saha6818
1 mW
I fixed up my girlfriend/fiance's 1973 CB350F that had sat outside for 17 years. It's nearly original and pretty fun to ride - all-out racing around without necessarily breaking the speed limit. But we both got tired of me constantly having to tinker with the carbs because she doesn't ride much (plus I'm apparently not great with carbs). Also, the engine is showing signs that it might be near the end of its life. So she bought a new Ninja 300 ABS and loves it. Meanwhile, I've begun a commute that is 18 miles and one hour each way. It's a mix of road types and briefly requires a top speed of at least 65mph. I currently split the commute between a Daytona 600 and a WR250R. The WR gets great mileage, is comfortable, and will go anywhere. The Daytona is fast, fun, and good at lane splitting (which is illegal here, so, ahem, I don't do?).
But all that carb tinkering, sucking on/siphoning gasoline hoses, and general knowledge of ICEs has me, as a minimalist, longing for a simpler commuting machine. Fewer moving parts. Fewer fart sounds. Less pollution. Also, the CB has a history with national parks, so it'd be cool to continue its story. It was a finely tuned, powerful machine when new. Let's get it back that way. So, the conversion I've long dreamt about is finally starting. I want to call it reVOLT.
Requirements:
1. Top speed of at least 65mph
2. Usable range above 40 miles
3. Fun
4. Target price: sub-$4500 USD (CB350F not included)
5. Slightly sportier ergonomics than stock
6. Doesn't look like a high school science project. Maybe even maintains some retro-awesome style. Identifiable as a CB.
7. Reliable (as reliable as the other bikes would be great)
Plans so far:
* I've got some specific info from Enertrac that sounds good. Includes liquid-cooled motor, controller, DC-DC converters, throttle, etc. A hub motor would be quieter than a chain drive, less finicky, and save space in the frame for batteries and electronics.
* I was thinking of using two used Tesla Smart ForTwo battery packs, but now I'm thinking of building my own custom pack using new 18650 cells. On back-of-napkin calculations, I'll need about 830 of them. The math is subject to change when I do it right.
What I need from you:
Shout if you think these plans are more flawed than I know!
But all that carb tinkering, sucking on/siphoning gasoline hoses, and general knowledge of ICEs has me, as a minimalist, longing for a simpler commuting machine. Fewer moving parts. Fewer fart sounds. Less pollution. Also, the CB has a history with national parks, so it'd be cool to continue its story. It was a finely tuned, powerful machine when new. Let's get it back that way. So, the conversion I've long dreamt about is finally starting. I want to call it reVOLT.
Requirements:
1. Top speed of at least 65mph
2. Usable range above 40 miles
3. Fun
4. Target price: sub-$4500 USD (CB350F not included)
5. Slightly sportier ergonomics than stock
6. Doesn't look like a high school science project. Maybe even maintains some retro-awesome style. Identifiable as a CB.
7. Reliable (as reliable as the other bikes would be great)
Plans so far:
* I've got some specific info from Enertrac that sounds good. Includes liquid-cooled motor, controller, DC-DC converters, throttle, etc. A hub motor would be quieter than a chain drive, less finicky, and save space in the frame for batteries and electronics.
* I was thinking of using two used Tesla Smart ForTwo battery packs, but now I'm thinking of building my own custom pack using new 18650 cells. On back-of-napkin calculations, I'll need about 830 of them. The math is subject to change when I do it right.
What I need from you:
Shout if you think these plans are more flawed than I know!