch the video?
Did you hear the bike?
No?
Exactly.
It's silent.
It makes a tiny electric toothbrush sound.
Nobody can hear you coming.
Loud pipes save lives, this is common knowledge among people that actually ride motorcycles.
This performance + Ducati sort of looks/design = millions of buyers
We'll have to wait until more producers enter the market and compete for buyers.. But until then, there is not enough providers/customers to drive the price down. The best we can do right now my friend is spread the word ;)
I'm all in... never like noisy engine anyway! without the noise you really can connect with nature riding through the peaceful country and canyon. Its like sailing. Now if they would work on solar charging to have unlimited range that would be the ultimate road machine don't you think?
whataname01 buy a bicycle then my friend. Instant connection with nature. There's something very pristine about a scenic backdrop on a windy road and the exhaust note of your motorcycle. Electric is no doubt the future, but the exhaust note, the clutch and the overall engagement of man and machine, makes me want to cling on IC for as long as I can.
That was key for all ev enthusiast ..
Cool the motor and electronics
The electric idea sounds awesome, but I do agree that it can be dangerous. I have never ridden a bike, but I know when I'm driving, I usually here the sound of bikes far before I can see them, even if they are very close. A lot of riders speed, so the amount of time I have to actually see them is very small. The sound is often the only indication I have that there is a bike about to pass me. I already feel uncomfortable driving around regular motorcycles, I can imagine it would be even worse with an electric one.
This is certainly better than the Mission RS that he drove. Winning races will certainly help sell lots of bikes. I wish them lots more success.
Merely fast, No soul, no rider connection, no passion, no noise. Dumbed down motor cycling. No thanks. i will stick with my Ducati. Rob
Well I hope all of the fossil fuels become obsolete for your and mine benefit *]
Finally! Motorcyclists won't stink up every place they walk into.
No soul? No rider connection? No passion? Sure, you try riding a motorcycle @212 mph and come back here and tell us how it's "dumbed down motorcycling" you hipster tool.
Ex Ducati rider here. Now on a Zero. There's much *more* rider connection on an electric than there is on a Ducati. Not constantly breaking the drive to change gears. You, the road, nothing between.
Have you ever tried it? instant power and torque and only one gear, smooth and efficient, the future for sure!
And the same torque on all their bikes as of 2020, impressive.
To all you nay sayers out there.... this bike kicks some serious @$$ and its saving the environment to boot !!! Thanks Jay for bringing us such great info on everything that moves, especially FAST!! I'd gladly kill myself riding this bike!!
My NC700X DCT is not only cool in it's on right, but apparently a great transition ride to electric bikes 😉
Because recharge time is so long the range would have to be 300 miles before I'm in. Cool bike though.
But his point is that it doesn't take an hour to fill up a gas powered bike.
This doesn't take an hour either on fast charger. Sure it can take multiple hours at home with a level 2 charger but that's not the same as a gas station and ICE bikes can't be refilled at home with the same convinience and ease either. It's a trade off not a total disadvantage.
Remind me of that famous scene in Battlestar Galactica.. where they were riding together on the road that's exactly what the bike sounds like!
I'd love a bike more affordable with 65-100hp and half the price :D
+crackerworld Maybe even a third... I'm poor please understand hahaha
+crackerworld Take a look at the Zero S and SR bikes. I think they run about one third of the cost and have most of the advantages. Pretty tempting.
I have never road a bike with that little power,must be a harley.
Most of my bike cost no more than 5 or 6k and are about 150 to 180hp.
+scary davis lol... awesome...
Thanks for all the motorcycle reviews! More please!
any tax rebates for this model?
I need to get my hands on one of these. I'm gonna test the Mission R too.
I don't like electric motorcycles but that bike does look sick. However, speed without proper engine sound is boring. I was bored riding my 12 cbr1000rr when it just had a stock exhaust, so I couldn't imagine riding that quiet electric bike. I don't care how fast that bike is, without proper sound it would bore me. PS. Jay cracked me up when he waved to that lady and said all moms hate motorcycles. haha
i bet you hae never tryed an e-vehicle? Pure e-power cars and motorcycles are unbeliveable to drive. it is just better in every way.
