PMW Shocker Spooked By Recession
Depending on who you ask the recession can be a catalyst for innovation or a good reason to fall back on your core business. Mission Motors feels the recession will allow them to get a jump on the big 4 Japanese motorcycle brands in pioneering the growing electric motorcycle segment. Harley on the other hand dumped Buell and MV Augusta and is going back to their bread and butter V-Twin cruisers. Each business is different and there are many variables involved that require emotion to take pillion.
PMW (Patmont Motor Werks) is best known for their GoPed folding motorized scooters and recently began building an electric dual swingarm supermoto and dirtbike based their CIDLI “Kanti-Link” suspension system. Basically, instead of front forks it has a swingarm attaching the front wheel to the frame.
In: Other Makes · Tagged with: CIDLI, Enduro, GoPed, Kanti-Link, Patmont Motor Werks, PMW, recession, Shocker, Steve Patmont, supermoto
Mavizen TTX02 Based On KTM RC8? [Updated]
Update: Asphalt And Rubber found an unblurred shot of he bike in the original photo thumbnail. RC8 for sure…
A new teaser shot of the Mavizen TTX02 was displayed on TTXGP.com today. The shot is blurred but you can make out one of the Agni motors, the frame design and the swingarm. The bike is based on the Team Agni X01 but that is no GSXR frame. I am pretty sure that is a KTM RC8. This is getting interesting. We will find out for sure this weekend when the bike is unveiled at the SEMA show.
Source: Wired
In: Mavizen · Tagged with: KTM, Mavizen, Mavizen TTX02, RC8, TTX02
A Video Tour of Zero Motorcycles HQ With Neal Saiki
*faircompanies recently visited Zero Motorcycles HQ and founder Neal Saiki gave them a tour of the facility. In the video we get a first look at a Zero DS with hard bags mounted and see the compact assembly line first hand. Neal also gives his thoughts on how the electric motorcycle industry will progress as overwhelming demand ramps up beyond it’s current backlog.
The specs on the yet to be shipped Zero S and DS have been changing over the course of this year. Now it seems we may see another change for the good. While talking about the Zero DS he mentions it’s battery pack has a 2 hour charge time from completely drained. The electric dualsports spec page says “less than 4 hours”.
In: Zero Motorcycles · Tagged with: assembly line, California, dual sport, Enduro, fleet, hard bags, interview, Neal Saiki, panniers, police, Silicon Valley, tour, Zero DS, Zero HQ, Zero Motorcycles
2010 TTXGP Rules Published
The 2010 TTXGP Rules are now available on eGrandPrix.com. After a quick glance at “Version 22” most of the rules revolve around the setup of the motorcycle and keeping the rider, IOM Track Marshals and safety crew safe. Interestingly there were no rules regarding battery swapping which will be allowed for the two lap Pro Class. Pit stop guidelines will be published in a supplemental regulations document for each race in the multiple series eGrandPrix is running in 2010.
In: Racing, TTXGP · Tagged with: 2010, 2010 TTXGP, eGrandPrix, regulations, rules, safety, TTXGP
Moto Ponco Folding Electric Scooter
Moto Ponco folding electric scooter
I have to admit I have never heard of the Moto Ponco before and can’t find much information about it. It appears to be an electric scooter in a solid plastic shell with foot pegs, handlebars and seat that fold into the shell to achieve a more compact storable size. Total weight is 80 lbs.
In: Other Makes · Tagged with: 2009, folding, Honda, Moto Compo, Moto Ponco, Scooter, Tokyo Motor Show
Ride A Quantya At The 2009 NEC Show
Quantya UK will be at the 2009 NEC bike show this year. The Carole Nash International Motorcycle and Scooter Show runs from 11/27 to 12/6 and is the largest motorcycle show in Great Britan. Quantya UK Ltd. Director Ian Mitchell-Innes wants to demonstrate to motorcycle enthusiasts that electric motorcycles are a viable replacement to their ICE counterparts by letting people see, sit on and ride them. The Quantya Track MX bike and Strada street legal enduro will be available to ride at the NEC’s indoor “Off-Road Experience”. Be sure to visit Booth oR048 in Hall 5 and say hi to the Quantya folks and let us know how your test ride went.
