Wow! 54 Horsepower is pretty impressive. The torque is amazing too. Enough power for hooligans but not enough to hang with the super bikes. If you ask me, this is the perfect in town bike. I would also use it to commute to work even though my work is only 8 miles away. Plus I can only imagine the ‘What is that’ looks on riders faces at the local motorcycle meetups.
If I do get one of these bad boys I better be ready to defend its silent exhaust note and its relatively low power/range. But hey its the price we pay to advance technology, this is the beginning of what is to come. People that pay extra for less right now can justify it by the gas savings, which will hopefully push battery technology to the next level.
I honestly feel like Brammo took their time to do it right. Zero may makes a good bike too but if I had to choose it would be an Empulse all the way!
Brammo Empulse vs Zero S ZF9
They are decently even all the way around but the empulse has 2 fun factors the S does not have:
-6 gear transmission
-a top speed of over 100mph
The brammo also has a nice fat 180 rear wheel compared to the dinky Zero’s 130.
Zero does not claim any horsepower that I can find, but I am guessing the Brammo Empulse has it easily beat in the power department. I will see if I can scrap up some more info on this. Comparatively I think I am biased on Brammo Empulse’s side because is it so close to an actual streetfighter that could be accepted in the motorcycle community. By looking at the specs, the Zero S seems more like a big toy to me. But once again this is speculation, without seeing them and riding both of them side by side.
What I do know is that the power and low end torque delivery is close to my friends Kawasaki ER-6N that is an absolute BLAST to ride around town even though it gets snickered at on the track. I am not a track rider personally, but I do enjoy ripping up the pavement and this bike has no problem fitting the streetfighter profile. Big Grin.
| Official 2012 Brammo Empulse R Specifications | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Empulse Motor | |||
| Motor Type: | Permanent Magnet AC (PMAC) – Water Cooled | ||
| Motor Controller: | Sevcon Gen 4 | ||
| Peak Motor Power: | 40kW, @ 8,200 rpm (54 hp) | ||
| Peak Continuous Current: | 270 amps | ||
| Final Drive: | Direct Chain Drive (14/48) 520 O-ring chain | ||
| Transmission: | IET 6 speed gearbox with multi-plate, hydraulic activated wet clutch | ||
| Max Motor Torque: | 63Nm (46.5 foot pounds) | ||
| Battery Pack | |||
| Battery Type | Brammo Power™ BPM15/90 Lithium-Ion ( NCM Chemistry) | ||
| Battery Pack Capacity: | 9.31 kWh (nominal), 10.2 kWh (max) | ||
| Battery Pack Voltage: | 103.6 V (nominal) | ||
| Battery Life: | 1,500 cycles to 80% capacity (100% DOD) | ||
| Recharge Time: | Level I maximum charging time: 8 Hours. (0 – 99% SOC, no cell imbalances) Level II maximum charging time: 3.5 Hours. (0 – 99% SOC, no cell imbalances)Every 10 minutes of Level II charging adds up to 5 miles of range |
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| Empulse R Performance | |||
| Empulse R Performance: | 100 + mph (160 + km/h) | ||
| Driving Range: | City: 121 miles* (195 km) Highway: 56 miles** (90 km) Combined: 77 miles*** (124 km)*SAE City Riding Range Test Procedure for Electric Motorcycles (variable speed, 19 mph / 30km/h average) **SAE Highway / Constant Speed Riding Range Test Procedure for Electric Motorcycles (70 mph / 113 km/h sustained) *** SAE Highway Commuting Cycle (.5 City weighting, .5 Highway weighting) |
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| Operating Modes: | 2 Operating Modes selectable through the handlebar switch: 1. “Normal” – limits acceleration by reducing maximum current delivered to the motor through the motor controller in order to maximize driving range. 2. “Sport” – provides maximum performance in both acceleration and top speed. |
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| Regenerative Braking: | Under deceleration, energy is returned to the battery system to both extend driving range and provide familiar rider feedback. | ||
| Operating Cost: | Assuming 13 cents /kWh for electricity:1 cent per mile around town 2 cents per mile on the highway |
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| Data Collection: | Brammo DDC™ (Dynamic Data Collection) records key motorcycle parameters at 1Hz (1 sample/second) for analysis and service support. | ||
| Empulse R Dimensions | |||
| Weight: | 440lbs. / 200kg | ||
| Seat Height: | 31.5” 80.0 cm | ||
| Width: | 31.8” (bar end-to-bar end) 80.77 cm | ||
| Height: | 42.6” (highest portion of the dash) 108.2 cm | ||
| Length: | 81.3” 206.5 cm | ||
| Ground Clearance: | 7.3” 18.54 cm | ||
| Storage Capacity: | Optional Brammo hard saddle bags and top trunk. | ||
| Fuel Economy: | 485 mpg-e 206 km/L-e | ||
| Carrying Capacity: | Cargo Capacity 365 lbs. / 165.6 kg (805 lbs. / 365.1 kg total combined motorcycle, rider, passenger and cargo) | ||
| Wheelbase: | 58.0” 147.32 cm | ||
| Warranty: | 2 Years (Limited Factory Warranty) 1 year Fender-to-Fender Limited Warranty, 2 year Limited Powertrain Warranty (Batteries and Motor) | ||
| Colors: | True Blood Red, Eclipsed Black, White Noise | ||
| Empulse R Key Components | |
|---|---|
| Frame: | Brammo E-Beam™ Aluminum, Fabricated by Accossato in Italy |
| Suspension Front: | Fully Adjustable 43mm Marzocchi Forks |
| Suspension – Rear: | Fully Adjustable Sachs Shock |
| Brakes – Front: | Dual 310mm Brembo floating disk with twin four piston Hydraulic Brembo Brake Calipers, Radial Mount. |
| Brakes – Rear: | Brembo single disk with dual piston Hydraulic Brembo Brake Caliper |
| Wheels (Front/Back): | 17”x 3.5” Marchesini / 17” x 5.5” Marchesini |
| Tires (Front/Back): | 120/70-17 AVON AV79 / 180/55-17 AVON AV80 |
| Instrumentation: | LCD display; speed, tach, odometer, gear position, energy consumption, battery status, estimated range and system status |