The Sound is a big isue for a lot of People. A silent gas bike ist boring, but e-power is just a hole other universe
"However, speed without proper engine sound is boring."
If sound is all it takes to excite you, you could just sit still and rev the engine. Sounds boring to me.
phillipzx3d Sound + Speed, sound alone is nice, speed alone is ok but sound + speed = orgasm. lol
so you still did never try an e-vehicle.
if you did, and you still say you want the Sound i take it back. but up till then, i will still say that there is no Need for a loud Sound from e e-vehicles.
That and no shifting? You have no control of the bike! I would never buy one of these.. lame
I'm a internal combustion kinda guy..... but I cant wait for electric motorcycles, especially dirt and trials bikes! LETS GET OUR LANDS BACK FOR RECREATION !!!! (and just think how nice a quiet Harley would sound at 6am !)
Chains on a modern motorcycle look so anachronistic.
It'd be excellent if we had something that beat the versatility, reliability, and efficiency of chain drives but it simply hasn't happened yet. It'll be anachronistic when a better machine exists.
The high center of gravity is you Jay. Lol. Love the bike. ❤️
So much for the "gentlemen's agreement" to not try and top the worlds fastest bike? I guess the Ninja ZX-12R started it but still, is this bike a practical every day bike?
Your mom is a practical every day bike.
MrSlowestD16 The definition of a "gentlemen's agreement" is basically "no letter".
Assyl Yacine Wow, just, wow. Really mature. :(
They Hyabusa started it... 198 off the show room floor back in the late 90's. The zx-12 came out in 2000 and was limited to 187 aerodynamically.
MrSlowestD16 Sorry to burst your bubble. This came off of a zx-12 site...
From the first production ZX-12R, in the 2000 model year, its top speed was restricted by a motorcycle manufacturer gentlemen's agreement.[1][2][3] This was due to a voluntary gentlemen's agreement that included BMW Motorrad and the Japanese manufacturers, amid fears of government regulation of motorcycle speeds mainly in Europe.
If I wasn’t so addicted to the Desmodromic music of my Ducatis, I’d be interested in the 20kWh version. Useful range, gobs more power and torque than I’ll ever need, and looks sharp to boot. But I’d miss the dry clutch rattle and the rhythmic thump of that distinctive L-Twin.
I knew I'd be reading that old "Loud pipes save lives" bullshit. By the time I hear some motorcycle in a car or truck it would have been too late to react anyway. Loud bikes are for people who want attention and glances their. I'm cool with that but just admit it's not for safety lol what a joke
Many accidents happen because bikes are hard to see in traffic. So it does actually make people check their mirrors and notice the bike.
FSXgta Try again
sharkheadism I assume you dont ride
FSXgta You can assume anything you want. You are merely wrong about "loud pipes save lives"
Austin Smith WOW, A REAL LIFE MOTORCYCLE SALESMAN, INCREDIBLE
Epic start of the video Mr Leno!! Freeeeeeee
For the money I'd rather buy a Tesla Model 3 and a second hand Hayabusa on the side.
You could do that and have none of the acceleration or top speed with either of those machines, plus you'd still keep using fossil fuels. I'm not saying this because it invalidates one's preferences, some may well prefer a slower car and a slower motorcycle, I'm just saying that your scenario is incompatible with that of those who would want that kind of performance which would not be readily attainable in any other way.
kalimul
Hayabusa has been the fastest motorcycle on earth for years. That's fast enough for me.
But it's slower both in acceleration and top speed and it runs on fossil fuels. I mean, I get not caring if it's electric, but performance matters. What you're saying is no different than buying a vintage car from 15 years ago and saying it's better somehow because it caters to your subjective sensibilities. Objectively, without caring about what powers them, the ICE motorcycle you're talking about is inferior.
kalimul
Of course the Lightning is faster, but for the money I can buy a Tesla Model 3 (a practical vehicle for daily driving) and a bike that's nearly as fast and still have a thousand or so bucks to spend. Excuse me but I'll go for the latter.
