If electricity pioneer Nikola Telsa was reincarnated as a Hell's Angel he would almost certainly steal Tony Castley's bike.
The Flynn IT specialist and public servant has designed and handbuilt what is surely the ACT’s hardest accelerating electrical vehicle, a sports racing motorcycle powered by an engine capable of developing 20 kilowatts and fuelled by 120 lithium ion phosphate batteries.
Mr Castley, who described the machine which took three years to design and construct as a labour of love, says it costs him about 41 cents in electricity to complete his 37km daily commute to and from the city.
``Normal bikes are quite economical but this is an order of magnitude cheaper again,'' he said.
The bike was one of many electric transport devices that featured at the Electric Vehicle Festival in Canberra this October.
While the event is an annual event on the Canberra calendar, this year it is an integral part of Spin, the Centenary of Canberra’s month long celebration of the city’s love affair with everything on wheels.
Mr Castley, the treasurer of Electric Vehicles Canberra, attended the inaugural festival in 2009 and has been hooked ever since.
``I like motorbikes and I like electric vehicles,’’ he said. ``This seemed a natural progression.’’
The high voltage commuter, which is built around the frame and superstructure of a 1985 Suzuki RG250 two-stroke racer, shares shed space with the inspired designer’s weekend fun machine, a Suzuki GS 650.
``Before anybody complains that I’ve wrecked a classic bike (making his commuter) I need to point out that it had already donated its engine and gearbox to a go kart project before I got hold of it,’’ he said.
That left the hybridised frame, made partly from cast and partly from extruded aluminium, a clean slate for the electric project. The engine is in the normal position and most of the sophisticated electronics nestle out of sight under the dummy fuel tank.
The end product is five kilograms lighter than the original reciprocating engined bike and does not need a gearbox.
``A petrol engined bike delivers its maximum torque at about 9,500 rpm,’’ Mr Castley said. ``The electric motor produces its torque from start up giving a seamless power curve and smooth constant acceleration.
``The horsepower limits the top speed to about 110km/h but the acceleration is on a par with a 200cc motorbike (which makes it quicker than most cars).’’
A motorcycle enthusiast from an early age, Mr Castley said he had wanted to build an electric motorbike, not something that looked like a plug in scooter or moped.
He is happy with the result, which sports a very professional finish, and is painted in a classic Suzuki blue.
Numerous Canberra and interstate mechanical and electrical specialists assisted with the project and he said the staff at the Dickson Motor Registry had been very supportive when it came time to get the machine complianced for road use.
While that side of the project had not been easy the process was well defined. ``Now that the ground has been broken it should be easier for the next person (who wants to do this),’’ he said.
This article first appeared in The Canberra Times
The Flynn IT specialist and public servant has designed and handbuilt what is surely the ACT’s hardest accelerating electrical vehicle, a sports racing motorcycle powered by an engine capable of developing 20 kilowatts and fuelled by 120 lithium ion phosphate batteries.
Mr Castley, who described the machine which took three years to design and construct as a labour of love, says it costs him about 41 cents in electricity to complete his 37km daily commute to and from the city.
``Normal bikes are quite economical but this is an order of magnitude cheaper again,'' he said.
The bike was one of many electric transport devices that featured at the Electric Vehicle Festival in Canberra this October.
While the event is an annual event on the Canberra calendar, this year it is an integral part of Spin, the Centenary of Canberra’s month long celebration of the city’s love affair with everything on wheels.
Mr Castley, the treasurer of Electric Vehicles Canberra, attended the inaugural festival in 2009 and has been hooked ever since.
``I like motorbikes and I like electric vehicles,’’ he said. ``This seemed a natural progression.’’
The high voltage commuter, which is built around the frame and superstructure of a 1985 Suzuki RG250 two-stroke racer, shares shed space with the inspired designer’s weekend fun machine, a Suzuki GS 650.
``Before anybody complains that I’ve wrecked a classic bike (making his commuter) I need to point out that it had already donated its engine and gearbox to a go kart project before I got hold of it,’’ he said.
That left the hybridised frame, made partly from cast and partly from extruded aluminium, a clean slate for the electric project. The engine is in the normal position and most of the sophisticated electronics nestle out of sight under the dummy fuel tank.
The end product is five kilograms lighter than the original reciprocating engined bike and does not need a gearbox.
``A petrol engined bike delivers its maximum torque at about 9,500 rpm,’’ Mr Castley said. ``The electric motor produces its torque from start up giving a seamless power curve and smooth constant acceleration.
``The horsepower limits the top speed to about 110km/h but the acceleration is on a par with a 200cc motorbike (which makes it quicker than most cars).’’
A motorcycle enthusiast from an early age, Mr Castley said he had wanted to build an electric motorbike, not something that looked like a plug in scooter or moped.
He is happy with the result, which sports a very professional finish, and is painted in a classic Suzuki blue.
Numerous Canberra and interstate mechanical and electrical specialists assisted with the project and he said the staff at the Dickson Motor Registry had been very supportive when it came time to get the machine complianced for road use.
While that side of the project had not been easy the process was well defined. ``Now that the ground has been broken it should be easier for the next person (who wants to do this),’’ he said.
This article first appeared in The Canberra Times