In 80 days around the world - on an electric motorcycle!
 

The Storm Eindhoven project, instigated by the Eindhoven University of Technology (which is also behind the Stella 4 seater solar powered race car), sets out to tour the world in 80 days. On a motorcycle. Powered by electricity.

See https://www.storm-eindhoven.com/
http://www.ed.nl/polopoly_fs/1.47953...ge-4795392.JPG
If they succeed it will be quite something!

The prototype will be unveiled at the university on October 1st.

Streamlining would have made it go 50% farther per charge at 100kph.

It seems to have a fairing of some kind.
But the approach is based on maxing the capacity. It will be big and heavy.
This is no closed circuit economy run vehicle. It has to deal with whatever bad road conditions the world throws at it.
The driver position must be optimal for control, even if it compromises air resistance.

It isn't the 1st of October yet. We'll see how it turns out.

There is no compromise for comfort or road worthiness with streamlining. Just huge gains in range at speed.
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https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net...8f&oe=568B2308
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There is no real excuse to neglect the aerodynamics. At least in theory an EV has an advantage for that matter as its cooling requirements are lower and it doesn't need an air intake as ICEs do need.

Unfortuantely Craig Vetter's last decade of very passionate promotion of streamlining motorcycles has had very little increase in the awareness of designers.

The streamline is not that bad. At least, not with this mock-up.

http://cdn.psfk.com/wp-content/uploa..._1-850x644.jpg

I suspect they plan to keep the speed low(ish). And it really carries a big load of batteries. It has electrons to burn.

You do not want a low seat on a bike that outweighs a GoldWing. I drove one and had to wrestle to keep it upright more than once.
Also you don't want a large tail section when you have to drive every day to make it round in 80 days, or high winds would end the attempt.

Of course I'd love to see a Vetter style bike.
But I can also understand why the Storm team would choose a different approach.

In two days it will become clear.

I would actually not even want a motorcycle that outweights a GoldWing.

No? Not even a Boss Hoss?

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ss_Hoss_02.jpg

When you point it one way it makes the earth rotate the other way :)

Boss Hoss is cool, but I really don't like heavy motorcycles.

An electric STORM is about to circulate the earth
 

The STORM team is about to set off on its 80 day journey around the world - on an electric motorbike:
https://www.storm-eindhoven.com/news...d-tour-kickoff
https://www.storm-eindhoven.com/medi...ed49d83bf9.jpg
https://www.storm-eindhoven.com/World_Tour_2016

The batteries are modular, so they can take off units to shed weight to accommodate for bad roads and difficult circumstances. And of course the batteries can be swapped when empty.

An EV motorcycle trip supported by an ICE convoy = meaningless stunt.

What a unique idea. Something no one has done! 80 days- WOW!!! I guess that electric motorcycle with that l-o-n-g trailer to carry solar panels gave up in 79 days.

Come on guys...

Is this the same 219 Motorsports page?

Storm hit America
 

The STORM World Tour has hit the USA and is making great progress, up to 700 km per day. They'll spend today at leisure in San Francisco though.

STORM World Tour

Interesting. Wonder why they are using 110v to charge than 220v? Every (almost every) place that has 110 has 220. Plus most/many industrial places have more power choices available. Many commercial places have 220 three phase and some have 440.

The Boss Hoss is maybe interesting in a novelty sort of way and not really a very practical way to transport ones self around. But then again it was not meant to be practical in a ecomodder way.

Something as heavy as this electric bike would seem to be, just tipping over would be much more of a likely problem than being blown over. So streamlining would be worth whatever perceived excess added weight for the benefit it would provide in reducing one of the larger power robbing aspects of moving it down the road. Not to mention the added usable lockable and weather proof storage space an intelligently designed streamlined fairing could provide. They would seem to be ignoring an obvious (at least to most ecomodders) performance enhancement at their own peril IMO.

Also, it would seem to me that streamlining the tail end where the relative moving air needs to reattach to approximate laminar flow as much as possible would be more beneficial than just "rounding off" the front of the bike for rider comfort. Or am I wrong about that assumption and that the front and rear are near equal in aerodynamic drag importance?

700 km a day is outstanding mileage I am also impressed it can do that charging on lowly 110v.

it must draw massive amperage I am thinking at least 60A or 6600W

The tail section is critical.