The ElMoto Dream Bike

teddillard · 26 January 2013

I have a proposition. How about we all get our noodles together and build a true dream bike? At least virtually?

Here's how I think it could work. We all have our opinions and experience, we have vastly different bases of experience and qualifications. It sounds to me like a design team that could rival anybody on the planet. Plus, we don't have to actually do the build and get proved wrong...

Builderz, buyerz, armchair enthusiastz? Bring it on.

I think, to make it work, we need some consensus on, well, conclusions... that is, at some point we have to get off the pot and say, yeah, let's use this motor. For that reason, maybe it would be fun to have one person ride "herd" and, after hashing things out, call out the final decision. And maybe direct the discussion a bit. That way it would be a little more concrete and conclusive than just hashing over our pie-in-the-sky parts and pieces ideas.

I nominate Kyle. He's young. He's used to working in a design-team structure. He's really good at handling guys who don't play well with others (like me).

Maybe as we go along, one of you CAD guys could throw together some renderings. That way, after we're all "done" we can float it out there as the Ultimate Elmoto Dream Bike, paste it into actual scenes with scantily-clad babes and make the motorcycle world think we actually have a bike?

I'll start. I think it should be yellow.

**Ken Will** · 26 January 2013

I all ready have the Ultimate Yellow Electric Lithium Powered Bike.
CargoNkayak1500.jpg

**Hugues** · 26 January 2013

I want it badass black LOL

maybe we should keep color aside and start with something simpler, like motor or controller

**Nuts & Volts** · 26 January 2013

Well don't I feel special

I'm in...at the moment I have two other bikes that need finished first, but I always have time to brainstorm! Come mid-summer I will have free time to put work into this. I also already have an R6 and a 100kW AC controller...and have plans to get a 70kW motor and more batteries. So I'm building something pretty close to my dream bike...would love to make it an El Moto racer

I am going to make the assumption that most a dream bike is a commuter sportsbike that could be track ready with about 2 hours of prep work...A little bit better ergo than a full out track bike, but swappable seats, pegs and bars can probably make a big difference here. So with this said I'll lay down some general goals for the specs of the bike.

75kW (100HP minimum)
10kWh (120miles city range minimum
450lbs maximum
30min 80% charge capable (off-board)
AC drive system

Question does it still make sense to set a maximum budget in case someone actually wants to build this? I was thinking $40k? My R6 should be around $20k and meet most of the specs above.

If you paint it Ted it can be yellow

-Kyle

teddillard · 26 January 2013

Budgets? We don' need no stinkin' budgets!

I think, though, it would be cool to make it that we need to be able to actually BUY the stuff... that would at least keep it somewhat realistic.

So, here's a 2010 list of the top ten sports bikes for handling:
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/Ne...-sports-bikes/

A lotta GSXRs in there, but also a Duke. I loves me a nice Duke.

Here's the Aprilla frame:

Here's the Duke frame - (they seem to like it better, actually, in the review as a more comfortable, good handling ride):

OOOH tube steel! OOOH!

**Nuts & Volts** · 26 January 2013

So available for a mortal to purchase it. check

Note that both the Aprilia and Ducati are V/L twins. This means that the frames are about 4-5" narrower than a inline 4. Can make it harder to fit everything you need too. I do like the Ducati. A 999r is a little better because the swingarm is shorter meaning more room between the swingarm pivot and the front wheel to package things.

Also on that list are CBR 600 and 1000. Virginia Tech use the 600RR for their 2012 TTXGP and the OSU team is using a CBR1000RR for our IOM bike. Both have great handling and very wide open for packaging. There is potential to get 20kWh on the CBR1000RR frame... heavy, but can fit. I think those are better fits.

One thing I have thought about doing is getting a frame and modifying the swingarm and rear shock to tuck the motor further back in the frame. Or a CBR600 F4i already has the shock out of the way...roadsterd1.jpg

**__Tango** · 26 January 2013

What's the size difference (as far as elmoto people are concerned) between a 600 and 1000 frame?

**Nuts & Volts** · 26 January 2013

Originally Posted by __Tango

What's the size difference (as far as elmoto people are concerned) between a 600 and 1000 frame?

That's hard to say. They aren't that much different, but the 1000 is built to handle more weight, more power, and maybe higher speeds. The CBR frames are fairly similar as far as I know.

**mcf12** · 26 January 2013

I would like to advocate for steel tubes. I don't want to argue style preferences but keeping the metal work accessible means steel has an advantage over aluminum. Won't try to win the weight argument.

The ryca concept is worth thinking about if we are dreaming about people other than us riding them. We could have a shop that sells our basic kit to someone who can find the roller or we can find rollers and build em.

Aw hell, I will mention style. Steel gives us more things to choose from, more flexibility to mod, has more soul. There I said it.