So, like most of you, this week I was hit by the aftermath of the hurricane that wreaked havoc on most of the eastern side of the US in one way or another. I was hit worst at the pump. Like many other people, today, I just suffered through a 45 minute wait at a gas pump to fill my poor little putsaround at $4/G (Actually, I found $3.97
) and it dawned on me just how dependent I really am on my car, even though I only work about 1 mile away from where I live. I have found out how much I despise walking (did that all last week, found out half the route to work has no sidewalk and no grassy median area
) everywhere and how unsafe it is, at least where I live, to ride anything on the road that goes less than the posted limit.
So, I have a plan and though this post is mostly just to say hi and let you guys know I'm still around (just been lurking recently, new job is killin me here with just getting started). I wanted to start a thread that I will be using to cover my project that I am planning to get off the ground here in the next month or two.
I have been going around looking at a lot of motorcycles from craigslist, mostly ones with busted motors or something, looking for something to be used in an electric motorbike project. I'll be using it mostly just to haul myself to work and back and maybe to my parents' house on the weekends (about 15 miles one way) so I don't need it to have a super long range. The goals for this project are:
1. Find the parts and get it started (if I can't do that then I can ignore the rest)
2. Decide if I want to try to make it direct drive or try and rig the motor up to the transmission.
3. Once I've figured out how it's going to go together I need to figure out how to make it do the things it needs to do.
A. At least 60MPH, I have some areas around that are 55mph limits and I would like to keep with traffic.
B. At least 30 miles per charge, however, 50ish would be better.
C. Removable batteries - I live in an apartment and the only feasable solution i can see to charging it where I am (I'm on the second floor) is to carry the battery/ies up the stairs to charge them at night (which I'm willing to do, 2-3 batteries don't weigh THAT much).
D. Have the ability to either store the charger I use at home or have one built into it so that if I go to a friends house for the night or something, I can hook it up and charge it while I'm there (I'm thinking of my friend who lives 20 miles away).
If I can find a way to meet all those goals then come spring of next year I'm hoping to be commuting almost 95% gasoline free. I'm sick of sitting in lines for gas and I know it won't stay like this for long, but it's really made me just sit back and realize how pathetic this whole gasoline vehicle thing is and that, at least in my situation, how unnecessary it is almost 99% of the time.
So, anyone who has some EV/Ebike experience who could help me out with this one (IE finding parts and figuring out the wiring) I would really really appreciate it.
Again, this project may not be going for another month, but I'm going to start budgeting for it now so hopefully I can save up for the first parts and get something going here soon.