Author Topic: An Electric CB550.... (Read 4281 times)

Hope · « **on:** December 26, 2007, 08:58:05 AM »

I stumbled across this electric CB550 when I was looking at bike parts. He is selling the motor because he made an electric, so he doesn't need the motor anymore...

here is a link to his ad:

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/mcy/518836598.html

mkramer1121 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 26, 2007, 03:17:10 PM »

And if he dumps it, there's battery acid all over.....wouldn't be a bad idea if he used a sealed lad battery instead of the normal wet cell interstates...

TwoTired · « **Reply #2 on:** December 26, 2007, 04:06:48 PM »

Quote from: mkramer1121 on December 26, 2007, 03:17:10 PM

And if he dumps it, there's battery acid all over.....wouldn't be a bad idea if he used a sealed lad battery instead of the normal wet cell interstates...

What are you saying? That Oil and explosive/inflammable Gasoline is a preferred spillage to battery acid?

mkramer1121 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 26, 2007, 04:12:34 PM »

Eh, at least its more self contained....I haven't cracked a gas tank yet and spilled gas and oil all over the road, however, dropping a GC115 golf cart battery from about 3 foot almost inevitably results in cracking the bottom and spilling acid everywhere...

333 · « **Reply #4 on:** December 26, 2007, 07:51:04 PM »

You may have not cracked a gas tank, but the reason there was a recall on the tank latch of all those early 70s Hondas, is because one popped open when hit by a guys helmet. It happened one time and we can't have a push button release on our gas tank, we have to have a "key".

mkramer1121 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 26, 2007, 10:05:36 PM »

Well, mine have keys....

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #6 on:** December 26, 2007, 10:21:23 PM »

Well I heard that the reason they changed the lock was because some guys were opening their gas tanks with their balls as they slid forward when they ran into immovable objects!

Back to electric bikes though, that thing looks like crap. In my opinion, of course.

Sam Green Racing · « **Reply #7 on:** December 26, 2007, 10:52:01 PM »

Magic what you can do with photo shop

Sam

TwoTired · « **Reply #8 on:** December 26, 2007, 11:59:46 PM »

Quote from: mkramer1121 on December 26, 2007, 04:12:34 PM

Eh, at least its more self contained....I haven't cracked a gas tank yet and spilled gas and oil all over the road, however, dropping a GC115 golf cart battery from about 3 foot almost inevitably results in cracking the bottom and spilling acid everywhere...

If you lay your bike on it's side with half a tank of gas or more it will weep from the cap vent. Just add spark. Let see, chemical burns or heat burns. I think the gas can burn skin faster than the acid. And, burning clothes are far harder to remove than ones dampened with battery acid.

It just doesn't seem too hard to avoid calamity in either case. IMO

Cheers,

TwoTired · « **Reply #9 on:** December 27, 2007, 12:08:26 AM »

Quote from: Terry in Australia on December 26, 2007, 10:21:23 PM

Back to electric bikes though, that thing looks like crap. In my opinion, of course.

Yeah, low marks for style for sure. What made me laugh is that he was unloading the parts not needed for the conversion...except the gas tank... because it looked better with it still there. S'pose he'd be interested in some turd polish?

I wonder what kind of range he gets with it? Can't be more than 10-20 miles before recharge.
Still..if it serves his purpose, good for him! Maybe the batteries also power his chick magnet?

Cheers,

Ichiban 4 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 27, 2007, 01:58:54 AM »

Gosh..

What a waste of a good 550K...engine and bike! Why didn't he do it to an old Suzuki or Yamaha 2-stroke?

Steve F · « **Reply #11 on:** December 27, 2007, 09:43:47 AM »

Check out the angle of the drive chain. Hit a good bump and the chain is likely to go REAL slack.
I think he should have used a modern crotch rocket instead. That way he could hide the batteries behind all the plastic.

754 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 27, 2007, 09:53:27 AM »

You guys are a rough crowd..
Heaven forbid that any of you would ever invent something without going through the PROTOTYPE stage!!

Lets see some of the readers inventions..

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #13 on:** December 27, 2007, 03:53:27 PM »

If you post a pic of your bike, car, dog, girlfriend etc on the internet, then it's open to comments, both good and bad. If you don't like them, you can only blame yourself. Cheers, Terry.

754 · « **Reply #14 on:** December 27, 2007, 07:25:20 PM »

I realize that, I just want to see some creationds from some of the folks commenting..

Topher · « **Reply #15 on:** December 28, 2007, 07:55:00 AM »

I just got a message from the guy, nice guy. He's actually done something that many of us have only thought about. And I have to say, he's not trying to gouge anyone for the engine.
The motor is mounted directly to the swing arm (he'll have less chain tension problems than a conventional bike).
He charges it with a solar panel while at work.

