Comments on: TT Zero Demonstrates Electric Racing Has Made Huge Leap its Second Year (News) (Race Results) http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/06/ttxgp-makes-huge-leaps-its-second-year/ Motorcycle News, Editorials, Product Reviews and Bike Reviews Mon, 20 May 2013 16:58:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Vitamin D http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/06/ttxgp-makes-huge-leaps-its-second-year/comment-page-1/#comment-1236 Vitamin D Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:06:55 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=8932#comment-1236 "Their is at least 100 years of oil still available at this time world wide." I sure hope your right on that point. The future isn't looking it's brightest in many aspects. “Their is at least 100 years of oil still available at this time world wide.”

I sure hope your right on that point. The future isn’t looking it’s brightest in many aspects.

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]]> By: Manic http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/06/ttxgp-makes-huge-leaps-its-second-year/comment-page-1/#comment-1029 Manic Wed, 23 Jun 2010 09:40:01 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=8932#comment-1029 I just wanted to a couple more points to my long-winded rebuttal. My solar panels will pay for themselves within 12 years, based on the reduction in my utility bill calculating cost savings (this is based on the historical increase in utility costs over that projected time). My solar panels come with a 10 year 90 % & 25 year 80% power output warranty. Now of course these savings are, as I've said, based on historical utility rates raised in my area for the past 25 years. Of course those rate increases could be less, but I really kind of doubt that! Let me explain a couple of things that you may not have noticed. New technologies - lord knows, solar shouldn't be considered a "new technology" at this point - tend to get cheaper as they evolve. Doubt that, cosider how much you would have paid for that 16 Gb flash drive just five years ago, oh that's right, you couldn't get one! How about that BMW S1000RR. How much would it have cost you ten years ago to build such a bike, A bike I might add that would have probably dominated a World Superbike race in stock trim! As far as the Toyota Prius, don't take my word for it, this is off of Toyota's website. "Q: How long do the high-voltage batteries last? GS: We designed them to last for the life of the vehicle. We're aware of owners who have racked up a quarter-million miles without replacing the batteries. Q: What would it cost to replace a complete battery pack? GS: Less than $3000, plus labor. Q: How long is the warranty? GS: The high-voltage batteries are warranted for eight years or 100,000 miles, and under California regulations the battery warranty extends to 10 years or 150,000 miles." Again, this is a technology in it's infancy. Sadly when I hear arguments like Resto's, I only hear the old argument against flight "If man were meant to fly, he'd have been born with wings!" Oh yea, one other thing, I hope I did not offend any Harley Davidson owners in my previous comments. I was referring to the types of bikes they currently build, not the quality or dependiblity. Several friend of mine own late model bikes and they appear to be very reliable. I just wanted to a couple more points to my long-winded rebuttal. My solar panels will pay for themselves within 12 years, based on the reduction in my utility bill calculating cost savings (this is based on the historical increase in utility costs over that projected time). My solar panels come with a 10 year 90 % & 25 year 80% power output warranty. Now of course these savings are, as I’ve said, based on historical utility rates raised in my area for the past 25 years. Of course those rate increases could be less, but I really kind of doubt that! Let me explain a couple of things that you may not have noticed. New technologies – lord knows, solar shouldn’t be considered a “new technology” at this point – tend to get cheaper as they evolve. Doubt that, cosider how much you would have paid for that 16 Gb flash drive just five years ago, oh that’s right, you couldn’t get one! How about that BMW S1000RR. How much would it have cost you ten years ago to build such a bike, A bike I might add that would have probably dominated a World Superbike race in stock trim! As far as the Toyota Prius, don’t take my word for it, this is off of Toyota’s website.

“Q: How long do the high-voltage batteries last?

GS: We designed them to last for the life of the vehicle. We’re aware of owners who have racked up a quarter-million miles without replacing the batteries.

Q: What would it cost to replace a complete battery pack?

GS: Less than $3000, plus labor.

Q: How long is the warranty?

GS: The high-voltage batteries are warranted for eight years or 100,000 miles, and under California regulations the battery warranty extends to 10 years or 150,000 miles.”

Again, this is a technology in it’s infancy. Sadly when I hear arguments like Resto’s, I only hear the old argument against flight “If man were meant to fly, he’d have been born with wings!”

