Why Electric Motorcycles are Probably Cursed

Summary

Ryan from FortNine weighs the riding advantages of electric motorcycles against their limitations. He argues that high costs and difficult repairs may prevent them from becoming a mass-market solution.

Where electric motorcycles excel

• Water and mud: Electric motors do not need air for combustion, so a properly sealed bike can handle water crossings without the risk of an engine taking in water. The presenter also says electric power is less prone to cutting out in mud.
• Low-speed control: Electric motors deliver torque immediately and allow fine power adjustment, which can help maintain traction on slippery, short sections.
• Cornering: Without a clutch or gears to manage, riders can focus on braking and positioning. The presenter also uses a hand-operated rear brake, leaving either foot free.
• Reverse: Reversing the motor’s direction is relatively straightforward, so reverse is common on electric motorcycles, though gasoline bikes could also be designed with it.
• Quiet operation: A quieter bike can be used in places where a loud motorcycle might be unwelcome.

Where gasoline motorcycles have an advantage

• Obstacles and jumps: A clutch and flywheel inertia help riders deliver a short burst of power to lift the front wheel or get over an obstacle. The presenter finds electric power harder to meter in these situations.
• Gear-based control: Gears give riders more options for managing acceleration, particularly when approaching jumps. The presenter says this makes it easier to control takeoff and landing.
• Refueling: After several hours of riding, a gasoline bike can be refueled quickly, while charging an electric motorcycle can take hours.

Cost, repairability, and the Can-Am Origin

The presenter describes buying a Can-Am Origin and later having it become unusable because of a problem with the DC charger that maintains the 12-volt battery. He says the charger was integrated into the onboard charging system, which was in turn integrated with the high-voltage battery and chassis. As a result, a relatively small fault reportedly meant replacing the entire power unit.

He cites an estimated $8,500 in parts and $8,500 in labor for warranty work on a bike he bought for $8,000.

He argues that integrated designs can make electric motorcycles stiff and compact, but also expensive and difficult to repair. Low production volumes and limited spare parts compound the problem. He also speculates that Harley-Davidson’s 2022 separation of LiveWire into a distinct company helped isolate the financial risk of warranty obligations.

Broader industry argument

The video concludes that electric motorcycles may not revive a declining motorcycle market. The presenter links the industry’s current difficulties to the end of a postwar leisure boom: in the 1960s, a broad leisure class could afford activities such as motorcycling, boating, and flying, whereas these now appear more like niche hobbies. He suggests the market’s earlier size may have been an unusual historical high point rather than a normal level to which the industry can return.

Reviews and guides

• Review/test: The presenter draws on personal riding comparisons between electric and gasoline motorcycles, including his experience owning the Can-Am Origin.
• Guide/tutorial: No step-by-step guide or tutorial is presented.

Main speaker/source: Ryan of FortNine, speaking from personal riding and ownership experience and offering his own analysis of the motorcycle industry.