fireflyfarm
08-05-2008, 08:22 AM
My dad and I rode our bikes to Vintage Motorcycle Days in Lexington, OH July 25-27. They always have some manufacturers available for test-rides. This year, one of them was a new company called Vectrix. They make this ordinary-looking scooter that, at a glance, looks like a regular 500CC scoot, until you notice the missing exhaust. The scooter has a high-output electric hub motor in the rear wheel, and several hundred pounds of NIMH batteries in the floor. I signed up for a test ride, and the guy showed me how it worked. It has excellent Brembo brakes, but, on a 16-mile ride on a hilly, twisty country road I didn't touch the levers once, because it has an excellent regen system!
The thing couldn't be simpler- you plug its onboard cord in to any outlet, it charges to 80% in 3 hours and 100% in under 5. Get on, turn the key on, put the kickstand up, squeeze the rear brake lever, and push "Start". She's ready to roll. If you twist the grip, the motor makes a tiny hum, and away you go! Roll the grip forward, and the regen brakes kick in, stopping the scooter as fast as standard brakes, plus they recharge the batteries. if you're sitting still, roll the grip forward, and the scooter goes in reverse! Great for backing out of a parking spot, or backing into a charging area.
We rolled out onto the road, and I wound it up. Acceleration is smooth, quick, and nearly silent. I had just ridden a 1600CC Kawasaki Nomad heavy cruiser, and this little scooter smoked it going up a long hill! It's limited to 62MPH, but it would go faster if allowed. The range is around 35 miles, although after our 16 miles, the range monitor still showed 28 available, because of regen braking on the hills.
For a 10-mile commuter, this thing would be perfect- it's comfortable, easy to use, and QUICK! The only drawback that I could see was the price- they're $8500. you could get a comparable gas scooter for under $5000, and buy a LOT of miles' worth of gas for the price difference. Like all new stuff, though, the price is sure to come down over time.
The thing couldn't be simpler- you plug its onboard cord in to any outlet, it charges to 80% in 3 hours and 100% in under 5. Get on, turn the key on, put the kickstand up, squeeze the rear brake lever, and push "Start". She's ready to roll. If you twist the grip, the motor makes a tiny hum, and away you go! Roll the grip forward, and the regen brakes kick in, stopping the scooter as fast as standard brakes, plus they recharge the batteries. if you're sitting still, roll the grip forward, and the scooter goes in reverse! Great for backing out of a parking spot, or backing into a charging area.
We rolled out onto the road, and I wound it up. Acceleration is smooth, quick, and nearly silent. I had just ridden a 1600CC Kawasaki Nomad heavy cruiser, and this little scooter smoked it going up a long hill! It's limited to 62MPH, but it would go faster if allowed. The range is around 35 miles, although after our 16 miles, the range monitor still showed 28 available, because of regen braking on the hills.
For a 10-mile commuter, this thing would be perfect- it's comfortable, easy to use, and QUICK! The only drawback that I could see was the price- they're $8500. you could get a comparable gas scooter for under $5000, and buy a LOT of miles' worth of gas for the price difference. Like all new stuff, though, the price is sure to come down over time.