Elektro motor bike "Lectra"

Lectra meets Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and is a "zero emission" vehicle.Range will vary depending upon many factors including driver actions, and weather and road conditions. The Lectra^TM is a worldclass application of the most advanced technologies available in electric energy storage, display and delivery. Whether you’re out for a leisurely ride around town, or running strong in demanding city traffic, you’ll appreciate the superior acceleration, braking and handling characteristics of the Lectra^TM. The Lectra^TM has a low seat height (26"), a balanced feel, a tight turning radius (6-1/2 ft.), and requires no shifting or "warm up". And, the Lectra^TM is virtually maintenance free. These characteristics make the Lectra^TM a perfect motorbike for easy riding around town .... may be we should call it a "townbike" instead of a "motorbike"? People just getting started in EVs or motorbikes can appreciate the easy riding, no hassle characteristics of the Lectra^TM. But, it is also a world-class motorcycle product that brings a new riding experience to even the veteran motorcycle rider. The "Cost Of Ownership" of a product such as the Lectra can be broken down into four basic catagories:

• Initial purchase price
• Fuel costs
• Insurance costs
• Maintenance costs

The Lectra is designed to be very competitive in all four categories. INITIAL PURCHASE PRICE: The Lectra's price competes with small motorcycles or large scooters. FUEL COSTS: The Lectra uses 2 kilowatt-hours per charge. Electricity rates in most areas range from $0.04 to $0.10 per kilowatt-hour. Therefore, the Lectra can be recharged for as little as 8 cents! This is significantly less than the price of gasoline fuel. INSURANCE COSTS: The Lectra can be insured with rates similar to a 125cc scooter. Insurance can be under $100 per year, for basic liability coverage. This is significantly less expensive that an automobile or a large motorcycle. MAINTENANCE COSTS: This is where the Lectra is very attractive. The Lectra does not have spark plugs, carburators, oil filters, gas filters, air filters, exhaust pipes, or gas tanks. In fact, the Lectra requires only simple maintenance, offering savings to the Lectra owner of perhaps hundreds of dollars compared to a gasoline motorcycle. Lectra maintenance includes: drive chain lubrication and tensioning, checks for tire and brake pad wear, checks for light bulb operation, and regular washing to keep your Lectra looking great! Think of all the time you'll save. With the Lectra's "regen" braking, brake pad life is significantly longer than most gasoline-powered motorcycles. Even after factoring the periodic replacement of batteries, the Lectra should prove to be low in cost to own and operate. And, the Lectra comes with a one-year warranty! The Lectra has the power to climb hills and keep up with most city traffic. It is designed for easy riding around town. It also happens to be an excellent "starter" motorcycle. Here are some great features of the Lectra that make riding easy: INSTANT ON - NO "WARM UP": Have you ever started your gasoline motorcycle early in the morning. Usually, you need to warm up the engine before it will run right and be safe in traffic. Maybe your neighbors know that sound all too well! But, the Lectra is solid state -- no warm up needed. Just click it on and you have full power at your fingertips. Quiet, clean and ready to go! NO SHIFTING: The Lectra has just one gear that takes it from zero to top speed. No more shifting or clutching. LOW SEAT HEIGHT: With a seat height of just 26 inches, the Lectra is sized for just about anyone. EASY AROUND TOWN: The Lectra has a sharp turning radius (6-1/2 ft.), a low center of gravity and a balanced feel making it easy to ride around town. LOOKING GREAT: The Lectra is the only electric motorcycle on the market. Women tell us that it is a "guy magnet". In fact, you will probably find that lots of people wave, give you the "thumbs up", or stop to ask you about your Lectra. It is a GREAT attention grabber! MOTORCYCLE SAFETY FOUNDATION: If you are just starting to ride, or if you want to hone your riding skills further, contact the Motorcycle Safety Foundation. They have some great publications and offer some nice training courses. Tel: (800) 669-7994. The VR24^TM advanced electric drive system coupled to fat Dunlop tires are accurately controlled from your finger tips. The anti-lock electrically-assisted regenerating rear brake and floating caliper front disk brake provide smooth, powerful braking when you need it. Included is the convenience of on-board, fully automatic charging and a maintenance-free energy storage system.VR24^TM DRIVE SYSTEM EMB is one of the first companies to commercialize an advanced variable reluctance (VR) electric drive system for vehicle drive applications. VR motor technology is a compact, highly efficient and brushless motor technology. A new motor structure (patent pending) combined with custom computer controls provide superior performance at a competitive price. A unique feature of the VR24^TM is its electronically assisted braking mode. Electrical braking extends vehicle range and preserves brake life by turning the vehicle’s kinetic energy into stored electrical energy during braking. For added safety and control, the VR24^TM also incorporates "antilock" braking features, and a variety of safety interlock controls. The VR24 drive system includes a regenerative braking mode. This turns the vehicle's kinetic (moving) energy into electricity when the regen brake is commanded. While regen braking does return some electric energy back to the batteries, it is not a perfect system. The amount of energy returned to the battery during regen braking depends upon many factors, including your speed, the voltage level of the battery pack, and the efficiency of the regen braking system. EMB's tests have confirmed that regen braking is most efficient at returning electric energy to the batteries when:

(1) Battery voltage is high (> 50% charge), and (2) Speed of the vehicle is less than 15 mph.

Regen braking works very well at slowing the Lectra .... it is a form of power braking. However, excessive use of regen braking can cause the VR24 drive to overheat. This is because part of the energy is converted to heat, and part is converted to electric energy for the batteries. In general, coasting to a stop is much better for increasing vehicle range than using regen braking. However, using regen braking will provide more range that using only the friction (disk) brakes on the vehicle. ( http://www.electricmotorbike.org/index.php?page=lectra )