Table of contents

• The future of the motorcycle Even stronger athletes, only electro, more retro?
• On the one hand more off-road, on the other hand it is sporty and street-oriented
• We’re already there
• Electric racing as a source of cash?
• Zero entered the competition
• More than just an everyday enrichment
• Interview with Aline Delhhaye

manufacturer

20th pictures

power

1/20
MOTORRAD veteran Werner Koch and designer Stefan Kraft came up with a smaller boxer G / S at the beginning of 2012: 950 cc, 90 hp, 185 kilos with a full tank – plus a more off-road variant. A realistic perspective?

east

2/20
KTM presented its e-bike models at the annual Clean Weak.

zero

3/20
At the Clean Weak, class winners are chosen every year. This year the ZEro S won the eMotorbike class. This is the third win in a row and rightly so. The Zero has now reached a very high level.

Vectrix

4/20
Winner of the eScooter over 45 km / h: Vectrix VX-1 – the big sofa scooter is still unbeatable. But it hasn’t really developed any further.

Peugeot

5/20
Winner of the eScooter up to 45 km / h: Peugeot e-Vivacity – solidly built, good handling, decent engine – the Peugeot makes no mistakes.

Govecs

6/20
Winner eScooter up to 25 km / h: Govecs Go! S1.4 – good brakes, easy handling and a responsive engine brought the Govecs to the top.

Bayet

7/20
Electric drives are more likely to produce stylish miniature vehicles like the Trikke from Dolce Vita than combustion engines.

Bayet

8/20
At the award ceremony at Clean Weak 2013, jury president Christopher Ost explained the test procedure to the manufacturers and praised BMW and KTM: “Your participation is a good signal”.

Bayet

9/20
The journalists were very impressed by the prototype of the BMW e-scooter.

Simpson

10/20
O2 Pursuit (2012): The crosser with a compressed air motor is supposed to travel 100 km.

manufacturer

11/20
Panther (2009): quick-change artist – from chopper to trial bike.

Honda

12/20
No other genre thrives on emotions as much as naked bikes. The 2007 study EVO6 took first place in a MOTORRAD survey. Concepts like the Honda with Gold Wing six-cylinder boxer electrify – but how well they sell in the end?

Yamaha

13/20
The hybrid scooter Yamaha LuxAir with reverse gear is driven by a combustion engine and an electric motor – it sits in the rear wheel hub. Studies like this one from 2007 address the demands of urban mobility.

Suzuki

14/20
Sachs Beast (2000): The idea of ​​the Suzuki Katana creator never became a reality.

Sdun

15/20
Fuel cell study (2003): Diploma thesis on a hydrogen electric bike.

KTM

16/20
KTM 690 Stunt (2007): The current 690 Duke comes close to this study.

Nagata

17/20
Suzuki Crosscage (2007): Intelligent Energy designs a fuel cell bike.

Honda

18/20
Honda Oree (2008): Two students invented the naked Oree e-bike.

Package

19/20
eRockit (2009): The “extreme pedelec” travels almost 80 km / h.

Bayet

20/20
Above, the obligatory jury round at Circuit Zolder – still scooter-heavy.

counselor

technology & future

Future of the motorcycle

The future of the motorcycle
Even stronger athletes, only electro, more retro?

Will the GS class soon be more about travel than enduro? Do athletes need to get stronger? A look into the glass ball.

Christopher East

07/18/2013

Let’s start with a fairly certain statement: the motorcycle of tomorrow will have two wheels. But what does the future of highly developed categories such as travel enduros and super athletes look like? A last-minute inquiry to the big brands yielded answers from at least BMW, Honda, Triumph and Yamaha. When it comes to the large travel enduros, which are particularly popular in Germany, the four largely agree: less off-road, more on-road. “At some point, concepts risk their credibility,” says Yamaha product planner Oliver Grill. “Then it’s better to start a new chapter or go back to the roots of the concept.”

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On the one hand more off-road, on the other hand it is sporty and street-oriented

BMW press spokesman Rudolf Probst assesses it similarly. He thinks derivatives are conceivable that flank the GS models on both sides – on the one hand more off-road and on the other hand more sporty street-oriented. Triumph press spokesman Ulrich Bonsels sees particular potential in driver assistance systems and electronic chassis. “Off-road is livelier than ever,” says Honda press spokesman Oliver Franz, referring to the CRF 450 Rally specially developed for the Dakar spectacle. “In this respect, customers can be sure that something will come here too.”

s-kraft.net

MOTORRAD veteran Werner Koch and designer Stefan Kraft came up with a smaller boxer G / S at the beginning of 2012: 950 cc, 90 hp, 185 kilos with a full tank – plus a more off-road variant. A realistic perspective?