My question is: what will an Electric Cafe look like?

dustyc · « **Reply #16 on:** December 28, 2007, 08:19:53 AM »

I emailed him about the conversion. He said he's able to do his 26 mile commute, plus a bit more on it and it'll do 55. I was confused by his description of acceleration. Quote: The acceleration is decent, about like the bike was in 3rd gear before. I've seen conversions that were really quick. I guess it's a matter of how much money you spend -just like almost everything else in the world.

I really like the idea of an electric bike, I just have to figure out how to do it for a reasonable amount of money and to make it cheap to run (windmills in the backyard perhaps?)

I saw an E85 conversion at Barber. I thought that was interesting too.

okie · « **Reply #17 on:** December 28, 2007, 08:23:18 AM »

Actually, people making electric bikes is a GOOD thing. Someone converting an Interceptor to electric sold me a set of almost perfect Yoshimura exhausts for my VF500 for $56. The guy never mentioned the brand in the eBay ad. Keep those cheap parts coming.

cleveland · « **Reply #18 on:** December 28, 2007, 10:18:15 AM »

I think it's pretty damn cool! Ugly as sin, but cool none the less.

my78k · « **Reply #19 on:** December 28, 2007, 10:26:06 AM »

very cool...ofcourse I would ditch the tank for the weight savings as well as anything else I didn't neeed. It would help with the acceleration and range for sure...

I would also figure out a way to paint the batteries.

Dennis

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #20 on:** December 28, 2007, 02:23:07 PM »

Yeah, but why would you bother? Why take a big heavy lump like a CB550 rolling chassis, then add a big heavy electric motor and big heavy car batteries to power it?

If we're talking "greenhouse gases" released by his battery charger recharging his batteries every 26+ miles, truth is he's probably not doing squat for the environment, and there are already electric scooters on the market that would weigh far less and give him better mileage?

And of course you can buy some really neat little two stroke bicycle kits that'll give you almost 100 MPG fuel economy, are easier to park and secure (you can take them inside your building) and if you run out of gas, you can ride them like a regular bike, and get fit in the process. Just my opinion, of course.............

cleveland · « **Reply #21 on:** December 28, 2007, 02:49:48 PM »

What did you pay for the kit?

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #22 on:** December 28, 2007, 03:43:20 PM »

Well I paid just under 150 (US) bucks for it? I've seen them on EBay in the US a lot cheaper though. It's really good fun too, I sold that one in the pic to an Army mate and built another one last weekend, with a "zip starter" and centrifugal clutch, we gave it a (alcohol fueled) flogging on Christmas Eve at the BBQ at my place and everyone loved it, it's the bomb! Cheers, Terry.

mark · « **Reply #23 on:** December 28, 2007, 07:01:33 PM »

Quote from: Ichiban 4 on December 27, 2007, 01:58:54 AM

Gosh..

What a waste of a good 550K...engine and bike!

Think that's bad?

Look at what you could do with an Ariel......

Quote from: Ichiban 4 on December 27, 2007, 01:58:54 AM

Why didn't he do it to an old Suzuki 2-stroke?

Because that would suk too.

Quote from: Ichiban 4 on December 27, 2007, 01:58:54 AM

Why didn't he do it to an old Yamaha 2-stroke?

Good question.

A better question.....

Why didn't he use a GoldWing?
One of those could carry 4 or 5 times as many batteries as a 550 - all hidden inside stuff - and without the chain.

Safety? It's got a flippin air bag!

Happy trails.

DarkRider · « **Reply #24 on:** December 28, 2007, 07:59:56 PM »

i just realised how much that air bag looks like an A$$

754 · « **Reply #25 on:** December 28, 2007, 08:01:28 PM »

I got to wonder if that 2 STROKE wannabe Whizzer does not pollute more than the battery chargers..??

mark · « **Reply #26 on:** December 28, 2007, 08:12:28 PM »

Quote from: OutlawZ24 on December 28, 2007, 07:59:56 PM

i just realised how much that air bag looks like an A$$

........ from a Monty Python sketch.... The Man with Three Buttocks

dustyc · « **Reply #27 on:** December 28, 2007, 08:33:59 PM »

I thought it was the rear end of a fat fetish sex doll.

DarkRider · « **Reply #28 on:** December 28, 2007, 10:29:05 PM »

Thank god it doesnt have a brown seam in the middle of it....that would take brown nosing to an all new level in the event of a crash..

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #29 on:** December 29, 2007, 02:50:33 AM »

Quote from: 754 on December 28, 2007, 08:01:28 PM

I got to wonder if that 2 STROKE wannabe Whizzer does not pollute more than the battery chargers..??

