Archive for the ‘People of the Press’ Category

First Round of the eFXC update

Posted: May 4, 2013 in Events, Manufacturers, People of the Press, Riders, Series, Teams
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Courtesy of SplinterOz

So I have been getting updates from the evmotorcycle.org folks.  Not too much to say so far.  Only three teams have shown up for this round, but the new guys Varley are in the mix, which is a great sign.  In practice one of the bikes hit 1:10 lap time which is a 5 second drop from last year, in only 50-60 degree weather.  This may not sound that impressive, but since the gas bikes are running 0:59 to 1:01 lap times that means it is a short track, 1.3 miles, so you have to look at the percentage of improvement not the raw time.  It’s an impressive jump actually.  Unfortunately we are not seeing times particularly close to gas bikes, like has been predicted.  Superbikes are running 59 seconds range, 600s 1:01, twins 1:03, and 450 lightweights are running 1:07s (I found the times here).

Qualifying was a surprise as well.  Ripperton is up to 100hp this year, and with an already lightweight everything it promised to be fast.  But they ended up last, with Catavolt on top, and the new guys sliding in between the two.

Qualifing 4-5-2013
Pos No Name Machine Lap
 
  1. 1 Jason MORRIS (NSW) Catavolt1:13.531
  2. 86 Jeff PHILLIPS (NSW) Varley1:15.957
  3. 46 Daniel RIPPERTON (NSW) Ripperton1:16.277
 
However the race proved quite different:
  1. 46 Daniel RIPPERTON (NSW) / Ripperton Racing   Yamaha R1   6   7:18.027                1:09.878 4
  2.  1 Jason MORRIS (NSW) / Catavolt / Impact AV   Catavolt D6   6   7:27.381    9.354  1:13.233 6
  3. 86 Jeff PHILLIPS (NSW) / Varley Electric Vehicles /Ultramotive / Tritium   Varley           6   7:31.014  12.987  1:13.072 4
 
Ripperton put 9 seconds into the other two, and Catavolt lead the new guys Varley by 3.6 seconds by the end of the 6 laps.  Looks like they may have had a good battle.  Fortunately the temps were up in the high 60s, however ice was on the cars this morning when teams showed up for the seconds day of racing.  Qualifying for everyone is wrapping up as we speak.  Catch the live timing here.
 

First Moto-rag Empulse R vs Zero S ZF11.4 Comparo via Motorcycle.com

Posted: April 28, 2013 in Manufacturers, People of the Press, Tech
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I’d add some commentary but I feel it’s better to let these guys represent themselves, and let you take away from it what you will.  I will say the chatter about the comparison has been minimal on the forums.  I think everyone has a favorite and wants to chest pound for their favorite, but is choosing to keep things civil.  Either way the review is very enlightening.  And, as seems usual for the Motorcycle.com folks, the written article has more details and goes further in depth.  Both are worth your time.

@Pinkyracr Finally gets Herself an Elmoto for Her Birthday

Posted: March 26, 2013 in People of the Press
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Motorcycle blogger and Gas2 contributor Pinkyracr isn’t the only one to have cool stuff happen on her birthday, she finally got herself an elmoto.  I think she had been waiting for an Empulse, but has instead opted for the Zero employee favorite 2013 Zero FX.  I think one advantage of this choice is that if she got the Empulse keeping or using her R1 could seem kind of redundant.  With the FX she can take it off road, ride it for commuter duty, and save the R1 for weekend canyon carving.  You’re gonna want to follow this relationship.  @Pinkyracr http://pinkyracer.com/  Her instigram photo is here.  Happy Birthday Susanna, and congrats!

Jay Leno’s Garage Review of the Empulse R set for March 11th

Posted: March 6, 2013 in Manufacturers, People of the Press
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Brammo Empulse R - Coming March 11

Picture from the Jay Leno’s Garage website

 

Brammo posted pictures on their Facebook page about a week ago of their time at Jay Leno’s Garage.  Yesterday they posted this picture saying simply, “Brammo Empulse R – Coming March 11.”  Jay has tested just about every EV out there be it two wheels or four.  I believe he owns both an Enertia and Zero S.  This should be one of the most insightful reviews out there, hence why I am so excited.  Start the count down.

The Daytona Video is Finally Here!