The 1000 athletes seem to have reached their zenith – their performance has to be slowed down by electronics in order to get them onto the road at all. “Our market has become tight”, says Yamaha man Grill. Bikes with 600 to 800 cubic meters would have a better chance: “These motorcycles are easier to ride”, so Triumph spokesman Bonsels. Honda representative Franz also sees a decline in the segment, but refers to the development of a new super sports car: “It should succeed the RC30 (VFR 750 R) and have Grand Prix technologies.”

Bikes that speak strongly to our emotions are very popular. In addition to large nakeds, this also includes not so performance-oriented retro bikes. The concept is less important than the emotional equivalent, says Oliver Grill, “It will be a matter of conveying authentic experiences”. At BMW, they are certain that versatile motorcycles like the GS will continue to be in high demand. But also “bikes that impress with their simple elegance – also reminiscent of the 60s and 70s”, says Rudolf Probst.

BMW like Yamaha also see potential in mobility in large cities. Grill: “The motorcycle as a practical, intelligent means of transportation – there will be significant leaps in innovation in this field.” The glass ball picture begins to rustle, but the impressions and visions remain. Let’s wait for tomorrow.

We’re already there

east

KTM was also represented at the annual Clean Week.

Whatever the future may bring, a few manufacturers are busy tinkering with it. At the Circuit Zolder, the electronic scene got its annual rendezvous for Clean Week – even BMW and KTM dared a little dance on the electricity floor.

Two burly guys guard the Bavarian mobility of tomorrow. BMW obviously takes electric vehicles seriously, not just for cars but also for two-wheelers. Otherwise Munich would not have sent two bodyguards or, better, vehicle guards to watch over the prototypes of the BMW C Evolution e-scooter. “Goodbye”, one of the two breaks the ice by itself and briefly explains the scooter. After all, journalists can take the electric vehicles out onto the slopes today. It is impressive how stable the BMW is, how unmoved it makes quick changes of direction and how confidently it decelerates – no wonder, as it is the only electric motorcycle with ABS so far. Hats off, dear Bavaria!

Outwardly, the C Evolution is very similar to its two combustion brothers, the C 650 GT and C 600 Sport. But inside it is packed full of batteries and an electric motor suitable for A1 driving licenses, which pulls the toothed belt with just 72 Newton meters. So much for the first highlight of Clean Week 2013 in Zolder, Belgium.

The second highlight comes from the geographical vicinity of the first, but pursues a completely different approach: The KTM men are not interested in urban mobility, but in tangible, fun off-road sport. Thrashing the slopes instead of commuting. The Austrians have arrived with a small fleet of their Strom-Crosser Freeride E, wanting to use them to hold the first electric cross race according to the guidelines of the FIM World Sports Federation. Six starters in a row, driving five laps, then going to the KTM box, replacing the battery – after all, the next rider should be able to compete with maximum power again.

Electric racing as a source of cash?

east

The obligatory round of the jury on the Circuit Zolder – still scooter-heavy.

A race is over after about six minutes, and qualifying, semifinals and final round are reached in no time at all. Thanks to the knockout procedure, a large number of drivers can take part (four to eight per starter group) without getting bored. More than three quarters of the route can be seen here, so you can see most of the battle between the pilots. Nobody less than ten-time cross world champion Stefan Everts wins the first FIM E-MX race.

Zolders race track boss Thierry Deflandre is particularly proud of this event and is visibly pleased with the public interest: “We are trying to establish the new E-MX class here,” says Thierry. Environmental protection is less of a concern for him than the survival of his racetracks, on and off-road. “The interest in traditional racing is declining,” he says. “We have to see that our cash cow continues to give milk.”

Electric racing as a pure source of money? Herman Reynders, Governor of the Province of Limburg, with whom the jury discussed the mobility of the future, sees it in a similarly pragmatic way: “Only if electromobility creates enough jobs will it prevail.”

Finances also determine the commitment of some manufacturers. Crosser producer Quantya didn’t come to Clean Week due to a lack of funds. And also for zero was it too expensive to fly in as many vehicles as possible for the E-MX, explains Thierry Deflandre. The S and DS models show that Zero invests anyway.

Zero entered the competition

east

Electric drives are more likely to produce stylish miniature vehicles like the Trikke from Dolce Vita than combustion engines.