Well, I imagine that all gas engines are gonna pollute to some degree, but considering that modern two stroke oils are much cleaner than they were back in the days of Whizzers, (once run in, I use a smoke free Opti-Blue oil that I run at 70:1 fuel/oil ratio in all my small 2 stroke engines) I imagine that it still pollutes, but with around 150 miles per gallon fuel economy (that's this guys daily commute for a week, with a little left over for a run to the pub on a Saturday night all for the price of a gallon of 2 stroke) it's gotta be a hell of a lot better than riding a motorcycle or driving a car.

Also, considering that the "WW" only pollutes while it's actually running (as opposed to battery chargers that are probably running for say, 8 hours overnight to fully re-charge those two big heavy batteries for the next days 26+ mile commute) I'd be reasonably confidant that it'd compare quite favorably to that "lead sled", and while the LS pilot could certainly get some meaningful exercise pushing his several hundred pound machine home if he was unfortunate enough to miscalculate the optimum distance allowed as those truck batteries rapidly discharge, I'd much rather pedal my bike to the nearest gas station, ha ha! Cheers, Terry.

http://cgi.ebay.com/80cc-Motor-bicycle-Motorized-Bike-Gas-Engine-Kits-Moped_W0QQitemZ270198960249QQihZ017QQcategoryZ64647QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Topher · « **Reply #30 on:** December 29, 2007, 08:18:42 AM »

No offense Terry, but what kind of pollution comes out of the battery chargers in Australia? I can charge batteries in my closed shop all day long, but I can only run my bike for a few minutes before I start worrying about taking a dirt nap. As for commuting in Washington DC, where Chris lives, it's just not reasonable to try to navigate traffic on a modified mountain bike. It sounds like he could play with the gear ratio to find a better balance between acceleration and distance. Electric motors have all their torque at 0 rpms. I think in ten years, ALL drag racers will be electric.

I need one of those airbags that comes out of the back of my CB750, just to let someone know when they're too close

dustyc · « **Reply #31 on:** December 29, 2007, 08:32:22 AM »

Here in the states, the last I heard, most of our electricity comes from burning coal, so Terry might be right.

miles nowhere · « **Reply #32 on:** December 29, 2007, 02:50:26 PM »

Quote from: Topher on December 29, 2007, 08:18:42 AM

As for commuting in Washington DC, where Chris lives, it's just not reasonable to try to navigate traffic on a modified mountain bike.

Why not?

Terry in Australia · « **Reply #33 on:** December 29, 2007, 04:27:55 PM »

Ha ha, no offence taken mate, and yeah, I wasn't meaning that the actual battery charger pollutes, I meant the generation of electricity to power the battery charger.............

As far as city commuting on my "Whizzer Wannabe", why not indeed? I was inspired by the hundreds of bicycle commuters I saw in the city (Melbourne) every day, so when I put the first "WW" together, I rode it in and out a few times, and I still would if not for a recent job change that necessitates "freeway only" commuting, and I'm way too chicken to take it on the freeway, ha ha!

In the city, the WW's light weight, narrow profile and superb manueverability was a real bonus, and I was getting around traffic that was bogging down even the bravest motorcycle courier! Cheers, Terry.

edbikerii · « **Reply #34 on:** December 30, 2007, 05:59:20 AM »

Quote from: Terry in Australia on December 29, 2007, 04:27:55 PM

Ha ha, no offence taken mate, and yeah, I wasn't meaning that the actual battery charger pollutes, I meant the generation of electricity to power the battery charger.............

Yeah, and don't forget the chemicals used in the production and disposal of the lead/acid batteries. All the "green" electric vehicle advocates ignore the toll these things take on our environment. We don't know the long-term effects of the newer battery technologies, either.

Topher · « **Reply #35 on:** December 30, 2007, 12:11:52 PM »

That's true, about emerging technologies. However, I'm encouraged by the amount of renewable power we are quietly amassing here in the US. Here in Portland, we have several years worth of wind turbines stacked up at the Port of Portland. They are shipping them as fast as they can install them. This is happening on the east coast too. I am very much a supporter of the the idea that if we are going to pollute, it's easier to control the pollution if it's created in a few places, rather than 150 million places! Also, most of our coal comes from our domestic supply, we don't have to ship it in from somewhere else or depend on another country for our fuel.
One of the prime reasons for purchasing my CB was to reduce pollution. That hasn't really worked out, though. Now instead of my typical 20 mile commute, I can't seem to drive less than 50 miles!
It's an illness.

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Author Topic: An Electric CB550.... (Read 4281 times)

okie