[ViolentBlue]

I've made friends with two of the local forklift repair shops. so I have to options of picking over their used forklift parts. I already got the complete control system for a 48v clark forklift (enough parts for 2 ev control systems I believe) for a steal, I' about to purchase the main drive motor for a 5000lb unit for a song (very big motor) and I can get the hydraulic pump motors for even less.

What should I be on the lookout for, to convert a street bike to electric?
I've not previously had a Motorcycle license, but would like to have a bike for zipping around town. not looking to replicate the highway speeds of a streetbike, but stop and go traffic with a range of about 20 miles would be great.

Would one of the pump motors be enough, or should I look for something bigger?

[frodus]

whats your budget for a motor, I've got an extra one sitting here, brand new for sale if you're interested. Its just like a K91-4003, advanced DC K99-4007. Using one on my bike, but we probably won't get to the project for another 6 months.

I'd stick with a traction motor, pump motors are made to really stay at higher RPM. Traction motors seem a better choice.

what bike are you considering? what weight? what acceleration?

How heavy is that big motor he's got? Mine is about 60lbs.

[ViolentBlue]

got two of these, I was planning on sticking the pair into my beetle. but I'm starting to think one of the would work nicely in a bike. I'd have to stick them on a scale to see how much they wegh in at, but they'r be better than 60lbs a piece.

the big motor is in the range of 200lbs.

[kek_63]

Those motors look suspiciously like the one I'm working with. 12v out of a Yale 6000lb pallet jack. It appears to pull pretty good at 36v 12:60 gearing.
As you can see the bike is still very much a proof of concept .

[ViolentBlue]

the pair came out of a narrow isle machine, each was connected to redux box which drove a wheel on each side. the motors are probably related, but this was on a 32v (odd voltage) machine. I was intending on running them at 48v

I'm making some calls to see if I can find a street bike with a dead engine and all the plastic body panels. but I'll have to paint it green to match my beetle.

[frodus]

good luck fitting that motor in a bike with fairings... its tricky....

take a look at mine blog.evfr.net its like this bike was MADE for a motor to go there.

[ngrimm]

Originally Posted by ViolentBlue

the pair came out of a narrow isle machine, each was connected to redux box which drove a wheel on each side. the motors are probably related, but this was on a 32v (odd voltage) machine. I was intending on running them at 48v

I'm making some calls to see if I can find a street bike with a dead engine and all the plastic body panels. but I'll have to paint it green to match my beetle.

So what is the length of your motors? I am using a similar one in my Ninja but my motor may be a little longer at 10.5" and it only extends about an inch outside the frame on the non sprocket side. Mine had a similar gear on it but was unable to find anything that fit the splines on the shaft so I cut the gear down and welded a sprocket to it. Seems to me yours should work.

Welcome to the site KEK_63! Your conversion is looking good.
Norm

[kek_63]

Not sure about length - mine looks a little shorter though. I know mine has wimpier brushes than the ones Jim H. has for sale. I'll measure when I get out to the shop.

I didn't want to limit myself to one motor sprocket so....

[ViolentBlue]

Originally Posted by ngrimm

Mine had a similar gear on it but was unable to find anything that fit the splines on the shaft so I cut the gear down and welded a sprocket to it. Seems to me yours should work.

Thats what I was thinking too, my biggest concern is the hardness of the material that makes the gear, I'm assuming its hardened steel so cutting it down on my lathe might be an issue, since I've just cot a cheap wimpy lathe.

[kek_63]

Originally Posted by ViolentBlue

Thats what I was thinking too, my biggest concern is the hardness of the material that makes the gear, I'm assuming its hardened steel so cutting it down on my lathe might be an issue, since I've just cot a cheap wimpy lathe.

I went through quite a few (slightly) used carbide inserts to mill the square on mine, but I didn't anneal it either (I wanted to keep the small spline hard). You're working with a bigger gear so you should be able to anneal just the teeth and easily turn it down.