Victory Racing has successfully run its two electric bikes in the first practice session ahead of the TT Zero race. Six racers set out on the practice, but only three crossed the line with two of those being the Victory machines. Getting both bikes back across the line and breaking past 100mph laps on Victory’s first ever attempt at the TT is a promising start.
William Dunlop and Lee Johnston rode one lap of the course, achieving average lap speeds of 104.185mph and 105.185mph respectively. Both riders also achieved 140mph through the Sulby speed trap – testament to the GVM Parker electric motor installed in the machine. This means that Victory is now the third electric bike team to ride over a 100mph lap, something made extra special by doing this on their first ever time around the course. Dunlop completed his lap in 21:43.717 minutes while Johnston was 12 seconds faster, crossing the line after 21:31.322 minutes.
Team manager Brian Wismann (also head of Brammo product development) said this first ever ride of the course by Victory Racing follows a trouble-free week of testing at Jurby. “We are really pleased with our first lap of the TT course,” he said. “Both riders executed clean laps to bring a pair of 100mph+ laps on our first attempt. The reliability of the bikes has been a strong suit for us so far at the TT, with very few technical problems arising. I think this will continue to be a key to being able to translate practice results to race results when it counts.”
Following this first TT Zero practice session, William Dunlop and Lee Johnston were in extremely high spirits. Both said the bikes were extremely stable and coped well with the lumps and bumps of the TT course, something they hadn’t been able to replicate in testing. Lee Johnston said as he climbed off the bike: “That was just mint. It feels so stable, it’s unbelievable. It’s just so peaceful. No revving.” Asked what the stand out memory from his lap was, he said: “I think just the peace and quiet and riding over the mountain, no noise and seeing the sunset. Everything’s just mint on the bike and I’m ready to go and do more.” Lee also joked: “There were load of people waving iPhones at me when I was out on the course – I wondered if they wanted me to recharge them.” William Dunlop was equally happy with the bike saying that: “It was surprisingly good, it really was, and I’m not just saying that. It was good to just go out and not have wrestle something with 200hp around.”
The next TT Zero practice session will be on Saturday June 6th with the third and final practice session on Monday June 8th . The TT Zero race takes place at 10:45am on Wednesday June 10th.
TECHNICAL INSIGHTS
Following these promising results, Victory Racing has also revealed more technical insights in to the electric bikes.
The bike has two Brammo batteries that sit on top of one another and they actually form part of the bike’s structure. These batteries sit between a twin-spar aluminium frame with Ohlins suspension connecting the swingarm to the top of the batteries. While Brammo has created the batteries, the electric motor is made by Parker, joining Victory Racing’s TT effort under the name of Parker Racing.
The configuration of the Parker GVM motor and the swingarm is unique too. On conventional petrol-fuelled bikes the swingarm pivot point is behind the engine, but on these electric bikes, the swingarm pivot point is in front of the motor. The bikes have chains and sprockets, but the chain is set tighter than on conventional motorcycles because there is so much torque from the Parker GVM motor.
The wheels are forged magnesium, made by OZ Racing and mounted onto Ohlins forks with World Superbike-spec Brembo brakes. The rider’s display is a Motech ADL3, which also records all of the data from the electrical system.
Victory Racing has also announced that the bikes have an in-built energy recovery system, with the rate of this recovery configurable. Interestingly, Lee likes to run his recovery setting some 30% less than William’s. As Brian Wismann explains: “This is all down to riding style and how each rider prefers to get the chassis set for the entry to the corner. William prefers the regenerative braking to be higher to help slow his entry speed.”
Victory Racing has also announced that the electric bike has actually been developed for short circuit racing, so the longer 37-mile length of the TT course poses a greater challenge for setting the bike up for the race. While there are the two Brammo batteries linked to the Parker GVM electric motor, extra ‘boost modules’ can be added or taken away from the bike. Brian explains: “Here at the TT we are running the highest number of boost modules that we can carry. With these on board we can make 165bhp at the rear wheel. The bike in its TT configuration weighs around 220kg, but in its short circuit configuration drops to 209kg.”
Part of the challenge, says Brian Wismann, is to get the maximum amount of power from the batteries and boost modules while making sure the bike has enough electrical energy to get around the course.
IOM is going to be a great proving ground for Victory
Polaris isn’t just playing around for PR points. It appears they intend to be a serious contender.
I can’t wait to hear what the electric bike and Polaris haters have to say about this.
Over & Out,
Jeff
I can’t wait to watch the race and to see what lands in showrooms the next couple years. I love my ice bikes and will probably always have one. These electrics are just way too much fun for me to deny myself one. My only hesitation to buying one right now is this suspicion that a much better version will come out the month after I buy it.
Jeff Nicklus,
It does not require one to first qualify as a ‘hater’, to point out that an electric motorcycle simply does not have a smaller carbon footprint, versus an internal combustion fuel driven one of a comparable performance (e.g. the time to get from point A to point B).
