How Safe are Electric Motorcycles?

The world is phasing out fossil fuels and moving towards electric technology. The same can be said for motorcycles. Electric motorcycles for adults are supposed to be the next generation in the evolution of the bike. They give you all the thrill of a highway ride without the negative effects of a carbon footprint.

That's not to say that there isn't a downside. Even though motorcycle engineers have had years to develop these eco-friendly bikes, they certainly still have some cons. The real question is, "Are they safe?"

Riding a motorcycle is already exponentially more dangerous than driving a car, so any safety setbacks on an electric motorcycle could be a dealbreaker for a prospective owner.

Here, we'll discuss whether electric motorcycles are safe and whether you should consider one for yourself.

Proud to be loud (and safe!)

When we talk about the safety of street-legal electric motorcycles, first we need to ask, "why are motorcycles so loud?"

For people who don't ride, the noise is surely an annoyance. However, most people don't choose to ride a motorcycle just to annoy their neighbors. There is a specific reason why motorcycles are so loud.

Why are motorcycles allowed to be so loud? It's simple. It's for safety.

Yes, for people who like to ride, the sound is cool and gets the heart beating. But, a lot of riders equip their bikes so that they are extra loud for safety. The thinking is that if the bike is extra loud, cars on the roads or highway will be aware of their presence. If you consider that motorcycles easily get lost in blind spots, this thinking makes sense.

However, there is no irrefutable proof that loud bikes are any safer than quiet bikes. But this is one of the questions that comes up when discussing the safety of electric motorcycles.

A quiet ride

A street-legal electric motorcycle is naturally quieter than a gas-powered motorcycle. The reason being is that they don't need a muffler for exhaust. That isn't to say that they are completely quiet, but they produce less noise than even the quietest of gas-powered bikes.

It's entirely possible that the level of noise a bike produces is something of a safety blanket for some riders. The louder the bike, the safer they feel. Even if there isn't any proof that this is true, riders might feel safer with a loud bike.

The same principle applies to electric bikes. If you are a rider who feels safer on a loud bike, then you may not feel as safe on an electric bike. But, even then, there are many safety features on electric bikes that might change your mind!

A safer build

As technology pushes forward, so does motorcycle engineering. Many manufacturers have taken the opportunity to use electric motorcycle engineering to experiment with building safer motorcycles. The same alert system technology used in cars is now finding its way to motorcycles. Not only do these systems alert you when there are possible dangers, but they store the data so that both the rider and the bike can learn from experiences on the road.

It is possible to have a system like this on a gas bike, but it is very expensive and not as effective as the ones found on electric bikes.

No rumble in the jungle

One last thing to consider is that electric motorcycles are safer than gas-powered motorcycles because of the elimination of vibration while you ride. This is not a hugely dangerous aspect of riding, but certainly, something to be considered.

So, if you are wondering just how safe electric motorcycles are, it's clear that they are as safe as you can get - despite them being a little quieter than gas-powered motorcycles. Riding a motorcycle will always be dangerous, but these new bikes have features that are designed to protect you wherever you go.

If you have been in an accident or need legal representation for matters with motorcycles, please contact Steelhorse Law today.