Well, we can blame it on the global economic crises, investor caution, OPEC games, consumer apathy, poor timing, corporate blunders or pretty much anything else we can point a finger at, but none of that really matters. As of July 15, 2009, Vectrix as a company no longer exists.
I feel very bad for the owners who are currently having problems with their bikes, which are now virtually not fixable, but at the same time, I feel extremely fortunate to have actually owned and ridden what is already considered a bike built way before it's time.
I did a little math before I bought my bike in July, 2008, while gas was $4 per gallon, and came to the conclusion that if I had the good fortune to ride this thing an average of 10 days out of each month, it would literally buy itself back from me in gas and tire savings alone in a ten year period. It is not unreasonable to expect 10 years service life out of a motorcycle, and the battery packs for the Vectrix are projected to remain somewhat servicable for ten years (with perhaps some loss of range as it ages).
Since then I have come to realize that if it lasts only TWO years, it will have cost me less money than the first two years depreciation on my wife's 2005 Mazda RX-8 sports car. Depreciation is a loss of value of a product that you get NOTHING in return for. We paid $34,000 for the car in 2005. Today, four years later, it has a retail value of $16,000. When it comes to vehicles, the Vectrix is the only vehicle I've ever owned that actually pays me back in fuel and maintenance savings! I AM a happy camper!! :-)
I do not look forward to the day when my V bites the dust, because I've fallen in love with riding this thing, and have gotten spoiled to virtually free transportation to and from work, but if it lasts only another year, it will not have been a bad investment, but an honorable one!!
I have come to learn that I myself, am one of the "greenest" inhabitants of the planet, by virtue of the fact that I chose not to have children and contribute to future generations of energy users and that I'm fortunate to live very near my work place, so even though I feel a bit more "green" by owning and using my Vectrix, I truly bought it for selfish reasons. I LIKE a fun ride to work, I LIKE not having to pay for fuel to get to and from work, and I LIKE the convenience that the small and lightweight Vectrix provides in parking and tight traffic manuevering.
To the designers, builders, distributors and mother company of the Vectrix, I THANK you for allowing me to touch, own and ride the bike of the future, while I'm still here. I have no doubt that the ideals of this venture will be picked up by future entreprenuers, and I applaud those future efforts. I'm just glad I got in while the getting was good!!
Long live the Vectrix!! 
Thank you so much for this, you brighten up my Day! I totally agree!
Martina Engels
Hip Hip Hurray. I love mine too...
moccasin,
Very eloquently put! I hope you (and all the other owners around here) get many more years out of your "mighty V".
John H. Founder of Current Motor Company - opinions on this site belong to me; not to my employer
Remember: " 'lectric for local. diesel for distance" - JTH, Amp Bros || "No Gas.
John, I wish you much success in your Current Motor Company venture. We'll all be watching your progress with great anticipation! Perhaps as a sideline, you might also figure out a way to re-outfit the Vectrix bikes already on the road with whole new, and repairable operating systems as well! :-)
Nice words Moccasin, i also totally agree with your points.
Although i think that our Batteries wont last 10 years. But i dont think it will be so difficult to get replacements.
Also a very good thing is that after the Vectrix experience, i know i like to ride on electrons and want my next vehicle to be electric, i just hope that my Vectrix lasts untill the next batch of EVs come to the market.
But i will never get rid of it, i will try to always have it working and in pristine condition.
I love my Vectrix and also thank all of you Vectrix owners for making it easier to own one!
Raj
I couldn;t agree more. I don;t spend my money on a 'whim' and whilst I hate the thought of being stuck with a 'next generation' transport, I am now in my 13 month of ownership, have covered 3,000 miles and I still enjoy my purchase and hope that with care and good luck I will be able to ride it for many years to come. My appreciation for what Vectrix has done is unstinting - it is a shame the financial downturn caused it (along with many other automtive firms much better placed than Vectrix) to look for government hand-outs or special arrangements to keep them afloat. Something that won;t happen here. I suppose I still have my original investment, something that shareholders will not have and they will have to take the 'hit' with no compensating warm thoughts.
