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How to build a 96-Volt Electric Motorcycle

by Kentucky-bum on June 24, 2008 Table of Contents intro: How to build a 96-Volt Electric Motorcycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 1: First, find a donor bike . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 2: Strip it and start finding spots for everything . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 3: Connecting the Motor to the Drive shaft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 4: Where to put those batteries! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 5: Putting on the DC/DC converter & Throttle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 6: Where to hang the Charger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 7: Last step . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . step 8: A snazzy paint job & we are done! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Customized Instructable T-shirts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 7 7 7 7

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-96-Volt-Electric-Motorcycle/

intro: How to build a 96-Volt Electric Motorcycle

Like many others I decided to quit waiting for a decent electric road bike at a reasonable price, so I built one out of a spare bike I bought off eBay for about $700. I based mine on a '82 Yamaha turbo because 1) I have the ICE version (hence the spare), 2) I like that it is fully faired so it looks 'normal' and 3) it's a shaft drive and one of my main goal was to make it as maintenance free as possible. Shaft drives weigh a lot more and are not as efficient as chain drives, but they are maintenance free. Here is a picture of the finished product. Like Stryker (who built the 72 volt version) I live close to work so distance was not an issue, but speed and performance were, as I have over 3 miles of a rather steep curvy road to go home on. One big thing to consider when doing this is the finished product. Like Stryker I am using AGM sealed lead-acid batteries because of convenience. But since I like the final product so much my goal has always been to upgrade it to some Li-Ion or Ni-MHyd batteries as soon as the become commercially available. It would shave 100 lbs off and give me twice the range, so it's an investment worth making.

step 1: First, find a donor bike

I have an 1982 Yamaha Turbo. It looks like this. I also had a spare-parts bike (that I bought off eBay for ~$700). It was, for the most part, complete but in pieces. I decided that I was probably not going to use the spare-parts bike for anything so I stripped it.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-96-Volt-Electric-Motorcycle/

step 2: Strip it and start finding spots for everything

This is what it looks like gutted. I placed the motor in first and located the controller (the electronic carb for the motor). I am using 12-volt, maintenance-free wheelchair batteries; less range but more charges (& maintenance free). I stuck one of the batteries where the original 12-volt battery would normally go. It is an Advance DC 6.7" 72 volt DC motor (You can run a 72-volt DC motor at 96 volts, you just have to be careful in your rpm-ratio calculations not to over speed it!) I used a Curtis 72 to 120 VDC, 300 amp Controller (36,000 watts of power available)

Image Notes 1. One of the traction batteries went were the original 12-volt starter battery was 2. I hung the controller on some brackets here.

step 3: Connecting the Motor to the Drive shaft

Since the 1982 Turbo is a shaft drive, I had to put a jackshaft and belt drive to turn the drive shaft already on the bike. You really should use a conventional chain-driven bike for conversion. The motor goes in sideways and the drive sprocket just goes right on the motor shaft; much easier (but I already had this bike). Since the drive-shaft to rear wheel was about 2.8:1 ration, I used a 2:1 ratio on the jack-shaft to get an overall ratio of ~6:1. This ratio will be good for mid range power and overall speed, but DC motors have such high-torque at the low end, it will be a bit overpowering for the drive shaft. I turned the controller down to min current and min acceleration. The only "engineering" part is figuring out where to attach all of the brackets & supports for all of the other components; I used only existing holes on the frame already. It's strictly trial & error.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-96-Volt-Electric-Motorcycle/

step 4: Where to put those batteries!

4 of the 8 batteries went on the sides (replaced the mufflers). I hung them with Uni-Strut channels from where the old side-handles used to be). I'm starting off with the cheapest sealed AGMA lead-acid batteries I could buy. If I like the results I will upgrade them to some high-end lead-acid batteries. When the price is right I'll go NiMh or Li-Io.

step 5: Putting on the DC/DC converter & Throttle

The rest of the batteries were put on some aluminum angles located above the motor. The DC/DC converter hangs on those angles too. (The DC/DC converter takes the 96 volts used for traction and converts it to 13 volts to run the lights & such. It is the '12 volt' battery for the bike). I just wired the output of the converter to the Main fuse on the fuse box. The motorcycle's twist grip moves a 0 - 5000 ohm pot-box that tells the controller how fast you want to go & how hard you want to accelerate. It behaves just like a normal throttle.

