Getting an Electric 'Vespa'!

[eider]

So, quick question --- how does weather play a part in this? Have you just endured inclement weather and just soldiered on, or has it altered plans on occasions?

I haven't been using it during this recent freeze, because I'm not used to motorcycling on ice these days. I used to, all through freezes, but not now.
I have Reynaud's syndrome (White fingers/toes) and even warmed mittens are only good thirty minutes, so that's another reason.

I use my wife's little atv in snow and ice, and since I take her to and back from her work at the local vet surgery I can use it.

The EV forum that I visit has reported that freezing weather does reduce Lithium efficiency and range.
Very fast (50watt) charging can reduce Lithium life-spans, so long distance travel is a problem.
Running Lithiums below 20% capacity can reduce their life-spans.
Lithium fires are dreadful and out fire-brigade is still unsure of how to control or extinguish these.
Lithium replacement costs are huge. I have two 60v 20amp lithiums in my little EV and replacement of just one is now £650, and car lithium could cost over half of the car's showroom value.
On street recharging is a huge problem because cables cannot run across pavements.

So I do like my little vespa, but hybrids with big batteries seems to be the best choice at present.

[Cow Poke]

I haven't been using it during this recent freeze, because I'm not used to motorcycling on ice these days. I used to, all through freezes, but not now.
I have Reynaud's syndrome (White fingers/toes) and even warmed mittens are only good thirty minutes, so that's another reason.

I use my wife's little atv in snow and ice, and since I take her to and back from her work at the local vet surgery I can use it.

The EV forum that I visit has reported that freezing weather does reduce Lithium efficiency and range.
Very fast (50watt) charging can reduce Lithium life-spans, so long distance travel is a problem.
Running Lithiums below 20% capacity can reduce their life-spans.
Lithium fires are dreadful and out fire-brigade is still unsure of how to control or extinguish these.
Lithium replacement costs are huge. I have two 60v 20amp lithiums in my little EV and replacement of just one is now £650, and car lithium could cost over half of the car's showroom value.
On street recharging is a huge problem because cables cannot run across pavements.

So I do like my little vespa, but hybrids with big batteries seems to be the best choice at present.

Much more than that for which I asked! Appreciated. How bout rain?

[eider]

Much more than that for which I asked! Appreciated. How bout rain?

I don't mind rain too much because I wear a waterproof jacket and a good crash helmet with visor, My legs are mostly protected by the 'vespa' leg shields.

But these days, if it is really pouring down I use my wife's little Jimny atv. Because I am limited to about 25 miles total range while using just one of the batteries I am only riding for a maximum of about 45 minutes for a whole journey out and back, it's not like riding to Bristol or LIverpool (circa 200 miles each way) which I often motorcycled during the 90's. Too old now.

[Cow Poke]

I don't mind rain too much because I wear a waterproof jacket and a good crash helmet with visor, My legs are mostly protected by the 'vespa' leg shields.

But these days, if it is really pouring down I use my wife's little Jimny atv. Because I am limited to about 25 miles total range while using just one of the batteries I am only riding for a maximum of about 45 minutes for a whole journey out and back, it's not like riding to Bristol or LIverpool (circa 200 miles each way) which I often motorcycled during the 90's. Too old now.

So, recharging... to you carry the recharger device with you, and plug it in anywhere there's electricity? Or are there charging stations?

[eider]

So, recharging... to you carry the recharger device with you, and plug it in anywhere there's electricity? Or are there charging stations?

No.... my charger stays at home. I only go out/back as far as my batteries safely allow.
Such a machine is ideal for local travel up to 25 miles from base, the second battery then gets me back home, which is great here because I can easily reach six coastal towns in North Kent and Canterbury City to the South in that range. I would call the Artisan EV2000r a 'runabout'.

But it has given me quite a lot of insight in to use of other EVs. At the moment Electric Cars are great in cities like London where high daily charges are whacked on to ICE vehicles, but they need to develop over the next decade before they are syuitable for long range travel, imo.

[Cow Poke]

No.... my charger stays at home. I only go out/back as far as my batteries safely allow.
Such a machine is ideal for local travel up to 25 miles from base, the second battery then gets me back home, which is great here because I can easily reach six coastal towns in North Kent and Canterbury City to the South in that range. I would call the Artisan EV2000r a 'runabout'.

But it has given me quite a lot of insight in to use of other EVs. At the moment Electric Cars are great in cities like London where high daily charges are whacked on to ICE vehicles, but they need to develop over the next decade before they are syuitable for long range travel, imo.

Thanks - I do find this interesting!

[eider]

Thanks - I do find this interesting!

