In this instruction, we will look at how you can assemble a stylish electric motorcycleusing a frame from a moped and some details from a bicycle as materials. A feature of the technology can be considered that, externally, it is assembled quite qualitatively, all nodes, including batteries, are safely hidden under a unique case.
To facilitate travel and save energy, the author used 20-inch wheels.
Materials and tools for assembly homemade:
Material List:
- Spare parts from a Razor Pocket moped (brake lever, frame and seat will be needed here);
- spare parts from a mountain bike (brakes, assembled wheels, gear lever, freewheel, front fork, steering wheel, chain, handle stand and more);
- an electric motor with a power of 1 kW at 48V;
- engine controller 48V 30A;
- an asterisk for the engine on 11 teeth;
- as batteries, the author used lead-acid sealed batteries in the amount of four pieces. Each battery is 12V with a capacity of 9Ah;
- charging for 48V 2.5A batteries;
- an additional asterisk on 7 teeth;
- speedometer;
- an additional bicycle chain;
- starting switch;
- throttle grip;
- headlight with a set of 12V;
- a piece of PVC pipe 16 cm long;
- a piece of vinyl fabric measuring 51 * 36 cm;
- to extend the rear axle and support the seat will need a piece of corner length of 60 cm;
- steering wheel mirror;
- support for the rear axle (steel rod with a thread length of 120 cm and a diameter of 0.95 cm);
- aluminum sheet with dimensions of 300 * 36 cm;
- stain;
- aerosol glue;
- 3 paint cans; a primer may be needed;
- wood (facing plywood for the manufacture of panels with a thickness of 0.3 cm, as well as boards);
- insulating foam for the window;
- electrical connectors for the controller and battery;
- polyurethane balloon;
- various screws, screws and other fasteners for wood;
- electrical cable;
- a bottle of cleaning agent.
Tool List:
- drilling machine;
- electric drill;
- engraver;
- band-saw;
- soldering iron;
- scissors for cutting metal;
- stapler;
- screwdrivers, wrenches, hammers and other classic tools.
Homemade manufacturing process:
Step one. We disassemble and mount the plug
At this stage, the author combines the frame of the moped and part of the frame of the bicycle. More specifically, he installs the front fork from the bike. The frame design here will have to be slightly modified.All this business is reliably welded by electric welding.
Of course, at the same stage, the frame is first cleaned of rust and other dirt, it will not be superfluous to immediately paint it.
Step Two Rear fork extension
To extend the rear fork, the author needed a steel corner. You can fix the corner by welding, or you can use a bolted connection, but the first option seems more reliable.
Step Three Installing the casing frame
Ideally, the skinning frame could be made of metal, but in this case the weight of the motorcycle would increase significantly, which would negatively affect the duration of the ride and maximum speed. The way out of this situation was the use of wood.
Of course, only the skin is assembled from wood, and the author makes all the elements of the frame and other technically important components from metal, so that the motorcycle is strong and reliable. As for the design of the case, it is made in such a way as to hide the batteries and other stuffing. It will protect electronics from dampness and dirt, and it will make the technique more beautiful.
The author also hides under the tree all those mounting brackets that were previously used on the moped.
For the manufacture of the casing and frame, you will need a piece of PVC pipe with a diameter of 15.5-16 cm, which the author cut in half. This is an excellent material, it is durable and not afraid of damp. The corners in the pipe are cut with a large band saw. The cover is installed on the hinges, in it you must still remember to make holes for the wires. The veneer plywood sections must be trimmed so that grooves form.
Step Four Cutting and shaping body panels
The author makes the bicycle lining of thin sheet aluminum. This material is good in that it does not soak, it is easy to cut and assemble.
Sheathing begins with a Whatman sheet. First, the desired forms are created on paper, and then transferred to aluminum. To cut parts, you can use ordinary metal scissors. Well, then an aluminum sheet is wrapped around the motorcycle and fastened with screws. To make the motorcycle stylish, we look like old military aircraft, the author drills parallel rows of holes on the edges of the sheets.
Step Five Painting
The field of how the panels were installed and drilled, the author removes them together with the front fork and rear support. At this stage, the motorcycle is painted. The author paints the entire frame, tank and panels in gloss black. This color was chosen in order to hide the ugly seams between the panels. In total, three layers of paint were applied and a layer of transparent varnish.
The dashboard was painted in cherry color, on top it is covered with glossy polyurethane. After drying, the motorcycle is assembled, but you must remember to add insulation to the casing. The author decided to replace the seat upholstery with a standard caramel white one. A speedometer, lights, stand and footboards were also installed.
Step Six Gearbox, wiring and housing
For all wires you need to solder the electrical connectors. Four batteries are connected to the 30A controller in series. The result is those 48V that are needed to power the engine. But since the flashlight works from a 12V power supply, it must be connected separately to one battery. It consumes little energy and has virtually no effect on the ride.
If it will be necessary to install lithium batteries, the design will have to be finalized. But thanks to them it will be possible to significantly increase the distance traveled.
The purchased engine produced 3000 rpm, but for this project it was necessary to increase the gear ratio. The engine should spin six times faster than the wheel in front gear, otherwise it can be quickly burned.
The author also equipped his technique with a freewheeling system and gearbox. For this, another freewheel sprocket was installed on the frame.
The presence of a large number of nodes leads to large friction losses, but thanks to them, the engine operates with a small load, which significantly affects its service life. Among other things, there is the possibility of gear shifting, which will allow you to go uphill without problems and rationally use the capabilities of the engine and save energy.
To prevent the motorcycle from being stolen, the author equips it with an ignition switch. To do this, you need to drill a hole in the dashboard. At this stage, the assembly of the motorcycle can be considered complete.
Seventh step. Completion. We test the device and draw conclusions
When testing a bicycle, the author found minor problems. This applies to the elements of the casing, but their correction will not be difficult. As for the technical data, there are no problems in the design, and the motorcycle proved to be excellent.
The maximum speed of the motorcycle is 64 km / h, and out of the blue with first gear engaged, it accelerates to 40 km / h. The driving range is 16 km, the equipment weighs 45 kg. Of course, if you install lithium batteries on a motorcycle, they will greatly facilitate the design along with a much larger battery capacity.