Image Notes 1. DC/DC converter 2. 0-5000 ohm pot-box

step 6: Where to hang the Charger

The charger is designed to be mounted on-board and runs on 110 volts AC (household current). You can get them to run on 220, (and it would charge in 3 hours instead of 6) but it makes it hard to find a place to plug in if you want to 'opportunity charge' at work (or at someone else's house!).

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-96-Volt-Electric-Motorcycle/

Image Notes 1. This is the Zivan NG-1 Charger

step 7: Last step

The only other 'major' component is the Main Contactor. It's an electronic 'throw-switch' that connects all of that battery power to the Controller. It is key-switch activated and runs on 12 volts. (I wired it into the Ignition fuse.) I also have it wired in series with the kickstand switch so that after you turn the key-switch you can only drive away with the kickstand up.

Image Notes 1. 12-volt coiled Main Contactor 2. Kick-stand Switch

step 8: A snazzy paint job & we are done!

After the snazzy paint job I covered the two sets of saddlebag batteries with half of an ABS tub that Vicki & I found at Lowe's. (Improvising being the key word here!) I put an 'Emergency' Disconnect up on the fairing (just in case something shorted out). It's the bright red knob below the left handle bar grip. I also put a 'Charging Complete' light on the fairing under the throttle grip. It took me about 2 months of spare time to put it together (and I live on a farm so there is not a lot of spare time available). (Who needs TV anyway? It's over rated!) Anyhoo, here are the 'specs': -70mph top speed -15-20 miles range (I don't baby it at all, so I usually see 15 miles/charge) -Single speed (including the wheels there are only 6 moving parts) -Cost to charge: 15 cents -Can out-accelerate most 4-cyl cars. -Maintenance: Check the pressure or change the tires every few years. -Fun Factor: Off the gage.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-96-Volt-Electric-Motorcycle/

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-96-Volt-Electric-Motorcycle/

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Comments
50 comments Add Comment view all 177 comments
Jul 22, 2008. 11:33 AM REPLY

Josh_B says:
Found eBay to be a good source for some of the parts. BTW, this is a great instructable! You've got my vote! Motorcysles for Parts 12v Wheelchair Batteries 72v Motors 300amp Controller

blahblahblah135 says:
is there anywere else i can find a 72v motor that you know of?

Oct 3, 2008. 7:14 PM REPLY

Kentucky-bum says:

Jul 22, 2008. 12:51 PM REPLY The only parts I would be leary of are the batteries listed. There are a lot of cheap batteries out there that lb-for-lb match the good ones, amps-for-amps too, but you don't get the cycles out of them. 250-300 charges and their toast.

Josh_B says:

Jul 23, 2008. 5:32 AM REPLY You bring up a very good point. I'm sure that some of the 'unknown' brands work great, but it pays to research any battery prior to purchasing it. If the price looks too good to be true, well, you know the rest.

heyisforhumans says:
http://www.cloudelectric.com/lithium_iron_phosphate?b=1 Li batteries

Oct 3, 2008. 2:21 PM REPLY

z7eightball says:

Oct 3, 2008. 8:40 AM REPLY What about if you added a top panier with extra batteries and also a solar cell of course it would run in deficit, but surely give a bit more range and a full charge coming home from work. also why can you not use old batteries with new. one last question no gear box is it possible to have a gear box Please understand this is not criticism Im asking in terms of wanting to know more.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-96-Volt-Electric-Motorcycle/

rabbidgoat says:

Sep 21, 2008. 3:45 AM REPLY Great bike !!! I need a little more range ... could I get that with 2 more batteries somewhere on the bike ? Simple idea .... I don't know that much about the details here ...

