YouTuber Learns Drawbacks Of E-Motorcycle Travel The Hard Way

Adapting to the challenges along the way.

Dustin Wheelen

By: Dustin Wheelen

Dec 29, 2022 at 6:49pm ET

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Commuting on an electric motorcycle comes with its own pitfalls. However, the city acts as a safe haven for forgetful riders. With charging stations and, in the worst cases, public transportation readily available, commuters can always circumvent any electric mobility obstacles.

That’s not the case when traveling on an electric motorcycle, especially when you’re trying to ride around the world. YouTuber Marc Travels knows as much, and his latest video captures the drawbacks and inconveniences of circling the globe on an electric motorbike. After making his way through the United Kingdom, the content creator climbed the Alps and descended into Italy.

Just three months into his around-the-world trip, Marc continues to learn with each passing day. That includes some of the hard lessons of the road. On the morning he sets out for Pisa, Italy, Marc realizes that he forgot to plug in his Zero SR/F overnight. The minor mistake forces the YouTuber to seek out a charging point before embarking on his road trip.

This pre-flight pit stop quickly illustrates the inconsistency of the electric charging network. Marc first encounters an out-of-order station before reaching another charge point that won’t properly connect to his motorcycle. The third time's a charm, though, as the Zero finally pairs with an Enel X charger.

Once the video creator sets out for his destination, another e-mobility quirk rears its head: range. Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to electric, but inclines zap range, regardless. Marc learns this as he ascends a steep mountain pass. Everything that goes up must come down, though, and Marc regains range on the decline—to the tune of 255 km (158.5 miles).

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Of course, with less than 50 percent charge remaining and a 300 km (187-mile) maximum range, there’s no way the SR/F will actually reach 255 km. That is unless Marc continues heading down until he hits sea level. And therein lies the final problem with e-mobility travel: fluctuating range estimates. After all, past and current circumstances don’t determine future riding habits or environments.

Marc will, no doubt, encounter these inconveniences throughout his trip, but like those circumstance-dependent range estimates, we’re sure he’ll adapt along the way.