E-S Stealth Electric Bike Owners

[Hyena]

I've taken to oiling my rear disc brake to help with the rubbing

Removing the rear caliper will make things much quieter, and yield similar rear braking efficiency

[Cowardlyduck]

I've taken to oiling my rear disc brake to help with the rubbing

Removing the rear caliper will make things much quieter, and yield similar rear braking efficiency

You'd think so, but it actually works. I can still lock up the rear wheel if needed.
Not that I'd recommend it to anyone else.

Cheers

[Justtoby]

I've taken to oiling my rear disc brake to help with the rubbing

Removing the rear caliper will make things much quieter, and yield similar rear braking efficiency

You'd think so, but it actually works. I can still lock up the rear wheel if needed.
Not that I'd recommend it to anyone else.

Cheers

The brake pads will absorb the lubricant over time, you will end up needing to replace the pads and I would suggest the disc too. You need to get it running true.

[Skyline]

I'd be worried about a weak cell or 2 skyline if it's dipping that low on a fresh charge.
You have 3 levels of protection, the LVC in the cycle analyst, the LVC in the controller and in the BMS itself. I don't know what the actual BMS trips at but it's usually 2v/cell for lifepo4. For a 24S pack that gives you a theoretical minimum of 48v but you'd never get that low as some cells will always drop off quicker than the others and trigger the LVC. I would have thought a minimum voltage of 60v would be more likely what you'd see, but maybe they're using a different cell count or chemistry. Either way 69v for a 72v pack seems fairly tame but maybe it's to prolong the life of the packs, or leave some reserve. I often set my CA LVC a little higher than it needs to be so if I get carried away and use up too much power without realising I can then pull over and set it a bit lower to 'limp home' on. I think of it like a fuel reserve on a motorbike. You'll know all about it if you have to pedal one of these heavy beasts with no assistance, even sipping 5 amps makes pedalling so much easier.

Hi hyena,
It's great to get talking to ya I've read all your posts and your knowledge of these bikes far exceeds mine. I would really aprieciate any advice you could give me.
I think you could be right about a weak cell or 2 but the range I'm getting is brilliant. First full cycle:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okmTU9OK ... ata_player

I'm only on cycle 6 of the battery so I've only started to accelerate hard the last few days
And I've noticed that even on a fresh battery the LVC sags under hard acceleration to 65v which slows you down its like coming on and off the power
And on a low battery the VMIN is 60.5v with a reduced top speed.

Now I've noticed that if I feather the throttle and keep it out of the sag above 70v I'll get top speed. Are these the symptoms of bad cells or is this how it should be?
Thanks.

[Cowardlyduck]

The brake pads will absorb the lubricant over time, you will end up needing to replace the pads and I would suggest the disc too. You need to get it running true.

Yeah, well I bought some purpose made disc break cleaner today, and that seems to help also. Works for now, but I will need to get it all trued eventually.

Vids finally uploaded. Took ages. It's just some of the better sections of my daily commute to/from work. They aren't especially exciting, but thought I'd post anyway.


Bike path Leichardt/ Haberfield


Drummoyne


Bike path Hunters Hill - Going north


Ryde & Hunters Hill - Going south - I hit 70kph down this hill.


Recently flooded bike path in Hurlstone Park.

Cheers

[Justtoby]

I wonder if the caliper Is 100% straight, if the wheel is correctly aligned.

Would straighten the wheel by measuring each side of the wheel rim to the swing arm and remove the brake pads, see if the disc is now sitting equidistant from each side of the caliber, if not then maybe the mounting needs a small shim to straighten the caliper?

[korpin]

I have seen a lot of people commenting on the stealth bombers rear suspension as being old fashioned or not as capable as a three pivot suspension but they may be forgetting a bomber does not need the extra pivots since it has no rear derailuir and therefore no chain slag to worry about....I am thinking about getting a bomber but cannot test drive one here in los angeles...did see the fighter though in hollywood when the factory rep was there....here is something cool these guys are down the street from me and coming out with some interesting things that are NOT on their website yet: http://www.hi-powercycles.com/product.s ... egoryId=28

[korpin]

]was wondering if anyone remembers the post about a few hundred posts back where they talk about getting a bomber from some place in germany i think?..does anybody know if they have a website or contact info?:

What`s up wih 2011 prices? the price tag have doubled since last year! Major setback for me

Email i received:

"Dear Bikers,

I need to give you information on the bikes which you have seen on http://www.stealthelectricbikes.com .
We are the distributor of the bikes in Benelux ( Belgium , Netherlands, Luxembourg) and we give information to the manufacturer of the bikes in Australia if there are requests for information for countries which are surrounding us in Europe, for example Germany, France, UK and Spain.
As you have noticed there are 2 kinds of bikes the Bomber with a 4,5 KW engine and the Fighter with a 2.2 KW engine.
Stealth standard bike starts at € 8490 ( excl VAT) for the Bomber and € 5990 ( excl VAT) for the fighter.
You can have upgrades if you want.
We have to charge you for Air Freight ( Delivery at the Airport the nearest to your Home) about € 500. There are also costs for handling at the airport and in some countries " Duties" . Next to all this there is VAT.
Delivery time is about 8 weeks.
If you want more information please let me know !"