Kentucky-bum says:

Sep 26, 2008. 10:51 AM REPLY She's full up with batteries as it is, but they are just plain old lead-acid deep cycles batteries. You don't need more batteries, you just need batteries with higher capacity (amp-hrs). You have keep the voltage constant (no matter what voltage you decide to run at) because everything else on the bike is set to that voltage (meter, charger, etc). If I wanted to simply add more batteries my only choice would be to double the battery pack (which is eight 12-volts batteries wired to run in series to make 96 volts); I would need 8 more 12-volt batteries and then hook them up in parallel to the original pack. BUT (here's the catch) you can never mix old batteries with new ones. Once the pack starts off as a single 'pack' (ie 96-volts) it must not be broken up or doubled-up; it will die a premature death if you do. The easiest way for me to extend the range is to buy some of the newer Li-Fe-Po batteries...but then again I don't have $4000 just yet. Any charitable types out there?

insomartin says:

Sep 26, 2008. 9:09 AM REPLY do you drive your motor with pwm or that's a real trim pot? a block diagram or schematic would be great. thanks. i'm still sourcing for a battery that you have since i'm in asia... i can't seem to find one yet. great instructable!

Kentucky-bum says:

Sep 26, 2008. 10:32 AM REPLY Most standard DC controllers use a 0-5000 Ohm pot for the variable speed (which I use). I have a pdf of the wiring schematic I used to build the highvoltage (traction voltage) system with. Send a private email to me (mike.brace@emerson.com) and I'll send it back to you.

calibran says:

Sep 21, 2008. 1:48 PM REPLY I was wondering on the battery issue. Would it be possible to addapt the Makita 18v Lithium-Ion batteries linked in succession to create a better power source at a fraction of the weight and price?

Kentucky-bum says:

Sep 26, 2008. 7:25 AM REPLY You could do that, but in order to get the amp-hr capacity you will need A LOT of batteries (probably about 10 sets of 5 each (for a 90-volt system) just to get an equivalent capacity. It may be lighter, but I doubt it's cheaper. Amp-hrs are Amp-hrs, and you need a lot of them to run a vehicle. Volts give you speed...amp-hrs give you range. Mike

drummer4848 says:

Sep 25, 2008. 4:42 PM REPLY I have a BMW which is shaft drive. Where did you get your jack shaft, drive belt set-up? I like you need a way to seal between the jack shaft and drive shaft since BMW's run a wet drive shaft.

Kentucky-bum says:
Drummer,

Sep 26, 2008. 7:20 AM REPLY

Ooooh...you have a tough one. The shaft on my bike is dry so all I needed was a 'plug' (made out of a piece of ABS plastic) that had the same OD as the inside of the rubber boot and an ID just slightly larger than the OD of the splined coupling I took off the output of the motor. The coupling has a CV joint on it (probably like yours) whose OD could be turned smooth to accept a common size of seal. I suspect yours is the same. I'm also thinkin' that you have a rubber boot that you could use to seal against. If that's the case, then you will need to get a local machine shop to turn you out a disk that has the right OD for the rubber boot and the ID for a common, press-fit seal (both Motion Industries and Grainger sell seals, drive-belts, sprockets, as do most other industrial/commercial supply stores). If you can get it out, you might be able to use the mating shaft that comes out of the motor's tranny as a jackshaft. Take it out of the tranny and it might be long enough to turn each end down to fit in a pillow-block bearing like I did. You can get those bearings at Grainger or MI too. If you can use it, then you can use the CV joint as is. If not, then you 'll have to do as I did and make a simple jack-shaft arrangement with a piece of bar steel and a couple of pillow-block bearings. If that's the case, have the machine shop bore out the spline (in the CV joint) to a common, keyed shaft and run the jack shaft like I did into the modified CV joint coupling. This may not make sense until you look at the parts I'm taking about. If you still have problems, get back to me as I am sure a couple of decent photos between us may get it done. Mike

D6U4 says:

Sep 6, 2008. 6:43 PM REPLY The only problem I see with any electric "bike" is the fact there is no noise The point I am trying to make is usually if you are in a cars blind spot in a motorcycle they can usually hear you, but on an electric they don't have that.

LarryClapp says:

Sep 19, 2008. 8:10 PM REPLY Yeah true but peoples excuse in cars is always "I didn't see him!" So are we suppose to make motorcycles as big as a Mac Truck? Plus, you should never ride in someone's blind spot even if in a car!

explosivetron says:

Sep 14, 2008. 4:16 AM REPLY yea too right..... but if they hit you its their fault.... also you should try to avoid riding in their blind spot.... ive noticed a lot of motorcyclists like to do this... also drivers should check their blind spot ....

