Photo: Stefan Baldauf / Guido ten Brink
There is a fine line between a motorcycle and an e-bike, and BMW has presented two concept vehicles at the IAA 2021 that underline that specific line. As you can observe in the photo gallery, we have the BMW Vision AMBY and the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY. The former is an e-bike, while the latter is an electric motorcycle.
So, what is the fine line between e-motorcycle and e-bike/e-cycle? Well, the latter involves that the user must pedal, while the former involves keeping the rider's feet on a set of foot pegs. That was the easiest way to explain this, as BMW seems to have gone out of its way to defy categorization.
The good news for you, our readers, is that BMW has decided to place these concept vehicles close to each other to help underline the differences between them. The stand also included the BMW Concept CE02, which is an electric motorcycle.
Size is the first differentiator. We start with frame size, which is bigger on the electric motorcycle when compared to the e-bike. Then, there is wheel size, also a crucial element, as well as the thickness of the front forks.
The pedelec, which is the e-cycle that needs the user to pedal before offering electric support, has a thinner frame, as well as a thinner seat.
Meanwhile, its brothers come with a thicker seat for the rider, which is meant to provide more comfort. It does not need cutouts to enable pedal action, as the latter is not required for operating.
Another important aspect of the difference between them is the type of helmet required to ride them. The BMW I Vision AMBY is an e-bike that is meant to be ridden at low speeds, which means that a bicycle helmet is enough. However, if we get to the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY, things change in terms of helmets, and the need for a motorcycle helmet arises.
In the case of the BMW Concept CE02 electric motorcycle, BMW even placed a jacket next to the helmet, which is meant to underline the recommendation for additional riding gear before setting off on their two-wheeled creation.
The pair of Vision AMBY two-wheeled vehicles from BMW marks the company's attempt to show that the same vehicle could be used in various scenarios and that governments from across the world could legislate vehicles that have a geo-fenced speed limit.
That way, there will be no cyclists that ride their e-cycles in the city at high speeds, and those riders will not be in danger on the open road once they leave the city and want to ride to a different town. It makes sense if you think about it, but it also requires a bit more faith in technology and in people to be fair with their devices and their riding equipment.
The good news for you, our readers, is that BMW has decided to place these concept vehicles close to each other to help underline the differences between them. The stand also included the BMW Concept CE02, which is an electric motorcycle.
Size is the first differentiator. We start with frame size, which is bigger on the electric motorcycle when compared to the e-bike. Then, there is wheel size, also a crucial element, as well as the thickness of the front forks.
The pedelec, which is the e-cycle that needs the user to pedal before offering electric support, has a thinner frame, as well as a thinner seat.
Meanwhile, its brothers come with a thicker seat for the rider, which is meant to provide more comfort. It does not need cutouts to enable pedal action, as the latter is not required for operating.
Another important aspect of the difference between them is the type of helmet required to ride them. The BMW I Vision AMBY is an e-bike that is meant to be ridden at low speeds, which means that a bicycle helmet is enough. However, if we get to the BMW Motorrad Vision AMBY, things change in terms of helmets, and the need for a motorcycle helmet arises.
In the case of the BMW Concept CE02 electric motorcycle, BMW even placed a jacket next to the helmet, which is meant to underline the recommendation for additional riding gear before setting off on their two-wheeled creation.
The pair of Vision AMBY two-wheeled vehicles from BMW marks the company's attempt to show that the same vehicle could be used in various scenarios and that governments from across the world could legislate vehicles that have a geo-fenced speed limit.
That way, there will be no cyclists that ride their e-cycles in the city at high speeds, and those riders will not be in danger on the open road once they leave the city and want to ride to a different town. It makes sense if you think about it, but it also requires a bit more faith in technology and in people to be fair with their devices and their riding equipment.
Google News