The "Juice Cafe" Racer
From start to Ton up!

3/12/11 Update: EV Spy Photo?

Dateline, Summerville SC.

An old/new Electric motorcycle was spotted on the roads
in a small neighborhood in South Carolina today. We
tried to get our cameras out to get all of the dirt, but only
got one shot of the flying EV.

“I can see myself getting in trouble
with this motorcycle” stated the rider.
(Name withheld by request)

"This new Motenergy (formally Mars) motor has quite a punch.
 Very smooth power all the way through the torque band."
 
Although the rider would not answer any more
questions, the smile in the helmet said it all.

48 Days and counting!

 

3/13/11 Update: Testing the setup.

I took the Juiced Café motorcycle for some serious testing
to check the load on the battery pack. It accelerated very
well and the lowest I got on a non-fully charged 72 volt
pack was 63 volts (full throttle), well above the 2 volt per cell
danger zone. The final ride will have an 86 volt pack for
starters and then a 90 to 102 volt pack depending on my
need for speed. For an older bike (1979) it handles extremely
well. I felt very confident in the turns and never felt out of control.
I have ridden a 91 GSXR with the same confidence, and this is a
32 year old motorcycle. Balance is the key.

All of the parts we add are placed that way for a reason.

47 days and counting!

 

 3/14/11 Update: Slow night.

Not much got done tonight as I have work obligations to attend to.
I did get a set of foot pegs made and mounted for a better
riding position. I also took measurements for a friend who will be
helping out with the decals for the fairing and tank.

From the example he sent me, it should look great!


46 days and counting!

 

3/15/11 update:  Now for the other stuff.

All of the bikes we have built so far had seats, fairings and other
items that came with the bike. Not so with this racer. We
have new period correct fiberglass from Airtech Streamlining
we need to mount and make work with my 6 foot tall frame.  
This needs to be a light weight racer and still be street legal,
and not “sort of” street legal. I want all of the 4 wheeled drivers
to SEE me on the road.

Tonight I started on the seat pan, rear plastic fender and tail
light mount. I also have to find a person to make a comfortable
but light weight seat for the café racer seat.   

45 days and counting!

3/16/11 Update: Step back and take a break. (and look for some parts! )

I did do some work on the charging circuit, but need a break.
We will be going to Myrtle Beach this weekend to look at a
Electric Bus system for our Community development project
we are starting later this year. It is made by Proterra.

They are based in Colorado, but have a plant here in SC.

We will also be hunting a seat cushion as well as a few small
period correct parts at a large car/motorcycle show. Photos to follow.

Some new small volt meters (one for each battery box) will arrive
tomorrow and I may mount them up before we head out of town.
There is a great place for them on the fiberglass racing tank.

This is about as close to a Battery monitoring system as it gets for me.
I will be able to tell if a particular box has an issue and troubleshoot
if necessary. (or just swap out the box) :) They are waterproof,
extremely light and are a two wire setup. Fun stuff!

 

44 Days and counting!

 

3/17/11 Update: Voltmeters everywhere.

I received the voltmeters and installed them into the fiberglass
tank top. They will not easily be seen by the spectator
right off. They will provide excellent info to the rider.  
The first one in the photo is connected to an old 12v
battery so you get the idea of what they look like.

Their reaction/cycle time is very quick so I should be
able to get a good load reading during a run and see if
there are any problems starting to creep in.

I am going to connect one to a pack over the
weekend and see if there is any measurable drain.

At 3ma, I do not think it will a problem….we will see!    

43 days and counting!

 

3/19/11 Update: Parts Huntin!

We spent the day at the PEE DEE Street rod show in Myrtle Beach
SC to look at old cars and go through the parts vendors that tend
to carry a good amount of electric items. We found several great
items I needed including the illusive copper 2 Gauge ¼” hole
terminal ends. A bag of 25 new pieces went for only 10$
plus a few other needed goodies. That and a fun day of
looking at thousands of really cool Hotrods.

Color look familiar?

Looks like a blower may be in the future for the ole 1929 Model A
we have, if I save a lot of pennies, but that is a different forum!

41 days and counting!

 

3/20/11 Update: More Power!

Today I added the extra battery box to get the Juiced Café
Motorcycle to the 90 volt level.  This made it possible to run
a hard run and only have it drop down to 79 volts.
(3.04 volts per group) I also started replacing the temporary
cables with newly made correct length and size Gauge 2 pieces.

I think paint will soon be the order of the day. Prowler Orange
(like on the 1940 Willis photo in the earlier post) will match nicely.

40 days and counting!

 

3/21/11 Update: Barkeep, a round of cables for everyone!

Tonight I replaced the remaining temporary cables with all 2
gauge units. I crimp and solder all of the big cables. I also added
the mirrors and found out the clip on handle bars were not positioned
correctly for the period correct fiberglass. They had to be moved from
the top to just under the upper clamp of the triple tree.

This motorcycle is a triple threat of a project. First it has to run on
electric power. Second it needs to look like a vintage CB750R with
all of its heritage and factory fiberglass mounted correctly. Lastly
it needs to ride well and fit my 6 foot frame comfortably.

The first part is working. The second and third part are
the next hurdle we must face. Oh, what fun!!

39 days and counting!

 Page 5!