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-96-Volt-Electric-Motorcycle/

Kentucky-bum says:
D6,

Sep 8, 2008. 12:37 PM REPLY

You bring up an interesting point. Personally, I have found the trick to having ridden 35 years now 'accident free' is to consider myself invisible when I am riding. Any time I am in a parking lot, or in town, I always keep my thumb on the horn button. Any time I ride either of my bikes I have it in my mind that I am invisible and that no one can see me, in a lot or on the open road. With that in mind not being able to hear me is superfluous. But your right. Even now there is NSTB legislation afloat that will require EVs to make a noise at slower speeds (in town & parking lot speeds). I even understand that that 'noise' can be tailored to the rider's preference (with in reason).

hiatus138 says:

Sep 15, 2008. 1:02 AM REPLY Have to agree with Kentucky-bum, It's not like some kid in mom or dad's car, with the stereo blaring is gonna hear you anyway. Today's cars are so well sound insulated, that when I noticed nobody saw me, I started honking my horn all the time. I honk when I pass, change lanes, turn, slow down, all the time. Nobody hears me still. They didn't hear my big loud harley, either. So now I ride a bike that is fast enough to get the eff out of the way, when they insist on changing lanes into me. I saw a guy wearing a yellow "safety" vest, riding a bmw with extra lighting on it, have a car turn out right in front of it. We ARE invisible out on the road. a little noisemaker aint gonna change that.

stormyboy says:
I would like to how this would work with a chain drive and use the gear box to try to get better battery life

Jul 30, 2008. 6:10 PM REPLY

stormyboy says:

Aug 1, 2008. 5:33 PM REPLY With everyone looking to get the most mileage per battery charge, when will someone find a way to put a gear box on a bike and some way to charge the batteries to extent the life of them? I guess this is a problem that someone will fix sometime.

212Mike says:

Sep 5, 2008. 3:51 AM REPLY The Harley big twins use an individually mounted transmission, as did the older British twins. The only problem is that the transmissions currently cost more than K-B's entire bike! Modern motorcycles use an integral transmission, but I think it could be adapted with a plate to close off the now-open end.

Kentucky-bum says:

Jul 31, 2008. 6:22 AM REPLY Storm, I have no idea how you would do that. Maybe you could remove the heads/pistons, get access to the crankshaft and drive that with the motor using a chain or belt drive. But then you would be exposing the crankcase oil... Not too sure you could do this with out some serious experimenting.

M0rtii says:

Jul 31, 2008. 11:40 PM REPLY Now I realize this would take some design and engineering know-how, but just being creative here, what about covering the body in small solar panels. Better yet, drop the plastic shell and design a body made solely from solar panels. The total area still wouldn't be great but sitting in the sun all day from 8-5 would juice back up the batteries some. Maybe a light carbon fiber shell with small solar cells mounted to it. Weight could be an issue. (I guess it would look kinda geeky though.)

downgrade says:

Aug 23, 2008. 2:47 PM REPLY The solar panels would not actually add enough of a charge to be worth the cost, time, bulk, ug-o factor, etc. Solar panels aren't really good until you have a LOT of surface area... maybe if it was a truck or van but then it still would maybe add a few miles a day tops...

bobtannica57 says:

Aug 22, 2008. 7:21 AM REPLY First let me say that I think the paint job is very cool. Second let me ask a very dumb question. Eight 12 volt batteries to make 96 volts...are they hooked in series with each other? Lastly in regards to charging, how is this accomplished? Do you have to hook the charger to each one separately and charge them up one at a time? Great project! Thanks. Bob

Kentucky-bum says:
Bob,

Aug 22, 2008. 10:02 AM REPLY

Yep, the 8 batteries are hooked in series to give me 96 volts (but fully charged it is closer to 105 volts). EV chargers are special chargers made for any voltage you want. When you go to buy a EV battery charger you will need to tell them what your 'battery pack' voltage is. In this case it was 96 volts, so my charger only hooks up to the last two leads and will only charge a 96 volt battery pack (all at once).

gmyers2112 says:

Jul 29, 2008. 1:16 AM REPLY I am considering the same thing with an 82 Maxim (Yamaha) shaft drive. Do you have a parts list of what you purchased, acquired and or used (not counting the donor bike)? Also, did you consider directly connecting the drive shaft into the motor shaft? I'm not too bright so if you considered it and there was a reason you decided not to go that way please detail that reason. I was thinking of using an Etek brushless snugged right on the end of the drive shaft if I can find a way to rig the connection. Would that be too torquey or would it limit speed to about 40 mph? (my math skills are way not up to this).

