EV Ninja - rear right side view
OwnerMike Bachand
LocationHighlands Ranch, Colorado United States map
Web/EmailWebPage email image
Vehicle1994 Kawasaki Original EX500
Sport bike (theft recovery) conversion
MotorAdvanced DC A89-4001 Series Wound DC
6.7 inches by ~10 inches
At 48 volts it produces 2850 rpm and 6.0 continuous horse power. In my application at 72 volts it produces 6HP and 3940 peak rpms. I expect it somewhere about 85% efficient. An Etek would be less durable, rev higher, and be more
Drivetraindirect chain (525 O ring type) drive 12t/45t for a ratio of 3.75
gearing still seems a bit tall.
ControllerCurtis 1209B-6402
48 to 72 volts input
400 amps (actual measured peak) output
no noise
Batteries6 Optima Yellow Tops, 12.00 Volt, Lead-Acid, AGM
Configured as a 2 + 2 + 2 stack. No regulators or balancers in place, considering parallel charging with soniels.
System Voltage72 Volts
ChargerK and W BC20
HeaterN/A
DC/DC ConverterTDK 34x02192 Model FPD12-4-2-48
DC Input: 48 volts @1.8 amps, DC Output: 12 volts @ 4.2 amps. Too weak to run lights and accessories, so MC type 12v battery installed.
InstrumentationAlmost none. Crude bar type battery guage.
Top Speed72 MPH (115 KPH)
original 14/45 went ~80 MPH for very short periods of time.
AccelerationAdequate, better than almost all cars, no tire smoke,
Range20 Miles (32 Kilometers)
normal riding in hilly terain e.g. Colorado foothills
Watt Hours/MileDon't know
EV Miles
Start:2,100 Miles (3,378 Kilometers)
Current:2,600 Miles (4,183 Kilometers)
Total:500 Miles (804 Kilometers)
Seating Capacity2 adults
Curb Weight540 Pounds (245 Kilograms)
Chassis is 265 equally balanced front to rear without any batteries. Original bike weighed ~420 pounds wet as an ICE.
Tiresstock
I love the jump on and go with no warm up required. When my ICE cycle sits for more than 30 days the gas dries out of the carbs and I have to charge/crank for several minutes to get the vaccum to suck in enough gas to start. Very convenient for quick errands. Amazed at number of things within 10 miles distnace from my house. Have used onboard charger a couple of times when range fell short.

Weight is carried fairly low easy to manage. Fairly simple conversion e.g. No A/C or heater or cooling issues to deal with. EV motorcycles do have space constraints for batteries and the usual weight issues to address. This model has poor ground clearance ~5" due to the 3 layer battery configuration.

code by jerry