Electric Motorcycle - Book Review

I bought the book Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle by Carl Vogel the other day. The link takes you to Amazon but I bought mine from Edward Hamilton, Bookseller (both places have about the same price but I'm a big fan of Edward Hamilton).

The book is a how-to on converting a regular motorcycle to electric power. The first couple of chapters deal with the energy issues we're currently facing in this country and answers many of the questions that are always brought up about electric powered vehicles such as limited range, emissions and cost of operation. One of the points the author makes is that electric generating facilities are always running whether they need the power or not. You don't fire up a coal fired generating station every time someone turns on the lights. The power plants increase output upon demand but according to Mr. Vogel, you could probably add almost a million electric motorcycles just on the electricity that is normally wasted. That's a pretty good economic argument for switching your scooter to electric power and when I say scooter I mean any size bike. The Electra Cruiser he built is a prime example of a big bike capable of 80 miles per hour. His website deals primarily with bio-diesel but does have a short blurb about the bike.

Chapters 5 & 6 deal with frame geometry, suspension and frame design. Even if you were to build a motorcycle with a gas or diesel engine, the explanations of rake, trail, suspension, and frame design would be worth the price of the book. As a guy who has built or modified quite a few bikes over the years, this is pretty solid information that is not easily accessible or normally, easily understood.

I haven't read the rest of the book yet, but skimming threw it, the remaining chapters deal with component selection, wiring and the actual building process. There is also a list in the back of the book of suppliers, including complete kits to make the conversion. Everything a handy fellow like myself would need to build an electric bike. A builder would either have to be a welder/machinist or have easy (cheap) access to one to keep the cost in check but this is the wave of the future right here folks. You could build a rig like this and ride it to work, sneak an extension cord out the back, recharge during your shift and then scurry on home with almost no mechanical noise whatsoever and have your employer pay for half of your commuting cost. Plug it in again when you get home and your set to go for the next morning for just pennies a day. No oil changes, valve adjustments or trips to the gas station. Just top off the fluid in the battery occasionally and check the chain and tires once in a while.

So far a real good read. I give it a thumbs up.