You have to excuse others that want more performance and electric. Your ideal use of the money is not universal, it just better suits your interests. Trying to suggest that to be a universally better deal is wrong, you're not getting the same performance from either machines.
I would have not known these bike existed until I saw one last week. There was no tailpipe and it passed silently as I was walking down the side walk. I was very curious to find out more. I own an electric assist bicycle which will match the power you are creating by pedaling or you can turn off the power for better exercise. I have an old knee injury and one day it seized up on me, so I just used the throttle and it got me back home at 20mph for 12 miles distance. Thanks Jay
Am I the only one disappointed every Monday when I see a new Leno's Garage video and then realize its not a car ?
Yes, I believe you might be. I will say that I am a huge fan of 4 wheels but, there is nothing better than a cross country trip on 2 or, cruising down some back road.
I have always considered this Sunday night, and no.
I love cars but really it's incredibly hard to have fun in them on an average day.
But with a bike you can spend a few thousand and have supercar levels of performance yet still have immense fun at legal speeds.
in the LA area and any other big city area, it's always nicer to be on a bike... especially in California where lane splitting is legal. Instead of spending hours in wall to wall traffic you can just take off down the center between them and go have fun and riding a bike is a much more visceral experience. You smell all the smells, you feel all the temperature changes, and you really feel more a part of the world instead of apart from it. Plus unless you are driving a Prius or some other ugly little econo car (or a Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid but that doesn't count) you would be hard pressed to find a car that can get the mileage of a bike.. and even if they do (918 excluded) odds are you can't have anywhere near the fun in them that you can on a bike.
I will watch anything that talks cars, guns, food, or ladies.
"All Moms hate Motorcycles..." - That scene was so Los Angeles @ 13:06 ...and pretty true.
such a lack of enjoyment in his voice. totally different voice when he rides one of his nostalgic bike's. says it all
This is the tipping point Jay mentioned, in that it has now exceeded the performance of petrol fueled motorcycles. It has the looks, performance, and almost the range I'd want...just waiting for the production levels to rise to lower the price per unit for consumers.
Is time to say "good bye" to the otto and diesel engines....
Haha that part when you were waving made me laugh 😂
So after 6 years does anyone ACTUALLY own one of these or was this a one off and the guy is scamming everyone?
Have been unable to find an owner to get an up close inspection. Have confirmed existence of at least 3 of these, but no idea if the specifications match what was promised.
@@mvetter I’ll stick with the hypersport hs by Damon.
@@Shaggzila Which owners are you using as references?
@@mvetter best to stick with the only 2 companies that ACTUALLY has public owners: Zero and Energica.
@@sivvinod3187 and Harley-Davidson! The LiveWire is pretty well-made all things considered.
14:15 I can feel Richard Hatfield thinking how much of a gigantic bell Jay Leno is 😂... and the torque figure flies right over Jays massive hydrogen heed
$38,000 no thanks I'll take a kawasaki H2. You folks are high.
honestly....38k is not that expensive, because it is brand new technology
Paul Colburn h2 looks better as well...or at least looks more expensive.
Same and this bike looks similar to a cbr600rr but an h2 looks one of a kind.
I think there are bikes at my local Harley shop that are around $40K.
Donandnan Elmore I live close to the Harley museum/dealer in Milwaukee wi and they do have bikes for around $40k+
The biggest place this bike is going to have an issue is in parking lots and cross walks. Had a Prius years back and people would walk right in front of the car without looking because they would not hear an engine noise. Followed one lady 20 parking spaces before she looked behind her and screamed murder when she saw the car following right behind her. Best day ever!!
No way if I'm on a bike I want cars to hear me when I'm coming. Wouldn't feel safe
you can install a loud speaker with subwoofer
1. Depends how you ride. And most of crashes are happening because someone going out to the road and bum you hit him. and most important he fucking does not care if he will hear you because he is fucking talking on cellphone or something....
