Thanks guys I'll post a few photos. This is an 18 month on going project, which I actually chained up and rode for the first time today. It's a long way from complete, but works. Since I sold my machine and welding service a few years back I don't have the DOM tube bender, mills, lathes etc. to work with on a scratch one off build. So I've designed and farmed out the sheet metal and frame work. Sportsman Flyer's  worked with me to turn out a one off version based on a classic loop frame that is used on their  world record holding Bonneville Flyer gas motorcycles.

The sheet metal "fuel tank" holds the lithium battery and the "oil tank" contains the controller.  Both tanks are much larger than on the gas engine bikes, but have the same classic 1915 style. I'll be running drum brakes front and rear, waiting on the rear to be laced up along with a ribbed, bobbed and duck tail steel fender to cover the 3" wide rear tire.

The intake over exhaust F head case is my take on this motor that most of the early manufacturers ran at one point or another.  It's a full size steel case 1to1 so it's really big and it's heavy about 70 lbs. with the electric installed. The standard dimensions used on the Sportsman Flyer  frames were not even close to holding it. The ground clearance is 4"  thanks to the much deeper loop and the engines center of gravity is now several inches below axle height.

Fuel tank battery box with the 72 V. weighs about 24 lbs. not much different than the 3 & 1/2 gallons of fuel this tank size would hold, and the 48v. battery is only 17 lbs. The reason I mention two different batteries is my case design allows me to quickly switch between  motors without changing out and rewiring the multi-voltage controller or taking the big motor case out of the frame. Peak watts vary with these batteries BMS and controller between 3,000 watts and 7,000 watts, with peak watts about double those numbers. 752 watts to the horsepower is a general but not entirely accurate comparison. Peak watts can only be run for short bursts, few seconds. lot of heat buildup quickly. Think of it like going past the redline and keeping it there with a gas engine only it's not rpm's on the electric it's literally component meltdown. Liquid cooled motors  can greatly help but mine are all air cooled at this time.

This is a single speed reduction drive so, for example, the motor I tested today would be limited to 45 mph with the gearing installed, though it can get there quite quickly. It's the smallest motor coupled to a 48 v. 24 amp lithium battery.

I found some drive line issues that need adjusting so the test  today served it's purpose I'll correct these as I await the rear wheel and fender. No idea how long that will be.

I'll sort though some photos and post later, remember it's not completed and things will change.

Hope all are healthy and not to bored by social distancing.

Rick C.

Update.

One on the Colorado river & the other two just a few miles from the Guadalupe. Flat is good for flooded rice production, but doesn't photograph well!

Working on building a 1915 Harley V-twin F head, inlet over exhaust e-motor. I'm putting it into a board track loop frame. It's a fun project.

Rick C.

What's up Pete? Where you at and where yo heading next?

No that's a straight pulley setup on the HD, single ratio, which is engaged by the hand lever to go & released to idle. The Simplex is variable ratio that assist starts with low gearing and gradually increases to higher ratios required for increased speed. Similar to the operation of CVT drives as Rick mentioned in his post. No need to release the pulley to idle the mechanism does it all...thus the term automatic.

Rick C.

Beautiful work as usual and I hope it gets a trip to Portland!

Rick C.

Thanks I tend to tinker and the 36 tooth sprocket goes on today for lower rpm cruising now that I've got the hub to bring me up to speed from dead stops. The drop from 48 to 36 tooth is a pretty aggressive modification that may bite me on really long steep hills, but the gas engine is tuned and makes over 5 hp on the small engine dyno so I feel there is a chance this will be a successful change. The e-hub has snail pace covered in town which wasn't possible with the tuned 2 stroke, even running a 48 tooth sprocket. It wants to run!

Rick C. 

Hybrid photos