Electric Moto EMAX 72DS MX Track Video
A grainy video of the Electric Moto EMAX 72DS being ridden around an outdoor motocross track was recently posted on YouTube. The footage is not the best but you can see the 13″ of Ohlins suspension soaking up landings and whoops. This video also gives us proof the bike has the electrics dialed in enough to ride in rough terrain.
Digging around on the net I found an ex-Cannondale / ATK employee who claimed to have ridden the bike. He confirms the bike wheelies and is fun to ride. He also mentioned that the former underseat gas tank now holds the controller and other electronics. The gas cap is the planned location for the charge receptacle.
Check out the video after the break.
In: Electric Moto · Tagged with: 72 volt, ATK, Cannondale, Electric Moto, EMAX 72, motocross, motorcr, MX, Ohlins, track, Video
Roehr Stays Different. Only Now They’re Electric
NOT the eRoehr
Yesterday Roehr announced the eRoehr electric motorcycle series will be available spring 2010. The two electric models will be Walter Roehrich’s 4th Roehr project and this one has a lot of potential to help the company accomplish their mission:
Roehr Motorcycles LLC will become the premier builder of American made sports and racing motorcycles, passionately committed to producing beautifully designed high performance Sport bikes made in the USA
Since 1995, Mr. Roehrich and Gurnee, Illinois based Roehr Motorcycles have attempted to build a machine to compete with the modern sportbike. Roehr’s angle has been combining passion, creative thinking and a little help from established engine builders to give enthusiasts something unique, fun and American.
Walter Roehrich
Roehr’s first creation, a 500cc vTwin was based on 2 YZ250 two stroke cylinders joined by a custom crank case. I’m sure the engine was amazing but it proved expensive to mass produce. The Roehr RV 1000 had a 1000cc Highland engine and most recently, the $49K supercharged V-Roehr 1250sc was based on the Harley VRod v2. Each bike moved Walter closer to his goal. Everything Roehrich designed on his own was fantastic but the engine always seemed to be the weak link for one reason or another. In a nut shell, they were either too expensive, heavy or elusive.
With Roehr’s move to electric, the power plant is the easy and inexpensive part. Walter’s main intellectual property spend will be batteries and power / battery management engineering and he will pay the same price the rest of the world pays. A nice break for a guy who I assume has been paying a premium to license motor technology for the last 15 years.
Roehr’s brilliant designs will now work on a level playing field that the shift to electric drive is providing. If you read Cycle Worlds review of the 1250SC in 2009 it is obvious the bar is set very high in the ICE bike world. Electric drive is not new but it is relatively new territory in motorcycle applications. There is much room for innovation in battery technology as well as the logic that controls the drive system. Today’s heavy batteries have a limited supply of energy that needs to be used efficiently.
Electric will probably not be a compromise for Roehrich. All along Roehr has set out to build a high performance bike that is fun to ride. With no gear box and seamless, instantaneous, highly tunable power electric has a lot potential to deliver in the fun department. It all makes the eRoehr series look like a great next step for the company that has always taken a different approach to motorcycle power plants.
Hit the jump to see a descripton of the two eRoehr bikes and some of their specs.
In: Racing, Roehr · Tagged with: AC motor, eRoehr, eSuperbike, eSupersport, EV Racing, LiFePO4, Lithium Iron Phosph, Racing, Roehr, Walter Roehrich
Phil Smage Playing Indoors On The Zero MX
The Smage bros. are two of those multi-talented guys you love to hate. If it has two wheels they can probably ride it better than you. Yeah, I’m sure it’s hard work that got them there but saying it’s heredity makes me feel better about my riding skills.
LP Motocross recently filmed Phil Smage on the Zero MX in the Amsoil Sandbox Arena. According to Phil, Wisconsin’s Sandbox is the “best indoor track ever”. There are many reasons to be excited about electric and riding indoors is one of them. Sure you can ride ICE bikes indoors but you have to remember your ear plugs, breath exhaust and it’s harder to talk to your friends between motos.
Watch Phil air out the MX, tear up hay bails, ride stairs and wheel hop people after the break.
