# Mr Motocross KTM VMX



## RIPPERTON (Jan 26, 2010)

You can never have too many projects is what I always say 
$950 for this 1989 KTM350 GS off FleaBay completely worn out. I would love to know how many km's this bike has done but its certainly lived a full life....as a smoke blowin 2 stroke that is. 
Now its time for some clean livin and to be reborn as an eco dirt bike.
Its not in the off road vehicles section because as a GS enduro bike it has a compliance plate and can be re registered and probably will be engineered and plated and definitely raced in VMX events .
The R1's QuadStack will soon be decomissioned and literally cut in half to make 2 single shaft motors. One for this KTM and the other for a kart or something. Motor goes on the swingarm and miraculously will have enough room as soon as I move the shock bottom linkage forward a bit. Very little mods in this area. The pack will go either side of the main frame under the tank and a 400A Kelly above that.
Top speed will be 80kmh so about a 10;1 double reduction will have to go in like a Quantya but a bit different.


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## Wreck (Aug 1, 2013)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3000W-100KM...974?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item5af3c8e8fe ?


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## RIPPERTON (Jan 26, 2010)

Wreck said:


> http://www.ebay.com/itm/3000W-100KM...974?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item5af3c8e8fe ?


Thats a nice unit but $1700 for 3kW against my $1400 for 50kW is an easy decision, rmbr I already have the lipo cells and motor, just have to get another controller.
Im using the old Enerlands from the R1 42s10p for about 170v


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## Wreck (Aug 1, 2013)

Yeah I have no real experience but thought it might be fun to look at.


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## RIPPERTON (Jan 26, 2010)

Wreck said:


> Yeah I have no real experience but thought it might be fun to look at.


Here is more better
$830USD shipped for 8kW 16 inch
http://www.hs-escooter.com/sdp/1012...inch_Wheel_Motor_for_electric_motorcycle.html


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## Wreck (Aug 1, 2013)

I guess that's how you save 10,000 dollars on an electric motorcycle! Can't wait to see the process and finished product!


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## CarbonRob (Apr 14, 2014)

Updates? How has the project progressed?


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## RIPPERTON (Jan 26, 2010)

CarbonRob said:


> Updates? How has the project progressed?


This is weird, I havnt looked at this thread for months until last night and someone digs it up at the same time.

I have made a prototype twin LiPo pack using the cells out of the R1 that were used in 2011-2012.
This design is intended for a lot of vehicles....
motocross / enduro
posty bike commuter
recumbent streamliner motorcycle
kart.
Anything where the battery pack has to go either side of the main frame or occupant, 
This is one of the twins. 7 layers of 3 series LiPo snaking back and forth with terminals diagonally opposite. So the twins are the same size as the R1 pack 42s 10p. Each individual twin is 21s10p


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## CarbonRob (Apr 14, 2014)

What are those 3 displays? BMS modules? What exactly do they display and how dear are they?


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## RIPPERTON (Jan 26, 2010)

CarbonRob said:


> What are those 3 displays? BMS modules? What exactly do they display and how dear are they?


Just voltage monitoring units.
they have a buzzer if a cell gets low. $13 each from Hobby King.

Are you from the R1 forum (Melbourne ?)


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## sumfoo1 (Mar 16, 2010)

You machined your own motor right?

I want one :-/


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## CarbonRob (Apr 14, 2014)

No, not from the R1 forum. I'm on Endless-Sphere though.


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## RIPPERTON (Jan 26, 2010)

Here we go again with the Motocross bike project. Sold the old one because it wasnt going anywhere and got a
2003 KTM 450 EXC bought off Ebay for $1800 with 3 bike trailer included.
Needs a bit of work but the seller had let it sit in his garage for 3 years with fuel in it !!!!
The jets in the carb were blocked with crud and the inside of the fuel tank was coated with brown crap and a treacle like slime that wouldnt budge.
After trying fuel, Sulphuric acid and carby cleaner, I finally got it clean using washing powder and boiling water.
Needs a clutch master cylinder rebuild, important because it will be used for the variable regen rear brake.
Needs both wheels rebuilt with new spokes and re-anodising of the rims. The rear has 4 broken spokes on one side and still runs perfectly true !!
This monster has 51hp and is actually dangerous to ride, I still havnt had it at full throttle yet. Way too much power for a dirt bike.
The 4 stroke engine is so highly strung it seems like its going to blow up any second. Its sounds like a top fuel engine trying to make 400hp. It produces so much heat, it would boil after 3 minutes of idling without any air going through the radiator.


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## RIPPERTON (Jan 26, 2010)

The Katoom is being restored to rideworthy condition albeit in ICE format.
With fresh fuel it runs pretty well but the motor is begging for a rebuild which it aint gonna get ! not from me anyway. Want to do a few ICE rides to relive my entire childhood, only the good parts though.
Heres a bench spinup of the 5kW QS hub motor on 170v with a 200A Kelly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLrIw9bzVEA


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## RIPPERTON (Jan 26, 2010)

This caveman piece of crap just does not start when hot so I invented the Ripperton 12v-24v system whereby there are 2 12v batteries.
The bikes electrical system still runs on 12v but the starter circuit only, runs 24v. The second 12v battery resides in the starter motor cable between the contactor and the startermotor. The bikes 12v system feeds from the low voltage plug in the contactor. The starter motor sees 20v during cranking and pulls 40A.


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## RIPPERTON (Jan 26, 2010)

12-24 works perfectly. When the engine is at full temp, it fires after 2 turns of the crank even when in gear with the clutch in. Forgot to mention that I replaced the stock starter motor with a CBR1000RR unit. There was a little machining involved there.
I think the magnets in the original motor were weakened after 13 years of heat coming from the engine.


