The Vectrix Preview
I found a dealer for the Vectrix scooter pretty close to home. Marin BMW only started selling the Vectrix in July. They are 23 miles from my home.
We drove down on Saturday and checked out the place. Your standard array of beemers and two Vectrix scooters (it seems they have been selling out all their shipments so far) One of the Vectrix was a demo and looked like it had been dropped a couple of times. For the record it looked like the damage to the bike was minimal, a credit to the strength of the body panels and overall structure.
So the first thought in my mind now was, ‘why didn’t I bring my helmet?’
But when I talked to the owner and said I wanted to go for a ride, he produced a helmet. After signing my liability statement I was ready for my training (?)
The Vectrix was designed as an electric vehicle (unlike my Motard which is a conversion) and as such has several safety features built in. To start the bike, first you turn the key on, the instrument panel goes though an initiation process and then just sits there. The throttle does not function at this point, which saves you from the embarrassing ‘dropped my bike when I turned the throttle as I was getting on’ incident. before you can start moving you have to go through a simple process that tells the bike you are ready. You have to lift the kickstand and squeeze both brakes, this puts the bike in a ready mode indicated by a big GO graphic on the instrument panel. Now with an easy twist of the throttle the scooter will start moving forward.
Just as easy a reverse twist of the throttle will start you moving backward. Yes, you read correctly, a reverse feature. My mind was spinning thinking of how handy that would be. Yes, I had read about these features online, but it is a little different seeing it in real life.
The regenerative braking worked in the same fashion. As you think about slowing down you release the throttle. To initiate the regenerative braking you reverse twist the throttle and you can slow to a stop. It brakes so well that I rarely had to use the real brakes at all. The regenerative braking and the reverse use the same motion, but the computer keeps them seperate. So if you are braking to a stop, you won’t start moving backwards. You have to release the throttle and twist it backwards again to move back.
So I started off on my test ride, gliding easily out of the parking lot. The throttle response was very smooth and gradual. The bike is not silent, there is a whirring noise as you scoot along. I got on to the road and into traffic, moving easily through San Rafael. I road under the freeway and up a twisty road, the low center of gravity on the 500 pound bike made the turns smooth as silk. I drove aound by the ferry building and got on the freeway for my return trip. I rapidly got up to speed and merged into my lane. It did not seem like I was going 60 but the speedo confirmed it. Just a little wind buffeting behind the large shield was the only evidence that I was speeding down the freeway. 60 MPH is not fast on a California freeway. Traffic moves at 70 to 80 typically during non-commute hours.
After a few miles on the freeway I got back onto surface streets and was making my way back to the dealership. The regenerative braking took a little getting used to, but was very useful for slowing. According to the website, regenerative braking can extend your range by about 10 percent. I had no problems in stop and go traffic or zipping around the slower vehicles who did not know I was on a test ride and wanted to go faster. As I got to the intersection to go back to the dealership, I decided that I really did not get to experience the twisty road as well as I would have liked, so I turned the other way and went on that ride again. It was just as good the second, and third time around.
I finally did make it back to the dealer where my family eagerly awaited my return. Apparently I was beaming when I got off, because it was my wife that suggested that we put a deposit down.
Later on this month I will give a more detailed review of my new electric ride.