In: Zero Motorcycles · Tagged with: Amsoil Sandbox Arena, indoor, LP Motocross, Phil Smage, Smage Bros., stunt, trials, Video, Zero MX
FIM e-Power flexes WSBK and MotoGP Muscle
FIM e-Power Logo
Answering a flurry of TTXGP announcements this week, the FIM added two big venues to their e-Power electric motorcycle race series. The four previously announced races are scheduled along side endurance events with a relatively small following. With yesterday’s additions we will see electrics race at Assen during MotoGP round 7 and at Imola during the World Superbike round 12. These high profile races should bring a good deal of attention to the electric drive race platform and possibly some TV coverage. Electric technology will be in front of the top riders and race teams of the world.
The Isle Of Man TT helped put Team Agni on the map and gave them a nice spot in the motorcycle history books. As well respected as the TT is, it can’t touch the visibility and following of WSBK and MotoGP. This announcement could make ePower very attractive to teams who have not committed to TTXGP or have the funds for both. At this point the FIM has not announced any confirmed race teams for the e-Power series. However, there is no denying it is a great opportunity for teams looking to make a name for themselves in the world motorcycle race scene.
Full FIM Press Release after the break.
In: Racing · Tagged with: Albacete, Assen, Doha, e-Power, ePower, EV Racing, FIM, Imola, Le Mans, MotoGP, Nevers-Magny Cours, Racing, WSBK
TTXGP Italian Championship Dates And TTX02 Updates
TTXGP Italian Championship
Adding to this weeks previous eGrandPrix announcements, the dates and venues for the Italian TTXGP Championship were quietly published yesterday with press release today. Four tracks will be included in the Italian series including Mugello, one of the stops for MotoGP. The teams with the most points will qualify for the TTXGP final in Albacete, Spain as will the top 6 from the North American and UK TTXGP series. Azhar explains the idea of running multiple regional series is to minimize travel for the teams and keep expenses and related logistical emissions as low as possible.
TTXGP Italian Championship 2010
June 26th – 27th Magione
July 24th – 25th Franciacorta
September 4th – 5th Franciacorta
September 25th – 26th Mugello
Mavizen TTX02 Launch
Mavizen TTX02 At UK Launch:
In: Racing, TTXGP · Tagged with: eGrandPrix, EV Racing, Franciacorta, Magione, Mavizen, Mugello, Racing, TTX02, TTXGP, TTXGP Italian Championship
Derbi GPR EV Electric In Development?
Derbi GPR At Parc Motor De Castelloli
Sevcon, a UK based manufacturer of electric motors, controllers, chargers and other electrical equipment posted a video of a Derbi motorcycle powered by electric motor. According to the person who posted the video on youTube, the motorcycle was built by Derbi and uses a controller supplied by Sevcon. See the Video After the break.
In: Derbi · Tagged with: Derbi, Derbi electric motorcycle, Derbi GPR EV, Parc Motor De Castelloli, Race Bike, Sevcon, Spain, Sportbike
eGrandPrix Adds TTXGP Venues And *Cars* With EMXGP
Azhar Hussain and the TTXGP organization have been hard at work securing new venues for their electric motorcycle racing series. MC24, Brammo Fan and Hell For Leather have been staying on top of the announcements.
The biggest news may be the announcement of the EMXGP electric car racing series. Details are scarce but the first race will be in Paris in June 2010. They will be working with GP-Elec, an established electric car and motorbike race series.
On the North American TTXGP front, Mosport in Toronto Canada will be the site of the second round and VIR in Virginia will be the site of the third round.
