With today’s ever-increasing gas prices, it’s no surprise that more and more people are looking for the finest motorcycle to convert to electric power. Conventional bikes are deteriorating climate conditions. Therefore, they are becoming a thing of the past.
Many benefits of electric bikes contribute to the market growth for these vehicles. The number of motorcycles with electric motors has increased dramatically over the past year, marking the start of a new movement in the automobile sector.
How to Convert a Dirt Bike to Electric
Specialty dirt bike manufacturers are responding to the rising demand for electric motorcycles. While it’s possible to have an electric bicycle delivered to your door with a click of a button, many people in the United States are turning to a DIY transformation. However, it’s still a lot of work.
It would help if you looked for the following features in an electric motocross bike:
Engine
The engine’s dimensions and orientation constrain the engine bay and mounting arrangements.
You can choose to keep some components of the previous drivetrain to save money and provide a better experience for riders.
The first step in the conversion process is deconstruction, or taking everything back to the skeleton of the building.
Twin-Spar Construction
The unintended design modification occurred around ten years ago when twin spar frames were introduced. This modification is partially responsible for the gasoline bike to electric conversion mania.
Motor frame designers converted to a twin-spar design around ten to facilitate the installation of a single, massive battery pack, increasing the bike’s power and range significantly.
Instrumentation and Controls
You may want to keep some traditional instruments on your e-bike for aesthetics.
For example, you could reuse the ignition key and reassign its function to the clutch lever, which could then be used to activate regenerative braking manually.
Aesthetics
The charm of working on a motorbike restoration project is recreating the classic look and feel that has grown on you.
It would help if you didn’t settle for a cheaply made modern bike; instead, seek out a vintage one that has been lovingly restored. Try to save and preserve as much of the original layout as you can.
Depending on your height, riding experience, preferred suspension configuration, and desired to handle, you can decide which motocross bike to convert to electric.
Read Can You Ride an Electric Dirt Bike on Sidewalk?
Why Should You Switch to an Electric Vehicle?
While it’s true that you can easily get an electric bike from the market, nothing beats the elegance of a beautifully restored vintage model. The following are some of the most basic arguments in favor of proceeding with your do-it-yourself electric vehicle conversion.
1. Cost-Effective
The minimal maintenance cost is one of the appealing aspects of having an electric vehicle. With rising petrol costs, it’s no surprise that people everywhere are looking for alternatives.
2. Original and Sturdy Construction
No one wants to blend in on the new e-bikes that look like they were made out of cheap plastic. As a bike enthusiast, you must know the desire to build something amazing and then ride it.
3. Zero Emissions
Reduce your carbon impact at any time. Since green is supposed to be the new blue, electronic vehicles are becoming all the rage these days. When you know you are helping to reduce pollution by going on that hike, your mind will be put to ease.
4. Eco-Friendly
Conventional vehicles endanger wildlife and disrupt classrooms and hospitals. Noise pollution is another reason motor enthusiasts are reprimanded in these public places.
Electric vehicles are peaceful and eco-friendly. They are silent without sacrificing any of the supple force or sheer enjoyment they provide.
5. Optimized Results
Electric motors typically don’t get their due credit for their strength.
Depending on the motor’s size and how the bike is tuned, riding an electric bike can be just as exciting as riding a motorcycle powered by a traditional combustion engine. It is dependent upon the motorcycle’s original engine.
6. Increased Worth of Your Used Dirt Bike
Electric conversions can be challenging. Performing conversions for a niche clientele has become a lucrative industry for enthusiasts.
Thoughtful electric conversions increase the motorcycle’s worth and can be readily transformed into a side business.
7. Reduced the Weight of Your Dirt Bike
Due to the lack of need for fuel and engine oil, e-converted bicycles are often lighter than their conventional counterparts, despite the inclusion of an extra battery. This helps with fuel economy and agility on and off the track.
Read Electric Dirt Bike Maintenance Cost in the USA
Limitations of Converting a Gas Motorcycle to an Electric One
Converting to electric power or not, working on a bicycle project is not for the faint of heart. Prospective roadblocks are as follows:
1. Complex Conversion
The process of conversion is complex. It is simpler to say than to execute. If you don’t want to work excessively, fear wasting your time, or don’t enjoy building a dirt bike in general, you should opt for a new one because the process could take months.
While it’s true that manufacturers exaggerate the range of their electric vehicles, practical testing demonstrates that commercially created electric vehicles outperform DIY electric vehicles because of the limited supply of tools and knowledge.
Since you don’t want to produce e-bikes in bulk, the cost of producing greater power will likely exceed the price of a brand-new e-bike.
Moreover, it can be difficult to justify the cost of a well-executed electric vehicle conversion when you start with nothing but a motivation to save a few bucks.
It’s more expensive than buying brand new, and that’s probably not a good thing.
2. Disruption of the Original Style
Unlike cars, converting a historic motorcycle would always involve altering its distinctive appearance.
3. Unfit Kits
Sometimes kits won’t fit, and you may have to resell or return them to the store.
Read Electric Dirt Bike vs. Gas Dirt Bike
Conversion of Dirt Bikes into an Electric Bike
At first appearance, the transition from a dirt bike to an electric one might seem simple.
You might think that taking off the old gas tank and engine and putting in an electric motor and battery pack are all required to do the conversion.
However, converting a dirt bike into an electric bike is a huge undertaking. However, the auto industry is starting to embrace the need for it and developing electric vehicles more frequently than ever.
