Current Electric Motorcycles on the Market • The R-30 will no longer have an alarm or a kickstand on-and-off relay that proved to be unreliable in the first production and became a common problem because of shipping. The top priority is reliability. The kill switch will remain as a safety feature. The alarm is replaced with a stainless steel disc brake lock included with the purchase. • A windshield assembly kit ($75) and a trunk assembly kit ($125) are optional and must be ordered separately. The trunk comes in only one color: black. • The 2009 R-30 model has superior heavy-duty rear air shock absorbers and significantly stronger front shock absorbers that provide a smoother ride. • The front and rear coated disc brakes are of much better quality and fit; they are also DOT-compliant. • The bike has graduated to an advanced dc-to-dc converter (60–12 V) with an inline fuse for added safety and the ability to handle higher peak current. • The new extra tough harness is made to European standards, shielded for ultrasound frequencies, simplified for functionality, and better color-coded to ensure continuity and easier maintenance. • The dash now contains a speedometer/odometer with both mph and km/h with European standards of accuracy and a fiberoptics glowing needle. • The R-30 comes with the much-awaited SmartSpark battery equalizer (made in the United States) for 60 V with LED lights, which maintains the batteries precisely balanced during both charging and discharging, thereby significantly increasing the life of the batteries. It is also able to monitor the condition of each battery and detect if one is not functioning properly. • The rest of the R-30 is much the same in appearance, although it now has more clearance under the frame and battery box owing to the new shocks. The R-30 still has the 5 3 12-V, 35-Ah sealed lead-acid battery pack as well as DOT lights throughout. • The company is equipping all the 2009 models with an improved Soneil International, Ltd., of Canada automatic 60-V charger.
Summary There are many types of electric motorcycles on the market today. However, conversion is the best alternative because it costs less than either buying readymade or building from scratch, takes only a little more time than buying readymade, and is technically within everyone’s reach (certainly with the help of a local mechanic and absolutely with the help of an EV conversion shop). Conversion is also easiest from the labor standpoint. You buy the existing internal combustion vehicle chassis you like (certain chassis types are easier and better to convert than others), install an electric motor, and save a bundle. It’s really quite simple. Chapter 10 covers the steps in detail.
61