A motorcycle major has launched a new model to compete in mid-segment motorcycles below 750cc.
Even as Electric two-wheeler and four-wheeler demands keep increasing, why would people still want some ICE engines?
How & why global net zero emissions and electrified vehicles cannot be achieved as simply as signing international agreements? Apart from few options to generate electricity, its not really developing nations’ vehicles that consume most fuel.
Road tripping on your bike is an excellent way for celebrating your love of riding
Are you planning a motorcycle road trip? Then you’re in for an enjoyable time. Road tripping on your bike is an excellent way to visit scenic locations while celebrating your love for riding.
However, bringing all the necessary supplies on your trip is essential to having the best experience. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of all of the most critical items you’ll need for your trip. Read on to learn our ultimate motorcycle road trip packing list.
If unfortunately, you ever find yourself a motorcycle accident victim, you can call Law Tigers team at 1-888-863-7216 for assistance. Tell them Bikernet.com sent ya.
By Bandit, the Lowbrow Team and Anthony Todd from J&P Cycles
We found ourselves in the battery market again recently. We ran into a couple of issues. First, trying to fit a battery into an almost stock 1948 center oil tank. Lowbrow has an option, but it involved a very small anti-gravity lithium battery. Unfortunately, they were out of stock. Plus, they didn’t have a gel option. They did have a cool, stock, replica battery case.
I did find a stock replacement battery but only in 6 Volt. I needed a 12-Volt unit for my 1948 UL. It had been modified for a 12-Volt system. Then the Lowbrow crew came up with this handy battery guide, so I thought I would share it with an article by Anthony Todd, of J&P Cycles, about testing charging systems.
I went to J&P Cycles, but they don’t list battery dimensions on their website. I would think that would be a major drawback to sales, especially involving custom bikes. We all face custom oil bags with odd size battery holes. Or worse, we have limited space for a battery and need to adapt. We need to know the dimensions. Let’s roll through the Lowbrow report.
The development of motorcycle batteries has really advanced in recent years. Back in-the-day a conventional motorcycle battery with an acid pack was the standard. You would open the top caps, pour in your acid pack, and throw it on a charger for 24 hours. This was the typical process for a lead acid classic motorcycle battery.
There are a variety of types of motorcycle batteries for you to choose from these days. AGM maintenance free batteries, Gel AGM batteries, and Lithium motorcycle batteries are all on the market.
World’s Fastest Electric Motorcycle Has Been Upgraded, Wants to Break Its Own Records
from https://www.autoevolution.com by Cristina Mircea
The fastest electric motorcycle in the world aims to become even faster. Voxan recently unveiled its new and improved Wattman.
Venturi-owned electric motorcycle brand Voxan designed the Wattman with one goal in mind: to set new world speed records. The bike was initially supposed to prove its abilities on the biggest salt flat on Earth, in Bolivia. However, the global health crisis changed everyone’s plans, and the Wattman had to settle for breaking 11 world speed records on the runway at the Chateauroux airfield in France. Nevertheless, it achieved an incredible speed of 408 kph (253.5 mph), with world champion Max Biaggi at the helm.
But that was in the fall of 2020, and Voxan knows there’s always room for improvement. That is why the company announced a new version of the Wattman, which has just kicked off its first ultra-high-speed tests at Space Florida’s Launch and Landing Facility (Kennedy Space Center), one of the longest runways in the world, with a length of 15,000 ft (4.5 km).
Voxan brought some significant upgrades to the new Wattman in terms of weight, stability, and power. This new version weighs under 300 kg (661 lb), allowing it to compete in a new category. Voxan used a new battery design for its latest bike, both mechanical and electric, created in partnership with French manufacturer Saft.
Stability has been improved with the new Wattman, as the modified motorcycle now features an increased wheelbase of 1,957 mm (77 in) from 1,800 mm (70.8 in) with the previous version. The seat height has also been increased from 610 mm (24 in) to 685 mm (26.9 in). Voxan equipped the bike with custom-designed Michelin tires tailored to endure extremely high speeds.
In terms of performance, the new Wattman, which relies on the Mercedes EQ Formula E powertrain, can now deliver powers of 320 kW (429 HP), as opposed to 270 kW (362 HP), for the previous version. As for the torque, it has also increased at 1,360 Nm.
If everything goes according to schedule, the new Wattman will once again attempt to break its own records within the first six months of 2022.
PRESS RELEASE – 15 NOVEMBER 2021
Electric motorcycle brand Voxan, owned by high-performance electric vehicle specialist Venturi, presents the new Wattman. With world champion Max Biaggi at the controls, the brand is setting out to conquer yet more world speed records.