MHrVr
couldn't agree with you more. I used to commute by bicycle and eventually stopped worrying about safety lights because they seemed to have no impact on the attentiveness of the drivers around me. we have to be responsible for our own safety, as no one else on the road pays attention. I even had a school bus run me off the road in broad daylight on an empty residential street.
Totally agree. If you are relying on other people to notice you while you are riding a motorcycle then you are the safety hazard.
Most modern cars come with huge amounts of sound damping and 8.1 surround sound entertainment systems so it doesn't matter how loud your pipes are they aren't going to save you.
I purchased a lightning motorcycle and i absolutely love it
Can you post some videos? There is almost nothing on youtube from the owners. Maybe, if you got time and inclination, invite one of the youtubers that review bikes to make a video on it.
Race an h2
Great invention for someone who doesn't know how to shift gears.
maju khan
Paddle shift motorcycle and save $10,000. That's a LOT of gas money!
Ummmm, no
Gears loose power.
Thanks Leno... a really interesting web episode. Thumbs up!
no sound on a motorcycle is extremely dangerous.... i have a very loud CBR600 and many peope dont even notice me. 3isih weeks ago i got into my first "accident" when a taxi just blatantly hit the side of my bike while i was revving to warn him (did not lay it down, driver was 75+ y/o and probably had hearing problems). but over the past couple years I get cut off like 20-30x more than in a car, so i cant even imagine what it will be like when people dont see you OR hear you....
You know motorcycles have a horn for a reason.
***** Hmm, that gives me an amazing idea! What if I removed the horn from a truck, and fitted it to my bike! YES! EVERYONE WILL HEAR ME!!!! Sorry, but good ideas make me do that.
***** They sell upgraded horns, there's a truck horn you can buy for your bike and it's actually very inexpensive and plug and play. Try doing a google search
HeroDanny the ambient sound of my bike has prevented people from turning into me and having to use a horn in the first place. with a stock exhaust i got cut off like 10x more than i do now, so i cant even imagine what its like with NO sound at all...
also no need for horn - my bike can rev louder and can do it quicker without unwrapping my thumb around the left grip (if you get hit and arent holding onto the handle bars say goodbye to your chance of recovering...), also you risk completely missing the horn button (its not like in a car, mine is like 2mm big) or electrical failure especially if its a DIY horn. makes no sense for anyone without an after market exhaust.
***** I am not saying the noise is in any way effective, but it is in no way completely silent. Besides, having an electric bike isn't for everyone, some people will want to take the risk, and some people won't.
I loved it, wish i had the money.. Looks very promising
I'm sorry but if you take a 200 horsepower motorcycle out onto a public road and you give it all that it has to give...well you are just asking to die. Save it for the racetrack. I had a Yamaha RD400 with 43 horsepower and that was more than enough to get me where I wanted to go, and more than enough horsepower to kill me. Stop the insanity of these horsepower wars...please for the love of God!
I'm entitled to my opinion motor head
tim hilton Never said you were not
Your entitled opinion would bode well on a scooter forum.
You probably have never ridden a motorcycle
Have been riding for 25 years. Actually had a few RD350's. Funny you mentioned the RD. A the performance and racing derived bike of Yamaha's line up of the time. Based completed on the ability to go faster than necessary. Wasn't the 400 one of the last and biggest in the US for that engine/model?
The RD125 had way over speed limit capability, and by your logic was enough.
Wow, what an awesome bike. It really couldn't get anymore practical. It looks amazing, sounds great, and the price is really not that bad for such a wonderful bike. My biggest dislike is that it has no clutch lever or shifter but I could probably get over that. I can see these things going for 8k in 5years
No sound? no thanks
Get a vuvuzela.
Wow
What a gorgeous bike.
Great job on this motorcycle! I like the design as well.
One thing I think they should make optional is the REGEN.
I love the "smooth slingshot" feel of a gas powered bike when you just accelerate and pull in the clutch to glide.
I'd make it so half of the brake is regen, and at some point the disc brakes take over for fast stopping.
(I know this is wasteful, but so is spending this kind of money on a motorcycle so don't @ me. I LOVE THIS THING AND NEED IT.)