# Help With Electric Motorcycle Questions?



## Harvey (Oct 22, 2012)

Ok so I have been trying to wrap my head around figuring out if an electric motor would benefit from being hooked up to a CVT transmission to transfer power to the wheel. or is this is impossible or useless? if it is not, and i am not crazy then has anyone ever done this?

I was thinking of building an electric motorcycle with an ac-50 motor hooked up to a cvt transmission. and extending/sectioning the frame in the center of the bike in order to hold more batteries.

My question is will this work or is it too complicated?


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## frodus (Apr 12, 2008)

Don't really need one unless you're looking to go way over 100mph. Single speed should be just fine. No real data has been gathered, but it's difficult to tell if the added weight of a transmission wouldn't be better utilized by batteries.

Good luck fitting an AC50 on a motorcycle, it's huge and heavy.

And forget about Regen, won't get it with a normal CVT.


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## major (Apr 4, 2008)

Harvey said:


> Ok so I have been trying to wrap my head around figuring out if an electric motor would benefit from being hooked up to a CVT transmission to transfer power to the wheel. or is this is impossible or useless? if it is not, and i am not crazy then has anyone ever done this?
> 
> I was thinking of building an electric motorcycle with an ac-50 motor hooked up to a cvt transmission. and extending/sectioning the frame in the center of the bike in order to hold more batteries.
> 
> My question is will this work or is it too complicated?


Forgetaboutit  A variable ratio transmission is unneeded. And a conventional CVT (like from a snowmobile) really sucks with an electric motor.

Check out http://blog.motorcycle.com/2012/09/14/events/moto-electra-race-bike-features-ipad-console/ Brian did a great job on his Norton with an AC35 drive (no tranny). I thought he had a web site. Maybe it was fb. Thad Wolff was the rider. 2010 & 2011 NA TTXGP Team Electra. Search for that bike. I know they got a lot of press.

The AC35 or 50 is a big motor for a bike but will go like hell. Even the AC20 is a strong runner.


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## Duxuk (Jul 11, 2009)

CVT uses energy, that's why they get hot and have a cooling fan. Surely no CVT means you need less batteries and less weight?
I am a great fan of CVT for scooters. I also have a 600cc Honda powered reverse trike with CVT. It's like a go cart that does 105mph. For an electric bike though I don't see any benefits, only loss of efficiency and added complexity.


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## Harvey (Oct 22, 2012)

Here is another question I have. Will two small electric motors have the same effect as 1 large motor?


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## frodus (Apr 12, 2008)

Depends on the motors. Usually 1 motor is way less complex than two, as 2 AC motors require 2 controllers. Two DC motors could be used with one controller in series or parallel, but the complexity of fitting 2 motors on a motorcycle may be undesireable.


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## Electric Forklift Guy (Dec 13, 2012)

Harvey said:


> Ok so I have been trying to wrap my head around figuring out if an electric motor would benefit from being hooked up to a CVT transmission to transfer power to the wheel. or is this is impossible or useless? if it is not, and i am not crazy then has anyone ever done this?
> 
> I was thinking of building an electric motorcycle with an ac-50 motor hooked up to a cvt transmission. and extending/sectioning the frame in the center of the bike in order to hold more batteries.
> 
> My question is will this work or is it too complicated?


 The advantage of a CVT is that it enables the engine to stay in the narrow RPM range it develops good toque at

Now for an electric motor the best RPM range would be ?

You have good torque available through almost the entire RPM range , which makes a CVT pointless

Save the weight , go direct drive.


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