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-96-Volt-Electric-Motorcycle/

Kentucky-bum says:
G,

Jul 30, 2008. 1:02 PM REPLY

You'll find a list somewhere in this blog; It's not too deep into it either. Also, buy a book on how to do this type of thing. A lot is obvious (and explained in the Instructable) but a lot is tribal knowledge. You could save a lot of time by starting with a book. To answer your other question about connecting the motor directly to the drive shaft: Nope. The final drive ratio won't be enough and you'll bog down the motor at start (maybe even burn it up). I suspect you'll need at least a 2:1 reduction, but with a 48-volt system on an Etek motor probably a 2.5:1 or maybe a 3:1. You can do that with a chain drive. Just be sure to use the same chain normally used on a bike of that size.

M F says:

Aug 17, 2008. 4:28 PM REPLY I want to read up on it. battery wiring, charger, voltage controller. what books would have this information? I have 30x 7.5v battery packs. lith.ion.

ZeroGirl says:

Jul 31, 2008. 2:38 PM REPLY I see that the topic is electric bikes and thought I'd say hello. If you don't want to build your own electric bike you could certainly check out our Zero X electric motorcycle. If you have any questions at all, reply to this comment or shoot us an email.

M F says:
very nice, I wish you the best.

Aug 17, 2008. 4:22 PM REPLY

Mike_in_J_land says:
Dude, This is one of the coolest EV bikes I have seen. Kudos.

Aug 3, 2008. 6:53 PM REPLY

phugedaboudet says:

Jul 30, 2008. 12:42 PM REPLY Ack! I spent two YEARS (three countries!) trying to scrounge enough parts to get my 82 seca turbo working...scrounged eBay & craigslist for any spares and the hard to find full bodywork. I'd even gotten the factory 83 "Boost Kit" to add on. Then had to move where there was no garage so I had to sell the Turbo project since I couldn't work on it anymore:( (Fortunately, comforted myself a little by using the cash as a downpayment on a new FJR1300) Now to see one with complete bodywork, even the lower engine cowling, original fairing turnsignals and mirrors, and undamaged handlebar covers and gas tank lid...even the original windscreen still has the molding around it. The seat, with grab rails unbroken...hacked..... I don't know whether to cry, or to be glad that it found new life as an EV. Still, being one of only three models of mainstream factory turbocharged bikes...please tell me it wasn't an easy decision? You still have an factory original XJ650L though? I hope ya keep it as pretty as the Ebike.:) Someday, I'll find one in decent running condition for a reasonable price.

Kentucky-bum says:

Jul 30, 2008. 1:27 PM REPLY My XJ650L is still complete, up and running although I drive it a lot so it is not 'showroom'. I would like to repaint it too (it has been painted once already) but I am thinking something more along the lines of the '84 RZ350 Kenny Roberts Edition. This is my second (gas) one. I had one right off the showroom floor backin '82, but got smacked on it a long while back. This one came out of Canada so it even has the high-speed speedo on it (not like the wimpy US 85-mph one). The owner was so concerned about it staying in good shape that he hand-delivered it to me. There was a time 5 to 8 years back when they were still available, but not too much any more. I may be looking for a new home for it soon as I don't ride it as often as the EV one, so if you are interested in getting your hands on one, hit me with you e-mail address. I'll keep you posted on what I'm thinkin'. Thanks for the blog!

phugedaboudet says:
the yellow with black and white stripe? that'd be sweet. There's a guy who has a FJR1300 done up in that scheme.

Jul 30, 2008. 3:02 PM REPLY

sunnycanuck says:

Jul 29, 2008. 5:04 PM REPLY Great Job. When you throttle down does the motor recharge the batteries and give you engine breaking? If not, can that be added in with a different motor?