Hit the jump to read the Quantya UK press release.
In: Quantya · Tagged with: Carole Nash International Motorcycle and Scooter Show, Ian Mitchell-Innes, NEC Bike Show 2009, Quantya, Quantya UK, UK
Zero MX Beats Quantya And 450cc Bikes In France
Zero MX Wins At Gironville In France
Unlike the upcoming Eco Enduro in Denmark where Zero and Quantya will run in different classes, the two rival electric dirtbike companies went head to head last weekend in France. After Zero’s defeat of Zero X mounted riders by Quantya at Mini Moto SX last year Zero introduced the Zero MX to help it perform better at the track. Though this was not an actual motorcross track, it looks like they accomplished their goal.
The Fédération Française de Motocyclisme (French Motorcycling Federation / FFM) held the first official French electric offroad motorcycle race at Gironville with 250 riders in attendance. Thomas Aubry won the electric class aboard a bone stock Zero MX.
In: Racing · Tagged with: electric vs ICE, EV Racing, Fédération Française de Motocyclisme, FFM, France, French Motorcycling Federation, Gironville, GOES, hare scramble, Julien Breant, Quantya, Racing, Thomas Aubry, Zero Motorcycles
2009 International Eco Enduro
2009 International Eco Enduro
The eGrandPrix is not the only electric motorcycle race series the FIM is working with this year. Moto pros Ivan Reedtz-Thott, Soren Clauding and Christian Primby are organizing the 2009 International Eco Enduro that will run in Denmark on December 11 – 13. The purpose of the race is to support and demonstrate environmentally responsible motorsports racing and will happen the same week of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP15 ).
The first 2 days will have two 10 to 15 KM stages during the day and 1 at night. The second night stage will exploit the weakness of electric motorcycles as riders will not know the distance to the finish. They will need to conserve battery power for fear of running out of juice. The third day’s stages will take place on a supermoto track in Copenhagen where the organizers hope to have a lot of spectators and press in attendance.
In: Racing · Tagged with: Brian Jorgensen, Brian Kjær Jørgensen, COP15, Denmark, Didier de Radiguès, EcoEnduro, Enduro, EV Racing, Hans Tholstrup, Moteurs, Quantya, Racing, supermoto, Wind Estate, Zero Motorcycles
SEV eTRICKS Crosses The Alps – Almost
Brammo is not the only motorcycle making an impressive journey this month. The French electric vehicle company SEV recently completed the Traversée des Alpes on their eTRICKS electric moped. The Traversée des Alpes is a three day trip through the mountains and the highest road in France. Each leg of the trip must be completed without recharging. 40 electric vehicles participated in all. Snow prevented the teams from reaching the highest point of 2802 meters but Guillaume Amory and the eTRICKS took bronze. [See more pics and videos after the break.]
In: SEV · Tagged with: 1000 W, 48 Volt, DC brushless motor, eTRICKS, France, Guillaume Amory, Lithium Polymer, moped, off road, SEV, Traversée des Alpes, Video, x-dirt
Help Resuscitate the Electric Car | Plug Shocking Barack
Help us Plug Shocking Barack!
Brammo Inc is an electric motorcycle company. Today 2 guys are riding Brammo electric motorcycles from Detroit to Washington DC and hoping to meet with Barack Obama to present him with a solution to decrease US dependence on oil for transportation. In Shocking Barack’s own words…
Our plan is to retrace the route of the automotive CEOs who went to Washington DC asking for government loans. But instead of looking for aid, we’d like to present President Obama with a homegrown solution to the transportation crisis. Having worked with Brammo, we’re fans of what they’re doing. We want to spread the word and we want to have a little fun while we’re doing it. So join us as we surf from plug to plug in a quest to meet Obama, fueled by nothing more than electricity and the kindness of everyday Americans.
In: Brammo · Tagged with: Barack Obama, Brammo, Brian Wissmann, Couch Surfing, CP+B, plug, plug-in awareness, Shocking Barack