It would be a criminal waste of resources if all this knowledge will be lost and never be used to bring Electric Vehicle transportation back to those who have faith in it, and because of the change in Vectrix's fortunes, I'm now treating my bike with even more respect, knowing that without dealer backup (for non-standard technical issues) or spare parts that are Vectrix specific - I jut hope that is a bridge I won't have to cross - however, there is a very real problem that may affect users, so it may be worthwhile to mention it here.
Insurance.
We all know we need to have insurance to take the bike out on the road, and looking back 14 months, I found it really difficult to get an insurance company that would even recognise the bike, let alone be prepared to insure if for what I would estimate would be a reasonable amount based on the risk. Having spoken to my broker, I have discovered that when any manufacturer ceased production or goes under, underwriters very quickly move to take the model out of the insurance lists, meaning they will not quote for the model, and no new policies will be availale.
For those that already have a policy in force, it is mperitive that you retain this and do not let it lapse. This is because if the model has been removed from the database, this isn;t an issue for calculating a renewal as most of hte work has already been done - pay the new fee and carry on as before. But if you don;t, or want to seek quotes from other insurers, you re very much disadvantaged. On asking why this should make any difference to an underwriter, it was explained that once out of production, the cost and availability of spares becomes high and unreliable, and they'd rather not be exposed to additional risk because the manufacturer couldn;t make a go of it. If you've already got insurance, trasure it - as you'll be totally stuck without it, even if there is nothing wrong with your VX1.
I've just come back from a great 60 mile run, stopping at my distant shoppin centre for a mid-trip recharge and came home delighted at my'green' credentials and good fortune in owning a Vectrix. I hope our faith, and those of the shareholders that made it all possible too, have their confidence rewarded.
- Raymond
Interesting point there about insurance...
I just had mine come up for renewal, got the dealer down to £160 from £230 last year.
So thats this year delt with - will I be able to insure it next year...
Then again, people insurance kit cars etc, and some of those parts are not repairable or replaceable...
You said it right, Mocassin!
Thank you, Vectrix, for our "hundred-thousand dollar" ride!
I'll never let go of It, I'll kill It myself in the end (I hope that may be many years from now).
To me, it almost feels like the V is alive, and even more now that we're on our own.
And even if the investment doesn't pay of financially due to premature problems, It has already satisfied me enough to compensate that!
I wish all of you owners the longest possible mileage on It.
If however some of our bikes will come to fail 'unnaturally', I think it would be wise not to have It destroyed or recycled, but rather dismantle It and sell the remaining parts to the other owners. I surely would.
You could probably earn back a big chunk of your investment in the process :-)
Thanks again Vectrix, and thank you all for being here to keep It alive!
btw: Here in Belgium I pay only 75€ insurance @ coronadirect/ in combination with our car. And we don't pay road tax for It, so I consider myself lucky.
"doing nothin = doing nothing wrong" is invalid when the subject is environment
I also bought mine last summer when gas was $4.50 gallon where I live. I, too, expect it to pay for itself, in the long run. I hope that I don't have any major problems.
I'm saddened and confused that the company went bankrupt, but feel lucky to have one - and I will ride it as long as possible.
For me it's like being an EV1 owner, but without being forced to return the vehicle at the end of the lease.
Vectrix is the EV1 of motorcycles!
