OwnerPatrick McKay
Owner's Other EVs2003 Bladez
2012 Custom Croborg
LocationJohannesburg, Gauteng South Africa map
Web/EmailWebPage email image
Vehicle2005 Kona Kahuna
Full suspension mountain bike with a custom built ABS plastic battery box.
MotorCrystalyte x5305 Brushless DC
The 5305 is the hill climber of the Crystalyte range. Lots of torque.
DrivetrainBicycle drivetrain
ControllerCrystalyte 72v48A instant start
The 18 fet model, seems to run more than the claimed 48 amps!
Batteries24 Headway 10AH, 3.20 Volt, Lithium-Ion
The cells are 3.2v 10AH and weigh about 330 grams each. The whole pack weighs about 8kg
System Voltage77 Volts
Charger Headway 5A charger
The charger was supplied by headway. I was lucky enough to get the 5A 550w model instead of the 2A model at no extra cost. This gives me a full charge in 2 hours. I also carry a much smaller and lighter kingpower 3A charger when I do long rides.
HeaterCustom heater, burns calories and increases range.
DC/DC Converter None
InstrumentationCycle analyst
Top Speed40 MPH (64 KPH)
Does about 65km/h on a flat road. 73km/h downhill, 55km/h uphill, pretty much regardless of how steep the hill is.
AccelerationGreat, the 5305 gives a decent shove in the back. I pull away from most cars at intersections. Definitely faster to 50km/h than my 200cc yamaha.
Range30 Miles (48 Kilometers)
My normal riding style means 50km is easy to do. If I use it as a motorcycle then it'll only do 30km The most I've done so far is 68km and I probably would have managed another 6 or 7km before cutout voltage was reached.
Watt Hours/Mile20 Wh/Mile
On a flat road at 45km/h I should do 30Whr/Mile. On the road with my general riding style I average between 10 and 12wh/km. More or less 16 to 20 wh/mile
EV Miles
Current:3,100 Miles (4,987 Kilometers)
Seating Capacity1 adult
Curb Weight80 Pounds (36 Kilograms)
Conversion Time3 months
Conversion Cost$2000 including the used bike.
Additional FeaturesI have an Aurora P7 flashlight with bicycle mount as a headlight. Great light, puts out 900 lumens and has a flashing mode I use in daylight.
I built the battery box out of 3mm ABS plastic using acetone and a mixture of acetone with dissolved ABS as glue. Regular acetone glues fast, but the mixed solution forms a very strong weld like finish.

A full charge costs me under $0.05 in South Africa!

code by jerry