Oh yea, one other thing, I hope I did not offend any Harley Davidson owners in my previous comments. I was referring to the types of bikes they currently build, not the quality or dependiblity. Several friend of mine own late model bikes and they appear to be very reliable.

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]]> By: Manic http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/06/ttxgp-makes-huge-leaps-its-second-year/comment-page-1/#comment-1015 Manic Wed, 23 Jun 2010 00:49:58 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=8932#comment-1015 You have valid points Resto but I beg to differ about the "pipe dream" statement you made. The whole point is not only to change our energy sources from primarilly oil based, but to also reduce our obiese consumption of energy. It does not mean getting rid of oil altogether. It means reducing how much we use! As long as we have people commuting to work in their 12 mpg 8 pasenger SUV, by themselves and other such wastful practices, then yes you are right. On the other hand, if we start carpooling, use more efficiant forms of transpertation, stop sprawl and build a good mass transit infustructure, we can dramaticly reduce our oil dependicies and air pollution! Meanwhile we can continue to use those wonderful performance engines, two & four stroke, for what we really like to use them for! As far as the battery technology goes, of course it needs to advance, but will not do so until the demand - and therefore commercial viability - increases. I myself put a very small solar aray on my roof last year - about a third of my total roof area - and have seen my utility bill go from $1500. 00 per year to $300.00! I've also done things to make my house energy efficient, like installing a whole house fan (to remove latent heat before I turn the AC on) bought an energy efficient cloths washer and other appliances. Yes I've had to put out monies for these upgrades but I needed a new washer anyway ( the old one was close to 20 years old). As far as the cost and replacement intervals of current battery technology, how do you propose to do that if we don't start making it a more common everyday product. When Toyota and Honda first marketed the Prius and Insight back in the 90s, it reportedly cost them about $32,000. to build each car, yet they were selling them for about $20,000. That's called an investment and that how inovation happens! As far as your "deluded, ill informed, or a utopia bound unicorn rider member of the uneducated media" comment goes, I can only think of the famous saying that was probably coined in America, "Lead, Follow or get out of the way! I pesonally would like to see America lead! Hell, if Harley Davidson or GM could build the type of product I prefer that was dependable, I'd gladly buy one but so far they continue to let me down. You state that only tough choices remain. Well again to quote an old saying "When the going gets tough, The tough get going!" As you said Resto "if you can do elemetary grade level math" it's a no brainer. Just so you know You have valid points Resto but I beg to differ about the “pipe dream” statement you made. The whole point is not only to change our energy sources from primarilly oil based, but to also reduce our obiese consumption of energy. It does not mean getting rid of oil altogether. It means reducing how much we use! As long as we have people commuting to work in their 12 mpg 8 pasenger SUV, by themselves and other such wastful practices, then yes you are right. On the other hand, if we start carpooling, use more efficiant forms of transpertation, stop sprawl and build a good mass transit infustructure, we can dramaticly reduce our oil dependicies and air pollution! Meanwhile we can continue to use those wonderful performance engines, two & four stroke, for what we really like to use them for! As far as the battery technology goes, of course it needs to advance, but will not do so until the demand – and therefore commercial viability – increases. I myself put a very small solar aray on my roof last year – about a third of my total roof area – and have seen my utility bill go from $1500. 00 per year to $300.00! I’ve also done things to make my house energy efficient, like installing a whole house fan (to remove latent heat before I turn the AC on) bought an energy efficient cloths washer and other appliances. Yes I’ve had to put out monies for these upgrades but I needed a new washer anyway ( the old one was close to 20 years old). As far as the cost and replacement intervals of current battery technology, how do you propose to do that if we don’t start making it a more common everyday product. When Toyota and Honda first marketed the Prius and Insight back in the 90s, it reportedly cost them about $32,000. to build each car, yet they were selling them for about $20,000. That’s called an investment and that how inovation happens! As far as your “deluded, ill informed, or a utopia bound unicorn rider member of the uneducated media” comment goes, I can only think of the famous saying that was probably coined in America, “Lead, Follow or get out of the way! I pesonally would like to see America lead! Hell, if Harley Davidson or GM could build the type of product I prefer that was dependable, I’d gladly buy one but so far they continue to let me down. You state that only tough choices remain. Well again to quote an old saying “When the going gets tough, The tough get going!” As you said Resto “if you can do elemetary grade level math” it’s a no brainer.

