I'm also confused by this/their marketing decision... and there is certainly neither infrastructure nor clientele around for a battery leasing concept... I'd charge at home, maybe at the workplace parking lot, and that's it... so I could see a full electric scooter for pure urban commute... maybe a revival of the PC800...
A hybrid I would have expected inside a big, full faired, long distance touring motorcycle, maybe in the size of an ST or GL, the electric drive-train assisting as power booster and maneuvering propulsion for parking & reversing... you rarely request max power from your ICE bike, cruising along a country road at 100kph/60mph requires something like 30HP, only during take-off, passing and cornering you open it up...
But they've extinct all touring motorcycles... scoots, naked, ADV... that's it... searching for weather protection, proper seating for two grown adults, shaft drive and integrated panniers, you'll fail... >500km/300miles fuel range? negative...
Emission regs (and cost cutting) have lead to the demise of any inline or V 4-cylinder, hence every MFG comes along with a parallel twin now (like Honda's NC/NT line...), an electric assist would at least smooth out/hide the disadvantages...
But complexity is already an issue on current, conventional motorcycles... way too many "electronic assistants" present, "features" as sales merit, all embedded of course, so if one tiny probe or sensor fails the whole rig is demoted to a lifeless hunk of metal and plastic... no limping home...
Guess we'll keep the NT700VA and the ST1100 as long as possible...
www.visordown.com
I've been driving hybrids cars and trucks for years but the idea of a hybrid motorcycle just doesn't do it for me.
