Stealth Electric Monster Chopper

Fully electric powered monster chopper bike with whopping four-foot forks. An integrated hub-motor and battery packs concealed within the fork make this a snazzy, stealthy cruiser that doesn't run on dead iraqis and keeps the canadian hot-tub market healthy!

The main features of this bike are that we used an electric hub-integrated motor, and we used the front fork as the battery compartment.

credits

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metalwork and assembly: saul
battery mounts: dan

Step 1: Parts!

The key ingredient: The Zappy integrated hub-motor. this is the gizmo that inspired and made this project possible! it's an entire 250W electric motor built into the hub of a bike wheel! That makes it super-easy to build any electric vehicle you want, just attach the hub-motor wheel, battery and controller and you're done - no drive train at all.

These hub-motors are standard equipment on the Zappy3 Electric Scooter (http://www.zapworld.com/products/zappyIII_scooter.asp). the entire zappy scooter is about $500, you can scavange everything you need from one of them, or you can order just the hub-motor and electronic controller from Zappy as spare parts, which will run you around $250 i think. The zappy scooter works great, but 3 wheels is SOOOO lame.

The zappy motor is 36V, 250W, and their controller has a key-switch and variable-speed thumb-trigger. By their specs, you'll get about 12 miles on a charge, at a speed of about 12 mph - although there are plenty of options for increasing those numbers.

Comments

[Master of Make-Do]

I love your battery compartment solution! I was contemplating using a similar concept using the tubular frame of a bike or motorcycle to store batteries. I see that you have proven the concept! Good work!

[theRIAA]

you can "overclock" most motors to twice their rated volts and thely work fine (just run hot and noisy) ...spend that much money and dont even give it a good pain job???

[bob.smitty]

You can't "overclock" a motor; you overdrive it. It doesn't just run hot and noisy, it's useful life is significantly shortened, both electrically and mecanically.

[askantik]

I'm sort of a noob at this, but how exactly do you charge 30 batteries at once...? Additionally, other than the batteries, do you have any idea how much more this might weigh than a non-modded bike? I'm looking at doing your same project but on a regular bike. Probably going to mount the batteries in a weather-proof box on a rear rack or something.

[dan]

you just connect a 36v charger. multiply D cell weight by 36, what else is going to add weight?

[bob.smitty]

I don't know... maybe that massive wheel looking motor you put up front and all that stuff you added to hold it in place?

[askantik]

Sorry to be such a noob again, but where do you get a 36v charger? I mean, I know what you are talking about, just not sure where to get one. I guess my question about the weight was kind of dumb, I could just look up how much one of those batteries weighs. :P

[nedfunnell]

If you really want to use NiMH batteries, you can use an Astroflight charger. Look for a 112D or similar. Note that the charger needs 12v to operate, so you'll need either a big 12v power supply, or a car battery and charger. If you're not going to put your battery inside the tubes, though, it would probably be easier and a LOT cheaper not to use NiMH and go with SLA batteries. Yes, they weigh more, but they cost much less and if you don't need to shave every ounce, the extra expenditure for NiMH is not worth it, IMHO.

[firehazrd]

good work. i want an electric something or other sooo bad!

[Disconnected]

How far will it go before batteries run down? How fast will it go?

[asdee123]

where do u get the motor?

[subkontrabob]

Is there a way of making the motor charge the battery when going downhill?

[I smell bacon]

haha, that would be soooooo cool. maybe if you had a similar electric system as one of those wind up torches, and something on the wheel. That bike has cool as wheels.

[omnibot]

Oooohhh ! It's nice. I like. Here's a tech-question : Seeing as it's been a while since you made it. Have you noticed any problems with the batteries? Are you charging them Paralell or Serial? I'm asuming serial so How is that effecting batteries and charging? Thinking that paralell charging would be faster and I'm worried about serial charging causing overheating or other problems in the first couple of batteries.

[RedBeardatXMission]

Lead acid batteries are only polluting if you don't recycle them. There is a very profitable business in recycling them.

[Phoghat]

I have got to make me one of these! I've only got about a 1 1/2 mile commute and if I make it with higher voltage it will be quicker than driving.

[TheCheese9921]

HOLY s#@* THATS A CRAPPLOAD OF D-CELLS WHY NOT JUST USE A RECHARCHABLE???

[BeatJunkie]

His D-Cells *are* rechargeables. He wanted batteries that he could hide in the forks, instead of having an obvious battery box, and he mentioned that NiMH cells are more environmentally friendly than lead acid batteries. Nice trick!

Regarding environmental friendliness of batteries in general -- both lead acid and NiMH cells should be taken to a battery vendor at the end of their lives for recycling. Same goes for NiCad and Li-ion.

[wombat7]

american choppers look out! as always video please. nice work!

[austin]

that pretty neat too bad the motor and such is so expensive. Perhaps i can find a surplus part or find something in a junkyard