Just so you know

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]]> By: Resto http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/06/ttxgp-makes-huge-leaps-its-second-year/comment-page-1/#comment-954 Resto Mon, 21 Jun 2010 01:36:47 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=8932#comment-954 We need one more breakthrough in battery technology to make all of these electric vehicles truly feasible. We MUST invest in basic research to achieve it. Lithium (Ion/Polymer/Phosphate) has run it's course. We need another doubling or tripling on energy density. While we are at it, lets work on longevity. Paying half the cost of the bike every 2-3 years to replace the batteries is not going to make a lot of owners happy. Tesla and most of the "electric cars" are appeasement gestures for governments or money pits for gullible investors. Finally, if you plug your electric vehicle into the wall, it is actually likely coal powered as hydroelectric and other forms of generation lag far behind. Don't start with wind and solar which are pipe dreams if you can do elemetary grade level math (you would have to cover 3 northeast states, every square inch, with photovoltaics to satisfy current demand (which does not include electric transportation), that's assuming the sun shines 24 hours a day and there are no clouds, at a cost of several times GDP which degrades from the moment they are installed, have to be cleaned regularly and replaced every 15-20 years)... unfortunately, nuclear remains the only viable option on the table to make all these electrics "green" and then we have the radioactive waste to contend with. No simple answers (unless you are deluded, ill informed, or a utopia bound unicorn rider member of the uneducated media), only tough choices. We need one more breakthrough in battery technology to make all of these electric vehicles truly feasible. We MUST invest in basic research to achieve it. Lithium (Ion/Polymer/Phosphate) has run it’s course. We need another doubling or tripling on energy density. While we are at it, lets work on longevity. Paying half the cost of the bike every 2-3 years to replace the batteries is not going to make a lot of owners happy. Tesla and most of the “electric cars” are appeasement gestures for governments or money pits for gullible investors. Finally, if you plug your electric vehicle into the wall, it is actually likely coal powered as hydroelectric and other forms of generation lag far behind. Don’t start with wind and solar which are pipe dreams if you can do elemetary grade level math (you would have to cover 3 northeast states, every square inch, with photovoltaics to satisfy current demand (which does not include electric transportation), that’s assuming the sun shines 24 hours a day and there are no clouds, at a cost of several times GDP which degrades from the moment they are installed, have to be cleaned regularly and replaced every 15-20 years)… unfortunately, nuclear remains the only viable option on the table to make all these electrics “green” and then we have the radioactive waste to contend with. No simple answers (unless you are deluded, ill informed, or a utopia bound unicorn rider member of the uneducated media), only tough choices.

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]]> By: Manic http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/06/ttxgp-makes-huge-leaps-its-second-year/comment-page-1/#comment-911 Manic Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:20:40 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=8932#comment-911 I'll have one for the road and one for the dirt please! It amazes me how people like bikerrandy associate leaps in technology like this with "Greenies" I for one love the sound of an inline four or two stroke at full tilt boogie! I also no that I'm tired of the enviromental damage our lust for oil is causing all over the world. I would be more than happy to tell the oil companies to shove their billion dollar profits up their ass! Not to mention, see America become a leader in this technology! Like Jay Leno stated about the Honda Fuel Cell car, it will alow us to hang on to our beloved hot rods because they won't be able to hold them over our head anymore. Besides did you ever stop to think, by riding one of these, you've just eliminated one of the "Greenies" arguments against us! Take care and by the way, I look forward to blowing by you, like a gust of wind, waving! I’ll have one for the road and one for the dirt please! It amazes me how people like bikerrandy associate leaps in technology like this with “Greenies” I for one love the sound of an inline four or two stroke at full tilt boogie! I also no that I’m tired of the enviromental damage our lust for oil is causing all over the world. I would be more than happy to tell the oil companies to shove their billion dollar profits up their ass! Not to mention, see America become a leader in this technology! Like Jay Leno stated about the Honda Fuel Cell car, it will alow us to hang on to our beloved hot rods because they won’t be able to hold them over our head anymore. Besides did you ever stop to think, by riding one of these, you’ve just eliminated one of the “Greenies” arguments against us! Take care and by the way, I look forward to blowing by you, like a gust of wind, waving!

