E-Bikes thoughts, comments?

[OakLeaf]

Erm, though, has anyone ever taken a driving test who didn't believe in their own mind that they could drive safely? When is it okay for a vehicle operator to substitute their judgment for the license examiner's?

I feel for people with limited mobility, I truly do, but I don't think smaller motorized personal transport is the solution. After all, closing speed between a car and a slower vehicle is the same no matter which one you're operating, and reaction time if anything needs to be quicker on a bike. Then you have issues of grip strength and neck mobility, which are much more problematic with handlebars and limited mirror space than they are in an enclosed vehicle with a steering wheel. I think our elders' concerns (and our own as we age) are much better addressed with infrastructure - walkable communities, more pervasive public transit, and accessible facilities. I love living in the country, but I have to accept that I can only live here as long as I can drive. DH is already making noises about moving to an urban center now, while it's still relatively easy for us to adjust, rather than waiting until necessity forces us there, at an age when change may be even more disorienting than it is for a younger person. I'm sure his mother's experience is prominent in his thinking - she's essentially a prisoner in her own home because of the lack of sidewalks and public transit, and the distance to any type of shopping or recreation. The last few times I was a passenger while she drove it was terrifying for both of us, but there's no doubt in my mind that she's safer in a car than on a trike on those roads. And in her late 80s and recently widowed, the idea of moving out of the home where she's lived for 40+ years is probably even scarier and more overwhelming to her than traffic is.


W/r/t the motorcycle drift, in no particular order - many states have more lenient licensing requirements for mopeds, and some include any gas powered vehicles 49cc or less whether or not they have pedals. Some states require new riders to wear a helmet for their first year of licensure. Other than that I'm not aware of any graduated licensing like they have in Europe.

A café racer is something completely different from a sportbike, and you may be thinking "older" just because most people choose older bikes for that kind of project. It's a standard bike that's been modified, I think always with clip-ons and solo saddle, and often with a bikini fairing and/or other mods. They're also probably less popular now that people can buy a naked bike new.

As far as corporate ownership, BMW has always been its own company. H-D did some engine development collaboration with Porsche, which might be what you're thinking about. Buells were originally built with Sportster engines, and there was a period when H-D owned a substantial minority of the company and sold their bikes in H-D dealerships, but that's long past, and the few bikes that Erik is still building have I think Rotax engines.

Ah, California, the only place in the USA where a non-enthusiast has even heard of Aprilia.