5 Tips For Buying An Electric Motorcycle

Buying an electric motorcycle can be a complicated process. There are many factors in place that can make or break your decision on a motorcycle, from the range to the ergonomics and price.

You may even be debating whether to wait a little while and pick up a motorcycle in the future. Every few months, something big seems to happen in the scene, like a new motorcycle, new technology, or longer-lasting batteries. This means that an electric motorcycle you buy today might not last as long as you had hoped.

We’ve selected five tips for buying an electric motorcycle and what to look for when shopping.

Use of the motorcycle and your needs

This speaks for itself; when purchasing a motorcycle, you need to evaluate what the motorcycle can do for you and your needs. If you are looking to ride it on Sundays and are a bit of a speed demon, then a moped with a 21-mile range isn’t going to be sufficient for you.

Electric motorcycles are slightly different from their combustion-engined counterparts as their range is a major factor; additionally, their charging abilities play a part in this.

A rider looking to complete longer journeys purely for leisure is more likely to seek out a motorcycle that supports faster charging, whereas a rider that wants to commute to and from a place of work may simply opt for a motorcycle that can be charged relatively easily in an office or at home.

Therefore, when purchasing an electric motorcycle, it’s important to take these factors into account, as you do not want to be stranded somewhere with no power.

Power

It is well known that electric bikes have higher power outputs than their combustion-engined equivalents; this power translates into faster acceleration for the motorcycle because they have rapid access to 100% of the torque.

The power of the motorcycle is limited to the relevant classes that are aimed at making them road legal for riders with a specific licence; these are as follows:

AM – 4kW
A1 – 11kW
A2 – 35kW
A – Unrestricted

When choosing an electric motorcycle, it’s essential to take its power output into consideration, especially if you are restricted to a specific license.

It’s harder to identify which type of motorcycle can be ridden when compared to combustion motorcycles, where it is much simpler; for example, an A1 rider cannot ride a motorcycle with an engine capacity exceeding 125cc, therefore it’s a good idea to see how an electric motorcycle is classed and translates. The classes are as follows:

L1e-B – AM
L3e-A1 – A1
L3e-A2 – A2
Unrestricted – A

When converted to electric motorcycles, an A1 rider may find that their bike has more power than the average 125cc bike, but the power output must be limited to 11 kW.

Ergonomics

Motorcycle ergonomics can make or break a decision to purchase a motorcycle; it’s very important that they are comfortable to make a riding experience more enjoyable.

When riding a motorcycle, you spend a lot of time sitting in the same position, which can cause lower back pain if the ergonomics aren’t favourable. Depending on the motorcycle, you could be sitting bolt upright for extended periods of time, causing lower back pain, or hunched over the tank, also causing lower back pain.

The position of a rider’s seat, handlebars, and footpegs are the main culprits when talking about ergonomics, and ensuring that these are right for a rider and that they are comfortable enough to sit in this position for long periods of time is majorly important as it helps to reduce pain, improve posture, and reduce the likelihood of an accident.

When purchasing an electric motorcycle, it’s often a good practice to sit on as many as possible to get a feel for which ones suit your riding position best.

Battery life

As mentioned previously, battery life plays a huge part in electric motorcycles and a rider’s usage of them. If you are a commuter looking to get to and from the city every day and not use it on weekends, a motorcycle with a smaller battery capacity would be good enough for you to effectively commute.

However, if you are more of a Sunday rider or would prefer to commute and ride leisurely on the weekend, the type of motorcycle you choose and its battery life will be high on your list of priorities.

When purchasing an electric motorcycle, it’s incredibly important to evaluate your potential usage of it and if its battery power will be sufficient for you as a rider to be able to ride it when and how you would like to.

Price

One of the major pitfalls of electric motorcycles in the current market is that they are expensive. Even the most basic moped will set you back £3,000, and if you want a more durable motorcycle for longer distances, you can expect to pay around £20,000, nearly double the price of its combustion-engine counterpart.

Over time, this does balance out, and the money saved on maintenance, oil changes, spark plugs, and the like can be offset against the price of an electric motorcycle because these costs will not be incurred for obvious reasons.

Therefore, if you are in the market for an electric motorcycle, it’s worth weighing up whether the price you will outlay at the start will eventually be worthwhile in the future after many months or years of ownership.