<$1k DIY Neighborhood Electric Motorcycle

[captainslug]

Originally Posted by bennelson

This project is too nice! Somebody has to pick up the torch on this one!

There are two interested buyers.

Originally Posted by I B RACIN

Don't give up you have done a great job with this.

With any new prototype/experimental project there will be set backs, learn from them and get-r-done.

It stopped being fun to work on several months ago. Now all it does is piss me off.

Originally Posted by ShadeTreeMech

That is a sick looking bike. I like the tidyness of having the buss bars vs the cabling on the pack. Are you planning on insulating them somehow? Would hate to see the sparking for an ill placed screwdriver.

They're heat-shrinked.

Originally Posted by ShadeTreeMech

I assume you hard wired in a charger? the dangling 3 prong cord might get in the way I think though. Would think a male 3 pronged receptacle would be ideal, but then again you may be wanting to take advantage of plugging in to a wall outlet no matter where you are and not having to hunt down a cord.

Having the retractable extension cord on the bike was great for ease of charging.

[I B RACIN]

Sorry to hear that, but I do understand....

[ShadeTreeMech]

I'd jump all over that if I had the money. Makes me cry to think about how bad i want it really!!

[captainslug]

I tore the electricals apart today and will be making one last attempt at getting this bike working. I've ordered a replacement DC converter which should be more robust than the other much cheaper ones I seem to be killing.

I'm either a masochist, or just stubborn.

[ShadeTreeMech]

I think it's safe to say we're all rooting for you. You never know, you may be on the cusp of making it work great.

And stubborness, when used in a positive light, is known as determination, the drive to suceed, etc. So keep on being stubborn!

[I B RACIN]

Atta boy Get-R-Done...

[koihoshi]

I like how clean this bike is. You've come a long way on such a project. Impressive nonetheless. If I had room for another bike I'd almost be tempted to take it for that price.

Don't give up just yet. If it's one thing I've learned, some of the most satisfying projects done are the ones you deal with, think you have all figured out, they throw back in your face, you get it fixed, and enjoy the hell out of it.

I have several cars, one of them was a project I resurrected from sitting for 10 years in eugene, oregon. Within 4 months the car was back on the road. I started refinishing the car building it for trackdays. I got so far, made SO MUCH progress.

One day the car gets vandalized. My gauges didn't work so I had no way of knowing what happened to it, but someone had drained the oil out of it to be an ass, I found out who it was... anyway, long story short - overheated, warped the head and blew a head gasket to top it off. All the work down the drain.

For a while... i gave up, was ready to list it for sale. Didn't feel like dealing with it. My wife said "No, you finish it, you started it, and I know you'll enjoy it."

I'm now almost done with an engine rebuild, many goodies, and it's almost ready for the season. I look back, I'm so glad I kept going.

Don't give up

[thedutchtouch]

i'll give you 500 bucks for it, as-is, picked up. (there's always dreamin, sorry to lowball)

[rickygu]

Originally Posted by thedutchtouch

i'll give you 500 bucks for it, as-is, picked up. (there's always dreamin, sorry to lowball)

Sorry to go off topic but dude, OP has put probably over $2000 in parts and $3000 in his own labor into this project, and you would offer him $500?

Anyways, I think the lesson here is to not to buy cheap parts, which will end up costing more in the end because they keep on breaking.

[captainslug]

I haven't had much free time to devote to this project lately. The replacement DC Converter DID arrive though.
I'm getting married in 2 weeks and my Tuesday and Thursday nights are taken up by the TIG welding class I'm taking all summer.