Unlike the prototypes from BMW and KTM, they took part in the competition. The Californians have redesigned the brakes and the motor, and the large 11.4 kWh battery has a range of up to 200 kilometers. The drive called Z-Force accelerates the pilot from a standing start to 100 km / h, almost 160 things are possible in sport mode. Very fine welds and finally branded brakes from Nissin make the starting price of 14,000 euros (with an 8.5 kWh battery) seem almost justified. Only when it comes to the suspension do the Americans still rely on insensitive parts that look like oversized bicycle goods.

The new addition LEMev Stream, a sofa roller from Spain, forms the bottom rung of the quality ladder. Like most e-bikes, the Stream relies on a brushless electric motor, but the background noise suggests a construct from the early days of petrol-free drive. The weight distribution on board literally weighs much heavier; there are noticeably more kilograms on the left. Another archaic feature: recuperation (energy recovery when braking) takes place via a separately operated lever – impractical and dangerous at the same time. Even the recuperation of all Vectrix models by turning the throttle backwards seems antiquated in view of the automated technology at BMW and Zero.

More than just an everyday enrichment

Bayet

The journalists were very impressed by the prototype of the BMW e-scooter.

But despite these technical advances, the issue of range still depends almost entirely on the battery capacity: the larger, the further. But also the more modern, the more energy per kilogram of battery – currently lithium-ion (e.g. at BMW, Govecs, KTM, LEMev, Vectrix and Zero). The better the battery, the higher the price, of course, still applies. For a longer range, almost all e-bikes and e-scooters offer an eco mode with reduced power – useful when driving in the city or in the rain. Especially with the high-torque electric engines from “idle”, the quality of the engine controller is decisive: Does the vehicle accelerate smoothly or does the cart jerk like a single cylinder at too low a speed? I use my power immediately and smoothly or can I have another cup of coffee before I can finally move forward?

Once again, the big brands stand out in the controls: The KTM Freeride E was not ready for the jury to ride, but BMW, Peugeot and Zero actually got the hang of it in the literal sense of the word. Zero in particular surprises with an exact power control that has nothing to do with the inharmonious jerking from last year. May the insight mature now as to what the e-bikes are used for: commuting, racing and after-work laps – they are of course not an alternative for world travelers. More than just an enrichment for everyday life, it is now.

Interview with Aline Delhhaye

FEMA

Since 2006 the Secretary General of FEMA (Federation of European Motorcyclists ’Associations) has been fighting for the rights of motorcyclists at European level. This year she supported the Clean Week again.

Aline, what do you think, as FEMA General Secretary, about Clean Week?
Delhaye: The Clean Week is one of the few environmental initiatives that integrates PTWs (powered two-wheelers, Red.) Appropriately. More and more political actions aim at “clean mobility”, but ignore the two-wheeler sector. The Association of the Motorcycle Industry in Europe (ACEM) is not exactly proactive either. It is all the more important for us to be able to talk about the advantages of PTWs here.

How does FEMA deal with electric vehicles?
Delhaye: FEMA does not support electric vehicles per se. We want PTWs to be included in transport policy as naturally as cars. FEMA members are ordinary citizens who care about the environment. They want clean, efficient vehicles. As FEMA, we support the development of all alternative drives.

How much is the EU Parliament concerned with e-mobility?
Delhaye: Europe is currently focusing on the subject of “clean energy”. It is seen as a global challenge, but it is also seen as one of the best ways to overcome the economic crisis. For example, the European research program “Horizon 2020”, which includes such topics, will start next year. We observe the trend towards environmental issues and want to show that PTWs can make their contribution – otherwise motorcycles are only seen as polluting the environment, which is not true. However, FEMA lacks the resources to be present at every discussion.

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Does FEMA get involved in politics regarding electric vehicles??
Delhaye: Not a lot. There are currently only two of us in the office and we have to deal with short-term problems such as the annual mandatory TuV and type approval. We are also trying to improve consumer information on issues such as CO2 emissions or consumption. We also require manufacturers to adapt to Euro standards as quickly as possible.

What about the manufacturers of e-bikes, are they on the right track??
Delhaye: I think so. You go ahead and force the “classic” Motorcycle industry to evolve – not the worst when you think of the many environmental debates. The traditional manufacturers will have to participate and adapt if they do not want to perish.

But combustion engines are much more comfortable, or not?
Delhaye: My personal opinion? Yes – with the current oil prices and my usage behavior. It’s just unclear whether this will still be the case when my children grow up.

What does the ideal e-mobility of the future look like for you?
Delhaye: I don’t have an ideal image of that. I want the community of European motorcyclists to be fully integrated into transport policy.

Registration for the FEMA conference

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