TTXGP electric IOM race

liam

liam

1970 cb350/1980 xs250/2004 klx400/BMW E30 323I
anyone following this? it's pretty cool. groundbreaking stuff really.
24 entries confirmed, some with some serious factory backing by companies hoping to get some exposure and create new markets. I tend not to be to interested in normal races, but this is kinda like the races which were happening 100 years ago, unproven technology, privateers on equal footing with factories, wild risks, it's all wide open.
from hell for leather
The 2009 Isle of Man TT will host the world’s first clean emissions Grand Prix. Dubbed the Time Trials Xtreme (ick – ed.) Grand Prix by its creator, Azhar Hussain, it will be an open-formula series of races around the Isle of Man Mountain Course with only one rule: no harmful emissions. It’s that lack of restrictions and the trial-and-error innovation that it will bring that makes the TTxGP really interesting; next June we could see the future of green transportation racing alongside the fastest factory superbikes.
The racing will take place in three classes around one lap of the 37.7-mile (66,410 yards) course:
- Pro Class: for the fastest bikes with corporate backing.
- Open Class: intended to attract universities and similar teams, the bikes will have to be built with a not-yet-determined budget.
- Free Class: an exhibition for emerging technologies, this will give garage inventors and amateurs a chance to showcase their abilities, for free.

By now you’ve probably noticed all the hedging around the issue of pollution. While TTxGP’s rules call for “clean emissions” they don’t look at the energy or pollution cost of the R&D, manufacturing or the energy needed to lap the course (i.e. racers will be able to juice up their batteries with sweet, sweet coal-fired electricity if they’d like). The language is intended to be vague, allowing for a variety of propulsion methods to be used.

Azhar is hoping that creative freedom will fuel innovation that eventually trickles down to road-legal production bikes, saying, “F1 has already set the model. ABS, sequential gear boxed, Fuel injection, paddle sticks…are among the many hundreds of both radical and incremental technology that has found its way from the racetrack to the public road. Competition represents an advanced form of rapid prototyping. The extreme conditions driven by the absolute need for performance and reliability has proven to be a superb development. The vision is that the TTxGP will similarly become synonymous with clean tech that we all be using in years to come.”

As the race draws closer and participants confirm their entries, it’s expected that more rules and details will be determined. TTxGP hopes to become an annual fixture at the TT. If things go to plan, it could one day become the main attraction.
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the bikes to watch at the moment are:

Brammo Enertia TTR,
Brammo_TTR_Electric_motorcycle-thumb-415x269-4400.jpg


Mission One
MissionOne-1.jpg


Ev-O RR
Lotus_EV-0_RR.jpg


Motozysz E1
mtczyszE1dn.jpg
 
Yes! I've been following this on HFT too. This is very cool. I think bikes are an excellent place for the EV techology to flourish first as they are small and light which make them more suitable to adopt this technology which is still in it's infancy. I also think the simplicity and modularity of Ebike components will eventually lead to some awesome customized rides and probably some new styles.

I also fly RC aircraft and the new battery technology, small/light electronics and better motors have revolutionized the hobby. Gas powered planes are becoming a thing of the past.
 
it's a shame there's not better coverage, so much is under wraps at the moment i guess. i imagine power figures etc will come out after the race and they'll be very interesting as well.
hopefully there's a discovery channel doco or something being made, because i'd love to see some behind the scenes footage.
but like you touched upon, i think that electric based bikes can bring some incredible advances in the way in which bikes are designed and shaped, definitely not a backwards step by any means. i would be keen on a agreement between battery manufacturers of a standardised range of sizes, i think it would be a strong move for these smaller manufacturers to settle on something before honda/yamaha etc decide to jump into the market with proprietary technology. the worst thing in the world would be a bluray/HD-DVD style battle that kept consumers from purchasing till they felt the market had settled.
 
The companies that develop the technology will do whatever they believe will make them the most money. Unfortunately as Sony has shown time and again, they often try to lock in their customers with proprietary formats and connectors. I'm glad the auto industry is at least trying to standardize EV charger plugs.
 
I have been following this on another site called The Kneeslider. They have had quite a bit of coverage on these bikes. I would like to see one of the networks pick up the coverage of this race and put it on TV in front of the masses. If they were to broadcast the race maybe more people would be interested. Jay Leno also has a video clip of one on his website jaylenosgarage.com . He showcases a bike from Zero Electric. It's a battery powered bike that uses some mountain bike parts. Check it out, it's pretty cool. IMHO
 
I think the neatest thing about the race will be the utter lack of noise. Gonna be like watching a baseball game.
 
actually, there's some youtube videos of testing onroad, and with the combination of tyre noise, wind and transmission, there's a pretty brutal whine emitted.
though in one of the videos, a test rider was saying that he could improve his cornering, because he could hear feedback from the tyres, which he quite liked.
 
almost as fast as the 50cc racebikes! i guess those go pretty fast, ;)

Today, Team Agni came within 1mph of breaking the Ultra Lightweight lap record for the TT with the rest of the field following close behind.

What's happening here has propelled the technology forward faster and more substantively then any of us ever imagined when we started. We believed in maybe... but the reality has defied even the most hardened sceptics.

The paddock is alive with anticipation and fellowship. The significance of these days has dawned on us all. On this day, the world changed and the combustion engine bikes have started to feel vintage even before they hit the showrooms.

On June 12th, the year zero for TTXGP, we will likely break the lap record for the 50cc TT lap. And each step in the journey will be bigger then the one before. It's all happening right here on the Isle of Man. Be part of it. It will be unforgettable.
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I too have really wanted to watch this! Is there a network covering this race? I pissed away half a day at work trying to figure out what network was broadcasting the race and could find nothing!

Huge motoczysz fan

--Chris
 
on ITV in the UK http://blog.ttxgp.com/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=55&blogId=1

but i imagine there will be a torrent online after the race somewhere.

apparently Motocyz have yet to complete a lap of the track, technical difficulties or something.
 
I'm reading the same thing as well. i really hope they pull it together. Thanks for the link.

--Chris
 
I watched the noiseless start of the practice laps on youtube yesterday (via hellforleathermagazine) and it was awesome. I still haven't found where I can watch this in the US. I don't care if they are really slow. Just the fact that they can make it around the entire course is amazing....except for the motocyz guys. ;)

I guess I'll be watching it online.
 
Give this link a try
http://www.iomtt.com/ for everything TT
...and this one for the TTXGP
http://www.ttxgp.com/
 
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