Hi everybody, The latest image and the video link ? shows my very first run in my cabin FF. It’s a one-off chassis, following on from what I learnt from electrifying the Phasar and earlier projects in the past, and starting with a fresh sheet of paper, so the only limitation is your imagination, and the mechanical interfacing of the parts, building a dream.
It’s currently fitted with early Honda CBR1000 wheels, forks, brakes and swinging arm. The electric drive motor is from a forklift truck, used for the hydraulic circuit, and is rated at 36v x145amps. This is just a number, and more volts and amps gives more shove, but at approx. 80lb, probably good for 100hp (in short bursts). Note that the motor output shaft has been fitted with an outrigger bearing for support.
The current controller fitted is a Sevcon DC 48v x 450 amps, which is much less than above. The drive is direct, via chain, with just a large rear sprocket for reduction. At the time of the test the bike was also fitted with just two 12v lead acid batteries – just wanted the wheels to go round!

The rear top section is part of another project I built, a road-registered reverse trike, which at one point was fitted with a Suzuki Hayabusa motor. It has now been languishing in a container for God knows how long, and the engine sold on to finance this FF, but I still have four of the original CBR1000 engines as originally fitted to the trike, if I don't also convert it to electric drive. As you can see, the outriggers are a trailing arm set-up and are currently controlled by just a single rear motorcycle shock and a half-ton electric winch, which is also connected to the pivot shaft, to enable retraction. This first chassis is just lashed together to enable me to cut and modify at will, and to enable me to get a workable prototype, and find as many problems as possible before committing further.

The main object at the moment is to get a roughed out body shape, and the outriggers right, and I have several designs I wish to pursue, and a really interesting and a very important part of the entire project.

The electric driveline components are easily swopped over, bar possibly the water cooling if required, apart from their cost. I now have several battery packs to choose from and configure, Then All it needs is a bit of paint, apart from a Hayabusa front wheel to complement the complete rear end that I already have, including the ABS componentry, plus the construction of a pair of Hossack-type forks, for the MK2 Oh, and a large bubble canopy windscreen. I’ll keep you posted. Yours, Dave A.