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View Full Version : Will the MRA ever be racing electric motorcycles?



mbohn
November 18th, 2009, 11:32 AM
We've seen them in the Isle of Man. Does that mean they will filter down to the MRA in our lifetime?

It seems like the environmentally-correct thing to do but I can't help think it would take out a lot of the excitement. I can't picture spectators watching an almost-silent bike race. The pits would be pretty quiet too. (We'd use solar-powered tire warmers. Or maybe tires by then won't need temperature at all.)

There is the argument that eventually we will run out of the petroleum feedstocks needed to make gasoline. This is true on the huge scale needed for the general public. But I think for niche markets like racing fuels, there will always be a way to make them.

The torque curve of an electric motor would be an interesting thing to experience, tho.

What do think?

benfoxmra95
November 18th, 2009, 12:07 PM
That's funny, i just reading a thread on the omrra forum about electric bikes in their club.

I don't see them ever replacing the gas engine at least not in my lifetime.

There's still lots of alternative fuels left we can use.

Alcohol maybe? I personally love the benefits of e85 in my supercharged mustang. Good intake tract cooling, low susceptibility to detonation. Although the volume needed can be a problem.

dave.gallant
November 18th, 2009, 02:12 PM
I have been actively looking for a way to race one to be honest....:)

ChickenStrip
November 18th, 2009, 02:40 PM
I've been looking at what it would take to convert a small car into an electric car. The actual motor is reasonably cheap its the batteries and the controller that is pricey. Also the controllers are not designed to be used in that way so I heard they run into problems.

There is an Electric Car dealer in Parker and boulder. Like this one http://www.coloradoautoconnection.com/index.aspx

Shouldn't be too hard to use the components from the electric car for the motorcycle.

GNGSXR
November 21st, 2009, 04:42 PM
There's still lots of alternative fuels left we can use.


Nitromethane 8)

wouldnt the consistency of E85 be too big of headache for tuning? ive heard of E85 being all over the place as far as what the actual ratio of gasoline to corn juice is.

Good seeing you downtown last night Ben!!