2010 pricelist:

IMG_8303.JPG

stealth.zip

[Justtoby]

You can test ride one in USA, you may need to jump on a cheap flight to another state, I can put you in touch with the factory guys, they are brilliant blokes and they can hook you up with the nearest dealer who has stock.

You can also test ride a bomber or fighter in the uk.

The suspension is well beyond my ability as a rider and has loads of adjustability. I think motor cross bikes have a similar setup and work fine, I had a yz125 a few years back that was pretty much the same design and you could do 6ft high jumps and hardly notice the landings better riders could do much, much more.

[Kepler]

I have seen a lot of people commenting on the stealth bombers rear suspension as being old fashioned or not as capable as a three pivot suspension but they may be forgetting a bomber does not need the extra pivots since it has no rear derailuir and therefore no chain slag to worry about....I am thinking about getting a bomber but cannot test drive one here in los angeles...did see the fighter though in hollywood when the factory rep was there....here is something cool these guys are down the street from me and coming out with some interesting things that are NOT on their website yet: http://www.hi-powercycles.com/product.s ... egoryId=28

There have been a few threads on the product. Here is one http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=34984&hilit=hi+powercycles

It will be interesting to see if they make any inroads.

[full-throttle]

three pivot suspension

No such thing

[Hyena]

We discussed that HPC bike a few pages back, that picture is just a photo shop and the motor is fail quickly at the claimed power levels.

On an unrelated note, what rshunt values have you guys got set in your CAs for your 18 fet controllers ? My icharger blew up recently so I can't accurately test mine but I'm guessing it's around 1.5mohm?

[Justtoby]

I have seen a lot of people commenting on the stealth bombers rear suspension as being old fashioned8

Are you sure you have a seen "a lot" as I have not really seen much at all and I scour the Internet for stealth comment regularly. At best I have seen a couple of forum posts.

[Tench]

Old fashioned? I would say just the opposite, suspension with an intermediat link is becoming less common on moto x bikes with far more manufacturers favouring the simpler direct connected shock these days, it saves weight, reduces maintainence and with clever shock valving and pivot position choice the progressive rising rate effect cant still be incorporated into the suspension travel.
As for the suspension on the Bomber, it is well upto the job of coping admirably with the performance of the bike.

Simon.

[korpin]

wow you neards are really sticklers for details huh?.....have any of you guys ever had sex with a REAL woman?...haw haw haw well I meant 2 pivot I guess but I think most people got my point also I said a "lot" of posts I think I read like 3 or 4 to be exact around forum page 16 or 17 or close to that area...anyway,from what you guys are saying it seems stealth has the best turn key bike for a newbie like me who does not know all the technical details...maybe later lighter rare earth motors may come out....perhaps some lighter batteries...maybe have all wires and windings in motor coated with silver?.....I tried the stealth fighter really liked the regen got 0.1% regen from just riding bike up and down 2 blocks 2 times and using regen only to stop at stop signs

[Justtoby]

wow you neards are really sticklers for details huh?.....have any of you guys ever had sex with a REAL woman?...haw haw haw well I meant 2 pivot I guess but I think most people got my point also I said a "lot" of posts I think I read like 3 or 4 to be exact around forum page 16 or 17 or close to that area...anyway,from what you guys are saying it seems stealth has the best turn key bike for a newbie like me who does not know all the technical details...maybe later lighter rare earth motors may come out....perhaps some lighter batteries...maybe have all wires and windings in motor coated with silver?.....I tried the stealth fighter really liked the regen got 0.1% regen from just riding bike up and down 2 blocks 2 times and using regen only to stop at stop signs

Yes I had sex with 3 at once....or was it 2?....it was lots anyway.....