What vehicles do you own/use?
I expect that you travel much greater distances than me.

[Cow Poke]

What vehicles do you own/use?
I expect that you travel much greater distances than me.

I drive a Ford Ranger that gets right at 22mpg. As a farmer/rancher, I've always had use for a pickup truck, and this is the most practical and fuel efficient one I have found.
Plus, it actually FITS IN THE GARAGE and I can close the garage door and get out of my truck and walk around in my garage.
(Any of the full size pickups make that problematic)

For the most part, I drive 12 miles to and from work, but many of my church members live "out in the county" or in adjacent counties, so visiting them may require a 50 mile round trip.
Plus, I serve as the chaplain for our EMS department, and I use my personal vehicle for that, often putting 800 to 1200 miles a month on my truck.

My wife drives a Toyota Rav4 Hybrid, which gets about 45mpg and pretty much runs "on battery" in town, only kicking in the gas engine for her trips to and from work.

I used to have a smaller engine Suzuki motorcycle for intown trips, but that is becoming FAR too dangerous these days as car drivers seem not to see motorcycles.
(And, yes, at one time, I drove a Harley, but then I got married )

[rogue06]

What vehicles do you own/use?
I expect that you travel much greater distances than me.

The joke about Texas is it's a half an hour drive just to get to your mail box at the end of the driveway

[Esther]

Is this the right place? Why isn't there a light in here?
Anyway...... On Tuesday next I collect a lovely 2nd hand electric scooter.
It has two battery packs and each can shove the scooter 25 miles, so I will be able to go anywhere along the North Kent Coastline and still get home. Hopefully.
It was new last year, has travelled only 300 miles, and its owner's excuse for selling it is that he doesn't now need it to travel in to the London Central (emissions controlled) area.

The thing is, Petrol and Diesel powered vehicles are coming under quite a lot of pressure here, what with rising road tax, rising fuel costs, serious fuel supply problems, increasingly tough emissions tests and increasing restrictions on where IC cars are allowed to go, and although we'll keep on keeping on with our little Suzuki Jeep to the very end, we've got to get an electric car one day. E Cars are still very very expensive and so I asked the Missus if we could try an Electric Motorcycle as our secondary vehicle, and would she still be prepared to be a pillion passenger on one. She said 'Yes', for emergencies only.

Pics........

s-l1600.jpgs-l1600 (3).jpg

Does riding this scooter make you feel as if you're walking on water? lol

[eider]

I drive a Ford Ranger that gets right at 22mpg. As a farmer/rancher, I've always had use for a pickup truck, and this is the most practical and fuel efficient one I have found.
Plus, it actually FITS IN THE GARAGE and I can close the garage door and get out of my truck and walk around in my garage.
(Any of the full size pickups make that problematic)

For the most part, I drive 12 miles to and from work, but many of my church members live "out in the county" or in adjacent counties, so visiting them may require a 50 mile round trip.
Plus, I serve as the chaplain for our EMS department, and I use my personal vehicle for that, often putting 800 to 1200 miles a month on my truck.

My wife drives a Toyota Rav4 Hybrid, which gets about 45mpg and pretty much runs "on battery" in town, only kicking in the gas engine for her trips to and from work.

I used to have a smaller engine Suzuki motorcycle for intown trips, but that is becoming FAR too dangerous these days as car drivers seem not to see motorcycles.
(And, yes, at one time, I drove a Harley, but then I got married )

The manager at my wife's veterinary surgery drove a Ford Ranger (wrangler), she needs to go out on to farms and fields and with All-Terrain tyres it manages easily. We think that Ford Rangers are huge vast machines so a 'full-size pick-up must be a monster! The manager had a problem with hers because the timing belt broke and valves plunged down and thru' pistons = engine change. She now drives a range-rover which is smaller.

Those RAV4s are great, and the short wheel based ones are true atvs....... my wife drives a jimny with all-terrain tyres and could get mostly anywhere.

We've just watched all four seasons of Yellowstone and the motors shown are truly tanks!

There was a Harley dealer in Canterbury but he now deals in big Indians...a top of range Indian here is £25,000!


Are/were you a cowboy?

[eider]

Does riding this scooter make you feel as if you're walking on water? lol

It's very strange at first because it is silent. But no, it wouldn't get too far over water, no matter how many different verbs might be applied.

[rogue06]

The manager at my wife's veterinary surgery drove a Ford Ranger (wrangler), she needs to go out on to farms and fields and with All-Terrain tyres it manages easily. We think that Ford Rangers are huge vast machines so a 'full-size pick-up must be a monster! The manager had a problem with hers because the timing belt broke and valves plunged down and thru' pistons = engine change. She now drives a range-rover which is smaller.

