At Agnellotreffen with the electric motorcycle

Riding in the middle of winter in the snow-capped Alps is perverse. Even going there with an electric motorcycle has something depraved. So I did it without thinking twice.

L’occasione me l’ha data l’Agnellotreffen, the winter motorcycle rally than with his 1.615 meters above sea level is the highest in Italy (and I also know about Europe?). Da sei anni si tiene – come si evince dal nome – sul Colle dell’Agnello e più precisamente a Pontechianale, last town before the inevitable interruption of the road due to snow.

Read more: www.agnellotreffen.com or join the community on Official Facebook page of Agnellotreffen the, yet, follow the Instagram profile.

What did I go to Agnellotreffen with the electric motorcycle?

The answer is quite simple: the organizers asked me to do, like I did last year, the video that tells the edition and to follow the related communication. When to duty, in conclusion, pleasure joins. I decided to take the leap to see how an electric motorcycle behaved in this situation. Ma prima di arrivarci… ecco qui sotto the video I made for Agnellotreffen 2019!

The bike: Zero Motorcycles DSR

Per questo “esperimento” congelato ho utilizzato la moto che Zero Motorcycles he kindly made me available in recent months: the DSR with equipment Black Forest, or the top of the range of the Californian brand. If you have followed me for a while, saprai che sto usando questa moto dall’inizio dell’estate e – ahimé – il mio periodo di long test si sta per concludere. Together we have already traveled about 4.500 km and at the end of winter the bike will go on sale. But I'll talk about this another time.

The DSR is the sportiest dual sport of the House. It mimics the GS or Africa Twin enduro bikes, but it's actually more the size of a scrambler. Il “tiro” è eccezionale grazie ai 146 Nm of torque always present, the weight is acceptable (210 kg), the driving position is comfortable and drives well. The battery is from 14.4 kWh which translates into a real autonomy of 180-200 km with a state road pace. Charging times vary depending on the source: range from 2 hours for a quick column until 8 hours to the 220V domestic socket.

How equipped I was?

The DSR that was provided to me has almost all the desirable options for touring except the heated grips. Compared to the standard bike we find parabrezza, paramani, trio of Trekker Dolomiti suitcases of GiVi in aluminum and above all Charge Tank ovvero il “serbatoio” che mi consente di attaccare la moto elettrica a qualsiasi colonnina abbia un ingresso di Tipo2 per poterla caricare rapidamente. Unfortunately, this is not a standard feature, but with an optional that is mounted directly by the manufacturer (at a rather salty price). This choice, however,, allows those who use the bike only for commuting (or never in a hurry) to save both euros and grams.

As for my personal equipment to deal with the Lamb of Reffen, I admit I've been pretty optimistic. However, I have neither frozen nor regretted what I used, on the contrary. Andare al raduno con una moto elettrica – che dunque… non scalda – mi ha permesso di testare ancora meglio il completo turistico di Moto One composed of Vert jacket 360 and Rider pants 360 (click on the names to see my reviews!). Accomplices of the temperatures that are all in all acceptable, they did very well. Under my jacket I had a wool sweater on the way and a fleece on the way back, but above all a thermal underwear Carbon Energized which really makes a difference in both summer and winter. Ditto for the always thermal tights, while for the socks I had a pair of lana merino rather thick, of those from the mountains. On my return I tried some synthetic socks, but I had to wear two pairs so as not to feel cold.

Gloves deserve a separate chapter Calgary always provided by Moto One and that I was seriously testing for the first time. Their task wasn't easy as I didn't even have a pair of mittens other than heated grips! However, my hands did not freeze and this is already a success. It is therefore a good product especially for the 55 euro list, although not exempt from some minor criticisms: if it rains or, as in my case, it snows is not waterproof; the upper part does not completely isolate from the air so on the back and little finger it feels cold in extreme conditions. If, on the other hand, the hand gets wet, maybe from sweat as soon as the temperature rises, the otherwise comfortable inner lining tends to stick to the skin and then it becomes difficult to put them back on.

Which route did I follow?

I left home on Friday morning, aware that it would take much longer to reach Agnellotreffen with the electric motorcycle than with an endothermic one. As I have said several times, the electric motorbike prefers the minor roads ovvero l’uso continuo della manetta “a frusta” anziché l’apertura costante della corrente. So I opted to go through the Novara and Vercelli areas before going up to Monferrato and then arriving in Asti still with a good residual autonomy.. Here I had already identified a couple of charging stations that in a decent time would have allowed me to continue towards Langhe and Roero before climbing into Val Varaita.

When I can, I try not to follow the same route on the way back. I like the idea of ​​seeing different places even if that means, in the case of traveling with an electric motorcycle, to give up the comforting safety of a column that has already been tested. So on Sunday, once in Saluzzo, I headed towards Turin, giving myself as a refill pit stop (and lunch) Chivasso. This allowed me to pass into some areas that I didn't know how Bardassano where the road becomes fun. Certo… se non avesse iniziato a nevicare ovviamente!

After recharge in Chivasso I aimed directly at home but I gave up the idea of ​​doing all state and I granted myself the highway as the weather conditions had worsened in the meantime and the autonomy gained allowed me to get home.

In general I can say I'm lucky: I found a good path all along the way. Only in Monferrato, going up to Moncalvo, I found the icy surface that made me fear for the grip of the tires. Un po’ di ghiaccio e neve erano presenti in Val Varaita dopo Sampeyre ma… lì me le aspettavo. The weather conditions this year have graced us and above all those who went up to Agnellotreffen on Saturday found a perfect road and a mild temperature.

