Here’s another electric conversion that looks like a pretty cool project that isn’t too difficult and has decent performance. Starting with a fat tire beach cruiser bicycle they turned it into a 48 volt electric motorcycle.
According to the builder it will go a little better than 45 mph and if cruising at a moderate 25 or 30 mph it will run for a couple of hours.
They have step by step details of how they did it and a parts list if you would like to give it a try. Pretty neat. I like the “V-Twin” batteries, too.
Link: Electric Bike via Make
Larry says
Hmmmm….make some custom battery boxes with cooling fins and you could have a killer looking “V-Twilectric”! (Thanks, you got my thinkin-cap working again!)
I here declare this is the first use of the word “V-Twilectric”! Do I have a witness?
Larry
JSH says
I like it! Time to pull out those old EV plans again
Dorzok says
COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!!! I’m ordering mine today.
todd says
It would be cool if they could put some cranks on either end of the motor, just in case you venture out a little too far… and to manually recharge the batteries.
That’s quite a motor it has.
-todd
todd says
it has four batteries, so it’s a V-Quadrapelectric. Just had to beat Larry to any potential royalties for the use of the term.
-todd
paolo says
great concept and great comments from larry and todd
using the batteries as a metaphor for a twin is cute and appropriate for a whymiscal beach cruiser and the fat tires cant hurt at 45mph ! eek
fins would be great because batteries get hot as would a foot cranks for those out of juice moments my 1978 yahama fsie moped (showing my age..) had foot ctanks where one rotated forward 180 degrees to act as footpegs
i question wether it would really run for a couple hours but if it does then thats pretty practical well until you have to panic stop..
Larry says
“V-Quadrapelectric”
That’s just friggin brilliant!!! You win!
Jim says
I wonder what the stopping distance at 45 mph is with typical beach cruiser brakes.
Neat though and I’m thinking…
RavinRichard says
Looks like there is a wavie disc up front, stopping distance should be decent.
sweet idea!
V-Quadrapelectric†luv it!
Jeff says
zzzzzZZZZZZZzzzzzeeeww ! Haulin electric style .
B*A*M*F says
Not sure I’d want to do 45+ on a hard tail with bicycle tires, but it’s a very cool project.
Clive Makinson-Sanders says
the first motorcycles were small displacement, low tech, internal combustion engines mated to period appropriate frames. If this is the new wave, then the “appropriate” frame would be a full suspension mountain bike. And the lack of a need for a gas tank could further affect the styling of a new breed. I think it will be cool to see rough concepts like this manifest themselves into modern production two wheelers.
Grant says
Well, they say at their site they were inspired by the board-track racers of old. Mission accomplished. I’d say it looks like the brakes are maybe even a bit better than what existed “back in the day”. I like it. In fact, I think I like it even more with the no-paint look. So, when do we get to see video of this thing in action at a back-yard flat-track?
Tom says
Neat, but in my state and most other places in the USA it wouldn’t be street legal. It doesn’t meet the requirements for a motorcycle, moped, motor-asisted scooter or electric bicycle.
It’s a lot of trouble and expense for something you couldn’t ride anywhere.
Dorzok says
Tom,
what’s your state? wouldn’t be a problem in California.
tim says
I have the PERFECT bike for that, sitting in a shed at home, unused.
B*A*M*F says
As best I can tell, it would need lighting (headlight, tail, & turn signals) at the very least to be street legal in most states. In most states it would probably need mirrors as well. Aside from that, I can’t think of much else that would be legally required on a custom built motorcycle.
Imagine how funny it would be to take that in for a smog inspection. “Sorry, I couldn’t bring the tail pipe. It’s a stationary power plant about 30 miles from here.”
Tom says
There aren’t too many governments that will let the citizens motor down the street at 45mph without imposing controlls and taxes.
In California, like most states, this machine could not be an electric bicycle or motorized bicycle because, among several other things, the build removes the pedal drive, therefore it lacks means of human propulsion (pushing doesn’t count!) It’s can’t be a moped because, among several other things, it goes too fast with too much power. AFAIK the best hope to actually be able to ride the thing legally would be to try to qualify it as a motorcycle by adding lights, signals, mirrors, instruments, getting a title, tag, insurance, etc – but then would this build use up the one-per-lifetime custom motorcycle provision?
kneeslider says
“would this build use up the one-per-lifetime custom motorcycle provision?”
Isn’t that aimed at internal combustion engines?
tim says
I need to see youtube video of someone (after queuing for an hour) trying to explain this concept to Selma or Patty down at the DMV. Comedy Gold!
Johnny Miller says
thinking the same thing as Todd with some pedals you could take this thing anywhere no worries
Quint says
Depending on laws it can be a moped or a motorcycle. We only need a headlight, a taillight/brakelight, and a front brake to be legal…. no speedo, or turns needed. A lot of custom bike builders will just register it as the Vin on the frame so using a old motorcycle frame/vin would confuse/work for most registrations.
If you are going to have motorcycle or dirtbike power and speed you need to have proper brakes and safety equipment to safely stop the thing when you are going 45, and so it doesnt break in half when you hit a pothole going 45. This setup looks beefy enough for running around town but anything faster/heavier would need a full motorcycle frame, brakes, and dot approved wheels that wont explode going 60mph!
Awesome project though ~ http://www.instructables.com/id/48V-Electric-Flat-Tracker/
Cruiser Bicycle says
A strong cruiser with style. Like the shape and structure.