My first post. I too am a proud Vectrix owner hoping for a long run. I first saw Vectrix at the unlikely petrol head event, the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK. Up until that point bikes hadn't interested me in the least and I hadn't even considered one. I was so sold on the whole EV concept though, that I bought one a couple of months later, completing a CBT just to be able to ride (I'm nearly 40 so it was a bit of a shock having my road sense tested). I'm just coming up to the first anniversary and have put 4,000 miles on the bike which is now my main vehicle for both my commute and the majority of my journeys. No real issues to report, apart from the battery temperature light coming on a few times early on, which was swiftly resolved by my local dealer and the software update restricting acceleration, which has also now been resolved. I only resort to a car when I have the kids in tow. I'm gutted at the imminent demise but am in the fortunate position (if it can be called that) of my nearest dealer actually being Vectrix UK themselves. I do hope that they will be able to help keep my bike on the road should the, what now seems inevitable, happen. I have only praise for the staff at Vectrix UK who have always provided an exemplary service, in my case, and wish them well. Long live all the Vectrii (?) out there, I shall ride mine as long as I can.
I just purchased a 2007 Vectrix VX-1 Green one from Ky. Way below the $8995.00 price tag MSRP. I hope it lasts longer than my XM-3000 and is more reliable. The salesman said it will come with MCO so I can title it and pay MA tax. It will be programmed with 2009 software what ever that means. It will be trucked to metro bean town later on this week. I can't sleep now. Never thought I'd feel like a kid at Christmas time. Wow! the Tesla of two wheelers.
Rusty
518-929-2018
KB1UKU
Congratulations, i see once you try electric you get addicted to it!
Yeah, It's real easy to love riding a Vectrix! After riding my Vectrix, I really resent put petrol in the car!! I also own a Honda Goldwing, and really prefer the comfort and ease of the Vectrix.
Congratulations, Ride in good health!! You have made a very wise investment.
marcopolo
Marcopolo is just a Pretender!!!
Martina Engels
Jim - give it a rest. All marcopolo did in this thread was simply congratulate a new owner. How exactly does your comment add to this thread? Grow up!
John H. Founder of Current Motor Company - opinions on this site belong to me; not to my employer
Remember: " 'lectric for local. diesel for distance" - JTH, Amp Bros || "No Gas.
Save us all from your silly comments please.
I found someone selling the Vectrix on EBAY for the Buy it now price of $5,500, so I called the local dealer to see if he would match that price. He said that he would and I picked up my 2008 Silver Vectrix a couple of weeks ago. I was going to wait until the new electric vehicles come out, but could not pass up the discounted price of such a fine machine. It really is a joy to ride to work everyday now! I too am glad that Vectrix was able to create such an unbelievable machine. This company was a trailblazer and was really ahead of its time. If only they came out with a better battery that had at least a range of 100 miles and a price of around 8K U.S. I still hold out hope that somehow they will find a buyer and continue making this machine. Nobody I know even knows that electric motorcycles exist. Everyone I meet around town is amazed that it exists and everyone seems to smile when I talk about it. Vectrix should have started out with a lower price on the vehicle just to get them out in the public. Word of mouth is the best advertising you could ever get and it would not cost them anything. If only it was marketed for the masses, who knows maybe they would still be in business....
JJ
Well done! Congratulations, and just think you have bought a bike that cost over $100,000 to produce for $5,500! Unfortunately, the products true price reflects the cost of manufacture, service network and marketing. All very expensive items! I have not calculated the component cost of a VX1, but I would imagine it would be in excess of $5,500! Even at $8,900 the Vectrix was seriously under-priced to generate a profit.
This is the problem with being the first with new technology, you need to possess very, very, deep pockets.
So you are very fortunate to have bought a "Cadillac at Hyundai prices"!
Enjoy riding on electrons!
marcopolo
Replacement battery is currently $5800 and some change, which might help explain why the original VX1 hit the market at $12,500.00!
You make a very, original and valid point! The very high initial cost of batteries and replacements is a great handicap for EV advancement. Shah Aggassi's better place tries to address this with battery leasing, but he logistic's just don't work out. British Petroleum spend billions on alternate energy, a large portion on exotic battery, ultra capacitor etc.. development, but so far no real breakthroughs. We can only keep our fingers crossed. (please spare me the usual conspiracy deluge).
Battery development and disposal is a very difficult industry, but I believe (no evidence) that we will soon achieve a leap of technology in this area in the very near future.
marcopolo