Photo: Thomas Tomczy
In case you are one of those who keep on bashing electric motorcycles and say that one can't get too far riding one, here's a cool story for you. How about a new Guinness World Record fo the longest journey using an electric bike, and even more, how about we tell you that the hero of the story has already ridden more than 12,000 km?
That is 7,458 miles, and is the new world record for such an enterprise. However, Philadelphia journalist Thomas Tomczyk is not planning to call it quits now. He envisages actually reaching the end point he planned, namely the Patagonia region in southern Argentina. This mean that Tomczyk will have to travel some 6,000 km (3,730 miles), pushing both his and his bike's limits even further.
Still, it looks like the Zero S has what it takes to be a real adventure bike. Tomczyk is advancing at a pace of 300 km (186 miles) a day, give or take.
However, it is not the bike that slows him down, but the lack of recharging infrastructure. He has so far charged his bike in the most uncanny places, such as museums, garages, coffee shops and even in the private houses of people, most of them glad to see him and hear his amazing story.
Even so, he was left with empty batteries on several occasions and had to walk and push the bike to a place where he could use the recharger, definitely not the most pleasant of things, but clearly a part of the whole adventure.
Thomas Tomczyk also plans to make a video documentary of the journey, but judging by the poor funding on Kickstarter, he will have to look somewhere else for the money. If you feel like becoming part of this epic story, make sure you support Thomas Tomczyk or get in touch with upon his return to Philly. Until then, you'd better revisit the way you used to think about electric motorcycles...
Riding to Patagonia on a Zero S bike
Thomas Tomczyk rides a 2012 Zero S machine, which is a bike engineered more for urban riding instead of touring, and by no means it is the first choice for a ride-the-world adventure.Still, it looks like the Zero S has what it takes to be a real adventure bike. Tomczyk is advancing at a pace of 300 km (186 miles) a day, give or take.
However, it is not the bike that slows him down, but the lack of recharging infrastructure. He has so far charged his bike in the most uncanny places, such as museums, garages, coffee shops and even in the private houses of people, most of them glad to see him and hear his amazing story.
Even so, he was left with empty batteries on several occasions and had to walk and push the bike to a place where he could use the recharger, definitely not the most pleasant of things, but clearly a part of the whole adventure.
Thomas Tomczyk also plans to make a video documentary of the journey, but judging by the poor funding on Kickstarter, he will have to look somewhere else for the money. If you feel like becoming part of this epic story, make sure you support Thomas Tomczyk or get in touch with upon his return to Philly. Until then, you'd better revisit the way you used to think about electric motorcycles...
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