I lifted a nice summary of the TTXGP schedule as it stands from Hell For Leather…
TTXGP UK series
3rd & 4th July Cadwell Park
17th & 18th July Snetterton
11th September Castle Combe
2nd & 3rd October Brands Hatch
TTXGP North America Championship
May 14-16, 2010: Infineon
July 8 – 11, 2010: Mosport
August 13 – 15, 2010: VIR
TTXGP Italian series
June 26th – 27th: Magione
July 24th – 25th: Franciacorta
September 4th – 5th: Franciacorta
September 25th – 26th: Mugello
TTXGP Final / UEM European Championship
Date TBA: Albacete, Spain
TTXGP at 2010 Isle of Man TT races
May 29th – June 11th, 2010: Isle of Man
Teams so far
Mission Motors
Zero Motorcycles
Team Agni
Source: eGrandPrix Via: Hell For Leather
In: Racing · Tagged with: 2010 Isle of Man TT, 2010 TTXGP Teams, Azhar Hussain, car, eGrandPrix, EMXGP, TTXGP, TTXGP Italian series, TTXGP North America Championship, ttxgp schedule, TTXGP UK series, UEM, UEM European Championship
2009 Ride Green Eco Enduro Results And Video
Pictures and results have surfaced for the FIM Ride Green Eco Enduro which was held last weekend in Denmark and ran through Feddett, Moen and Copenhagen. 39 riders including many big European names in off road tackled 10 stages that combined enduro in most and supermoto in the final. Have a look at the pictures and video after the break
In: Racing · Tagged with: EcoEnduro, Enduro, FIM, Joel Smets, pictures, Quantya, race, Racing, results, Ride Green Eco Endruo, Video, Zero
Electric Moto EMAX 72DS Based on ATK Chassis
Since Ely Schless stepped down from CEO to CTC we have not heard much from Electric Moto and their Blade XT. They are back with a new website, a new CEO and a 72 Volt, full size electric dirtbike. It sits on high spec Tag/ wheels, Ohlins suspension and an aluminum frame that is unmistakably Cannondale ATK.
Electric Moto CEO Mitch Lenard explains in a recent press release announcing the new website:
The site will be modified regularly to reflect the advancements in concept and design of our vehicles, and other products, as well as the widening range of Joint Venture partners with whom we expect to be working.
It appears one of these joint ventures is with Frank White’s ATK. ATK has served the all American niche dirtbike market for many years and purchased the defunct Cannondale ICE dirtbikes after ‘Dale failed at making a profit on the buggy but innovative reverse cylinder, under seat gas tank, high spec machines and went into bankruptcy.
ATK and Hyosung recently entered a joint venture to build and rebrand bikes to expand each others lineup so this partnership does
In: Electric Moto · Tagged with: 72 volt, ATK, Blade XT, dual sport, Electric Moto, Ely Schless, EMAX 72DS, Mitch Lenard, off road, pics, street legal, Video
Nathan Abbott Is Not An Idiot
Nathan Abbott
Nathan Abbott was doing the trip many of us wanted to do, ride an electric motorcycle across the country. He called himself an “idiot” which seems to say a lot about his good sense of humor and humble nature. He had a purpose and was inspired (I assume by his web handle “Greasy Rider”) to help bring change.
I was really looking forward to reading about his adventures but early in the trip someone in a car hit him from behind. Nathan is out of his coma and on his way to recovery and that is what is important. The driver is most likely suffering mental pain too. If you ride you know this type of thing happens occasionally. You may know a person who has hit a motorcyclist. Sometimes drivers just don’t see motorcycles for some reason.
Donations are being taken to help lift the financial burden from him and his family. There has been a lot of support from the ev community which is fantastic.
I don’t know what kind of experience Nathan had riding or if anything could have been done to avoid the accident but I would also like to stand on my little soap box and show my support for Motorcycle Safety Foundation. I hope that all new riders drawn to the sport in the US because of electric technology take their free motorcycle safety training course.
I did not take the MSF course as a beginner because I did not know about it when I started riding. Please do what you can to help change that for others getting on two wheels. I believe lots of stupid could have been avoided if I took it. People need to know FREE riding courses are available in the states.
Nathan, regardless of feedback you might get from monday morning quarterbacks on the trip you attempted, know that many of us don’t think you are an idiot. Get better man.
Read more about Nathan and his trip at Wired and Elmoto.
In: People · Tagged with: accident, Motorcycle Safety Foundation, MSF, Nathan Abbott, riding course