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]]> By: bikerrandy http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/06/ttxgp-makes-huge-leaps-its-second-year/comment-page-1/#comment-892 bikerrandy Fri, 18 Jun 2010 02:53:33 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=8932#comment-892 I have an idea, the Greenies use only electric transportation while us uninformed use gasoline transportation. You comnmit to your thing and we'll stay with ours. A win-win. I have an idea, the Greenies use only electric transportation while us uninformed use gasoline transportation. You comnmit to your thing and we’ll stay with ours. A win-win.

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]]> By: randy http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/06/ttxgp-makes-huge-leaps-its-second-year/comment-page-1/#comment-772 randy Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:40:19 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=8932#comment-772 With all this high tech stuff I bet they still can't even figure out how to standardize batteries or charging connections like cell phones. With all this high tech stuff I bet they still can’t even figure out how to standardize batteries or charging connections like cell phones.

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]]> By: bushead http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/06/ttxgp-makes-huge-leaps-its-second-year/comment-page-1/#comment-729 bushead Tue, 15 Jun 2010 14:45:28 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=8932#comment-729 Gary is right on point. We always assumed that we knew what the demand curve for oil would look like, and therefore when the oil would run out, but we were wrong. Both the Chinese and Indians have seen fit to join us as oil superconsumers. This rising demand will drive the price of oil up dramatically as soon as the world economy rebounds. Scarcity equals cost. And what's left is exceedingly difficult and dangerous to retrieve and refine, and is mostly owned by folks who don't like us. Tomorrow will not be like yesterday, or even today. If you want to get a glimpse of tomorrow, sit down with a kid and ask him/her about the future. Gary is right on point. We always assumed that we knew what the demand curve for oil would look like, and therefore when the oil would run out, but we were wrong. Both the Chinese and Indians have seen fit to join us as oil superconsumers. This rising demand will drive the price of oil up dramatically as soon as the world economy rebounds. Scarcity equals cost. And what’s left is exceedingly difficult and dangerous to retrieve and refine, and is mostly owned by folks who don’t like us.
Tomorrow will not be like yesterday, or even today. If you want to get a glimpse of tomorrow, sit down with a kid and ask him/her about the future.

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]]> By: al http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/06/ttxgp-makes-huge-leaps-its-second-year/comment-page-1/#comment-715 al Tue, 15 Jun 2010 10:06:48 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=8932#comment-715 well, i am one of those guys who misses the clack of early boardtrack racers...exposed pushrods, valves, and i.o.e. intake systems. indian raced those on the isle too you know? top 3 positions once. dunno....i can see myself with a 500 gallon drum of dino fluid on the farm so i can go for a ride once a month in 15-20 years or so. well, i am one of those guys who misses the clack of early boardtrack racers…exposed pushrods, valves, and i.o.e. intake systems. indian raced those on the isle too you know? top 3 positions once. dunno….i can see myself with a 500 gallon drum of dino fluid on the farm so i can go for a ride once a month in 15-20 years or so.

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]]> By: Gary http://www.motorcycledaily.com/2010/06/ttxgp-makes-huge-leaps-its-second-year/comment-page-1/#comment-692 Gary Mon, 14 Jun 2010 21:02:07 +0000 http://www.motorcycledaily.com/?p=8932#comment-692 The question is not how much oil is left. The real question is how accessible is it, and how much will it cost? China is slurping up an increasing percent of what is left, leading oil companies to drill in deeper waters and more remote locales ... which will result in rapidly rising oil prices. Ten dollars/gallon, anyone? Suddenly, whirring electric engines don't sound so bad, eh? It is inevitable. There are electric vehicles in your future (and probably a nuclear power plant in your town). Like it or not. The question is not how much oil is left. The real question is how accessible is it, and how much will it cost? China is slurping up an increasing percent of what is left, leading oil companies to drill in deeper waters and more remote locales … which will result in rapidly rising oil prices. Ten dollars/gallon, anyone? Suddenly, whirring electric engines don’t sound so bad, eh?

It is inevitable. There are electric vehicles in your future (and probably a nuclear power plant in your town). Like it or not.

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