Guidare una moto elettrica in pieno inverno…

L’obiettivo principale che mi ero posto in questo esperimento era capire come cambia la guida della moto elettrica – se cambia – durante il gelido inverno. The DSR is a very pleasant motorcycle to ride. Relaxing as it has no vibrations and requires less effort since there is no gearbox and clutch but it is single-speed. The portentous torque always available combined with the much less portentous Pirelli MT60 tires as standard that do not shine for grip on the slimy and the lack of any traction control outside of my right wrist, however,, they keep awake and cautious.

La possibilità di utilizzare la mappa “Eco” – che io avrei chiamato più che altro “Rain” – o di cucirsene una su misura al momento grazie all semplice app sullo smartphone, they are a great help to avoid getting into trouble.

Ho giocato con le mappature – o meglio, le modalità – nei tratti più ripidi o ghiacciati e devo dire che il gusto non ne ha risentito, especially when what matters is moving forward feeling safe rather than having fun.

The fact that the electric motorcycle does not heat up is perhaps stranger in winter than in summer. If in the summer this gift is only a pleasure, when it's cold, on the other hand, he wouldn't mind having that warmth from the stove. Ammetto che in qualche momento ho cercato i cilindri per poter scaldarmi le mani…

Autonomy and recharges when it's cold

In addition to the grip of the tires, my main concern was understanding how the batteries would perform at these temperatures. During normal daily use I had not found any drop, but it is one thing to stay in the city and in the garage and it is quite another to go to the mountains.

I can say that I have not noticed anything strange. Consumption was average as well as charging times.

On Friday night I deliberately left the bike in the cold without recharging it to see if it would have any problems the next morning. Yup, I know, I like the thrill. Well he had recovered a little one 1% and gave no sign of difficulty, mentre tante endotermiche facevano girare per minuti il motorino d’avviamento in preda ad attacchi di tosse…

Another interesting note is given by the slopes. On the outward journey I climbed in altitude and obviously found a higher consumption than the same kilometers traveled on the flat. I would say between the 5 and the 10% in più. In contrast to the return downhill I used the engine very little and even managed to overtake other motorcyclists without slapping and above all earning more than one 10% of battery that, translated, are 20 km more or, if we want, the possibility of doing the same distance but faster.

Travel diary in vlog

How much did it cost me to go to Agnellotreffen with the electric motorcycle?

We take our nice sheet of the butcher and do the math. It cost me less than ten euros to go to Agnellotreffen and come back with the electric motorcycle, by approximation we can say 8,80 Euro.

So much? Little? Now I'll explain.

The first recharge in Asti at Enel X it was quite salty: I spent 3,9 euro to embark 8,67 kWh at the cost of 0,45 euro per kWh. When I arrived at the Agnellotreffen I then scrounged a 220V socket at home. Being weekend and at night I can estimate a cost of 7 cents per kWh, therefore by excess, assume that you have boarded 14 kWh (but they were certainly far fewer) I arrive at an expense of 0,98 Euro. Added to this is the top-up in Chivasso kindly offered by the supermarket Bennet. I have embarked 8,8 kWh, but I do not know exactly the expense also because the operator EvWay works with a prepaid method: 5 euro correspond to 500 credit ladybugs. If I assume a cost similar to that of Enel X, we are in excess of a 3,9 Euro.

It is to be hoped that with the spread, the prices at the columns will drop because even if compared to petrol they are negligible figures, compared to how much domestic energy is paid there is a big difference.

But money isn't the only cost when traveling, there is also time and with the electric motorcycle it takes longer. Quindi…

How long did it take?

Both the outward and the return journey took more or less the same amount of time, that is 5 hours and a half. Lots to do 250 + 250 km! Yes but it scales down if we think about those 5,5 hours I also had lunch with all calm, managed social media, made video, telefonate… E considerando inoltre le condizioni delle strade posso dire che non è stato un grosso disagio.

Morale della favola

La morale della favola di questo Agnellotreffen in moto elettrica è piuttosto semplice e forse pure un po’ scontata: si può fare.

As I always say there are more power outlets than gas pumps, therefore without wanting to summarize every single aspect of electric travel, I just say that it is not a challenge to find something to recharge. I thought about where I would stop, I checked from my smartphone how the charging point would have been thanks to the feedback from other users, ho gestito e pagato sempre dal telefonino… Insomma è un altro mondo. E una volta all’Agnellotreffen mi sono adattato come mostrato qui sotto…

Total expense for the trip: 3,95 Euro. That is the cost of the first recharge in Asti, the only one for a fee. Già perché a Pontechianale ho “scroccato” ai gentilissimi gestori de “La Buca di Bacco” e a Chivasso la ricarica è gentilmente offerta dal centro commerciale Bennet ai suoi clienti. That’s all!

All roses and flowers? Not, I would not say. Viaggiare con una moto elettrica richiede una certa “predisposizione”. You need to know your vehicle very well to understand how far you can go and at what pace; it is necessary not to be in a hurry either when driving or when it is time to fill up; it is necessary not to suffer from panic attacks when autonomy drops much faster than expected. La “range anxiety” esiste quando si allarga il raggio d’azione come in questo caso. The good news is that the columns are increasing every day and that the people I have met so far have never refused me an outlet..

#RIDEMORE