The words “electric motorcycle” and “excitement” may sound like mutually exclusive terms, but they aren’t. I’m here to tell you that electric bikes can be just as exciting as the traditional petrol-powered variety. Electric two wheelers have come a long way since I rode a wacky Californian thing called the Lectra VR24 way back in the spring of 1998. It looked like a cross between a pre-shrunk Harley Fat Boy and a Honda Monkey Bike. Classified as a moped, it had a ‘boost button’ which could whiz it up to a heady 45mph. It definitely had potential, but it handled like a pogo stick and ran out of juice in double quick time.

 Fast-forward a decade and in January 2008 I tested the American-designed, Polish-built all-electric Vectrix and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It went and handled like a proper superscooter, with looks to match, and the regenerative braking was truly impressive. Ridden with gusto the range was less than thirty miles, but it made a great commuter. In between those two experiences I’d ridden several electrically assisted pushbikes and electric mopeds and the gyro-balanced seat-less Segway ‘chariot’ but I’d also met eccentric British genius Cedric Lynch whose amazingly compact electric motors power several of the machines in the TTXGP. Using a fully enclosed machine that he designed and built himself, Cedric proved long ago that low rolling resistance and good aerodynamics are just as important as good, reliable electrical power and good batteries. For years, he’s ridden all over the country covering more than a hundred miles between charges at 60mph with only a handful of Kilowatts. 

Then last July I truly ‘saw the light’ when I got a ride in Roger Riedener’s newly converted and fully enclosed Ecomobile at the Brno GP circuit. It really was a revelation, lapping as fast with its electric motors as it previously had with a four cylinder BMW bike engine and faster than every normally aspirated cabin machine there. And it could do over a hundred miles between charges on the road, carrying two people and stacks of luggage in supreme comfort. The Swiss makers of the Ecomobile, Peraves, were so impressed that they are putting an all-electric MonoTracer cabin bike into production. Believe me, it makes the much-vaunted Tesla electric sports car seem very tame – and short-ranged.At the other end of the scale I also rode a lightweight electric dirt bike at Brno which was equally impressive in its own way – I am firmly convinced that electric motors could be the saviour of all forms of off-road motorcycling – trials, motocross, enduro and trail riding.