Up-Close with the TT Winning MotoCzysz E1pc

Last week we got a leaked photo of the 2010 MotoCzysz E1pc, and knew the bike would be a contender in today’s TT Zero at the Isle of Man. Now that the TT for electrics is over, we can get a closer look at the machine that left the competition behind in the dust. MotoCzysz was a scratch at last year’s TT, and following that mantra the team effectively started-over from scratch for their 2010 effort. Back for 2010, there is of course the familiar MotoCzysz-designed 6X Flex front-end suspension system, but the rest of the bike centers around a revised energy package that’s been refined to engineering simplicity.

We’ve already covered how the central “suitcase” or eDD incorporates space maximizing v-shaped removable battery packs that pop-out with the push of a button. And how the entire 2010 MotoCzysz E1pc involves virtually no wiring, since everything dovetails perfectly together. We’ve also covered how the MotoCzysz D1-10 motor is replacing the three Agni motors from last year’s bike. Running off nearly 500 volts of power, the liquid-cooled IPM motor makes 250lbs•ft of torque, and generates over 100hp. The aerodynamics of the 2010 bike have been completely rethought, and employ a palatable design that achieves the aerodynamic goals to give the team a greater advantage with their limited on-board energy.

All of this is well and good, but it doesn’t mean shit if the bike doesn’t go fast.

Go fast it did, and now of course we know that there’s some method to the madness behind MotoCzysz’s approach to motorcycle racing, and today is the feather in the cap that the Portland-based company has been looking for to validate their undertakings. The next big test for the company comes in a month’s time, as all red-blooded Americans get ready for the biggest bike event west of the Rockies: Laguna Seca. Sharing the track with MotoGP and AMA Pro Racing, MotoCzysz will have to show that their E1pc isn’t just an IOMTT ringer, and prove its mettle on one of the most technical road courses in the United States for the FIM’s e-Power Championship.

While the 2010 MotoCzysz E1pc employs a number of aerodynamical elements, these will likely not meaningfully aid the “V 2.0″ bike at Seca (factoid: each MotoCzysz creation bares a unique raison d’être on its front fender). For the Isle of Man, MotoCzysz had a special seat that allowed rider Mark Miller to more effectively tuck behind the elongated nose and raised screen of the E1pc. The bike also has multiple foils that direct air around the rider, over the wheels, and across the radiators for the motor.

It’s hard to say how much efficiency can be directly attributed to all these elements, but for Seca the contest will be in corner speed, acceleration, handling, and just down right brute force throttle hammering. To make matters worse, Team Agni is expected to be on-hand, in some form or another, and the best victory is the one that comes after defeat.

The result should be a road race that could validate electric motorcycle racing, something the sport still needs to do badly at this point in time. Just as last year’s TTXGP at the Isle of Man proved to be a significant stepping stone in electric motorcycle racing, TT Zero this year was another advancement in the sport, which just saw MotoCzysz raise the bar by over 10%. That’s a lot of progress for one year’s time.

Photos: Amadeus Photography