<$1k DIY Neighborhood Electric Motorcycle

[MazdaMatt]

What is your hub motor and controller cost? What do you mean by "non throttle type"? Glad to see you're making progress

[Daox]

1200W controller? That seems kinda small to me. That isn't even 2 horsepower.

[captainslug]

Originally Posted by MazdaMatt

What is your hub motor and controller cost? What do you mean by "non throttle type"? Glad to see you're making progress

The controller cost $110 shipped. The motor cost $170 shipped.

The controller has two option for regen braking. You can set it so that the throttle control varies the regen strength when the brake is applied, or to have it just scale in strength from 0 to 100 percent off of the brake lever switch alone (with no control over the strength).

Originally Posted by Daox

1200W controller? That seems kinda small to me. That isn't even 2 horsepower.

Of course it's small. The motor is only 1kw and won't go above 35mph with this wheel size.
This isn't a high-performance project. In fact is more like an electric bike with a slightly larger battery pack and no pedals.
I'll probably step up to a larger motor and higher capacity battery pack next year.

[Daox]

Ok, didn't know if you were planning on doing a lot of off roading with it or not. I assume that that would require a lot more power due to the rough terrain vs a nice smooth road.

BTW the project is beautiful so far. You are doing a great job.

[MazdaMatt]

From what you've learned, slug, would you say that an 80km/h bike is not a big stretch from what you've done? Or is that totally out of the scope of what you've learned with this project?

[captainslug]

New tires on the left.

Stripped the paint and dirt off of the front wheel spokes.

Cleaned the rims, which are now ready for paint.

Originally Posted by MazdaMatt

From what you've learned, slug, would you say that an 80km/h bike is not a big stretch from what you've done? Or is that totally out of the scope of what you've learned with this project?

Frankly it's only a matter of your budget. All of the work involved is pretty much the same.

A $1,000 budget is very restrictive on the battery pack size you can manage (I only have a 1.2kwh pack on this right now). If you want 50mph/80kph you would need much more kwh in your pack, and a motor of 2kw or higher. That would then dictate a more expensive or DIY controller.
If you went with used/salvaged components like Ben did to make the Forkencycle, it's doable within the same kind of budget he had to work with ($2k or so).

What I'm making is a platform from which I can eventually go to a street-legal motorcycle. Configuration for that is yet to be determined as I don't like to pontificate too much on things I can't afford right now.

Markcycle over at the Endless-sphere forums is working with Crystalite to develop a motorcycle class hub motor with a hollow axle.
Endless-sphere.com &bull; View topic - Motorcycle class Hub Motor

Originally Posted by Daox

Ok, didn't know if you were planning on doing a lot of off roading with it or not.

I don't really expect to. Some of the routes I take around the neighborhood get muddy and the scooter I have now has abysmal wet traction. I went with dual sport tires so I can have good handling in gravel, mud, and snow.

[captainslug]

With all the annoyances I'm having with the spokes and with having to replace the batteries in my scooter with the ones that were intended for this, I'm now re-evaluating the hub motor decision.

I found a really good deal on some 19" mag wheels through ebay and I will be going back to the My1020Z and the chain drive.
While that setup does involve more weight and doesn't include regenerative braking, it will be a much more durable and easier to service. It will also allow me to get some experience with chain drives, which I will later need should I want to upgrade to a brushless RC motor. Those are tiny, lightweight, and absurdly powerful for their size (up to 7kw).

With that said, anyone want to buy a hub motor from me?

[captainslug]

Updated wiring diagram.

The ndless-Sphere forum members are trying to tempt me into going with lithium batteries and more powerful motors. None of which I wan to cough up money for right now, nor would I need unless I want to do 35mph wheelies.

[captainslug]

I'm going to have to buy replacement wheels. The stock ones are really abused and unworkable, and the mag rims are not adaptable to this frame at all because of the difference in axle and brake rotor sizes.

[captainslug]

Polycarbonate footpegs (because the stock ones were really rusted)

They will eventually be dyed black.