After ordering in September last year my electric vehicle has arrived.
It's sort of a cross between a mountain bike and a motocross bike
It weighs 50kg, current gearing top speed is 70-80kmh, 60volt battery pack, 5kw motor and maximum torque at zero RPM! Will climb any hill, limiting factor being traction or keeping the front wheel down. Accelerates like the clappers and has a range of approx 80-100km depending on how hard you go.
The bike is a Sur-Ron Lightbee and is made in China. My initial response to such a bike was it would be cheap and low quality. But reading further from Sur-Ron owners around the world, the feedback was that the bike was good quality, excellent value for money and heaps of fun. They are also so popular that a large range of aftermarket parts are available for modifying most parts of the bike.
So I put my deposit down last September and waited through delays in shipping and clogged container ports in Australia and finally picked it up from the importers last week. The importer has done the work of making the bike road legal so I picked the bike up fully registered ready to get out on the road and beyond.
I've only whizzed around town so far and have yet to get off road where no doubt the long travel suspension and off road tyres will be useful. But I'm suitably impressed 
Light wind days, (under 8 knots), no problem having fun now!
Awesome ride.
Ive had mine since September. After a 3 month wait.
I got the non Reg. version.
No issuers with it so far.
Best thing about it, is its silence.
For the non reg version I payed $5050 delivered
Full road legal version is around $6000
Thanks mate, not a bad price really. Are you going to attach a sidesaddled board rack at all?
Nice! So if its registered do you need a motorbike licence or is it classed like a moped? Can you take on freeways?
Select to expand quoteCH3MTR4IL5 said..
Nice! So if its registered do you need a motorbike licence or is it classed like a moped? Can you take on freeways?
In NSW it is classed as a moped so you do need a motorcycle endorsement/licence.
Not sure about other states though. I know Victoria is a bit different.
As for taking it on Freeways, yes you could. However the moped category specifies a maximum speed of 50kmh so it makes Freeways a bit of a risk. However there is a wire you can cut which removes speed limitations ...
Also you can change the rear sprocket to favour speed over torque.
WA has mopeds that you can ride with a car license. You can see these up in Broome, and probably other places. I dont think other states have this.
That's so wild Dave!
I can see these things are gunna make a nuisance of themselves on the mtb trails though
If it's classed as a moped does that mean you can't ride it on bike paths, in city parks etc like you could with a pedal push bike?
Select to expand quotedrsurf said..
After ordering in September last year my electric vehicle has arrived.
It's sort of a cross between a mountain bike and a motocross bike
It weighs 50kg, current gearing top speed is 70-80kmh, 60volt battery pack, 5kw motor and maximum torque at zero RPM! Will climb any hill, limiting factor being traction or keeping the front wheel down. Accelerates like the clappers and has a range of approx 80-100km depending on how hard you go.
The bike is a Sur-Ron Lightbee and is made in China. My initial response to such a bike was it would be cheap and low quality. But reading further from Sur-Ron owners around the world, the feedback was that the bike was good quality, excellent value for money and heaps of fun. They are also so popular that a large range of aftermarket parts are available for modifying most parts of the bike.
So I put my deposit down last September and waited through delays in shipping and clogged container ports in Australia and finally picked it up from the importers last week. The importer has done the work of making the bike road legal so I picked the bike up fully registered ready to get out on the road and beyond.
I've only whizzed around town so far and have yet to get off road where no doubt the long travel suspension and off road tyres will be useful. But I'm suitably impressed
Light wind days, (under 8 knots), no problem having fun now!
Pretty cool, you have me looking at then now in anticipation for the upcoming no wind season...
Why would you go one of these over an electric MTB though?
I took the bike into the mountains of north east Victoria on the weekend and went riding with my nephew who was on a tricked out Honda CR250 motocross bike. Not only was he 40 years younger, he also knew the trails like the back of his hand, and it's been a while since I've ridden a motorbike off road.
However I was able to keep up with him pretty well the entire ride and he had to keep checking where I was as he couldn't hear me coming up behind him 
Although he had 3 times the power of my bike I was impressed how hard I could go especially on tight rocky trails. No hill was too steep to climb, you just lost traction or couldn't hold the front wheel down.
A bit more time on the dirt, fiddle with the settings of the suspension, change tyre pressures and I'll be able to improve my performance significantly. And the bike is fun!!! It's so light you can throw it around, jump logs and rocks, do a bit of trials work and still have plenty of battery.
I would say it's better than an electric MTB. You have more power and speed for covering easy trails and downhill it's a lot like a mountain bike with the bonus of regen charging of the battery. You still get a workout if the trail is challenging. It's really halfway between a mountain bike and a motocross bike with some of the best bits of both. It's no surprise that the SurRon's are popular as they occupy a niche in so far as price, performance and fun goes that no other manufacturer has matched yet. Definitely great for no wind days, especially if you have a few friends with SurRon's to ride with. And I met a kitesurfer who has one arriving in a couple of weeks. I think he'll be coming down to try it on some local trails 
I'd definitely be polite to MTB riders though, otherwise they could get a bit pissed about too many electric bikes ripping on their trails.
If you want to know more about getting one go to www.surronaustralia.com.au/ as they're the authorised importers especially if you want to go road legal. Adam and Vanessa are the owners and they know their stuff and carry plenty of spares.
Googling for any retail sellers of this bike in Perth - or similarly priced elec offroad bikes in general, that are avail in Perth.
Anyone?
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..
Googling for any retail sellers of this bike in Perth - or similarly priced elec offroad bikes in general, that are avail in Perth.
Anyone?
Call Adam or Vanessa at www.surronaustralia.com.au/ as they should know how to get the bikes in WA.
Select to expand quotebramber said..
If it's classed as a moped does that mean you can't ride it on bike paths, in city parks etc like you could with a pedal push bike?
Correct - at least in WA. If it has number plates you cant ride it on Bike paths, you have to choose. If you didnt register it, it doesnt meet the criteria for electric pushbikea (speed limited 25kmh, 250w, pedals). I am sticking with my ebike for now which give me the option of road / bike path but obviously at a slower speed.
can you wack pedals on that dont have a gear but can rotate and wack a 250w sticker on the 6kw engine?
Select to expand quotelittlewing said..
can you wack pedals on that dont have a gear but can rotate and wack a 250w sticker on the 6kw engine?
You can do whatever you like.
But when you go past Highway patrol at 70kmh they're not going to buy the 250w sticker