Posted: March 5, 2013 in Blah, blah, blah, Events, People of the Press, Tracks
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I had hoped there would be a full length DVD, but it just wasn’t in the cards.  But I have been assured this is the just right length for normal people.  Pfft, normal people.

It was a strange experience watching this video for the first time.  I hadn’t watched the other Daytona content in quite some time, and the month of November that followed was weighed down by a funk that some of my friends cycling experienced as well.  Other than my press pass I keep on display at work and conversations in podcasts I had nothing to remind me of Daytona.  At first it felt like I was watching someone else interviewing folks.  It was all new and how cool would it have been to be that guy right in the thick of it.  Oddly enough in my conversation with Shelina Moreda the other night she asked me directly about my feelings about having been at Daytona.  I have been very honest about how bitter-sweet the experience was and how I just did not feel Andy and I got the recognition we deserved.  Whether we did or not is for you folks to judge.  So the best I could come up with I was very proud that I was there to witness history in the making.  I was at Daytona for not just the first electric motorcycle race, but the very first zero emissions race there, ever.  Daytona.  First.  Ever.  Me.

So as the video plays on I start to remember.  The feel of a quiet paddock with the sounds of tools clinking and equipment being shuffled around.  The cement floor and how the sounds echo and resonate through the wide open space of the paddock, with the very comfortable Florida air flowing through it.  The comradery from the Aussie Catavolt team making me long to be back in Australia, where I had lived for 3 months 1.5 years previously.  Getting to know the fun guys that make up the Meunch team, meeting the Brammo team and reestablishing that relationship (as well as thanking those individuals who basically paid for my trip out of their own pockets), meeting fellow forum members and other bloggers (big thanks to Dominic of Autoblog Green for helping make the trip possible), and meeting Terry Hershner and Jeremiah Johnson and watching them take a street bike Terry rode there and convert it into a race bike.

But mostly I just remembered the distilled sensation of being there, and just what a great experience it was, and how I crave to do it again.  It’s been said that racing is a disease that you cannot get rid of.  I have to agree, but if you have to have a disease, this is the one to have.

 

Video courtesy of evmotorcycle.org

Video Interviews from Race day With Azhar Hussain and David Herron

Posted: October 22, 2012 in Blah, blah, blah, People of the Press, Podcast, Series
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Audio from race day’s interviews

Posted: October 21, 2012 in Blah, blah, blah, Manufacturers, People of the Press, Podcast, Riders, Series, Teams, Tech, Tracks
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Hey all,

Here is what I have for interviews with David Herron, Steve Atlas, Brian Wismann, Prof. Pat Wheeler, and Azhar Hussain.

TTXGP World Final Sunday Post Race

Official Press Release announcment thingy, from ME! No, not Maine, Me. No Seriously, a must Listen!

Posted: October 15, 2012 in Blah, blah, blah, Events, People of the Press
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Give a listen to this promo I made in about 5, maybe 10 minutes.  You’ll probably wish you hadn’t, but it’s only about a minute, so it shouldn’t hurt too bad.

esbk and evmotorcycle Daytona promo

So what do you think will happen?

Breaking -ish News: Catavolt is on it’s way to Daytona!

Posted: October 5, 2012 in Events, Manufacturers, People of the Press, Teams
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I just confirmed via twitter that Team Catavolt will be at Daytona for the world final, with none other than EVMotorcycle.org in tow.  So not only will this be the first time the World Final is in the US, it will be the first time an Australian team has participated!

This will hopefully give me a chance to get you all up to speed about the Aussies season personally.  But for some reason EVMotorcycle.org wants to use their awesome skills on an interview with me.  It’s bad enough you all have to listen to me, but look at me too?  Just might be too much of a good thing.

If you want to catch up on the 2012 eFXC/TTXGP season go EVMotorcycle.org.

 

ESBK Studios: Episode 10 Interview with Gavin McCullough

Posted: October 2, 2012 in People of the Press, Podcast
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Gavin before the Plus. :D

A really great interview with Gavin McCullough of BrammoBlog and the BrammoForums.  If you have any interest about the Enertia or Enertia Plus, or just owning an electric motorcycle in general it is a must listen.  We also talk about race weekend at Laguna Seca.

Episode 10 Interview with Gavin McCullough

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