tried this page in a few browsers and the vid doesn't work (and yes i have the latest Flash player installed) - just get the animation of,.. a wheel ?... or is that it

He seems to have found a fairly convincing excuse to get out of it.

http://www.bikesportnews.com/articles/article.html?id=TT_2009_PUNCTURE_SUSPECTED_IN_LINSDELL_CRASH_1

How can it be?

Where did the raw materials to make the bikes come from?

How was the engineering plant powered?

How did the workers get to and from work?

How many toxic chemicals are used in the batteries?

Can the entire bike be recycled?

Where does the electricity to charge the batteries come from?

How to the teams get to the island?

What about the aircraft the TTXGP lot have chartered to fly people over there?

Some simple questions that show up the "zero emissions" lie (seemingly repeated without thought by El Reg it seems). This does not mean I am not excited by the TTXGP, this does not mean that I do not support the innovation and potential advances from such a race, it just means I get wound up by people banging on about "zero emissions" when it is NOT "zero emissions".

The bikes will pollute. Less than a petrol race bike, perhaps, but pollute nonetheless.

Firstly, electric bikes like disused concept art from an 80's sci-fi movie.

Secondly, what will spectators be treated to? There will be no thumping V twins, no screaming inline-4's, no open-pipe goodness... Just tyre roar and the whisper of an oversized Segway motor. Thrilling.

For a race like this, I'd expect the crowd to be wearing either anoraks and carrying clipboards, or wearing hemp and charging onto the track to save a squirrel from a rubber-based demise.

@The BigYin

Yep, all good points, but what's the point of getting all the stuff you mentioned to be zero emission first? And if we did, wouldn't you be there with exactly that question? So what's your point - that ZE is only worthwhile if we can get the ENTIRE product footprint to be ZE all at once? And how exactly would we do that if the workers are only allowed to get into work on ZE transport (i.e. where would that ZE transport come from in the first place)?

So go on then: let's see YOUR ingenious master plan for getting ZE stuff into production using ZE-only stuff (which by definition doesn't exist yet in sufficient production quantities to be financially viable).

Paris, cos what I really want is a "slap forehead" icon and that's the closest.

I really like the sound of the German bike in that vid, that leccy tech or whatever it is sounds fantastic.

I would definitely buy one... As a reference, I ride a CBR1000RR (Scorpion can) and a YZF-R6 (Micron can).

When the Reg first commented on this I asked how slow they would have to go to make the battery last a lap.

Turns out the most optimistic teams think they might manage 90mph.

Hmm 90mph the same as Freddy Frith managed in 1937 and his bike could do more than one lap of the poor quality TT circuit at the time.

Way to go leccy tech matching the performance of a 70 year old Norton on 70 year old road surfaces.

Way to miss the point.

The race is not zero emissions as there must be emissions during the lead up to, running and dismantle of it. So why tout it as zero emissions when it cannot possibly be so? That was my point. It's PR bullshit and if people go around saying "I am zero emission as I have this here EV" then they will stop trying to lower their emissions and the situation could actually get worse!

As I also said, I applaud and support the technical endeavour. I am looking forward to this inaugural race too. But I am well aware that it is manifestly NOT zero emissions.

@spam

I see. So just because EVs are crap now we shouldn't try? Thank god the Whiteheads, Bairds, Edisons etc of this planet never thought like you do, "Oh look, my flying machine is not as good as a sick sparrow, best give up."

By 1937 motorcycles had had many years of innovation and development.

Paris - as she seems to have more of a clue than you two.