Changes like these don’t have much aesthetic impact on a car because the engine is hidden, but everything is on full display on a motorcycle.
An electric motorcycle cannot transport a battery as large as an electric automobile. The bicycle’s frame limits electric motor placement and size.
The motorcycle’s engine can be throttled either manually or electronically, like a car’s. And the transmission can be kept intact during the transformation.
Your converted vehicle will likely keep its existing final-drive mechanism, much like Kawasaki EV Endeavor, the teaser of which features their trump card – manual transmission.
When converting dirt bikes, it’s crucial to remember that standard motor kilowatts and horsepower are not comparable in any way. To get the job done, couple a strong motor with a suitable controller like Sabvoton.
Here is a quick 10-step tutorial for modifying your dirt bike:
- Collect all required components, equipment, and supplies, such as wire cutters, Sawzall, and drill presses.
- Remove all paint from the frame.
- Get rid of the mounting points and tabs to fit batteries and motor.
- Delete the swingarm. The AC motor’s location in the frame increases the swingarm’s rigidity, making it the most difficult metalwork element.
- After you’ve drilled the hole and confirmed that the motor fits inside it, you can take precise measurements and begin building the swing arm motor mount.
- The battery tray can be made from a steel-angle iron.
- Cover the wood and metal in paint.
- Drop in the cogs and sprockets. Depending on the conditions of the race, you should gear up or gear down by adjusting the front and rear sprockets. You can improve your top speed for straight-line racing by using a larger sprocket to create a higher gear ratio. It also lessens your acceleration or low-end torque.
- Assemble the off-road bike once more once the frame has been fabricated. The forks, wheels, battery tray, and swing arm are the foundation.
- Connect the wires last. Depending on how low the batteries are, a full charge for an electric motorcycle can take anywhere from eight to twelve hours.
Copying an existing motorcycle’s drivetrain could be a time-saving option. Otherwise, you might find it difficult to start from scratch due to the high cost.
Even though electric motor drives for bicycles aren’t cheap, at least you know you’ll get some more mileage out of your battery because they’ve been tried and tested.
Read Do Electric Dirt Bikes Have Gears?
The Top Battery Packs for Your Electric Bike Conversion
If you decide to ditch gasoline for electricity, you’ll have to get used to charging. You can’t leave home without it because of how crucial it is to the operation of your electric vehicles. If you’re looking for chargers, here are a few options to think about:
Lotfancy
The Lotfancy QL-09005 is designed to work with various popular kits, thanks to its 36V XLR pin connector. Its speed is to be expected to be modest since it is limited to only 1.5A of output current
Wonderfully, it can protect your vehicles from short circuits and a year guarantee that you can use or return for a full refund.
Wingsmoto
If you’re looking for a way to get things done more quickly than the recommended stock that comes with the cheapest e-bikes, you might want to look into getting some wings.
The Moto Sealed 2.5’s output is a great time saver when switching from a 1.6A or 1.8A model. The built-in fan and 3-pin XLR connector make it ideal for professional use. Not only is it a viable choice, but it’s also quite affordable.
Honey Care G100-L10L13
The LED screen on the HoneyCare G100-L10L13 is great for keeping you updated on its status. It works with 48-volt, 13-cell battery packs.
It has secure, hardwired connections for its alligator clamp output connectors, preventing them from becoming dislodged. A four-step charging process and protection against reverse polarity are features.
Li Do UY360
The Li Do UY360 utilizes a combination of continuous current and voltage to help you get a full charge and then switches to trickle mode to keep it charged until you’re ready for a ride.
Moreover, an extra fuse and a tough aluminum housing are also included. You can swiftly charge your device with its 8A output.
Green Technologies’ Cycle Satiator
Cycle Satiator is a powerful global model that can be programmed to work with either lithium or lead batteries.
It’s designed to save power and make it simpler to keep tabs on operations thanks to a large, easy-to-read display. It is approved for use in all regions of the world, has a waterproof seal, and operates with a whisper-quiet fan.
Is It Practical to Convert a Dirt Bike to an Electric Bike?
There has been a meteoric rise in the production of electric dirt bikes over the past few years. Their low-end torque numbers are astonishing.
Don’t estimate the power of electric motors in horsepower or kW. They are so quiet that riders can take them to almost any place.
Therefore, yes. It is practical to convert a dirt bike into an electric bike. It’s money well spent.
As investing in a brand-new electric dirt bike quickly becomes a white elephant project, you might want to think about making the switch yourself. This way, you can save money without sacrificing the custom construction or ride quality.
You may like the following electric dirt bikes:
- Can You Ride an Electric Dirt Bike on the Road?
- Do Electric Dirt Bikes Need To Be Registered?
- Can You Ride an Electric Dirt Bike in the Rain?
- Are electric dirt bikes legal?
- How Fast a KTM Electric Dirt Bike Is?
- Aventon Electric Bike Review – Are They Good?
- Can an Electric Bike Pull a Trailer?
My name is Matthew, staying in Seattle, Washington. Electric Vehicles (Electric Cars & Electric bikes) caught my attention for the last few years and my love for electric cars and bikes is everlasting. I spend many of my weekends traveling to various places all over various cities with my electric vehicle (e-bike and electric car). Here I am sharing my expertise, experience, and invaluable information about electric cars and electric bikes. Check out more.