[x0054]

I agree, the one main nifty feature I can think of is consolidation of weight and ability to play around with center of gravity on the bike. For instance, on a sport bike you would want to shift the center of mass to the front, to keep the front wheel down and also to help steering. Shifting the center of mass down would also help with flicking the bike in and out of corners.

You can also design 2 wheel drive bikes! I honestly have no clue if it would be a good idea, but with electric power you can do that. It might be a death trap for all I know, but I think it would be really cool to have an all wheel drive bike.

The final advantage of electric bike is silence. That actually cuts both ways. You want to have a loud (reasonably) bike, so people notice you, and don't run you over. But riding full speed in near silence through a country road is quite surreal as well. Try getting your bike to 80+MPH on a backroad someplace, and kill the engine for a few seconds. It's quite an interesting experience.

[AnthonBerg]

Two-wheel drive bikes are actually a good idea. Some combustion-engine models actually exist. Mostly dirt bikes. US-based Christini make Honda CRF derivatives with a pretty cool front-wheel drive system. The difference might be hard to tell for people who haven't ridden dirt bikes, I'm not sure, but here's a video that shows a little bit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si-bI84SZKA

Yamaha also made a two-wheel-drive racebike prototype. Don't remember the name.

It's pretty interesting to read the ride reports on two-wheel-drive bikes. The handling seems to make a lot of sense ...

[x0054]

That's so cool! I want to ride one now! That's a really good use of electric bikes, I think. A super quiet, AWD, off road bike. Would be nifty for riding in the forest.

[ENGNR]

Careful that turning the key doesn't engage the wheel lock. Ouch.

[ggreer]

The "safe" way is to pull in the clutch, shift to neutral, and hit the kill switch on the right handlebar. It's actually pretty dangerous to do this. If you slip and let go of the clutch while the engine is off and you're in gear (Not uncommon. Finding neutral is hard on some shifters.), you'll probably lock up the rear tire. When it regains grip, you risk a high-side.

[x0054]

I usually pull the clutch in and shift to 6th instead. Kill the engine with the kill switch and than flick it to start position right away. I restart the engine by feathering the clutch. In top gear there is little chance of rear lockup, unless you have a super high compression motor. In any case, it's not something you should do all the time, but having done it a few times, it makes me really want a high power, perfectly silent, electric bike. I think it would be really fun. For the freeway riding I would have to get a muffler simulator or something that makes some noise, because, if people do not here you, they usually do not see you.

Silent electric bikes would also be really awesome for riding in the woods. That way you can have some fun without annoying everyone within an ear range and scaring all the animals away.