Every now and then an interesting deal pops up on eBay and I think this qualifies. Brammo has three press bikes they need to sell, one standard Empulse and two Empulse “R” models. They arranged for an Oregon dealer to take the three and offer them at a Buy it Now price of $9600, compared to $19,000 brand new. Just about half price!
Yes, they’re press bikes, but the dealer took them riding and found them to work just like they were supposed to, plus they’re all under 2000 miles and they have a full 2 year factory warranty and 4 years on the batteries. They’re sold on an MSO, like a brand new never titled motorcycle.
Not everyone wants an electric bike, but for those who do, here’s your chance to grab one, basically a brand new one at right around half the new price. Heck, if you just want to find out what riding an electric every day is really like, you could get one of these, ride it for a year and turn around and sell it and probably get a lot of your money back.
The Empulse strikes me as a good looking machine and at this price, your risk is very low, in fact, the excuses are pretty much gone. It will be interesting to see how fast these are snapped up. My guess is they won’t last long at all. Take a look and see.
They’re all gone.
Warren says
So, is Brammo in financial trouble?
Paul Crowe says
Brammo gives the public an opportunity to buy their press bikes when they’re done with them and your conclusion is the company is in financial trouble? … What?
Warren says
Not just *this* half-price sale. A couple of months ago, they offered very heavily discounted prices to clear 2014 and 2013 inventory.
Paul Crowe says
I don’t follow Brammo closely, but I didn’t see or hear about that sale. I wonder where they advertised it. Could you fill me in so I don’t miss the next one? I would have written that up. Of course, discounting unsold inventory is a normal occurrence with most companies, but with Brammo you believe it’s a sign of trouble. How come?
Yeti2bikes says
I’m waiting to be able to scoop up a used one for my commute to work. I only live 2 miles from work and $9600 is still a chunk of change for what I’d use it for. A tank of gas lasts me 2 weeks if I don’t ride on the weekend so it’s not a financial issue but the wear and tear of my bike never getting to operating temperature only to be flogged for 2 miles every day is taking it’s toll.
Paul Crowe says
The red (non “R”) model is still available and the price is now $9400. Compared to normal price, that’s still very low cost. For a 2 mile commute, you could scoop it up, drive it a long time, have no gas bill at all, no worries about getting up to temp and still sell it some time down the road for a lot of what you have in it. Like I said above, if you’re a guy looking for an electric, this is a pretty great deal.
Yeti2bikes says
Yeah but it’s still $9k. That’s what I have invested in my Buell and my Harley combined. I was in the bicycle shop looking at a hub motor wheel to convert my old beach cruiser at lunch today and took one of the new electric bicycles for a little ride in the parking lot. After years of motorcycle riding (I’m 51 now) I had forgotten how fun a good old fashioned bicycle ride could be.
Warren says
I wanted to convert my bicycle to an electric drive using the 750w motor from these guys:
http://www.af-tech.com.au/Products_Ebikes.html
I still might do it, but I had forgotten how much fun pedaling for exercise is.
JR says
Warren – I also want to know why they would do a “half price” sale. Why so low?
Yeti2Bikes – Your bike only goes 40 miles on tank full of gas? (What is it, a Boss Hoss?)
Paul – A problem that I see with electric vehicles is that you have to pay up front for the “economy”.
The cost to own it, divided by miles traveled, is pretty high, no? I can see why you are excited at the prospect of buying one for half price, but usually they sell for too much to make them “economical”.
Paul Crowe says
Why so low? Maybe, since the bikes have been used to a degree, it’s an opportunity to expose a new group of riders to electric motorcycles, a group that can’t afford the normal price point. Get them on the bikes to see what they’re really like without having to rely on what the fans of them say, but giving them a chance to see for themselves. It might build up a new group of fans among the riders who can’t really see themselves on one, for whatever reason. It’s a marketing expense with potentially a big payoff.
“Pay up front for the economy” That’s one way of looking at it, but fans of electric vehicles are willing to pay that price, at least some of them are, and once the price is paid, especially with one of these which costs less than many gasoline powered bikes, you never see a gas station again. Every fill up you don’t get is the beginning of a payback.
Don’t misinterpret my opinion here. I’m not particularly a fan of electric motorcycles, but they’re interesting and they’re getting better. Will they ever get to that point where they can be easily interchanged with an ICE bike without a thought? I don’t know. They’re not there yet, but I don’t rule them out and in some instances and with some riders, they work fine. With these bikes at this price, they’re definitely worth a look if you’re even thinking about one.
Yeti2bikes says
@ JR – I do have a life besides going to work and I ride home for lunch since it only takes a couple of minutes. Plus I did say I flogged my motorcycles as I get a couple of nice curves in that 2 miles.
Cowpieapex says
The market will always dictate the price of used bikes. These prices, while enticing, are not alarming. I have two nice Harleys that were purchased used with 10k mies or less for less than 1/2 original invoice. Last I heard HD is still open for business.
There’s a Zero enduro in a shop locally for about $9k that caught my eye too. I love all 38+ cylinders worth of my ICE equipment but I also look forward to new (and allegedly thrilling) ways to motate..