Weald EVT, a division of Weald Group, has been set up for this exciting development project. The site will follow progress of the design, construction, and test of an electric motorcycle. The first build will showcase the technology and will be built for drag racing, aiming at a standing ¼-mile run in approximately 12 seconds. If you would like to feature our story in your print or broadcast media we would welcome the opportunity. Please contact Phil Edwards on 01825 761890, or our PR team at Cathy Watson Associates on 01825 760102.
Feb 2010 As it stands, we have the rolling chassis, which still has the petrol engine in place. As soon as the engine is removed dimensions can be taken for the motor and battery locations, and CAD models prepared for modifying the frame. Here is the starting point before removing the engine and ancilliaries (click images to see a larger file)...
Or check this page for videos... HERE
I'll take some key dimensions with the engine in place (position of drive sprocket for example) which will help with the positioning of the electric motor and then get the engine, exhaust, wiring etc. out of the way ready to put the bike up on the work table and start measuring up the space. The space available will be modelled on CAD and I can lay out the battery and motor positions.
Had a really useful meeting with Steve at Jozzbikes to discuss the technology. Incredibly knowledgeable chap who gave me some good pointers about products.
Made up cardboard models of the motor (Agni 95R), the motor controller (based on Kelly KDH12121E), the Battery Management System, and the Battery Pack. I'm considering using a pack of Turnigy cells giving about 35Kw/h - hope I can get away withe that as the pack fits nicely in a 5S7P arrangement. Will look more closely at that in a week or so.
I made a cardboard mounting plate that picks up on the engine mount fixings. If it works out it'll fit in very nicely. Here are the template, plus the mounting point dimensions.
Here are the overall dimensions of the main frame points. I'll use these to get the geometry right and to make sure the motor mount is pretty well in line with the rear wheel/swingarm pivot. The motor drive will have to be about 100mm further forward than it is on the stock bike.
20 March 2010: My contact at Mavizen has been busy preparing a couple of bikes and taking them to a test session at Monza recently, so I've been doing some running gear preparation and fitting whilst I await his return and discussion on the battery and motor arrangement.
April 2010: Got a set of rear-set footrests from a 2003 Yamaha R1, which weigh a lot less than the stock ones and will allow a more aerodynamic position, as will the Replicast Pedrosa RC250 bodywork which you can see them in video 6.
A number of updates have been strung out over the remainder of April. I have now worked out the design for the footrest brackets and made those in flat ali bar. I have sorted out the rear brake master cylinder. I've worked out the fairing and seat mountings, the fairing mounting is almost complete (just need a couple of nylon spacers turned), and to make up the seat rear support posts. Will soon put some paint on the body.
On the drive side of things, I've sourced a pair of Agni 95R's, and looked again at the cells. For ease of packaging, I'm using 40 Turnigy cells in 5S8P arrangement. Will make a model of the 5 x 8 modules and work out fitting them into a case.
My bike-lift is built and installed. A finally, a few more pictures (click on each to enlarge)...
motor mount plate 1 motor mount plate 1 LH rearset footrest RH rearset footrest motor/battery space
May 2010: Quite a bit of progress, unfortunately not a lot to photograph as the bike's in lots of bits now!
Paint now applied to the fairing, seat/tail, and dummy petrol tank. Flatted down and polished and looks good. I've stripped most of the frame down ready for welding in some cross-bracing (to stiffen it up as the mass of the engine block isn't there any more (obviously). I've had a few spacers turned for mounting rearsets etc, and am just painting the wheels.
Picked up the 2 Agni motors, and have ordered the motor mounting plates. Once I've got those I shall set up the motors, then get the frame braced and painted, and rebuild with fresh bearings and seals. I've made models of the battery packs too.
June 2010: Motor mount plates drilled and fitted. Just need to get the motor location hole accurately bored to locate on the face bearing so that both motors are in-line to reduce stress on the couplings and shafts. Here they are bolted into place...
and here with the motor offered up...
I have also made up the seat rear mounting pillars ready to be welded into place, and finished painting all the components, so I can pack away my paint booth for now (which will free up some much-needed workshop space).
Motor mount plates now returned from machining and offered up to the frame. Checked alignment of the motor plate to work out the size of the spacers, by setting up a string line down the centre of the bike and measuring the parallelism of the LH motor plate relative to the centre-line of the bike. Once this was set (within a millimetre of parallel) I then set the RH plate parallel to the LH plate and checked the distance betwen the plates (to make some stand-offs) and again determined the spacer thicknesses required between the plate and the frame mounting pick-ups. Here we are in the midst of doing this - it took a while to get it accurate...
string line at front plate setup with straight edge string line at rear
Motor bolted to LH plate view from rear view showing drive gear
Frame welding is now complete - cross-bracing on the main frame and the seat location pillars at the rear. Battery models being offered up for size. I intend to use 5 battery packs, but am making space for 6 so I can add one more if I wish to. Space is tight though, so I decided to move the LH motor plate to the outside of the frame members as I really need the space between the motor plates for battery access. I'll need a longer coupling between the motors but that's not a problem.
Cross-bracing Seat pillars 6 'battery packs' 3 lower 'battery packs'
The lower battery pack will have to be raised into the frame from below, the upper set will fit from the RH side. It looks like there should be room for a fourth battery in the lower set, but the frame downtubes narrow as they go up and it will be very tight to fit a battery there. I'd like to, to keep weight low down, but am aware that all these battery packs have got to be connected up and I don't want to skimp on space as I know the connections will take up quite a bit of space to do it safely and reliably.
Strip down of frame now finished - see pics below. The swing-arm will be sent taken away for lengthening, whilst the bare frame will get a fresh coat of paint and then we start to build up the finished bike.
July 2010: The build starts here, and it's all gone orange... 
Interesting news on the newly released high energy-density Turnigy Nano-Tech cells which, although more expensive, pack a lot more punch allowing me to reduce the number required (and consequently the weight and space).
New stainless bolts/nuts/washers ordered, lots of aluminium bits polished, de-greasing of bits in readyness for the re-assembly to start...
Discussion with potential manufacturer of GRP battery enclosures - sounds very promising.
Early progress as we build up the front-end and set the bike level and true to mount the motor plates...
Fork yokes Fork Brace Steering head Setting up on stands Plumb lines to align motor
... the motor plates bolted into place... 
Stopped work today for a quick photo and video-shoot with our PR company Cathy Watson Associates who will feature the project on the Uckfield News site as well as circulating a press release to both print and broadcast media.
If you'd like your company featured in our news take a look at the sponsors page to find out how to get involved and be part of the record-breaking story.
HUGE response to the press release. I'm booked to talk on local radio on 9th August, had an interview with the largest local media news group in the South, and took a calll from BBC South-East who want to film the bike as soon as its running.
Started going over my to-do list again as I've committed a date when we can discuss filming...
August 2010: Great write up in The Argus, followed by The Leader, then Kent & Sussex Courier, and the Sussex Express....
At last, most of the suspension and brake parts have arrived so we can get the bike back on its wheels now and set up the brakes. Once it's on its wheels I can finish the detail parts such as the rearset footrests, which I can't do while I need access to the swingarm bolts.
Met with Rob Montgomery, Sales Manager of Quantya Bikes UK, today to discuss our project and look at the Quantya range of off-road bikes.
Got the bike out of the workshop to take a few more pictures...
Here's where I'm really at home, a quick pic of the 'office'... notebook, motor calcs, ruler, zeus book, and a mug of coffee.
NEW! Gallery page now put up with images of the liveried bike, some with me, and some with our daughter, Lucie, upon the bike.
Click on the image below, or HERE to have a look