Survey reveals people are warming to electric motorcycles

A survey conducted in the UK has revealed that people are warming to the idea of switching to electric motorcycles.

Insurance firm BikeSure asked motorbike enthusiasts if they would like to own an electric motorcycle, with nearly 50% saying that they would. An additional 3.6% already owned an electric motorcycle.

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The catch? Only 673 people participated in the survey. But the survey covered a diverse selection of riders across various age groups, and presented some interesting data.

While nearly 50.3% of participants either owned an electric motorcycle or wanted to own one, the survey found that age was an influential factor. Younger riders were more likely to favour electric motorcycles, with 58% of those under the age of 25 interested in owning an electric bike. That percentage decreased with each increasing age group – just 32% of those over 65 showed interest.

The study also looked at the reasons why people would or wouldn’t buy an electric motorcycle. Instant torque was the biggest appeal, with 57.8% of participants excited by electric power delivery. Economy (43.68%), low noise level (29.27%), lighter weight (23.63%) and environmental-friendliness (38.34%) were also listed as reasons for favouring electric.

On the flip-side, 65.8% cited battery range as the major factor going against electric motorcycling. Other negatives included long charging times (51.11%), lack of sound (42.20%), and lack of ride quality compared to petrol engines (20.80%). Insurance costs, difficulty of buying second-hand, and lack of confidence in maintenance were also mentioned.

Interestingly, 88.6% of participants said they prefer to conduct some or all maintenance on their bikes themselves, while the other 11.4% prefer a professional service. Electric bikes require less maintenance than internal combustion engine bikes.

With some countries moving to ban or restrict petrol or diesel cars by the end of the decade, the big question is whether motorcycles will go the same way. While electric car technology has progressed quickly, electric motorcycle technology is still a fair way behind. Still, 44% of survey participants agreed that petrol motorcycles should be banned in the future. Another 44% said they should never be banned.

Most participants did agree on one thing, with nearly 80% believing electric motorcycles will become mainstream at some point in the future.