NEM0 - <$1k Electric Dual Sport

[captainslug]

Actually I'm about to switch back the turn signals back to white LEDs behind fluorescent orange acrylic lenses. The amber LEDs just don't seem bright enough to me.
I do need to add reflectors though. Not that I've ever been pulled over for having lacked them.

[captainslug]

Good day followed by a rough night.

Replaced all of the battery pack wire with 6awg with Anderson powerpole connectors because the two-pin connectors were starting to melt.

Went for two 8 mile trips today. The motor was overheating a good deal and it got so hot on the trip back that I had to pull over.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do. I'll have to think about ways to add more effective cooling, or try to find an alternate motor.

[recumpence]

Motor efficiency is such that you can only do just so much without reducing your power pull from it, or moving to a different motor.

With a bike that size, that motor is really too weak. However, the build is so beautiful, I would hate to see it hacked uyp to replace the motor.

I would recommend an RC motor. But, RC controllers take a beating if you cannot pedal first.

Hmm, what other motors are you looking at?

Matt

[captainslug]

Hmm, what other motors are you looking at?

I was looking at the Currie 1000w 36v motor, but no stores stock it at the moment and the shaft on it is way too short.
For now I'm going to try taking my current motor apart, drill a bunch of holes in the steel housing, and add three crossflow or blower fans so I can cool the rotor directly.

If that doesn't work then I'll probably end up using the same motor FrankG has now, albeit in single and at a higher voltage/wattage.

[boostjuice]

Dont buy another underpowered Chinese rubbish motor....it doesn't do the rest of the bike justice.

An RC motor would be a superior choice if the bike was designed around one from the outset, but to maintain similar gearing and layout maybe one of these?

http://www.lmcltd.net/index.php?page=motors-and-generators-2

Don't you think such a quality project deserves a little more quality/costly motor? Your time alone in machining all the lovely parts would definately equate to >$1000. Go on... spoil her

[captainslug]

The MY1020 is full of soot and the epoxy came dislodged from the rotor. I'm going to give up on it and switch to the MY1020Z3, which I will have to add a freewheel adapter to.

Don't you think such a quality project deserves a little more quality/costly motor? Your time alone in machining all the lovely parts would definately equate to >$1000. Go on... spoil her

I don't have that kind of money right now.

[captainslug]

I've made a ton of progress since the last update, but haven't had a camera handy to record any of the specifics. Expect a large update before this weekend.

[voicecoils]

I've made a ton of progress since the last update, but haven't had a camera handy to record any of the specifics. Expect a large update before this weekend.

Looking forward to it captainslug!

You've done an awesome job already.

[recumpence]

Excellent! Keep the pics coming!

I love this build.

Matt

[captainslug]

Here's everything I've done in the past month. I apologize for not being able to take in-progress shots, but my camera took an accidental vacation in China because my boss mistook it for his.

+ I bought a 5/8" ID steel freewheel adapter from Staton Inc.,
+ I used the lathe to bore the ID out to match the motor axle size.
+ The #40 double-D-bore sprocket included with the motor was ground down to make a washer.
+ Washer was then TIG welded onto the freewheel adapter.
+ I drilled the hole pattern into the #35 sprockets, then used a bolt to chuck in the lathe so I could cut out the large center hole.
+ I made a motor-mount plate out of 1/4" polycarbonate, and end brackets out of 1" aluminum square tube.


The sprockets are bolted onto the opposite sides freewheels so I could attach the motors to the motor mount plate at an offset. This allowed me to overlap the gear case of the top motor over the cover of the lower motor.

See below image showing where I had to grind both.

Doing this save me just enough space so that I had more than enough clearance between the frame and the top side of the chain.

I also drilled out and cut square notches in the mounting holes.
I thought I was going to have to offset the brushes 90 degrees to reverse the motors, but it turns out the motors spin the right way around when stock.
Wasted effort on my part, but at least I had the option of reversing them later on.

The problem I have now is that the sprocket on the lower motor isn't engaging enough teeth and slips on the chain. I may have to move the upper motor to the swing arm, or remount the lower motor after rotating the gear box position.

Left to do
1. Fix chain slip
2. Make new brake light
3. Make new turn signals (front and back)
4. Record a video for everyone that has been nagging me to

[drewbird911]

Great Up Date and Project, very nice work! How are you on the <$1,000 point?

[toyguru]

Have you got enough room to add a second chain, have a double sprocket on the bottom motor, have a chain from top motor to bottom motor, and then a chain from bottom motor to rear sprocket?

[captainslug]

Have you got enough room to add a second chain, have a double sprocket on the bottom motor, have a chain from top motor to bottom motor, and then a chain from bottom motor to rear sprocket?

That will actually work, but the sprockets will have to be bolted together onto the freewheel with spacers between them.

Great Up Date and Project, very nice work! How are you on the <$1,000 point?

Over budget by $500.

[toyguru]

That will actually work, but the sprockets will have to be bolted together onto the freewheel with spacers between them.

Seeing what you've built already, I don't think that would be too hard for you

[captainslug]

I'm working on a fake exhaust that is in fact a brake light.

[captainslug]

[captainslug]

The batteries are back in and it's running. I'll record a video sometime soon (have to figure out a camera mount first).



It has A LOT of low-end torque. Climbs hills easily even at 25% throttle.
The motor, gear, and chain drive combination sounds very spacey.

[Malcolm]

Congratulations on such a sharp-looking conversion. I especially like the tail light and the SUV-piercing mudguard

[captainslug]

Any notes on Top speed over level ground???

Went for a test drive this afternoon. Top speed on level ground is 38MPH.
Average speed at 25% throttle is 19MPH.
Not sure what the range is going to be.
I need to add a stronger spring to the drive chain tensioner before I ride it any further.

Are you happy with the free-wheel assembly as posted???

Yes very. It coasts easily and allows me to reach slightly higher speeds downhill.

[vanilla ice]

Stumbled in late on this thread but flippin awesome dual motored bikes.. quadruply so because of the budget!

Are those 600w geared motors?

[captainslug]

Upgraded to much heavier springs on the chain tensioners.


I'm going to install a temperature monitor on one of the motors before I do any further testing. Neither of them were getting anywhere near as hot as the previous motor, but I still want to be able to monitor them.

I'm also probably going to add a fan to the chain guard I will hopefully be making by this weekend.

Are those 600w geared motors?

Correct.

[captainslug]

Bad News, and I need a break from this project.

The lower freewheel is destroyed.
I'm going to have to rethink the drive system a little bit. Probably by switching to having just one freewheel, and using static sprockets to link the two motors.

[vanilla ice]

That sucks dude.

..just one freewheel, and using static sprockets to link the two motors.

That makes sense about the static sprockets, I'm sure it will won't be too bad getting her up again. Keep on keeping on.

I'd love to have an off-road capable torquey 35mph moped, 2HPish.. totally get it man. No its not a 25hp motoXer, it just looks like one. Which is cool, so why not. Moped type functionality and affordability with sharp modern motoX looks, good upgrade platform for later too. Great idea.

[jorhyne1]

Sorry to hear about the bike...

That temperature monitor looks nice, where is it from?

[toyguru]

Sorry to hear about the bike...

That temperature monitor looks nice, where is it from?

It looks like the ones from sure electonics, check out their ebay store. I just ordered a power supply and 30v led display from them, expect them later this week.