Who said anything about footprints? I just want one ’cause they’re fun!
SIGFREED. What are the number comparisons between the two ?
Not a “hater” just can’t see any use for it. It’s the answer to the question nobody asked. When there is a touring version, let me know. Until then, it only takes me 10 minutes to fill up and pay for fuel every 200 miles….How long does it take to charge the battery? If I run out of fuel somewhere, I can find someone with a gas can. With this thing, you need to have a current bush….
Jeff,
I get a charge out of your comments.
Mike
Don’t get me wrong. I’m a gas guy. But if you can’t fathom the implications of the electric motorcycle and its ability to deliver torque like a scalded ape RFN then you haven’t been paying any attention.
Soon,, too late for this fat old greybeard, but soon enough these electric machines are going to be delivering unheard of packages of power. When they do and they force the entire motorsport industry to rethink what it takes to control that power, then all motorcycles will benefit.
A common misperception I see repeated by the “haters” is that if the electric bike isn’t good for them, they must not be good for anybody. The reallity is there are literally hundreds of thousands of riders out there who will never need an electric bike to do was gas bikes do. For some it’s because they use bikes to commute, they don’t ride 200 miles, gas up and ride 200 more miles. They live, work, and play where they live. For thousands more of us, we have more than one motorcycle in the garage. I don’t need all of them to fill the same purpose.
These days you need more than one bike.
Electrics are a wonderful choice for short range.
Burning gas a watching America roll by is not going to end soon.
It’s so much easier to just reduce things to childish terms like fans and haters. Much easier than actually bothering to see pros and cons pointed out by all folks who comment. (and I’m not even referring to just the electric bike issue)
Congrats to all of the folks involved, the more people push the edge, racing or otherwise that can translate into great bikes and improvements for “everyman”. Learning and technology fuel our industry. That is a serious proving ground where so many legends have raced, super cool and still on my bucketlist.
@SIGREED – Considering today’s grid & sources for that grid, there are complex factors involved to come to such a granular conclusion. Two right off the top are:
1. what State does the owner live in? coal-fired, wind/solar/hydro-powered, nuke?
2. what ICE engine is being used for comparison?
An electric, 1/4 hp table top grinder will run for years without needing a drop of fossil fuel put into the unit. Do you think the amount of carbon burned from the electricity put into that electric motor is the same (or more) than a hypothetical ICE, 1/4 hp table top grinder?
When power plants are made more efficient how will your numbers compete when your “power plants” (i.e. gas stations) still require x barrels just to replenish their supply?
Said it before, Victory is getting REAL serious about racing
Also might beat H-D to the market with a practical electric bike
Still don;t want one, but I’d test ride it !!!!!
Well, i don’t see it as a question of “Like” -vs- “Hate”……
More an issue of “Interesting” -vs- “uninteresting”…..
No combustion physics, no Intake physics, no engineering debate over bore/stroke decisions, no flow-benches……
Hell, if all the participants on the Salt were running electric power…..
I wonder how much interest they would that generate?
Lets face it, Electric powers is about as interesting as a sewing machine.
Fine for sewing up the holes in your britches, not so much for a tinkering chalange.
-nicker-
The Zero TT is a tinkering challenge of the highest order for some, though. They’re tinkering with software & controllers instead of gears and valves.
Cyril – it is very cool that you are giving this level of exposure for Victory Racing. The absence of American road racing success (man & machine) has gone on far too long. We must represent the western hemisphere, electric or otherwise !
I think Nicker makes a salient point. I’ve seen documentaries with Guy Martin and they spend 12 months dialing a bike in for one day running the TT. The verocity of a TT bike is not to be marginalized; incredible leaps of electrical engineering aside, the TT sounds and smells are part of the insanity, and to overcrowd that with electric may create a clinical experience.
IOM is the true test and a KIWI came tops this year at the age of 45 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
but good on Victory, the IOM can make you look an arse very quickly and they showed class by just going there
Terry Hershner just traveled 300 miles, at hwy speeds , one charge on a special Zero with Vetter Aerodynamics.
Electrics have been going to the Salt Flats for many years.
Without change, things remain the same.
I’m not interested in salt flats speed trials to debate bore, stroke, and flow benching. I’m interested to see how fast someone can go, will they break a record? Turbine power, ICE power, electric power….if any of them were easy (boring) everyone would do it. Following IOM Zero racing in just the last few years electrics have gone from <100 mph avg speed to 105, to 109, to 117…a fantastic progression. Anxious to see what happens tomorrow.
Thanks for the coverage Cyril – We do appreciate it.
There will be a period of overlapping technology. Certainly at some point there were still steam cars and gasoline vehicles sold at the same time. Same situation with hybrids and electric. Progress is a shark, not a jellyfish.
Robert Pandya
Lightning Electric Motorcycle did 218 mph @ Bonneville
Known as World’s Fastest Street Bike .
They also won Pike’s Peak against World class manufacturers .
Change takes adventurers with courage .