Electric motorcycles are a recent addition to a historic race on a tiny island neatly centered in the Irish Sea between Scotland, Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom and Wales. Its 75,000 inhabitants cluster in villages that look like movie sets of rustic, pre-war England. Manx cats come from the island, tailless little creatures with long back legs that look almost rabbit-like. Bonus fact: Maurice, Robin and Barry Gibb (the Bee Gees) were all born on the Isle of Man. Having so few people to share the 688 miles of roads could make speeding a huge temptation. The two-lane roads are twisty and narrow, though, and even without an official speed limit on many thoroughfares, speeds rarely average over 50 mph. Drivers are limited to that speed for the first two years after they get their license, and it’s the qualifying minimum speed for motorcyclists wanting to compete in the annual race. That means a run around the Snaefell Mountain course …
Motorcyclist Hums with Electric Bike News
One tenet of the CAFE Foundation’s outlook is that electric automobiles will be a major source of the new technology that will make electric aviation a practical reality. Large-scale production numbers for cars mean lower prices, ubiquitous motors and batteries, and demonstrated performance. Motorcycles offer another source for equipment that could see aircraft applications, since cycles share some of the same criteria for success, including light weight, compactness, and high output of both power and torque – especially true in the ultralight and light sport aircraft range. The motorcycle community’s normally lukewarm assessment of the prospects for battery-powered two-wheelers is heated up considerably in the November issue of Motorcyclist, and that bodes well for electric aircraft. Normally crowded with Harley, Ducati, and BMW gas burners, the magazine’s cover features a dynamic rolling shot of the recent Isle of Man electric Tourist Trophy winner. “SHOCKER! The Mind-Bending MOTOCZYSZ E1PC,” the cover blares, “165-MPH TOP SPEED, 135 HORSEPOWER, 250 LB.-FT. OF TORQUE, …