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Epo-Bike First Confirmed FIM ePower Entry

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Christian Amendt, an engineering student out of Germany is the first confirmed entrant of the FIM ePower Electric Motorcycle Race series. Using what might be called a quantified version of Lotus’s “performance through low weight” philosophy, Christian converted a Honda RS125R to electric using a “half the weight, half the power” design.

The 115kg (253.5lbs) electric race bike weighs 187 lbs less than the triple motor MotoCzysz e1pc. The theory is that the light weight will allow the 96 Volt, single motor, 3 kWh Epo-bike to out perform a 2 or 3 motor bike that weighs over 400 lbs with the batteries needed to power them. The Epo-Bike uses a Lemco D135 DC motor, LiFePO4 batteries from an undisclosed manufacturer and an Alltrax AX7425 controller to achieve 74Nm of torque and reach a top speed of about 111 mph. See more pictures and a video of the epo-bike on the track after the break.

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News

Roehr eSuperbike Enters Electric Motorcycle Racing

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Roeher Motorcycles, maker of the 180hp supercharged 1250sc, has announced that they will be entering into the electric motorcycle scene with two bike offerings. The American sportbike manufacturer has also announced its intent to go racing with a company backed racing effort in the upcoming 2010 US TTXGP series. Roehr will also supply their eSuperbikes race prepped to teams wishing to race in either the TTXGP series or the FIM’s e-Power Championship.

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Racing

MotoCzysz Weighs in about Electric Racing

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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.

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Racing

MotoGP: 1000cc Formula for 2012 – 81mm Bore

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The Grand Prix Commission met today, and came to a resolution on what direction the MotoGP series would take in the coming years. As expected the committee members agreed to a 1000cc format for the 2012 season, and finally revealed some of the details of that switch, such as a maximum of four cylinders allowed in the race motorcycles, and a bore size that can be no larger than 81mm. The announcement was devoid of any further details about “production motors“. More after the jump.

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Opinion/Editorial

For The Sake of the Game [Updated]

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UPDATE: You can find Azhar Hussain’s response to this article on Brammofan.

Last week when I wrote my op-ed, I was content to say my piece on the issue of TTXGP/Mavizen conflict of interest, and then move along with other things. But considering the response the piece got, not only by Azhar Hussain himself, but also by others in the industry, as well as the recent announcements of Zero Motorcycles and Mission Motors entering the TTXGP racing series, I thought I’d give the issue another pass. Ignoring the name-calling, accusations of professional misconduct, and general pettiness that followed, I wanted to address and few things that have developed in this space, and why I’m still thankful the FIM split from TTXGP.

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Racing

Ezpeleta on 1000cc Engine Switch in MotoGP: “Production Engines” Won’t be in the Rule Book

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There’s be some trouble brewing in the MotoGP/WSBK camp after news hit that MotoGP would be switching back to a 1000cc format by the 2012 season. In that story, several possibilities on how that format would work were put forth by various sides, one such proposal being the running of production based motors in MotoGP.

These motors, which would be based off those found on streetbikes, could be tuned to any degree, provided it met the criteria in the MotoGP rule book (1000cc & four-cylinders are the only regulations agreed upon currently). This news of course drew the ire of World Superbike promoter, Infront Motor Sports, in the form of Paolo Flammini, who believes that format would infringe on his license to exclusively run a production based race series.

Refusing at first to define what a production engine is, Dorna’s Carmelo Ezpeleta is now switching gears and saying the term “production engine” won’t even appear in the new MotoGP racing regulations.

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Opinion/Editorial

Why I’m Thankful That the FIM Split from TTXGP

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This extended weekend, we Americans sat down for our Thanksgiving meals, joined by family, friends, and hospitable strangers. There are many things to look back on and be thankful for: good health, good friends, good fortune, just to name a few. I, like many others, am thankful for these things as well, but of course proclaiming as such makes for a very boring motorcycle editorial.

Among other things, in motorcycling I am thankful for the recent announcement by the FIM to breakaway from the TTXGP electric motorcycle racing series. While we may never know the FIM’s true reasoning in its resolve to distance itself from Azhar Hussain’s TTXGP series, I suspect a portion of that thought process stems from the now clear and convincing conflict of interest that is unfolding in electric motorcycle racing, and acts of impropriety that are stemming from those competing interests.

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Racing

FIM Going It Alone on e-Power Championship

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team-tork-india-t-001x-ttxgp-bike

This week the FIM announced the 2010 FIM e-Power International Championship will run in 2010 to showcase the latest in electric motorcycle technology. Four dates are planned so far that ironically run during endurance events. The details of the electric motorcycle class have not been announced so don’t start working on your battery swap technology just yet.

The biggest shock in this announcement is the absense of eGrandPrix in the press release but the silence told the tale. Azhar Hussain (CCR). Mr. Hussain explained he will continue with the events he has planned and has the backing of the major teams that have been involved with TTXGP to date. He expressed regret that the enthusiasts will not see technology improve as fast as it would if the two groups worked together.

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Racing

MotoGP Returns to 1000cc Format, Drops 800cc

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MotoMatters is now confirming that as early as 2012 we will see MotoGP racing back in the liter-bike category. Never popular with the manufacturers, the 800cc rule change not only cost teams in added development costs, but also never brought the promised the safety and closer racing that is was supposed to offer. For the moment it appears MotoGP will remain a prototype class, with there being no discussion of a production motor being used (like in Moto2), at least at this time.

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Racing

MotoGP to Return to 990cc Formula?

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When MotoGP switched from the 990cc displacement format to the 800cc formula, it was done so on the idea that it would make the premiere racing class safer for the riders. This proved to not be the case, as the 800cc bikes clearly carried more corner speed through turns, and were still able to approach 990cc top speeds on the straight-aways.

The result, a racing class that was more dangerous and more expensive for manufacturers.With this in mind, Dorna Boss, Carmeloa Ezpeleta, wants to return the series back its previous 990cc format, by as early as 2011.

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