Maybe some of us are simply traditionalists? Its like chopping onions. For centuries people have used a simple sharp knife and got along just fine. Then along comes Ron Popeil with his Veg-o-matic and changed everything.

Any bike with a motorized assist diminishes the human-powered vehicle aspect of it. Surely there are some able-bodied folks who own an E-bike just for the novelty of it. I'm all for anything that helps lessen the carbon footprint, truly, however keeping my opinion within the context of the thread title, I think that if you need a motor on your bike to tour, you may as well ride a real motorcycle.