Closer to the stars
The Voxan Wattman was initially due to make its attempts on a Bolivian salt flat in July 2020, but the pandemic made travel impossible, and so it was on the runway at the Châteauroux airfield in France that the team broke 11 world speed records a year ago.
Asphalt proved to be an interesting surface, so the Wattman – modified accordingly – will continue its schedule on another strip. This time, the venue will be the Space Florida’s Launch and Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center (Florida, USA), where, from Monday 15 November, the first ultra-high-speed tests will get underway.
Weight – stability – power
The Wattman is now under 300 kilos in weight, allowing it to compete in this category. The weight difference is primarily down to a new Voxan-Saft battery design, which is both mechanical and electric. Saft, the French subsidiary of TotalEnergies, specialises particularly in high-performance, very high-power batteries. The pouch cells used make it possible to increase the batteries’ power by nearly 80 times, compared with around 10 times for standard products on the market. They are assembled in modules, enabling cooling to be managed with a recently patented process, resulting in an ultra-compact construction.
The bike continues to rely on the Mercedes EQ Formula E powertrain, which delivers power of 320 kW (compared with 270 kW for the previous version) and offers torque of 1,360 Nm.
Other notable differences compared with the previous Wattman include the motorcycle’s dimensions: to improve stability and air penetration, the wheelbase has been increased to 1,957 mm (from 1,800 mm previously) and the seat height is now 685 mm (up from 610 mm). In the event of significant crosswinds, the team will now have the flexibility to add a fairing that cuts wind resistance.
As for the tyres, longstanding partner Michelin has worked on designs specifically tailored to this challenge. The front 120/70-17 is a tyre from the MICHELIN Power GP range, which has been modified to tolerate extremely high speeds. For the rear 190/55-17, Michelin has relied on technology that has been proven in MotoGP to develop a tyre with improved grip. The challenge was to channel all of the extraordinary torque delivered by the Wattman’s electric engine, allowing the motorcycle to accelerate as fast as possible without skidding.
Once the new Wattman is ready, further world record attempts will be made – certainly within the first six months of 2022. As they did last year, Max Biaggi and Voxan will seek to beat the clock with two types of motorcycles in two separate categories: “partially streamlined” (traditional sports bike) and “naked” (roadster with no streamlined elements).
MILAN (Reuters) – Italian scooter maker Piaggio said on Monday it had set up a consortium with Honda Motor Co., KTM AG and Yamaha Motor Co. to encourage the use of swappable batteries for electric motorcycles and light electric vehicles.
The Swappable Batteries Motorcycle Consortium (SBMC) aims to broaden the use of light electric vehicles, such as scooters, mopeds and motorcycles, and support a more sustainable management of their batteries, a joint statement said.
It will focus on issues such as battery life, recharging times, infrastructure and costs and will work on defining international standard technical specifications for swappable batteries.
The companies in the consortium said they welcomed others joining them to extend standards to as many companies as possible.
“Urban mobility is going through a delicate transition moment towards electrification. Thanks to this consortium, motorbikes will keep their key role,” Piaggio Chief of Strategy and Product Michele Colaninno said.
Honda’s Motorcycle Operations Chief Officer Yoshishige Nomura said the consortium’s objectives aimed to make electric motorbikes more convenient for clients, as their “use on large scale can substantially contribute to the creation of a more sustainable society”.
Piaggio Group owns iconic two-wheeler brands such as Vespa, Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, among others.
The current electric movement is extending further than anyone may have previously imagined. One company pushing electric speed limits is Delfast with their most recent speed record setting action at Bonneville Speed Week 2021.
If you haven’t heard of Delfast yet, it’s time to catch up as this team is breaking all kinds of barriers. Since the Ukrainian-based manufacturer of e-bikes set a Guinness World Record for “Longest Range” back in 2017, the company has fallen under the attention of many a circle, even providing their EVs to police forces around the world.
Their most recent achievement, and one worth the attention, is their newest speed record achievement at Bonneville. Now, they did go out there with an e-bike, but alongside said e-bike, with an electric motorcycle based on a previous Bonneville visitor, the “Dnepr Electric” motorcycle from back in 2018. This bike set the record at 104.78 mph (168.62 kph) in the “A” Omega category.
The rider of the vehicle back in 2018 was Serhii Malyk, a Ukrainian racer and multiple title champion that just so happens to love hanging out at Bonneville and kicking up salt on just about anything that’s fast.
Ever heard of Dnepr? Well, this Soviet-ran manufacturer’s history began before WWII. However, it wasn’t until 1952 that the company ran full steam ahead. With a design focused primarily on military use, these puppies are still found today, some still sporting the sidecars of their time.
