Today, talking about electric motorcycles surprises no one, but this idea began a long time ago. In 1978, Steve Fehr of the Transitron Electronic Corporation created an electric motorcycle based on the Harley-Davidson XLH Sportster, using a variable-speed motor and several deep-cycle batteries. How does 0 to 48 in 6 seconds sound...?
Some DIY projects can be relatively simple. Others require a significant amount of time and money. And then there are those that seek to change the very essence of an object, demanding the best of us. That said, imagine being in 1978 and deciding to transform a Harley-Davidson into an electric motorcycle.
Such a technical challenge might seem impossible, but it wasn't for Steve Fehr of Transitron Electronic Corporation, who also received help from the famous and controversial designer Brooks Stevens, remembered for popularizing the concept of planned obsolescence.
The 1978 Electric Harley-Davidson
Fehr and his team took a Harley-Davidson XLH Sportster from 1971 as their base. The major surgery began with the removal of its 900 cubic centimeter engine, the connection of a proprietary control system to the automatic four-speed transmission, and the installation of an extended instrument panel with speedometer, tachometer, and two ammeters.
The electric motor was a Baldor unit with 24 volts and 95 amps in its specifications. A series of four deep-cycle batteries served as the power source, giving this “Harley MK2” prototype a total weight of 284.8 kilograms. With a top speed of 50 kilometers per hour, the battery pack lasted about six hours. Fehr and Transitron tried to tempt Harley-Davidson with an electric motorcycle line, but the company had no interest at that time. That's when Brooks Stevens appears, who helped Fehr test the prototype, accumulating nearly 600 kilometers.
In total, the development of the electric Harley-Davidson consumed $70,000, and it remained in Stevens' museum in Mequon, Wisconsin, until his death in January 1995. Nineteen years later, the motorcycle arrived at RM Sotheby's auction house and was sold for $11,000. I suspect it will be worth much more in a few years.
Source: Cycle World
