Electric Motorcycle conversion

[bennelson]

I was thinking that the top-most part of the battery rack might be something a little simpler/ more streamlined then the rest.

As Doax just said, if the bottom and middle are solid, the top is just a hold-down.

[dcb]

but the middle rack will be a bolt-in or something? so you can get the bottom batteries out.

[bennelson]

Yeah, everything is bolt together, so it can all come in and out.

[bennelson]

Here's some photos I took today.

PHOTOS LINK

It didn't feel like I got a whole lot done. I wrecked the sander belt, and mis-measured some cuts, the band-saw is nearly toothless....

BUT! I did get the the bottom section of battery rack actually officially bolted to the frame! It's a little overkill, but gives me some additional attachment points for other components.

I ran a pair of angle irons parallel to the side pipes of the bike. They run UNDER the bottom battery rack (which they are welded to) and go towards the back of the bike where they bolt to the frame at points originally used to mount the stock transmission.



The angle irons are flush with the side pipes - if I needed to lay anything across there, it makes a good "shelf".

To connect the front of the battery rack to the cycle (right side of the photo) I cut a pair of flat stock irons about 5 inches long with a bevel to go from front attachment points to the front of the batt. rack.



Here's a view from the front.


So, that gets the whole bottom section of rack securely connected to the frame using four bolts. It's in there solid, but it's still removable for further, welding, grinding, and painting.



In this photo of the cycle...

The bottom section of rack is bolted in. The bottom two batteries are set in there. The bottom batteries' "Cap" is set on top of them. The upper batteries' bottom rack is set on top of that. And the upper batteries are set into it.

The middle section of rack will have a pair of short connectors on the front going pretty much straight down. Those will bolt into the upper holes in this photo.


On the back of the battery rack, a pair of long bolts or threaded rod will go through a couple little short pieces of pipe welded to the rack to hold the whole thing and compress all the parts together.

You haven't see the top-most piece yet. That's because I haven't built it yet.... The top only needs a simple tie down. I think I'm going to just use two angle-iron bars lengthwise across the batteries. That keeps the tie-downs AWAY from the battery terminals (both top AND side) and puts any bolts or threaded rod places where it's not going to rub on the riders legs.

[bennelson]

More Video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8j4KbNufBY

[Daox]

Nice job with the attachment points Ben. I like that you were able to bolt to something on the inside of the frame vs attaching to the foot peg bolts like I had suggested. It'll keep it looking nicer IMO.

[bennelson]

I think it will look best with as much tucked inside the frame as possible.

The only downside with the rear attachment points is that that is also where the bottom tab of the motor mount connects as well.

Not a big deal, but it might just be a little more trouble connecting two battery mounts, the frame, the motor mount, and some threaded rod all at the same time.

[MetroMPG]

Need to edit your title block for the next vid! ("Contruction")

[bennelson]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Need to edit your title block for the next vid! ("Contruction")

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's what I get for working all day, building an electric motorcycle, driving one hour each way to and from the machine shop, and THEN editing together the video that night....

Ok - fine - here's some photos of what I did today - video coming soon.
CLICK HERE FOR ADDITIONAL PHOTOS LINK








I welded on the tabs from the middle section of rack to the front of the cycle. Next, I cut and welded some short bits of pipe to the rack. Threaded rod goes through those pipes to hold everything together.

[Ryland]

This is looking good Ben! you are giving me a few ideas for my battery rack that I need to be building, mostly on the hold downs, I'm also impressed that you are finding the time to do all of this, with a wife, kid and a house! very impressed, I figured I was slacking off because my project is 3 miles away and I have a house and garden but I guess I need to stop finding excuses and see if I can get on par with you and your battery rack construction.