Craig Bramscher: Transportation 2.0

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“Transportation’s kinda broken,” says Brammo founder and CEO Craig Bramscher. But is a $12,000 electric motorcycle the way to fix it? The Brammo Enertia will only hit 60mph, but Craig sees potential far outweighing its meager performance. “[We] want to be the next great American motorcycle company.”

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Craig Bramscher: Transportation 2.0

  • modelasian

    Another great Front Lines piece from HFL!
    What’s your impression of Brammo vs Zero, as far as business ventures? Which is more likely to be profitable?
    It seems Zero really missed out by not racing against Brammo at TTXGP. I think Brammo’s 3rd place is a real legitimizing factor that Zero will desperately need. Zero had that brilliant 24 hour race, but all dirtbikes are basically toys, compared to scooters and road bikes people use as transportation.

    • http://hellforleathermagazine.com Wes Siler

      Thanks.

      The two companies are going for different markets. Zero appeals more to established motorcyclists, while Brammo wants to convert new riders. There’s more than enough room for both to succeed.

      • Duke

        You’re blog has an obvious bias toward electric motorcycles. I appreciate technology breakthroughs in motorcycling as much as the next guy, but reality is electric motorcycles will remain a nitch market for a long time. Why spend so much time reporting on a tiny market with such a slow growth. The industry will by buying and riding mass production gasoline burning motorcycles for decades to come. $12k for a “new to motorcycling” customers! You can’t be serious. Sure this motorcycle will be in front of a new audience at Best Buy, but I don’t think a flat screen TV customer or an ipod customer is going to decide to ride a motorcycles at Best Buy. Also if they we interested in riding motorcycles they will most likely buy a $2-3k gasoline engine powered motorcycles and not a $12k electric one especially in this economy. Instead of slamming every new motorcycle on the market because it doesn’t offer some groundbreaking new technology, please write more stories about ride experiences. Ride the Ducati Streetfighter or the new R1 and write more stories like the CBR1000RR vs. Tell us more about the bikes we ride now and will most likely buy tomorrow.

        • http://hellforleathermagazine.com Wes Siler

          Well, electric motorcycles have had an interesting couple of months, what with the TTXGP and all the new products coming out.

          If we ever get through flight hell this evening, there’s a GSX-R1000 and an Aprilia Tuono R waiting for us in LA. Realistic enough for you?

          • Duke

            Now were talking! I agree with your comment about the TTXGP. Safe travels Wes

  • Do Not Spindle

    Nice review. My wife would make for an interesting test case. (Assuming I can get her into a Best Buy). Motorcycles are extremely intimidating and scary for her – I’m not riding yet because of that. If the Brammo exudes enough safe and cute to win her over, it could be a hit. The other stumbling block is if the Best buy sales folk can coax people through the local licensing requirements (does the bike qualify for a no-license ride like the 49cc scooters, or a full “M” endorsement like everything else). A reliable 60 mile range (including running/headlights), overnight recharge on a 110v circuit, and enough oomph to manage 45-50mph on the local secondary roads would handle my commute easily.

  • Stu

    He makes a great point about the need for a tranportation revolution, but I think he is missing the elephant in the corner that bikes are dangerous.

    Recent changes to my local licensing laws and local governments providing more free parking for bikes have seen a massive explosion in new riders, but there has also been a massive increase in fatalities as well. When I first started riding hearing of (much less seeing) a fatality was rare. Now riders are dropping like flies. I’ve picked a few new riders up off the road and it seems to come at as a genuine shock that it hurts when you don’t keep the shiny side up.

    I suspect that electric bikes would bring a whole new set of new riders to the mix, many of which would decide to stop riding at first experience of danger.

    Me personally I would love to have an electric bike for the local run, leaving my normal bikes for weekends… I hope they sell millions of them so I can get a used one cheap!

    • Adrian

      Stu….

      Good point ..I’ve picked a few new riders up off the road and it seems to come at as a genuine shock that it hurts when you don’t keep the shiny side up….

      Lots of new riders seem to think it is easier than it looks or they seem to learn how to ride on MotoGp video games where everyone gets up without a scratch.at the minimum MSF is the way to go

  • IK

    Is it just a coincidence that the reports on the electric motorcycle and the sidecar bike are published one right after another?
    Or maybe both vehicles are part of the same transportation revolution (I would of course prefer $10K sidecar to $12K bike, but it doesn’t matter)?
    Practicality rules?

    • http://hellforleathermagazine.com Wes Siler

      Coincidence, although both are neat vehicles.

  • Dwight-675

    Please, please Best Buy, steer these n00bs toward the nearest MSF course.
    Better yet, hold them in your massive parking lots.
    I’m a little skittish of BB selling these things.
    The downside of showcasing bikes in a ‘non-threatening manner’ at a strip mall is that consumers start thinking of them as analogous to the Huffys they buy at Modell’s and forget about safety.

  • http://ridethetorquecurve.blogspot.com hoyt

    Transportation is broken from all perspectives. Single occupant sitting in their car/suv on the highway due to congestion is mind-numbing stupidity on a grand scale.

    Getting the general public to throw a leg over is not going to be easy, but this valiant effort will benefit all of us. The more 2-wheels the better.

    Existing riders play a role in getting more of the general public on 2-wheels by minimizing squid behavior and helmet-less hardass fatalities

  • Elux Troxl

    “[We] want to be the next great American motorcycle company.”

    And I want to be Sasha Gray’s next boyfriend, but somehow that doesn’t seem very likely either.

  • cWJ

    Once the legislation catches up, I would think most of the elec bikes will be classified by top speed. Top speed of 50 will probably be w/o allowed w/o M endorsement.

    As for safety, if the number of fatalities has shot up, I suggest you look in to the type of bike and where it took place. You will probably find that they’ve occurred disproportionately on much larger, faster bikes than what the elec bikes are capable of. These bikes should be compared with the accident rates of scooters.

    I personally think the current performance of these bikes works out well for the people who will be more likely to purchase them at their current prices: people with much disposeable income who are probably not motorcycle riders who are interested in scooters and will be using them in the traditional scooter context (below 50, neighborhoods, surface streets, urban-ized areas)& dedicated enthusiasts.

    How about an elec bike setup with a simulated shifter to for MSF courses? All about finding the right use…

    Either way, I’m thoroughly tired of hearing why this “won’t work” and what “people” won’t buy. Let’s see it work, or not.

    A few years ago, who would’ve thought people would pay a high un-locked price for a locked cellphone made by a company that had never made one before that’s available from only one carrier?