It’s been nearly six months since the inaugural TTXGP race at the Isle of Man, but electric motorcycle racing seems to be a growing subject as of late. As discussion surrounds both the FIM and TTXGP, and their respective series, we’re beginning to see teams make their 2010 racing commitments. We reached out to Michael Czysz of MotoCzysz to see why his company has been suspiciously silent on the issue to date.
With the TTXGP’s first stop scheduled at Infineon in only five months’ time, and rumors of a new lighter and more powerful MotoCzysz design already being hinted at, we asked Czysz where his company stands now as it furthers its racing program.
“At the moment our ‘racing program’ is totally up in the air,” Czysz responds. “It is difficult to have a solid race plan when the series(s) themselves are in such flux. The current state of the series(s) and overall professionalism really hinders everyone’s ability to do their best. The e brand is being damaged, it is hard to speak to sponsors and racers about this ‘great opportunity’ when there is not even a firm schedule in place.”
For all the electric startups, there are challenges in not only the day-to-day business tasks, product development, etc, but also in the electric motorcycle space, there is the added requirement of taking on the challenges competing on the race track. For MotoCzysz, and of course the rest of the field, money is the biggest concern to these budget strapped startups.
“It is very difficult to find sponsors for racing, it is even more difficult to convince investors to spend money racing,” as Czysz knows all to well from putting together teams for both MotoGP and electric motorcycle racing. “However, if the goal of your company is to be at the forefront of what could be the next wave of performance, racing is essential. Today, e racing is at best a novelty; it is not on the radar of large sponsors, manufactures or in the heart of most race fans. Only under the best circumstances can companies like ours find the resources to race; the current e series(s) are not providing those circumstances.”
After hearing about the announcements from Zero Motorcycles & Mission Motors, all eyes are now on the Portland based company to see when it will announce similar statements. Prodding Czysz for a hint on when we could hear such news, he seemed willing to hedge his bets for now, “apparently Zero and Mission had sufficient information to make their decisions, but we do not. I have traded several emails with the FIM, but none of substance with Azhar or his team.”
When asked directly about which series MotoCzysz would pick, Czysz’s reply was both coy and terse, and simply stated, “I do not know. I am still searching for answers.”
Talking to MCN‘s Guy Procter, Czysz does hint that the conflicts that surround both the FIM and TTXGP are factors in MotoCzysz’s hesitation to join either series. Telling the British magazine in their article, “a successful race series must have a sanctioning body, which protects competitiveness and manufactures interest and a promoter that can market and grow the series. These are separate and exclusive functions, and with the joint TTXGP/FIM venture they could have had that, for the short term at least. Look at American Superbike racing for a lesson.”
We still have a lot of winter left before motorcycle racing starts up again, but it would seem things are already heating up in the electric sector. More as we get it.
Source: MCN
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MotoCzysz Weighs in about Electric Racing http://bit.ly/4oaVme
I hope Czysz picks one pretty soon… I really want to see that sweet bike of his on a track again!
Come on Azhar – if you can get Motoczysz on board, well… between you and Zero and Czysz , you’ll have something the FIM will never have: Four “Z”s.
MotoCzysz Weighs in about Electric Racing http://bit.ly/66kYFn #ttxgp
More from Czysz… RT @Asphalt_Rubber: MotoCzysz Talks About Future Plans of Electric Racing – http://bit.ly/8x2kNi #motorcycle
MotoCzysz Weighs in about Electric Racing http://bit.ly/6XKl01
MotoCzysz Weighs in about Electric Racing http://bit.ly/5Wgcaf
Well…while his bike was sweet looking…it didn’t run. Personally i was excited when MC first announced themselves…innovative american-ish sportbike that actually looked GOOD! I even saw the protorype C-1 run at laguna in ’05…But he is a snake oil salesman! no real plan…just seems like a rich guy playing IMO.
I’m no real follower of e-bikes but rather a motorcycle racing enthusiast in general..all types. With his comment of “overall professionalism really hinders everyone’s ability to do their best. ” what is he refering too? Racing is used for two things typically competition and improving/validating a product. In this case he can’t compete and doesn’t have a real product based on recent history….
Maybe he should help some of these other ebike manufacturers design some that moves the soul. Now thats one thing MC can do.
IJB aka dissapointed/past Motocysz fan
I have nothing but admiration for MotoCzysz as a visionary and a salesman, but he is the motorcycling version of Preston Tucker. @ijbjugga (wow, would love to hear that name paged at O’Hare, Maybe send Mike Hunt to collect him.) is right. One of the best ideas MotoCzysz ever had was to go electric. It allowed MotoCzysz to change the game and play to his strengths. It doesn’t matter that he didn’t finish, that’s motorsport, but he showed took some real risks and if he can pull it off, then he may finally deserve his statue on the hill (I mean, if his shyness doesn’t get in the way)
MotoCzysz, whilst a danger to himself, is great for the sport where ever he goes. But I don’t know why he would consider the FIM as an honest broker over TTXGP. They have form in screwing him in particular. Doesn’t he remember how 800 become the new 1000 and where that left him?
(also seriously Michael, the FIM Endurance Championship is the cousin in the celler nobody ever talks about. They even make AMA-Pro look spectacular. That’s better then Infineon or Toronto (thanks Brammofan)? Seriously? You’d rather go to Qatar then Silicon Valley??)
What is surprising is that MotoCzysz gives the FIM so much play. TTXGP is a startup like him and would I suppose, be very very incentivised to make him successful. The FIM only have a tactical need to kill TTXGP. If they succeed then it’ll be business as usual. In historic terms that means the little guy get f**ked or in another version, MotoCzysz gets a second chance at getting screwed.
Anyway, IMO, if he does go for the FIM, he deserves everything he gets. I would personally, in a heartbeat, support the FIM if they had any credibility in this space. They crave the credibility that people like MotoCzysz can give. And for the short term they will whore themselves out to do it. They have to. They have made the stakes so high.
Wow, entertainment aside, can’t believe how dumb the FIM have been in setting about damaging the sport. The traditional OEM’s must be pleased as it gives them an excuse to sit on the sidelines and blame the chaos. In the meantime the victims are the sport, the technology and progress.
At a time when the world is getting together in Copenhagen to work out how to fix some serious shit, the FIM goes its own way as a the trustees of our sport.
Great work F**cking Inbred Morons.
@road_rage – damn. If I knew anything about motorcycles, I would have said everything you would have said, it would have been almost as funny, and I wouldn’t have used the like-fingernails-on-chalkboard-marketing-buzzword “incentivise.” Now, having said that, has anyone actually seen Mike Hunt?
@Brammofan – “incentivise” WTF?! I try and fight it, but it takes over like Hyde.
I am cursed to spew bullshit during the day job whilst flogging my widgets.