Like them or not, electric bikes are here … although time will tell if they stay. They are now commercially available for the street and for the dirt, and as more electric bike race series spring up, there are road racers to . last year included a small start-up company called Lito, based right here in Canada, in a suburb of Montreal.
Lito is responsible for producing the Sora electric motorcycle, which has (at first sight at least) a more useable range than currently available on other e-bikes, claiming up to 300 km of gas-free riding.
That’s a pretty impressive figure, achievable partially due to its 12 kWh lithium-polymer battery pack (which is good for a 150,000 km lifespan at a steady 70 km/h). This is considerably more power than what is available in Zero motorcycles, which offer up to 9 kWh from lithium-ion batteries that can provide a range up to 180 km.
But here’s the catch, the Sora’s claimed maximum range may be attained under ideal conditions, in an urban setting and its regenerative braking helps maintain a charge — and with the bike set to eco mode. (The Sora has three modes including eco, performance and safe range, the last adjusting available power to ensure you to get to your destination before the battery goes flat).
A more realistic range under normal riding conditions would be closer to about 180 km, which is still reasonable for daily use, but if you hit the highway and tap it out at the claimed maximum speed of 200 km/h, the battery would be drained in a mere 30 minutes or about 100 km .But with a charge time of eight hours using the onboard 110-volt charger, which is compatible for both a standard wall outlet and an SAE J1772 coupler, or two hours with an external quick charger.
The motorcycle features a unique electrically adjustable seat and a LCD touch screen integrated into the faux gas tank that includes a GPS, and a programmable computer via a USB port to connect it to your laptop. Other indications as to its performance-oriented intentions are carbon-fibre bodywork, a fully adjustable inverted fork (currently sourced from a Kawasaki ZX-14, though Kayaba will provide the front suspension on production models), a fully adjustable Elka single shock, and supersport-spec 17-inch radials at both ends.
This brings us to a feature that is unusual for an electric bike but is incorporated into the Sora: a CVT transmission. Almost all current electric bikes on the market use direct drive (the 2012 Brammo Empulse is available with a six-speed gearbox). It makes sense in this segment; no transmission means less weight, fewer losses due to friction, and reduced cost. Electric bikes can get away without a variable-ratio transmission because of the unique torque characteristics of their electric motors.
