Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post - What would you look for in an electric motorcycle kit?

Ryland · 05-07-2009, 02:02 AM

I've been tossing around the idea of building my own electric motorcycle even sense I got to ride Ben's electric motorcycle last June at the Renewable Energy Fair I like the idea of the ForkenSwift, the idea of taking a common out of service electric vehicle and transplanting it's guts in to a new electric vehicle, only I don't need as much power as a forklift, I also like the to make more then one of my custom made part at a time if I can, so in my ideal world if I was to make a forkenswift I would make 3 or more motor adapter plates and sell the spares, but there are alot of brands of forklifts out there so it's not practical, but with the motorcycle I have in mind there is a common motor that I think I can make work with a common motorcycle that I think I can fit it to, I need to do more research but I think I can get 60mph out of it without any troubles, maybe faster.

So my question is, how much would those of you be willing to spend on an Electric motorcycle kit and how much of it would you want to be ready to bolt together compared to parts you need to source out your self, I'm thinking things like cables, battery boxes, the little things, my main idea would be to machine up the drive train parts that most people can't make them selves so that someone who can bolt parts together and figure out some wiring can make a nice electric motorcycle... in a weekend?

05-07-2009, 02:02 AM	#1 (permalink)
Ryland Master EcoModder Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Western Wisconsin Posts: 3,903 honda cb125 - '74 Honda CB 125 S1 90 day: 79.71 mpg (US) green wedge - '81 Commuter Vehicles Inc. Commuti-Car Blue VX - '93 Honda Civic VX Thanks: 867 Thanked 434 Times in 354 Posts	What would you look for in an electric motorcycle kit? I've been tossing around the idea of building my own electric motorcycle even sense I got to ride Ben's electric motorcycle last June at the Renewable Energy Fair I like the idea of the ForkenSwift, the idea of taking a common out of service electric vehicle and transplanting it's guts in to a new electric vehicle, only I don't need as much power as a forklift, I also like the to make more then one of my custom made part at a time if I can, so in my ideal world if I was to make a forkenswift I would make 3 or more motor adapter plates and sell the spares, but there are alot of brands of forklifts out there so it's not practical, but with the motorcycle I have in mind there is a common motor that I think I can make work with a common motorcycle that I think I can fit it to, I need to do more research but I think I can get 60mph out of it without any troubles, maybe faster. So my question is, how much would those of you be willing to spend on an Electric motorcycle kit and how much of it would you want to be ready to bolt together compared to parts you need to source out your self, I'm thinking things like cables, battery boxes, the little things, my main idea would be to machine up the drive train parts that most people can't make them selves so that someone who can bolt parts together and figure out some wiring can make a nice electric motorcycle... in a weekend?