Author Topic: An Electric CB550.... (Read 4069 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$$

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Author Topic: An Electric CB550.... (Read 4069 times)

okie