[korpin]

here is photo of bike I thought was cool over at HPC....i WAS THINKING MAYBE THIS MIGHT BE a lighter way to go than bomber but guys over at other posts are saying HPC is hyping the specs...to be honest,I felt they were overblown myself: 55 mph 50 mile range 74 pounds total.....guessing its 72v and 1 kwh.....hard to see how they can claim the same mph/range as stealth with its 1.5kwh...I really do not know what the HPC kwh is but I cannot see there being much room for more than 1kwh ever if they are using the new lighter style batteries but perhaps I am wrong?....also this BS on their website seems a little carpet baggerish: "This bike is for EXPERTS ONLY. If this is your first electric bike, think again. We will only sell to individuals familiar with Motorcycles or other high performance Offroad Electric Vehicles." haw haw haw sounds like a greasy saleman with a pony tale and earing talking

[Justtoby]

YAWN...this is a forum for enthusiasts, not some very "clever" (not) viral marketing. Please take your posts elsewhere before this thread is closed or has to be deleted to clean it up.

[korpin]

I guess you are saying I work for HPC?...parnoia runs deep in these forums but I do have a question regarding the Stealth battery package: I read somewhere that the batteries are 36 pounds lythium iron I think....if I were to replace with lythium polymer or whatever the lighter batteries are called how much weight would I save?....the guys at HPC said the lighter batteries have 700 cycles versus 1000 for the stealths batteries do not know how true that is...on their site they say 10 pounds but they do not say how much kwh for 10 pounds...what I am getting at is this: if I buy stealth bomber and replace batteries with same kwh but just lighter batteries how much weight can I save?and are there any problems besides less cycles with the lighter batteries?

[remf]

On an unrelated note, what rshunt values have you guys got set in your CAs for your 18 fet controllers ? My icharger blew up recently so I can't accurately test mine but I'm guessing it's around 1.5mohm?

My Fighter is set to 1.0 mΩ, the Bomber is around 0.65 mΩ after a controller replacement though I haven't re-calibrated yet.

[korpin]

well it seems you are saying you saved 2kg?....because over at the stealth website they say 34kg unless your bike is a heavier older model?...does not seem worth it to me from a weight standpoint

I have completed the LiPo conversion to my mate's Fighter and must say that I am really pleased with the results. Many people love the Fighter for its weight and handling advantages but wish it had the speed and power of the Bomber. This conversion comes close to fore-filling these desires with out compromising the OEM feel of the bike.

So first thing was to decide on an appropriate voltage without going too over the top. I settled on 18s which is 75V hot off the charger. 6s LiPo's are the most economical LiPo package so it made sense to series connect 3 x 6s packs and then parallel 2 banks together to create an 18s 2p configuration.

Next exercise was to figure out exactly what I could squeeze into the Fighter battery compartment. The Fighter's battery compartment is not what you would consider cavernous and as such, correct battery selection was very important. I also wanted to keep the cell capacity as large as possible so as to the keep the actual number of cells fitted to a minimum. My Bomber has 15 packs in it which is a real spagetti of wiring to contend with. This setup is only 6 packs and makes for a much tidier installation.

Battery selection came down to two possibilities. Zippy 6S 8000mah 30c packs or Desire Power 6S 8300mah. The Desire Power packs are a great quality pack and have a little more capacity however, they are around 50% more expensive then the Zippys. As much as I would have liked the extra capacity, it just wasn't worth it for an extra 40W/hrs.

However, on a side note, if maximum capacity was your aim, you could actually squeeze in 8 of the Desire Packs. This would give you over 1500 W/hrs minus your 10 to 20% safety margin. Only problem is that you would either need to run 12s 4p or 24s 2p.

Desire power.jpg

The Zippy's come with 5.5mm bullets which makes them nice and easy to plug together in series. Just be careful not to plug the last pair together (yes I did this once. = Big plasma ball, black hands, and seeing stars for a bit)

IMG_0830.jpg

The packs were arranged with the bottom 2 packs with their narrow side down and a 3rd pack on top with its wide side down. This makes the stack 120mm high and just slides into the battery compartment with a mm or 2 to spare. The stack arrangement gives you room to fit the plugs and wiring without a struggle. The 8 pack setup that I mentioned above would be a nightmare to plug in.

It should be noted that the standard 70A Anderson's plug is used to match the existing plug. I wanted to make sure the stock battery setup was still fully compatible after the conversion.

IMG_0838.jpg

So now to the bike modifications. When using LiPo's, much attention needs to be given to safe handling. I think it is of paramount importance that the battery pack can be isolated from the outside of bike quickly and easily. This means part of the battery wiring needs to exit and re enter the battery compartment. This is what I came up with.

IMG_0832.jpg

Basically the internal main power cable from the controller to the battery is cut in about the middle and re routed through a 10mm hole (grommet protected) just infront of the seat post. This position gave me enough room to get a drill in and nicely hides the plug from view when tucked away. It should be noted that CoMo steel doesn't drill easily however, using lots of steps and lubrication, this can be achieved without too much trouble. The hardest part is coming to terms with drilling a 10mm hole in your brand new $7,000.00 bike.