Those RAV4s are great, and the short wheel based ones are true atvs....... my wife drives a jimny with all-terrain tyres and could get mostly anywhere.

We've just watched all four seasons of Yellowstone and the motors shown are truly tanks!

There was a Harley dealer in Canterbury but he now deals in big Indians...a top of range Indian here is £25,000!

trucks.jpg

Are/were you a cowboy?

He's a Texan. It's mandatory. When you move there you have 60 days to buy a hat and spurs.

[Cow Poke]

The manager at my wife's veterinary surgery drove a Ford Ranger (wrangler), she needs to go out on to farms and fields and with All-Terrain tyres it manages easily. We think that Ford Rangers are huge vast machines so a 'full-size pick-up must be a monster! The manager had a problem with hers because the timing belt broke and valves plunged down and thru' pistons = engine change. She now drives a range-rover which is smaller.

The first batch of "Ford Rangers" were more like mini Totota pickup trucks - I couldn't even stand to be inside of one, because it felt so claustrophobic. The back of my head touched the back glass of the cab.
It's like being buried alive in a box!

Those RAV4s are great, and the short wheel based ones are true atvs....... my wife drives a jimny with all-terrain tyres and could get mostly anywhere.

We've just watched all four seasons of Yellowstone and the motors shown are truly tanks!

Yeah, I've never watched an episode, but the little bits here and there that I have seen, those trucks are much bigger than mine.

There was a Harley dealer in Canterbury but he now deals in big Indians...a top of range Indian here is £25,000!

Owning an Indian used to be on my bucket list.

Are/were you a cowboy?

I'm gonna be 70 next year - I need to slow down just a bit, so I got out of the cattle business, but, yeah.

The name "Cow Poke" refers to
A) in general terms, somebody who rides the cattle trail prodding the herd cows to move along to market (never did that)
2) in particular, I became rather adept at relieving the bloating common among cows foraging in green fields

When a cow is suffering from bloat, there's a place on her side near the back quarter where you can insert a special tool (or, in my case, my pocket knife) that "vents" the gas from the cow's stomach to atmostphere.
One needs to make sure one is upwind from such venting , and it's a very minor pain to the cow with tremendous relief.

Treatment

In severe cases, where a bloated animal is panting to breathe, treatment is a matter of great urgency. A half hour’s delay is likely to be fatal. Use a sharp knife with a guarded blade. Stab through the upper left flank into distended rumen, then twist the knife. This produces an explosive release of rumen contents and immediate relief for the cow.

And I'm still somewhat of an amateur cow doctor, quite capable of "poking cows" to relieve bloat.

[eider]

The first batch of "Ford Rangers" were more like mini Totota pickup trucks - I couldn't even stand to be inside of one, because it felt so claustrophobic. The back of my head touched the back glass of the cab.
It's like being buried alive in a box!

When I finally decided to get rid of my vespa for UK travel to courses I purchased a car...... a Fiat Cinqecento ........ total luxury after sitting on a vespa for hours.

Yeah, I've never watched an episode, but the little bits here and there that I have seen, those trucks are much bigger than mine.

Owning an Indian used to be on my bucket list.

I like to hear Indians and Harleys cruising up our High street, but they are so huge now, and with motors of nearly two litres. Two of my friends have Harleys but I've got over any dreams about them.

I'm gonna be 70 next year - I need to slow down just a bit, so I got out of the cattle business, but, yeah.

The name "Cow Poke" refers to
A) in general terms, somebody who rides the cattle trail prodding the herd cows to move along to market (never did that)
2) in particular, I became rather adept at relieving the bloating common among cows foraging in green fields

When a cow is suffering from bloat, there's a place on her side near the back quarter where you can insert a special tool (or, in my case, my pocket knife) that "vents" the gas from the cow's stomach to atmostphere.
One needs to make sure one is upwind from such venting , and it's a very minor pain to the cow with tremendous relief.

Treatment

In severe cases, where a bloated animal is panting to breathe, treatment is a matter of great urgency. A half hour’s delay is likely to be fatal. Use a sharp knife with a guarded blade. Stab through the upper left flank into distended rumen, then twist the knife. This produces an explosive release of rumen contents and immediate relief for the cow.

And I'm still somewhat of an amateur cow doctor, quite capable of "poking cows" to relieve bloat.

What an interesting life that must have been. I retired in 2010 and a mate gave me a part-time job cleaning carpets; I went on a cleaner manufacturer's course and then just worked the local area...... loved it, and was home every night. I gave that up in 2015 when my wife got ill and after her long convalescence I didn't restart.