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Old 10-29-2008, 10:14 PM   #1 (permalink)
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Electric Motorcycle conversion?

Hello to everyone, Im new here and i caught the EV bug. Like many other Im looking to build a electric motorcycle and still in the planning stages. I've been studying Ben Nelson Electric motorcycle conversion closely and find my self looking to do the same. My goal is 45 mph, and my commute to work is about 25 miles round trip. Looking to do a 48 volt conversion with the E-tek R motor and the Alltrax 4834. For batteries Im looking at using Deka Solar batteries or maybe the Optima Yellow top Batteries, but Got connections where i could get the new deka batteries for cheaper then there list price(I know a guy). Recharging the batteries i would use the deka 12v 2.5 amp chargers for each batteries. For the Accessory lights i would use another battery instead of a DC to DC converter. I have so many questions on EV's, like getting it registered and insurance? Right know my biggest problem is figuring out which type of broken motorcycle to use.

Any suggestions are welcomed - They only way you learn is from the those who have been there.

Thanks, Seven(nickname)

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Old 11-02-2008, 10:33 AM   #2 (permalink)
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Electric Cycle - '81 Kawasaki KZ440
90 day: 334.6 mpg (US)

S10 - '95 Chevy S10
90 day: 30.48 mpg (US)

Electro-Metro - '96 Ben Nelson's "Electro-Metro"
90 day: 129.81 mpg (US)

The Wife's Car - Plug-in Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
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If you can get cheap batteries, great!

The 4 Optima Yellow Tops were the single most expensive thing on my motorcycle. (about $600! Ouch!) That said, they have been great batteries for this project.

My cycle is a 1981. They don't do emissions testing or anything like that on them. Make sure you get a TITLE when you buy your cycle! Some states aren't too bad in the hoops to jump through to get a replacement, but others, it is literally impossible.

Insurance wasn't a big deal. I have mine through progressive. You might want to talk to an insurance agent BEFORE you buy a cycle. If you have a crotch-rocket with a tiny electric motor, insurance will still be based on that it was a sport bike with a huge engine and wreckless attitude.

Make sure to get a cycle that has enough room around the engine to mount all your batteries. You will want to make sure that it at least has dual down-pipes. If it doesn't have passenger pegs, don't get it. If it wasn't designed for suspension and brakes for two people, it's not going to suspend and brake you AND a couple hundred pounds of batteries very well.

The big mistake I made in my bike was getting a frame with a messed up wire harness. I ended up cutting the whole thing off and making my own. It works fine, but it was a lot of work and still looks like a mess.

If I was doing it again, I would spend a little more money on the frame to get one that looks nicer. I spent $100 on mine, and it had a ding in the gas tank, some surface rust, no ignition switch (not needed, but it would be nice to lock the handlebars) and a rusted switches.

I bet if I really looked around, I could have found an appropriate cycle, with a nice-looking frame and broken engine for about $600.

Glad to know that somebody else has been reading about my cycle!

-Ben


PS: learn from my mistakes and make yours even cooler!
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Old 11-06-2008, 09:51 PM   #3 (permalink)
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The Hard Easy Part

I thought Finding a junk out motorcycle for cheap would of been easy but for some odd reason i can't locate a good cheap junk motorcycle. Craigslist was my first then Ebay but no body in North Carolina has junk motorcycle. It could be that im not good at locating things(Never been good at word searches either).

So I was thinking the other night and wonder if i could use 2 battery packs that are easy to swap out. One battery recharges while using the other battery pack. Problem is that battery charge to slow, so that requires many battery packs which is a lot of money.

Maybe one day we will have cheap high Amp hour batteries.
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Old 11-15-2008, 09:44 PM   #4 (permalink)
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Reverend Gadget

It's hard to find a lot of info on this electric motorycle and I'm not personally experienced with the Hawker batteries but they make for a really cool looking bike.

misspelled Gadget and it won't let me correct it.

Electric Motorcylce

Last edited by CNCMike; 11-15-2008 at 09:45 PM.. Reason: misspelling
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Old 11-15-2008, 10:56 PM   #5 (permalink)
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Oconomowoc, WI, USA
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Electric Cycle - '81 Kawasaki KZ440
90 day: 334.6 mpg (US)

S10 - '95 Chevy S10
90 day: 30.48 mpg (US)

Electro-Metro - '96 Ben Nelson's "Electro-Metro"
90 day: 129.81 mpg (US)

The Wife's Car - Plug-in Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
90 day: 78.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 17
Thanked 663 Times in 388 Posts
Yeah, that's about all the information there is on that cycle.

That's the one I always point people to when they talk about drive-shafts on an electric motorcycle.
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Old 11-23-2008, 06:46 PM   #6 (permalink)
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What's important about passeneger footrests?
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Old 11-23-2008, 07:38 PM   #7 (permalink)
EV test pilot
 
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Oconomowoc, WI, USA
Posts: 4,435

Electric Cycle - '81 Kawasaki KZ440
90 day: 334.6 mpg (US)

S10 - '95 Chevy S10
90 day: 30.48 mpg (US)

Electro-Metro - '96 Ben Nelson's "Electro-Metro"
90 day: 129.81 mpg (US)

The Wife's Car - Plug-in Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
90 day: 78.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 17
Thanked 663 Times in 388 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnDoireman View Post
What's important about passeneger footrests?
It's just a real quick and easy indicator that the motorcycle's suspension is designed to carry the weight of an additional person.

Think of your battery pack as the weight of another person!

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