Just bit the bullet!

rearengine · Mar 27, 2009

I just orderd a kit from Five Flags Motor bikes, Pensecola FL.. 600 watt motor, 36 volt, 12 amp batterys, 50 amp controller.. It's a 20" hub motor, Freewheel, Thumb throttle .. going on my Rans V2.. I would like you guys to tell me what you think about it. The price I think is pretty good @ $400 bucks shipped.. It doesen't have a lot of bells & whistles on it, witch I like.. Let me know what I've got my self in to .. Bill

toytime · Mar 27, 2009

I just paid $120 for two 12/14 amp bats. so I'd say you got a good deal.
36 volts is by far much better than 24 and I'd bet you could go with an extra battery if you wanted.
I'd say you did well.
Jeez, you garage looks tidy-er than my house!

mekano · Mar 27, 2009

Lol, I first thought it was from inside his house!

deacon · Mar 27, 2009

Give the man points for the kit and cleanliness.....

cvpsmith · Mar 28, 2009

That kit does sound like a good deal. Very nice bike, too! I'd love to see a picture of it when you're done...

rearengine · Apr 4, 2009

Got'er done!! Will it's no bullet, but fast enough for an old man.. 20" wheel tops out about 18 mph. Climes hills realy good, that's what I was looking for.. I've only rode it 20 miles so far, I like to pedal along with it. Every thing seems to be working as it should, I modified the rear rack that came with it , so I could mount the batterys down low instead of over the back wheel.. The kit is a W/E ,36v,12ah, 50 amp controller, 600 watt motor.. So far so good !! Bill

deacon · Apr 11, 2009

Please keep us posted on your impressions of the motor. I am thinking about that size if I buy another motor.

commander · Apr 11, 2009

that bike looks Soooooooooooooo comfortable , I could take a nap in it while cruising on a sunny day . haha

if only e-power bikes had the range of a gas engine I would have gotten one along time ago

deacon · Apr 11, 2009

Range is definitely it's biggest drawback for sure. Most of us are willing to sacrifice speed for the convenience but it's the range that is scary. Now if they were to build e cars with interchangeable batteries. If they had stations along the way to switch them out, We could adapt our motors to those kinds of batteries and just ride it for say twenty miles. We could also carry a spare for another twenty miles, then if you needed to go farther just switch out the battery pack at a changing station. Like filling up a bike at the service station.

One day it will happen.

rearengine · Apr 11, 2009

Thanks
Ya it is comfort for sure.. I can't take a reguler bike anymore, This bike hase been the best thing, since sliced bread for me.. I've got a 20" wheel on the rear now,with a Big Apple tire on it, 40lb psi, THe bike sets really low to the ground, and handling is great..I'll take another pic of it with the two 20's on it, after I get the rear fender on it.

Deacon! have you tried a recument ? It's a nice low step over..

I really can't say how far it will go on one charge yet , 8 miles is as far as I have gone round trip to back home, with some pedaling, and no sine of the battery weakening.. All the other trips have been shorter.. It has lot's of torque in that 20" wheel.
It's a 600w motor, what ever that does for it .. I don't know much about electrics.. I'll talk gas all day long with ya though!! I know carrying an extra Qt of gas would be a lot lighter than a extra SLA battery.... Bill

deacon · Apr 11, 2009

NO doubt about the weight... If you have done eight miles on a single set of sla batteries do you know what ah they are. I'd be curious to know. I am trying to get a feel for what these batteries can stand.

How is the motor on the hills have you had any that required that you pedal to climb. I pedal on a lot to keep the speed up, but a few I really have to pedal hard or the bike will bog down completely do you have any of those.

NEAT TIMES · Apr 11, 2009

Hi Bill. Keep Us Posted On Your Build, Thanks For Sharing. Ron

commander · Apr 11, 2009

deacon said:
Range is definitely it's biggest drawback for sure. Most of us are willing to sacrifice speed for the convenience but it's the range that is scary. Now if they were to build e cars with interchangeable batteries. If they had stations along the way to switch them out, We could adapt our motors to those kinds of batteries and just ride it for say twenty miles. We could also carry a spare for another twenty miles, then if you needed to go farther just switch out the battery pack at a changing station. Like filling up a bike at the service station.

One day it will happen.

thats a great idea, but could you imagine how many stations you would need to add to a 500 mile stretch of road just to make e-power worth while for a normal trip to granny's house on the weekends ?

E- power has alot to offer for short commuters and the silence of an e-power vehicle is bliss. but there range keeps me from owning one at all.

deacon · Apr 11, 2009

Yes I doubt one is going to ride any bicycle 500 miles though. At least my butt couldn't take it. Maybe twenty over and twenty back to the next town to visit family. That's about all I could do. Most of us fume guys who did convert have to decide one day how far we are willing to ride even a gasoline bicycle and work toward the best way to go that distance. About twenty miles is all my butt could stand, if that much.