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## RIPPERTON (Jan 26, 2010)

Did a tour with the Zero boys on Sunday.
https://goo.gl/maps/c1K5UqjLtdF2
I was the only petrol bike amongst 5 Zeros.
It was a 200km ride with 2 planned recharge stops at Berry and Moss Vale.
My Kato did the whole trip on 8 liters of high octane but was on fumes as I parked at the start point.
The most surprising thing about the whole event was learning that David Hileys SR was faster than my Kato 450 in a straight drag race.
After waiting for the camera bike to catch up to us on the side of the road just before Moss Vale, David took off with his right elbow pointing down to the ground and I went after him in a blaze of escaped combustion, revving as high as I dared, clutchless shifting up through the box.... I couldnt catch him. The SR was pulling away !
Over all it was a good contrast of practicalities between ICE and EV.
Bottom line is Id still rather be on an EV but not a Zero, maybe a big FJR1300 with 20kWh of LiPo on board.
Heres the troop at Berry Showground gathered around a large telegraph pole with no less that 6 32A 3 phase plugs.


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## dain254 (Oct 8, 2015)

I haven't seen very many decent electric dirt bikes built, so I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with! I built one back in December of 16' out of an old YZ400F. It's powered by a motenergy ME1008 which is a sealed brushed DC, 800A kelly controller, and a 12S Chevy volt module that is around 2.4kwh. Runs for a solid 40 minutes or so, and then just swap out the battery! It rips too! As soon as it gets warm here I'll post some video... I built it to race an endurocross indoors back in January, got 3rd against my class full of fuel powered bikes.


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## RIPPERTON (Jan 26, 2010)

Started the battery build. Here are 2 6p blocks in series together.
Going to be 2 cases of 21 series each.
Plus a shot of the busbar clamps being cnc'd


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## AMP ADRENALINE (Nov 14, 2017)

Hello everyone,
First time posting on this thread, and interested in all of you who have built any electric dirt bikes. I also have a YZ250F frame that I am converting to an EV.
It weighs in at 145 lbs w/o the ICE and other related parts.
So far I have a ME1114, Sevcon Gen4 Size 6 controller and a 500 amp contractor, but no throttle controll yet. Any one have a favorite? 
Looking to use some 18650 batteries to make a test pack, and then I want to make an interchangeable battery for doing Hare Scrambles. (short enduro's)
Talking with a guy from CA who has build several EV dirt bikes and it has been a huge help to talk with someone who has already done it. One issue is the motor sits high in the frame and leaves less room for the batteries.
Thinking of modifying the frame to allow it to sit down more.

Thanks for any suggestions, 
Mark


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## RIPPERTON (Jan 26, 2010)

Magura throttle.
http://www.electricmotorsport.com/ev-parts/throttles/twist-action


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## cybersniper (Mar 29, 2018)

*help with my own KTM proyect*

I am going to build a KTM enduro bike as a test for the Jeep rockcrawler I want to electrify next year. I want to learn more by doing the KTM first and have fun racing it after that. 
I need some advice in which motor . batteries and controller to use and what about the extra accesories. Thanks
Eduardo


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## RIPPERTON (Jan 26, 2010)

Back onto the KTM conversion not by choice but...nothing else to do.
Totally pre occupied with riding, didnt have any time to do the conversion but then broke a collar bone on an enduro ride so have plenty of time now.
The KTM was going to share battery packs with the kart but thats for sale now and 4kWh was a bit too small for the KTM.
Next job after the kart was rebuild a smaller pack for the R1 race bike as I had to pilfer cells out of the 12p R1 pack to make the kart pack.
Initially planned to go 10p for the new R1 pack but then needed to share packs between the R1 and KTM. 10p or 7kWh just wasnt going to fit in the KTM so in a compromise for the R1 I went for an 8p 5.6kWh pack which is perfect for the KTM and will still let me get 3 lap sprint sessions in the R1.
The KTM was going to get twin packs to go either side of the back bone frame spar but now forced to change the frame to a perimeter design to allow the single box to fit down in the frame as per the R1.


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## RIPPERTON (Jan 26, 2010)

Bus bar clamps are painted with rubberised orange coating so the LiPo crimps dont trickle short. They are a bit live sometimes. BusBar is fluted for cooling.


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## RIPPERTON (Jan 26, 2010)

Acetal carriers support half of the busbar bolts which are cap screw the other unsupported bolts are dome for more clearance. The carriers are screwed to the aluminium box from the outside with M4 countersunk.


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## RIPPERTON (Jan 26, 2010)

2.5mm thick 5083 fusion welded by a friend, I cant weld for peanuts.
The pack is slid in and all the 150 screws line up perfectly.
Next is the base plate in 4mm alloy and gets welded in.


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## RIPPERTON (Jan 26, 2010)

The fun part, making room for the new pack means converting the KTMs central spar frame to a perimetrical design.


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## RIPPERTON (Jan 26, 2010)

Had a tube supplier bend up 4 pieces of steel tube with 50 degree and 30 degree bends to make the new perimeter frame to go around the battery box.
cnc'd 2 frame jigs out of acetal to position the tubes tangent to the top of the old central spar that will be removed later.


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## RIPPERTON (Jan 26, 2010)

Motor goes in.


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## RIPPERTON (Jan 26, 2010)

Swingarm gets modded. Has to go around the front sprocket. The left bearing has to be replaced by the curved alloy thing with the bearing pressed into it.


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