DIY Electric Kawasaki Motorcycle
by Michael Graham Richard, Gatineau, Canada on 04. 4.08
"I bought an 8hp Briggs & Stratton ETEK motor used through Craigslist," said Benjamin Nelson. "Then I mounted the motor to the frame using the existing engine mounting holes and a piece of scrap aluminum plate. I found a sprocket and chain in the tractor repair isle of the farm store."
And Mr. Nelson even admits that he doesn't own any power tools other than a drill, doesn't know how to weld and only took one metal shop class in high school. But he loves to learn new things... Now that's the DIY ethic!
The electric motorcycle is now his primary mode of transportation. "If gas is three bucks a gallon, I can go 300 miles on that same amount of electricity. 300mpg isn't too bad for a motorcycle, is it?"
Range is 15 miles (25.5 kilometers), and top speed is around 40 mph (70 kph).
One of the benefits is noise: "It is dead quiet compared to a regular motorcycle. [...] I can actually hear birds singing. There is zero vibration from the engine."
::Build your own: Electric Kawasaki, via ::How to build your own electric Kawsaki
Update: See Voltzilla, the DIY Electric Motorcycle made from forklift parts!
Update: See also the Air-Powered Motorcycle by Jem Stansfield.
See also: ::Enertia Electric Motorcycle To Hit Stores In Early 2008, ::Electric Motorcycle Breaks Speed Record, ::Lightning Lithium Superbike: No Emissions
How much to make another one?
That is super awesome!! I have seen a couple of conversions before. When batteries become better etc ... just like cars.
When my 750 Nighthawk gives up the ghost I would like to try something like this. I'm sure it would drive the inspection guy nuts!!
Good Luck!!!
vk
That is one sweet ride! I want one too!
Cheers - Eric
looks awesome and very fun... but those lead acid batteries would scare me. If there was an accident with the bike turning on its side, you might get a suprise sulfuric acid bath.
I brought back a yamaha from Europe that it turns out I can't register over here, I wish I could do something like this with it instead of having sit in my garage...
Great DIY, thanks for sharing though that Kawasaki part should be omitted.
-W3G
I see he used gel batteries, also known as "starved electrolyte", which do not spill and allow deep-cycle discharge. They are vibration resistant too. They are used on aircraft for similar maintenance and cost effective reasons, speccing out better than NiCads and cheaper than Li-Ion
One unmentioned cost is replacing them in 4-5 years when they no longer hold an effective charge. They cost about 3 Euros per Kg.
Fortunately, lead-acid batteries are one of the best examples of successful recycling. All the materials are reused. I have had thousands of industrial truck parts made from reground polypropylene casings, for example.
A noiseless bike is a benefit? People in cars have a hard enough time seeing motorcyclists, with an exhaustless bike, there's an added danger of them not hearing you, either. A quick addition of some playing cards in the wheel spokes should do the trick! (or an air horn)
A silent bike is a coffin on wheels. Good luck buddy. I hope the follow up story of him getting run over gets as much exposure.
My Honda motorcycle sounds like a sewing machine--in other words, it's pretty quiet. A silent motorcycle isn't the problem--inattentive drivers are the problem. In any event, noisy motorcycles, by virtue of emitting noise from the rear are quiet as they approach you anyway. It's only after they pass you that you experience their noxious pollution. It's a myth that "loud pipes save lives". Motorcycles are a great eco-friendly means of transportation. But not all pollution is carbon based. Silent (or reasonably quiet) motorcycles should be encouraged. Instead of calling them "coffins on wheels" do your part to help by paying attention while driving.
As an occasional car driver, I know that it is rarely the sound of a motorcycle that I notice first.
In fact, on the highway I only hear it a long time after seeing the motorcycle, and in city driving, depending on if it's summer or winter (open window or not), I usually only hear it if it's a big noisy helicopter-style motorcycle... The rest I never hear much.
