A piece of Australian ebike history

[AussieRider]

G'day folks.
I found this in the back of a friend's shop.
It's a Russell Rogers Phantom. Built in Shepparton, Australia back in the early 1990s.
Not many were built. 2 X 12v SLA batteries for power with no controller! There are 2 relays that I think provided either soft start or 2 speeds. The original throttle's been replaced with a twist grip that's not connected so I can't be sure. No pedals.
Frame design is weird!

AussieRider
It's

 

[nicobie]

That's quite the bike.

 

[Chalo]

It's like they were predicting e-scooters, but assumed bike parts.

It seems like the scooter market has intentionally differentiated the products from bikes, modeling after motor scooters on one hand and after kick scooters on the other. That's probably because of all the scaremongering and helmet hysteria the last couple generations have been exposed to, that they assume the non-bike scooters are less hazardous when in fact they're both a lot more.

 

[999zip999]

All presales must be moved to the For sale section
Love the classic no nonsense Aussie style.
Just under powered 72v and you will be up to speed. Plus lead is dead ! Good luck with presales.

 

[AussieRider]

?? 999zip999, I'm not advertising it to sell. Just displaying an interesting curiosity in ebike history.
I reckon it'd be a thrill to ride, on - off power & a chassis as rigid as a noodle.
Yep, lead is dead except for forklifts & mobility scooters where the weight helps stability.
While it's not on sale, if someone wanted to buy it. I reckon my friend would listen.

 

[999zip999]

Are you kidding me you show something like that and it's just going to sit in the back of a garage damn Aussies.
It's the mid drive with a great big battery box a footrest it just needs a psycho analyst I mean a cycle analysis from grin. And some suspension. Wait a second it has rear suspension it just needs a front triple crown fork.
Honestly something like that would stop a super 73 into the ground. And one color gray. Cuts down the price. I like the style.

 

[AussieRider]

Yeah, us damn Aussies, we're just not capitalist enough!
Why, you wanna buy it?
Since we dug it out of the back, my friend's put it on display in her shop along side new ebikes & it shows how far they've come. Probably doesn't need front suspension, chassis flex at the footrest would do it in a scary kinda way.

AussieRider

 

[calab]

it just need

A skid plate and some fake pedals.

 

[Epithemeus]

Since we dug it out of the back, my friend's put it on display in her shop along side new ebikes & it shows how far they've come.

I'm glad to hear that! Something that unique and interesting deserves to either be proudly ridden or proudly displayed.

I assume the batteries go under the red cover? Pretty sleek integration even if the design itself is bizzare. No rear brake that I can tell?

 

[spinningmagnets]

Are you able to take more pictures of the details?

 

[999zip999]

Aussierider are you blind it's a thing of beauty. I can't believe you haven't try and snatch it up yet
. I understand it's not for sale and for me the Pacific Ocean is a long ways away I'd ride that thing on the boardwalk. Oh no No peddles. A deal killer.

 

[AussieRider]

Epithemeus, it has a tiny rear drum brake.

999zip999, if I had the space I would grab it.
Spinningmagnets, here's a few more pics..


The rear panel with charge socket & circuit breaker.

Other side of the rear panel. Two relays, circuit breaker & two coils or resistors.
Motor is brushed PM. Primary drive is a toothed belt to a jackshaft then chain final drive.
There's a key switch just behind the steering head.
An article I found on the "Russell Rogers Phantom" via Google said that originally it used car batteries.
Ouch if you tipped & spilt acid on yourself!

AussieRider

 

[Hoss]

Hi. In looking for information on the Phantom I bought today, my friend sent me here. In looking at the photos, I realised this is the one I bought from a lady who owns a bike shop. The tiny hole in the seat was the clincher. She gets batteries tomorrow. When I get her going, I'll report back. I thought there was three of them out there, contrary to what I was told. We're back to two. I had to skateboard/scooter her home, until I got a bit of downhill, and the "bounce" of the frame bending is quite unnerving, Not to mention a workout for your arms! By the end of 1.8klms of this, I was wrecked, but starting to get used to the bounce. Bear in mind, I never got faster than maybe 10 klms/hr, and was riding pushing like a skateboarder. Will post again soon.