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[tommydog]

Do you think we will ever see a long range adventure bike with shaft drive?  I am thinking something with decent specs like the Energica Experia?  Granted shafts are not as efficient as chains, but it would be a maintenance dream.  Plus if it had a 20 kWh battery, we would still see decent range.

[DonTom]

Do you think we will ever see a long range adventure bike with shaft drive?  I am thinking something with decent specs like the Energica Experia?  Granted shafts are not as efficient as chains, but it would be a maintenance dream.  Plus if it had a 20 kWh battery, we would still see decent range.

I doubt it because it is a very bad idea on an electric motorcycle. There is probably no better way to reduce power and range instantly than by using a driveshaft. Belts and chains are much more efficient.  On an ICE touring bike, a driveshaft is a great idea. Still reduces power and MPG. It would be a stupid idea on a race bike or an electric bike, IMAO.  A driveshaft also increases the bike's weight by a few lbs.


Chain maintenance is not that big of a deal. Until you have to adjust it without a centerstand. I don't have the guts to try to use one of those stupid wheel lift thingies that lift the wheel up on a heavy bike unless there are two people. I wish those were never invented so all bikes would still have center stands.



-Don-  Reno, NV

[Specter]

What if the motor was put in the hub of the wheel instead.  No shaft needed, it just instead of spinning in the center, the center was stationary and the outside /wheel spun instead?  Balancing might be a bitch but it'd lower cog quite a bit, possibly making the bike more stable.  Potentially doing away with a gear train, and chain, lowering weight, and / or putting more room for battery capacity.  Just run a few cables from power bank to motor.  Slip ring rig might work, as long as you are not messing with commutation there are ways to get the power where needed w/o standard carbon brushes.

or just put some plastic sheets around it, one huge ass leaf blower and make it a huge hovercraft 

Aaron

[JaimeC]

Electric motors make such STUPID amounts of torque I really don't think a shaft drive would make that much difference to the average consumer.

[tommydog]

What if the motor was put in the hub of the wheel instead.

That has been done.  Check this video out:

[DonTom]

That has been done.  Check this video out:

I always thought that was a great idea. No belt, chain or shaft. But who will be able to change the tires on that?


-Don-  Reno, NV

[DonTom]

Electric motors make such STUPID amounts of torque I really don't think a shaft drive would make that much difference to the average consumer.

The power will suffer (the acceleration), not the torque.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[JaimeC]

Electric motors make such STUPID amounts of torque I really don't think a shaft drive would make that much difference to the average consumer.

The power will suffer (the acceleration), not the torque.

Not enough to make a difference to the typical rider though.  Believe it or not, not EVERYONE needs to be the fastest kid on the block.  Being able to out-accelerate the majority of automobiles out there is enough,.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[DonTom]

Not enough to make a difference to the typical rider though.  Believe it or not, not EVERYONE needs to be the fastest kid on the block.  Being able to out-accelerate the majority of automobiles out there is enough,.

I agree, I wouldn't care much about that. But perhaps with the difference in range, Even a mile is a lot of reduced range when you have to walk that last mile with the bike!


But perhaps the real issue is the cycle companies like to have better specs than their competitors.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[Specter]

I don't see how changing the tire would be that much worse.  Just use the machine on it, but carefully.,  It does not seem like there is a lot of hardware holding that wheel in so the entire thing should pop out.    now granted it may weigh 300 lbs but that's really no different than a truck tire id think.

or maybe they sell them as a plug and play, you bring the old worn out one to the shop, they give you a new / refurb one to put back on, tighten the 4 bolts and you are back in business?  Kind of similar to a rethread or capping?  from there they take the old to the factory where they are set up to change / inspect, fix and resell

Aaron

[tommydog]

I don't see how changing the tire would be that much worse.  Just use the machine on it, but carefully.

Although that would be a major drawback if touring in a remote part of the world and trying to change it by the side of the road.  Out of interest do you like the design?  Do you ever see a major manufacturer adopting it?

[DonTom]

I don't see how changing the tire would be that much worse.  Just use the machine on it, but carefully.,  It does not seem like there is a lot of hardware holding that wheel in so the entire thing should pop out.    now granted it may weigh 300 lbs but that's really no different than a truck tire id think.

or maybe they sell them as a plug and play, you bring the old worn out one to the shop, they give you a new / refurb one to put back on, tighten the 4 bolts and you are back in business?  Kind of similar to a rethread or capping?  from there they take the old to the factory where they are set up to change / inspect, fix and resell

Aaron

How are they going to balance such a tire when there is no axle? But I think I like the idea and I hope it works and becomes very commonly used. If the design becomes common, there will be many ways to deal with the once oddness of it.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[Specter]

Aaron

How are they going to balance such a tire when there is no axle?


-Don-  Reno, NV

Easy, they can put it on a spindle / bobbin and spin it, if it's off balance it'll tip and they'll see where and then you can shim it.  it may even be factory balanced with just a little tappity tap around the edges as the tire wears.  given the drive force is on the edge of it and it's not 'centering' around an axis like a regular tire, that might not be as big an issue, I honestly don't know.  We have balanced huge rotors in our generators that weigh 200 k lbs down to half an ounce, so yes, the tech amazingly IS there.

Aaron

[TheRan]

No regular bike shop would be able to balance that thing, I'd imagine most wouldn't even attempt to put a tyre on it. A regular old hub motor using an axle like a normal wheel makes more sense. One of the issues with hub motors is high unsprung mass, the second is you have no control over gearing to vary the torque (unless it's a geared motor, but that's not an easy thing for a consumer to play around with).

[Specter]

It's pretty much direct drive, it basically grabs the wheel on a corner where it goes under the coil and just like you'd grab a bicycle tire and give it a spin, same principle, only with a lot more power.  But, to keep you standard wheel guys happy Im sure they can put some spinners in the hole for you    Maybe even have a little speaker to go Brrr BRRRRrrr so you can pretend you are still on your ICE bike

Aaron