What really brought fame to this brand was their attempt in copying an existing motorcycle design, the BMW R-71. Without any apparent documentation, Soviet engineers decided to copy the BMW model. With a 22 hp engine, four speeds, and shaft drive, the Soviet’s named it the M-72.
Well, a most recent acquisition of the Dnepr trademark and all intellectual property rights by Delfast has granted the Ukrainian manufacturer the ability to step into the electric motorcycle game. After all, how else are you going to “grow” a business?
With this eye on the EV revolution, Delfast has taken the previous Dnepr Electric motorcycle, and upgraded the version to include an updated controller, and most importantly, a synchro motor inclusive of permanent magnets. Overall, it’s cranking out a top 100 kW of juice, the equivalent to 134 horsepower. However, Delfast states a top 136 horsepower output in their press release.
Honestly, at this point, it doesn’t even matter. Why? Because they did it! They set a new record speed of 107.2 mph (172.52 kph), near 3 mph (4.82 kph) faster than the record. Sure, it may not seem like much, but those extra two-something miles are proof that the work and tech this team is developing is on the right track. For this ride, Serhii was the choice pilot once again. After all, he seems to have the most experience with this bike.
What does all this mean for Delfast and Dnepr? Well, for Delfast it means a new era of electric research, one that falls into an existing category of vehicles, motorcycles, allowing them to really accelerate their growth, and for Dnepr it means the brand continues to live on. Win-win if you ask me. From here, there’s only one way to go; back to Bonneville next year, with a bigger, better, stronger, faster machine. Can’t wait to see what electric motorcycle they’ll be showcasing for road use.
At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) back in 2020, battery maker NAWA Technologies presented what it called back then the Racer. It was a motorcycle concept designed to showcase the company’s newest idea for a battery. More than a year has passed since then, and now we’re finally getting word of a fully rideable dynamic prototype being in the works.
That means that yes, we will not be getting a production run of the two-wheeler, at least not for now. Yet NAWA is determined to show its technological innovation has its merits, and if it succeeds, we might get to see it integrated into other electric motorcycles.
But what does the company do differently? Well, it doesn’t use a standalone lithium-ion battery but somehow integrates it with ultracapacitors. By doing so, the company promises increases in energy efficiency and battery lifetime while reducing charging times.
We’re not told in numbers what exactly that means, but the French do say the NAWACap, as it calls the tech, should provide ten times more power and five times more energy than existing ultracapacitors. The size of the battery is reduced by half, while range doubles, we’re told, although we have no idea compared to what.
The bike NAWA will be making together with AKKA Technologies, Pronergy, FAAR, and YSY Group will have an aluminum body that will integrate the battery into the chassis, thus removing the frame out of the equation. It will move along thanks to an in-wheel motor.
NAWA says the demonstrator should be ready to roll in a few months. If successful, the tech (the world’s first hybrid battery system, as the company describes it) might be adopted by others, especially considering how it has been designed to be scalable. What’s more interesting is that it could probably be adapted for cars as well, not only electric motorcycles.
Longer lasting, lightweight and more environmentally sound than conventional batteries
Ponta Vedre, FL (May 4, 2021) — E3 Spark Plugs, the makers of the patented DiamondFIRE Technology spark plug, announces the introduction of a new line of lithium phosphate powersports batteries. Born from cutting edge nano-scale materials, E3 Lithium promises to redefine power delivery in the powersports world.
“We are extremely excited to bring the most powerful, most economical lithium powersports battery on the market today to enthusiasts everywhere,” said E3 Vice President of Motorsports & Business Development, Rob Fisher. “These batteries are durable, ultra-lightweight and incredibly powerful. Plus, they are designed to deliver years of exceptional performance which we back up with an industry first 5 year warranty.”
Initially the product line features eight offerings, ranging in power output from 140 to 760 Cold Cranking Amps and covering a wide range of applications including motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs, side-by-sides, snowmobiles, personal watercraft and more.
Some of the performance benefits of the E3 Lithium line of powersports batteries include:
80% lighter than traditional batteries
3x longer life than traditional batteries
Charges much faster than traditional batteries
Delivers much quicker starts than traditional batteries
IP 66 Environmental Rating (pressure washer friendly)
Mounts in any position
Environmentally friendly
E3 Lithium Batteries feature an integrated Battery Management System (BMS) that maintains constant cell balancing to ensure that the output of the individual lithium packs inside the battery maintain equal output and charge levels at all times. In addition, the BMS offers the following model specific attributes to ensure years of trouble-free power delivery from your E3 Lithium Battery.