Still I dream of making the ezrider trip. I think all of us do.

commander · Apr 11, 2009

Yea Deacon you are right. But I got one of those nice wide seats and Im going to be getting or making a lower back rest so im even more comfortable. But yea 20 miles is a very good ride weather ur using an e-bike or gas.

rearengine · Apr 11, 2009

Hi all!!
JUst got the rear fender on, I've been out riding this aft.. 12 miles on this charge, batterys show no sine of giving up.. I do pedal along with it, but no hard mashing.. It seems the extra weight keeps your momentum up once you get up to speed,( Could be all in my head ) Faster down hill thats for sure.. Up hill is where the motor is really great.. ( Old knees ya know ).. I have a couple of hills,about 600 yards long that I could just verily clime, using a 30 chain ring & 34 rear cog... With the motor, and Pedaling on the 42 ring up front,and in 7th rear cog, no real hard mashing, the same hills, I go up at 14 /15MPH, no sweat.. That's my story and I'm stickin to it...
Deacon
The battery's are 12Ah 12v 50amp cotroller 600w motor

Neat Times
Nice vintage cars you have, I worked on those mustangs as a ford mechanic when they were new.. the car under cover in the pic is our Chevrollet 65 Corvair Monza..

fasteddy · Apr 12, 2009

Rearengine--My mom had a new 1965 Monza convert. triple black. The bro. and I still talk about it.
He talked the parents into trading it in on a 1969 375hp/396cu. in Chevelle with a 4spd.
We wish we still had the Corvair.
Steve.

deacon · Apr 12, 2009

12 miles on 12ah batteries is outrageously good. I'm not sure I can get 12 miles on my double pack of 12 amp hours, with less than half that much motor. I usually don't pedal at all until I have to though.

I have two modes of travel one is comfort, the other is conservation. In comfort mode I ride throttle wide open and I pedal only when the bike slows way down. In conservation mode, I pedal almost all the time with the throttle set just barely enough to help me along. In conservation coast downhill no power at all. In comfort, I open the throttle and build as much speed as possible downhill so I can let it bleed off going uphill. It makes pulling the hills easier.

It sounds like you have a good motor size for tooling around. I think I will go that large at least next time. Actually after my pusher motor tests, I might just add it to the 250 watt bike. It will cut into my range even more though.

The difference might be in the terrain, or the 36volt pack,or even the more powerful motor not drawing as many amps under normal use. I think I will go 36volt with at least the 600 watt next time.

I do agree about the extra weight and momentum. When I ride for conservation, I go slower but I also coast more since the bike does seem to roll well.

NEAT TIMES · Apr 12, 2009

REARENGINE, CORVAIR = NOW I UNDERSTAND YOUR AVATAR NAME! LOL. YEARS AGO I HAD THOUGHT OF PUTTING A MID ENGINE SBC IN A CORVAIR. IT IS A EASY BUILD. MY AVATAR IS A 70 MACH 1 1970. MY TEXT IS GOING BEHIND GAS BIKES ADD. SO IT MAY READ FUNNY. I CAN`T SEE IF I TYPED 70 TWICE!! ITS GOING ON EBAY SOON, SO I CAN KEEP EATING AND MAYBE BUY ONE OF JIMS CNC HT MOTORS. I HAVE A PAIR OF CORVAIR HEADS AND THE ADAPTERS TO MAKE A AIR BOAT THAT I STARTED 25 YRS AGO, I DON`T THINK IT IS GOING TO GET FINISHED!! LOL. ALSO HAVE A 1972 MACH 1 PRO STREET, NARROWED AND TUBBED WITH A 460 ENG, LEGALLY STREET DRIVEN WITH 18 1/2 " WIDE REAR TIRES. = ANOTHER EBAY CANDIDATE. HAVE A 512 CID STROKER, ALUM HEADS ETC, 11 1/2:1 COMPRISSION. DYNO AT 600 HP WITH PUMP GAS. NEVER INSTALLED, ALSO FOR SALE. AT 70 YRS OLD, I SELDOM DRIVE THEM ANY MORE. ALSO NEED THE GARAGE SPACE FOR BUILDING MAB!! DID YOU SEE MY DIY BELT DRIVE BUILD. IT IS WORKING GREAT. THE FREEWHEEL ON THE AXLE IS A BIG PLUS. LATER, RON daxtit

rearengine · Apr 12, 2009

Deacon ..

I pedal along ,like you say, just enough motor to make easy pedaling, mostly at 12/15 mph.. I coast down hills.. going up hills, I shift down to what ever gear it takes to keep the pedal preasure easy, but helping. I use a lot of motor to get going, I like the ecceleration.. I wish I could tell you how far the battery's would last on one charge, but between the weather, and my lazzyness I haven't gone that far. When I come home I put the charger on right away like they say to do.. Does a 600w motor take less out of the battery's?? Sounds like it would be the other way around .. I know where the throttle usflg

is, that's about it..

NEAT TIMES
FAST EDDY You guys keep up your good work on the great hobby of old cars...
I hope the rest of you on this forum will forgive me for what I have to do....

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