OEM Motorbikes

E-Mail  – The Electric postie. A Honda CT 110 conversion.
 
The concept was born whilst touring the UK on a 2017 Zero DS 6.5 kw, where actual  experience of a short range electric motorcycle,was used and found to be pretty close to perfect. The pros and cons were listed down, an idea started to form on converting a model of motorcycle, researched and mathematics were done. After a sudden retreat from the uk and arrival in Australia the plans were modified to a set of build rules, to combat the effects of electric transport, material and ethical dilemmas held by EV, then developed a set of  build rules which are,  

• Had to carry a carton of beer/55 lt top box/ milk crate, that prompted the postie as a donor.
• Had to use the minimum amount of lithium battery, and adapt to new battery chemistry simply.
• Had to have a battery that’s under 10 kg and removable
• Had to use mostly second hand parts, off the donor and be simple
• Had to be simple method to construct, to only eventually supply a “kit” of essential parts
• Had to be made using easy to access parts like hardware store or ebay
• Had to be built with basic tools and skills, chosen tools were drill, grinder, spanners, bench vice.
• Had to be complied to ADR 3 to enable registration  
• Had to be purpose built as a commuter, removing 60% of average travel (within 20 km of home)
• as to not compete with a motorcycle of similar price.
• Had to be under 60 v to not exceed the ELV Compliant rules to enable everyone to build it.
• Kit build price had to be under 5 000 dollars
• Travel 25 km in the city.
• Reduce as much new material as possible, thus reduce carbon input as second hand doesnt need to be made as the carbon taken to create has been spent.

 
There were a few more build rules however these dictated the Postie as a light easy to access for donors and parts. Simple to operate and not believed to be more than a commuter already.
So the details of EMail are
Postie frame and bits in a box X 2
 a few parts for the postie online, like bearings and essentials ,  
1500 w 48 v hub motor, 52 v 24 Ah battery, kelly controller, lightened and modified swing arm, new front wheel, loom and controls, new rear brake set up, E-mail  has achieved 30 km range in city at 65 kph top speed, average speed is about 22 kph, tested in canberra, Qbn. brisbane.
It was a journey getting the EMail registered, with engineering reports and tests, as a  converted, ICV , the rules not quite fitting motorcycles. This was achieved in QBN in august thus had a fully compliant and road registered Electric motorcycle. All the postie components,(frame and fork) were rebuilt with new parts or renewed parts. And a bit of rattle can paint.
 
Thus the EMail project has ticked all the boxes set by the build rules
Reduced a lot of carbon by using as much recycled parts as possible, as opposed to making new or creating a new product minimal componentry,