Overcharge Protection
Over-Discharge Protection
Short Circuit Protection
Excessive Cranking Protection
Built In Cell Balancing Technology
LED Battery Fault Light Indicator (select models only)
The MSRP starts at $160.00; which makes this line the lightest, most powerful and best value lithium battery line in its class.
About E3
E3 Spark Plugs with patented DiamondFIRE technology, developed and validated by researchers from leading engineering universities, improves combustion efficiency for maximum performance. As one of the leading spark plug companies in the United States, E3 manufactures a complete line of spark plugs for automotive, small engine, powersports and racing applications. In 2016, E3 expanded the company’s product line to include distributors, spark plug wires, coils and 02 sensors under the company’s DiamondFIRE brand. The DiamondFIRE line of ignition products firmly entrenches E3’s commitment to the automotive high performance and racing industry. For more information about E3 ignition products, visit e3sparkplugs.com, or follow E3 on Facebook.
The Swappable Battery Consortium for Electric Motorcycles (Consortium) has reached an agreement to standardize swappable batteries and replacement systems, allowing battery sharing and paving the way for increased adoption of electric motorcycles in Japan.
The Consortium was established by Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., Suzuki Motor Corporation and Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. in April 2019, aimed at increasing the adoption of electric motorcycles in Japan. Since its inception, the Consortium has been formulating the standards for mutual-use swappable batteries and their replacement systems, as a solution to the issues preventing widespread adoption of electric motorcycles as a more environmentally friendly and convenient form of mobility – the drive range and reduction of charging time. In order to establish the convenience and effectiveness of mutual-use swappable batteries, the Consortium has been cooperating since last year with the “e-Yan OSAKA” field tests conducted by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association’s Electric Motorcycle Promotion Subcommittee in collaboration with Osaka Prefecture and the national university corporation Osaka University, aimed at popularizing and increasing the adoption of environmentally-friendly electric motorcycles.
Parts of the common specifications agreed upon are compliant with the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, Inc. Organization (JASO) technical paper TP21003 issued on March 19. The Consortium will conduct technical verification and standardization of mutual-use swappable batteries, based on these common specifications. With the heightening worldwide demand for the electrification of mobility to realize a carbon-neutral society, the Consortium will work hand in hand with the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association to realize international mutual-use (international standardization).
As environmental awareness increases globally, the Consortium believes that cooperative consideration and promotion within the entire motorcycle industry, to build an environment for widespread adoption within the motorcycle industry, is vital to motorcycles continuing to be the customers’ mobility of choice, and aims to contribute to the realization of a carbon-neutral society.
Noriaki Abe | Consortium Representative Secretary, and Managing Officer, Motorcycle Operations, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. said:
“This agreement for the standardization of mutual-use batteries is an achievement made possible through the four Japanese motorcycle manufacturers working together over the past two years. I am grateful to all those associated with the Consortium and the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, Inc. for their understanding and support. While we will continue cooperation to build an environment allowing battery mutual-use based on our agreement, we will also be competing with each other to develop attractive products that meet the needs of our customers. Through our efforts in both cooperation and competition, we will work towards the widespread adoption of electric motorcycles to realize a sustainable society.”
The consortium will define the standardised technical specifications of the swappable battery system for vehicles belonging to the L-category, mopeds, motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles.
Piaggio Group on Monday said it has signed a letter of intent with KTM AG, Honda Motor and Yamaha Motor to set up a Swappable Batteries Consortium for motorcycles and light electric vehicles.
The consortium will define the standardised technical specifications of the swappable battery system for vehicles belonging to the L-category: mopeds, motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles.
The companies will be working closely with interested stakeholders and national, European and international standardisation bodies. The founding members of the consortium will be involved in the creation of international technical standards. The Consortium will start its activities in May 2021.
In the context of the Paris Climate Agreement and the transition to electromobility, the founding members of the consortium believe that the availability of a standardised swappable battery system would both promote the widespread use of light electric vehicles and contribute to a more sustainable life-cycle management of batteries used in the transport sector, the companies said in a joint statement.
Also, by extending the range, shortening the charging time and lowering vehicle and infrastructure costs, the manufacturers will try to answer customers’ main concerns regarding the future of electromobility.
Michele Colaninno, Piaggio Group chief of strategy and product, commented, “With the signing of this letter of intent, the signatories show their proactiveness vis-à-vis the major concerns of their customers and the political priorities as regards the electrification of vehicles.”
An international standard for the swappable batteries system will make this technology efficient and at the disposal of the consumers, added Michele Colaninno.
PRESS RELEASE – 15 NOVEMBER 2021