Hey everyone,
This has been a fun little project for me to work on.
The batteries are a particular style which is spill-proof. That was an important consideration. Yes, they will have to be replaced eventually, but the better I take care of them, the longer they will last.
If quiet vehicles are dangerous, why don't we ban bicycles and walking? I have actually considered installing an MP3 player and speakers to play an engine sound, just for the smart alecs out there.
I have taken a cycle safety class, painted the cycle bright yellow, only ride during the day, and usually wear a reflective vest.
The cycle project cost around $2000 for everything, including a helmet and cycle safety class. I think I could do another one for less, now that I know where to get usable used parts.
Anybody doing one of these, get a cycle that is in good condition other than a dead engine. Mine was a real clunker and really took some work to clean up. But, it's one less cycle in a landfill!
See more at: http://web.mac.com/benhdvideoguy/iWeb/cycle/Welcome.html
or
http://www.evalbum.com/1133
Here is a video I have on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0sUrXSU9Ok
It just shows how the contactor power cut-off works. Those parts are scrap I pulled off a forklift.
It's the only video I have of the cycle so far - enjoy!
Bright Lights Save Lives . . .
Wow what a flamer from Kevio!
Look ! The featured person reads the stuff! Awesome.
A couple of questions I have are:
Have you ridden the bike or a similar one when it was gas powered? How has the power to weight ratio changed? I know electrics are torquey. You only have one gear yes?
How does it feel, center of gravity- wise compared to the gas motor?
I am not sure about the headlight but LED lights in most of the sockets might save on the juice. I am positive there are low voltage headlights that are more efficient.
Visibility is key. Don't feel averse to riding at night, just make sure you have plenty of light and a good horn.
My Harleys were loud at some point in my owning them, ... just gave me a headache and other drivers and pedestrians acted just as brain dead.
vsk
Hey VSK,
I really am not a motorcycle guy at all. This is my first motorcycle. I have ridden scooters before.
The only other gas cycles I have ridden were 150 and 250 cc cycles in the safety class I took. Those cycles were smaller and lighter.
The center of gravity on my cycle feels just fine. It DOES only have one gear - LOADS OF TORQUE!.
LED lighting would save energy, but there aren't any street-legal LED replacement headlamps I could just pop in there right now. There are LED replacement bulbs available for tail and turn lights. I will swap those with LED when I get to it. It just cost money is all.
HID headlights are very bright AND energy efficient. I think I would like to eventually get an HID headlamp.
It's not the noise factor, it's the "MINE IS BIGGER THAN YOURS, SO GET OUTTA MY WAY" mentality. For those people, I drive an 18 wheel chemical tanker. WANNA PLAY CHICKEN?
Hey Ben! Well done!! Ignore all of the other naysayers. Why is it that every time someone has a great idea, there is always someone out there pointing out some alleged problem or another? Every project like this is just one step of progress and we should be cheering each other on instead of nitpicking!
Anyone interested in a DIY project involving a car might want to check out our latest book "The Zero-Carbon Car". The author used a Miata, removed the gas engine and replaced it with an electric motor. He also put a biodiesel-powered generator in the trunk in order to charge the batteries when they get low. It can also be plugged in. He hopes that anyone who uses his ideas will improve upon them and we'll post updates on our website as others refine this idea!
Hi Benjamin,
I'm living in China, and that thing you've made just looks and sounds like an overly heavy electric bicycle to me. They have millions and millions of them here in use every day and prices start from around $300US
.
I own one which is more like a scooter than a motorbike and when the battery was new it did 40 km per charge at a similar top speed to yours.
The newest battery technology they have in the shops uses the kind of battery used in mobile phones (cell phones). A battery about the size of a box of chocolates is attached to a standard looking push bike with a motor in the rear wheel hub.
This is of course very light -both battery and bike are light - and therefore doesn't waste electricity pushing around more weight than is necessary. I'm told that this model I'm talking about has a range of 100km on one charge.