Next job was to fit some good quality plugs to protruding wires. This isolation point also becomes the point where the bulk charger is plugged into.
I used EC5 plugs for this job. These are a really nice 5mm protected bullet plug that plug together firmly but still still disconnect without too much force needed.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__9194__EC5_5mm_Connector_Pair_.html#

IMG_0842.jpg

Batteries now slide in as 2 banks held together with velcro wraps. http://arkrc.com.au/products/SCLOCKSTRAPL-Scorpion-Lock-Strap-%28L%29.html. These wraps are designed specially to hold big LiPo packs in model helicopters and have a high grip sticky surface. They really hold the packs firmly together so perfect for a bike application. Still enough room to plug the packs in without a struggle.

IMG_0848.jpg

And the finish product ready to roll.

IMG_0850.jpg

IMG_0853.jpg

Now to some updated specs:
18s 2p 16ah Zippy LiPo pack
Voltage 75V hot off the charger
1100 W/hr max capacity.
900 W/ hr safe conservative usable capacity
Top speed 70 kph (Confirmed)
Max current: Set to 50A via the CA
Max kW: 3.7kW limited via the CA
Range should be close to a stock Fighter setup. Estimate 60km max but 40km under brisk riding conditions.
Bike weight: 32 kg.
Charging: 1200W Bulk charger. Estimate 1 1/2 hours charge time.

Finally charging needs to be covered. A bulk charger from BMS-Battery will be used.http://www.bmsbattery.com/alloy-shell/29-alloy-shell-1200w-lifepo4li-ionlead-acid-battery-ev-charger.html
I have selected a 1200W LiFePo4 charger re calibrated to 75V peak. Bulk charging LiPo's with a LiFePo4 charger is thread on its own so I wont go into it here except to say its a very effective method of charging high capacity high voltage LiPo's.

alloy-shell-1200w-lifepo4li-ionlead-acid-battery-ev-charger.jpg

And the cost.
Packs are $94 USD per pack = $564.00
Misc Hardware = Approx $80.00
Bulk charger = $140.00
Shipping = $120.00
Total cost = $904.00

Also one of the handy things about this setup is that its now a piece of cake to carry a Aux battery on a seat post mounted rack. You could carry say 3 x 5000mah or ever 3 x 8000mah packs without overloading the rack. With the plug now external, its a 20 second job to plug in and you are ready to go again.

[Hyena]

My Fighter is set to 1.0 mΩ, the Bomber is around 0.65 mΩ after a controller replacement though I haven't re-calibrated yet.

That's quite a difference. If mine is really around 1.0mohm instead of the 1.5 I have currently programmed that'd explain my artificially good economy. I knew it was too good to be true that the new 40mm xlyte motor was more efficient than my old 9C! (though I thought the increased copper mass might have been generating more usable power than the 9C which would be dumping a heap as heat around 3-4kw)
Anyone else with a newish fighter care to post up their rshunt value ?
I should just buy a replacement icharger but my current one was only 3 months old when it blew up so I'm waiting for it to be be replaced under warranty. I might have to come pay you a visit voicecoils - you got one at work ?

[Kepler]

I guess you are saying I work for HPC?...parnoia runs deep in these forums but I do have a question regarding the Stealth battery package: I read somewhere that the batteries are 36 pounds lythium iron I think....if I were to replace with lythium polymer or whatever the lighter batteries are called how much weight would I save?....the guys at HPC said the lighter batteries have 700 cycles versus 1000 for the stealths batteries do not know how true that is...on their site they say 10 pounds but they do not say how much kwh for 10 pounds...what I am getting at is this: if I buy stealth bomber and replace batteries with same kwh but just lighter batteries how much weight can I save?and are there any problems besides less cycles with the lighter batteries?

A low post count and some back handed product complements does tend to raise a few suspicions . Looks like a quick search answered your last question which is good. No point going over old ground. If you legitimately are interested in a Stealth bike the amount of information, videos and multitude of happy customers should give you a reasonable level of confidence. Perhaps every post doesn't need to be in bold lettering either. Just a friendly suggestion

[korpin]

HAVE ANY OF YOU GUYS SEEN THE Greyborg frame which looks just like a Stealth: http://www.greyb.org/assembler.html I was curious is the stealth frame made the same way meaning the skin supports the load?....it seems from looking at the photos of the greyborg there is no internal frame!

[Kepler]

From the Stealth Web site.

FRAME. Constructed from aircraft certified CrMo alloys, the one piece monocoque frames large polar moment of inertia displays exceptional torsional rigidity under the most extreme loading conditions.So yes they are.

The Greyborg bike was a Stealth inspired one off handcrafted machine with lots of Greyborg customization.