Talk Morgan Forums Community Vehicle Talk (non-Morgan) Electric Motorcycles

I notice that there is a new Charley Boorman / Ewan McGregor programme - 'Long Way Up' starting on Apple TV+ on 18 September. They travel from Argentina to LA on electric Harley Davidson's so interesting in a number of ways.

My attention was caught by Ewan McGregor's comments on the One Show the other night when he explained that the lack of a sound track from the bike was made up for by the enhanced feel of his connection with the road without the aural distraction. Interesting comment but not sure that it applies to electric cars.

I have a plug-in hybrid car with up to 31 miles of electric range, a Porsche Panamera, and I really like gliding along in total silence. I have to be very careful in multi-storey car parks as people seem to rely on their hearing rather than sight before stepping out into the car lanes. When I first got the car in 2017, you could switch on an artificial noise (a whooshing sound like a TV starship) but this was deleted in a software update, apparently as it did not comply the latest European regulations for electric vehicle audible warnings. Really stupid move as some sound must be better than none.

Wilson

There's an old saying amongst bikers 'loud pipes saves lives'. If they can't see me, I make sure they can hear me.

thats just a cop out excuse for a noisy bike

There is a Guy rides a single thumper @500-600 cc up the lane by my House, usually on a Sunday after he has had his day out, because the lane
is a dead end he and others on bikes use it as a short cut, (cutting about 1 mile off the journey), because they can squeeze through the bollards.

Strangely i was visiting my daughters house a couple of weeks ago on foot, ( she lives in the direction he would take the short cut) suddenly i
heard this bike come closer and closer down the main road at full raw, he turned into the estate and calmed it down to tick-over as he crept round to
his house, if i prove its him he will be getting a visit.

So many myopic drivers out there, need to stimulate as many of their senses as possible. If they don't see me, and don't hear me, option 3 involves a more personal interaction.

Not just an excuse Dean, it’s a regular source of entertainment. Not just the statutory drop a cog and whack it wide through tunnels or hit the kill switch and open the throttle before switching back on.... you get much longer flames with open pipes.

The joy we had when riding past parked cars late at night in a low gear on full chat and setting off lines of car alarms.... Oh how we laughed.

Of course some of the guys I rode with were Hooligans 🤣🤣🤣

Ride Safe
Colin
PS in all seriousness Loud Pipes might P people off but they really do save lives given how some numpties drive!

Absolutely. Just as I always make sure I'm in the left hand land in a tunnel in the Morgan, so I can get pleasure from the side pipe. I pulled into the carpark at Caffiene and Machine last week and set a few alarms off (mainly with the ASDA carpark specials) - I do the same on my bikes

However, if someones actions while driving make me believe they're putting my life if danger, it will come as no surprise that I feel obliged to reciprocate.

If only cyclists were as noisy when mixing with pedestrians...
Too many near misses for comfort!

totally agree with Evan Mc Gregor. I clocked about 12 kkm on my e-tron.
The first thing I do not miss is the engine sound.
It really feels like future having no sound at all.

I would like it on the motor bike as well - although I haven`t tested yet.
On the scooter it is ok - but not breathtaking...

And - ok - I felt somehow a slight discomfort driving the Morgan through a village...

Next week I will change to a hybrid car - let´s see how it feels...

In a Morgan with no engine noise you'd hear even more squeeks, rumbling and rattles. I don't think that would be very engaging somehow.