Silence says:
What kind of horsepower does an electric bike need ? Im having trouble sifting thru motor specs. Im lookin at this PMG-132 as a viable motor, but im havin trouble with the specs.. half of its jibberish to me.

Jul 27, 2008. 5:25 PM REPLY

Kentucky-bum says:

Jul 28, 2008. 11:48 AM REPLY Silence, Talking horsepower in electric vehicles is a tricky thing...the horsepower curve for a DC motor is just the opposite than for a gas motor; you get more torque at low rpm instead of high rpm (like a gas motor). Most bikes work just fine on a 10 to 15 hp (peak) electric motor. I know it sounds wrong, but since you have all that torque to accelerate with, and you don't need that much once you hit cruise, it works. Basically most of your DC motors hit peak hp at ~ 4,500 or so, but HP is speed and torque related. Set your drive ratio to give you your cruise speed (55mph?) and to have the motor at (or slightly below) peak rpm at the same time. For most motorcycles with average rear tires it's usually about 6:1 final drive ratio. You'll have to do some math here

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-96-Volt-Electric-Motorcycle/

to determine the best ratio for the motor you use.

paddlinphil says:

Jul 27, 2008. 11:32 PM REPLY Nice job and really nice explanation. It is good to see a shaft drive electric cycle. I am converting a 79 Honda CL500 shaft drive to 48 volt. I mounted an ETEK motor on the swing arm in front of the rear tire. A chain connects the motor to the shaft. There is room for 4 - 12 volt RV batteries where the engine transmissions use to be. Friends have warned me that I will lose too much power to the shaft drive. What has been your experience? When you drive, do other drivers have problems "seeing" a silent vehicle? Did you use a motorcycle horn or opt for something bigger? I was working on wiring today and am always looking for ideas on control positioning. You page had great ideas. Thanks again. Phil

Kentucky-bum says:

Jul 28, 2008. 11:26 AM REPLY Phil, You loose a bit of efficiency using a shaft drive instead of a direct (chain) drive and it adds weight so all in all you might loose 10%-15% range but not much more. Sneaking around parking lots can be colorful. I usually just beep the horns once in case I see somebody walking around clueless.

abadfart says:
i think ill stick with gas i have to ride on HW 14 so 65 MPH

Jul 27, 2008. 6:35 PM REPLY

pepitosbazzeguti says:
Coolo project ! My difficulty is where find or purchase the motor and regulator.

Jul 26, 2008. 3:32 AM REPLY

cantth1nk0fnam3 says:
omg i'm so making one of those and i'll drive it into a tree no not really but this is AWESOME

Jul 25, 2008. 1:32 PM REPLY

M-26-7 says:

Jul 24, 2008. 2:09 PM REPLY I was just curious if there would be any problems with doing this with a motorcycle with a drivetrain rather than a gear train. Anyone know?

uglymike says:

Jul 24, 2008. 5:40 PM REPLY If you're talking about chain-drive as opposed to shaft-drive, the only significant difference is you'd mount the motor sideways and mount a sprocket to the motors shaft. You would still want to check the gear ratio, but it's easy to adjust with chain and sprockets.

M-26-7 says:
Yeah, sorry, I always forget exactly what it's called.

Jul 24, 2008. 6:46 PM REPLY

uglymike says:
whats the amp/hr rating for your batteries?

Jul 23, 2008. 7:47 PM REPLY

Kentucky-bum says:
I used some whimpy ones (for the first go). They are rated at 26 amp/hrs (but I suspect they are closer to 22-23).

Jul 24, 2008. 6:27 AM REPLY

uglymike says:

Jul 24, 2008. 5:51 PM REPLY I've seen some 100 amp/hr LIFePO4 batteries that look awesome, but at $250 per 3.2 volt cell it'd be a cool 8 G's for a 96 volt system. The 50 AH LIFePO4 batteries would run $4160 for 96 volts and weigh about 130 Lbs. Expensive, but you'd about double your range. A comparison for those wondering, 55AH gel batteries would be $1040 and weigh 310 Lbs. (and I think they would take up a little less space) Just like regular motorcycles, lightweight = $$$$

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http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-build-a-96-Volt-Electric-Motorcycle/