Honda VFR EV conversion (In progress) - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

SVOboy · 03-03-2008, 06:37 PM

Just found this on ABG, but it looks like a great project (and a sexy bike), so I thought I'd post up: http://blog.evfr.net/

You may notice I posted in his comments to invite him over,

H4MM3R · 03-03-2008, 07:43 PM

A 1986 Honda EV VFR. Very sweeet!

frodus · 03-04-2008, 05:23 PM

Thanks for the invite...

Its finally getting finished up, but yeah, its one sexy bike...

I'm going to do a single seat rear fairing, and dual round (RC30 style) headlights in front...

kind of a cross between this:
http://vfrworld.com/photos/data/2/88bl_extra3.jpg

and this:
http://vfrworld.com/photos/showphoto.php/photo/7795

but electric

H4MM3R · 03-04-2008, 05:30 PM

Welcome to the community.

Red · 03-04-2008, 07:13 PM

Nice bike!

SVOboy · 03-04-2008, 08:04 PM

Welcome to the site, Travis! I'm excited to see some progress,

. Sending you an email in just a few minutes,

MetroMPG · 03-04-2008, 08:49 PM

Nice project. I saw the ABG bit & dropped by your site as well.

I love how you're doing it with great attention to, um, minimizing cost. I can identify with that.

What are you going to use it for? I mean.. are you doing it as a science project, or will it become a commuting vehicle?

frodus · 03-04-2008, 10:41 PM

I was going to budget $3k for this project, but I've barely spent over 600, and All I have is welding left.... I'll have to get it street legal (register, get lights working), but it'l be under 1K for a classic 80's sport bike... one of the first actually.

Some people got upset at me for parting it out, saying that I was defacing it, but I think I'll do it justice.

This was just a project I decided to do after talking to some guys at work, and going to some OEVA (Oregon Electric vehicle association) meetings. I was approached by some people in Portland about helping with their controller/balancers/etc. THats All I needed to get hooked.

I've got a second bike as well, which was 100% free when I picked it up. i've got 1 and a half set of fairings between the two of them (bought some fiberglass), and 2 complete chassis. I picked up 2 K99-4007 motors at Surplus center for 230 a piece plus shipping and the ONLY difference between them and the popular K91-4003 motor, was the shaft. So I saved over 400 a piece.

Just having fun right now, its pretty easy to do, just gotta know who to talk to. In fact, I went to a forklift place and they gave me 5 curtis controllers that may or may not work, they were replaced with new ones. Its all who you ask...

THanks for the positive feedback guys...

H4MM3R · 03-13-2008, 01:01 PM

Any updates for you project?

frodus · 03-13-2008, 01:21 PM

well, no physical change to the motorcycle. I brought someone in (he's got a VFR) and he's going to help mock up some mounts for the motor.

I ordered some sprockets (11,12,13 tooth) as well as chain and a break. Once I get those, we'll figure out where the motor needs to go, get some mounts fabricated and welded.

Then we move on to battery cages/boxes.