Electric Superbike to Attack Pikes Peak
- By Chuck Squatriglia
- March 29, 2011 |
- 9:00 am |
- Categories: EVs and Hybrids, Motorcycles
Chip Yates is hell-bent on proving electric motorcycles can run with the best machines on two wheels. Now that’ he’s spanked a bunch of race-ready rides on the track, he’s taking his campaign to the mountains with a 240-horsepower beast.
Chip Yates plans to attack Pikes Peak on his electric superbike during the 89th running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on June 29. He won’t be the first e-moto to join the Race to the Clouds — John Scollon competed last year on a bike built by Eva H�kansson. But he’s the first with a shot at embarrassing some gasoline machines.
Making it to the summit will be no small feat and another milestone in the development of electric motorcycles. Pikes Peak is among the most challenging events in motor sports, a frantic 12.4-mile scramble through 156 turns. The course, which includes pavement, dirt and gravel, rises from 9,390 to 14,110 feet.
And Yates plans to ride it on a street bike based on the Suzuki GSX-R750.
“The course is almost completely paved, but I will be challenged by several miles of dirt in the middle of the climb,” Yates said. “I?ll be calling on my previous SCCA Pro Rally driving experience to get safely through the lower grip sections. Our engineers are busy developing new traction control software and mapping that will automatically adapt based on my position on the mountain.?
Yates and his engineers already have outfitted the bike with a 240-horsepower electric motor that produces a mind-bending 365 foot-pounds of torque. He needs all that power to offset the bike’s ungodly weight of 585 pounds.
The previous version had “only” 194 horsepower and 295 pound feet, but it was enough to put Yates on the podium in two classes at the WERA Heavyweight Twins races in January. He raced against machines like the Ducati 848, KTM RC8 and Suzuki SV650. He hit 158 mph at one point as he lapped AutoClub Speedway and posted a fastest lap of 1:39.792.
He’ll have his work cut out for him at Pikes Peak. Greg Tracy hit the summit in 11:44.6 last year aboard a Ducati Multistrada to lead the 1205cc class. Walker Pew took second with 12:35.6 on a Buell. It remains to be seen how fast Yates will be, but he says electric drive offers two advantages.
“Our superbike makes 240 horsepower at sea level and 240 horsepower at 14,110 feet,” he said. “We do not suffer any power loss due to elevation, while gasoline-powered vehicles will lose around 30 percent of their power at the top.”
Better yet, all that torque is available the minute Yates twists the throttle. “We don’t have to wait for revs to build up in order to blast through the course’s 156 turns and tight corners,” he said.
Yates and the crew from Swigz.com will hit the mountain June 4 and 5 for practice runs to dial-in the bike ahead of the June 29 race. He’ll compete in the exhibition powersport division.
“?We are thrilled to have Chip on the Hill this year with his amazing bike,? hill climb motorcycle ref Sonny Anderson said in a statement. ?Our exhibition powersport division is designed for new technology, and what he brings is exactly that. Our fans are in for something special.?
Photo: Caliphotography. Yates competing at the WERA Heavyweight Twins races in January.
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