EnvironMoto’s Friday Top Three! 26-JUN-2009

Our Friday top three news items from the week in green motorcycle racing and design:

1 – FIM Announces Electric Motorcycle Roadracing Series

Beyond huge. You can find details on this high profile news item all over the net.
Our take (will the bikes be considered Production or Prototype) can be found here: FIM Announces Electric Superbike Series

2 – AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days Releases eGrandPrix America Schedule
strong>
We still have no idea which teams will be there and which won’t. Via Tweets, it does seem that Brammo does not intend to… attend. Thanks BrammoFan, and Skadamo for following this! Follow them on Twitter: www.twitter.com/brammofan and www.twitter.com/skadamo
Link to AMA Vintage Days Schedule: Here
Our take and the bite-sized eGrandPrix schedule is here: TTXGP eGrandPrix America Schedule Released

3- Friends and Fans of EnvironMoto

Those first two racing news items are pretty significant. Therefore we want to take a moment to acknowledge some of the bloggers, forums fans, electric motorcycle industry people, and individuals who have been visiting EnvironMoto.com. We certainly try to give credit everywhere credit is due. Thank you, everyone.

We hope that you will continue to visit regularly and we invite your comments.

You may contact us via:
- Commenting directly on posts
- Following us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/EnvironMoto

Photo: Brammo Enertia and TTR via www.hellforleathermagazine.com

Electric Motorcycle Racing News: FIM Announce Electric Superbike Series

As announced yesterday, TTXGP organizer and founder Azhar Hussain has been behind the scenes working with the FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme) to introduce an international electric motorcycle roadracing series based upon the success of the TTXGP.

The FIM press release can be found here: Superbikeplanet.com
Discuss further at: ElectricMotorcycleForum.com

Details are very limited, but it will be interesting to see if the new, as of yet unnamed, series will run independently of the two current FIM World Championship series: MotoGP and World Superbike; or if it will be run as a support series alongside one or the other.

Conjecture would lean toward the electric bike series running in conjunction with one of the established FIM series and not as an autonomous series. How the FIM decides to position and market the electric series will likely depend upon a combination of financial sense and vision for the future.

The FIM purely establishes and enforces rules and regulations regarding international motorcycle racing. Promoting and organizing racing series and events falls on the two companies that own all of the rights to each form of racing: Dorna Sports for the prototype bike series: MotoGP, and Flamini Group for production bike series: World Superbike.

In a nutshell, Dorna and Flamini are marketing businesses that make their money sourcing sponsors, establishing television rights, licensing, and merchandizing their respective series. The bulk of the work they do is promoting their series, and handling all of the logistics and organization of races.

Will either promoter see value in an electric series and choose to bid on rights to it?

The bikes that ran at TTXGP were a combination of production-based (i.e. Brammo Enertia TTR, etc.) and pure prototype (i.e. MotoCzysz E1pc) motorcycles. Most of the prototype constructors do hope to produce production bikes based upon their race machines. It will be up to the FIM to decide if the vision they have is (and financial justification for) a production series or a prototype series, and make the rules to favor one formula over the other.

EnvironMoto will keep tabs on the rules as they come together.

Photo: MotoCzysz via Asphalt and Rubber

TTXGP eGrandPrix America Schedule Released

Exhibition laps? Please…

As we’ve mentioned before, the TTXGP eGrandPrix America (www.egrandprix.com) will run in conjunction with the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, USA on July 24th through 26th 2009.

The AMA is billing the eGrandPrix as an exhibition of electric roadracing motorcycles from around the world. Maybe the AMA have themselves convinced that these bikes will be cruising around at a parade-lap pace, but we think enthusiasts, competing teams, and racers alike will all agree that eGrandPrix participants intend to show the world what these bikes are fully capable of on US soil.

The latest AMA Vintage Days schedule shows the eGrandPrix bikes will be on track for one 15 minute session each of the three days, and a final hour long run on Sunday:

Friday, July 24th – 2:00pm to 2:15pm
Saturday, July 25th – 1:00pm to 1:15pm
Sunday, July 26th – 1:00pm to 1:15pm
Sunday, July 26th – 5:00pm – 6:00pm

Details on the events leave something to the imagination at this point (AMA Vintage Days Schedule), but it reads to us as three practice sessions through the weekend, then a final chance to throw down some extended hot laps on Sunday evening. We hope that more details are released soon.

EnvironMoto is certain that when the eGrandPrix bikes are on track (sans pace-car) they will be ridden in anger and US fans will get the full electric racebike experience.

EnvironMoto’s Friday Top Three! For 19-JUN-2009

Our Friday top 3 news items from the week in the world of green motorcycle racing and design:

Since we’ve thrown up a poll involving the three teams committed to the AMA eGrandPrix this morning, and the TTXGP has been in the books for a week, our Friday Top Three this week will feature Brammo, Mission Motors, and MotoCzysz explaining their TTXGP experience in their own words.

1 – Brammo
- For the best/latest info follow CEO, Craig Bramscher on Twitter @BrammoCraig, and you absolutely have to dial in Brammofan: http://brammofan.wordpress.com/

2 – Mission Motors
- Mission Motors Blog: Blogging the TTXGP: Final Results and Reflections

3 – MotoCzysz
- MotoCzysz Blog: Read Michael Czysz’s extremely detailed and EXCELLENT account of the TTXGP happenings as related to MotoCzysz: TTXgp V1.0

Photo: Mark Miller at the TTXGP via MotoCzysz

EnvironMoto: Electric Motorcycle Racing Commentary

We’ve been working on Part 2 of our TTXGP in Review series, but time has been limited this week and the story we’re putting together has taken on a life of its own. Feel free to check out Part 1 (a combined tribute to Team Agni and racer John Crellin) if you missed it. Keep checking back or put us on your feed, and we’ll try to get something posted this weekend (and at least a Friday Top 3 Three for today). There is some interesting stuff we’re going into…

For now, check out more cool renderings from automotive designer and artist, Daniel Simon and his creation: Cosmic Motors. http://www.cosmic-motors.com/. Prepare to be blown away. EnvironMoto is a long time fan of Simon’s work.

Image: The Cosmic Motors Detonator via Cosmic Motors

TTTXGP In Review, Part 1: Everest and Agni

The Isle of Man TT is not for everyone. Spectators or competitors alike. Plenty of racers have publicly trashed the TT and have sworn to never be any part of it. It is dangerous and insanely hairy. Yet it still remains an icon of motorcycle roadracing, and the pinnacle of real roads motorcycle racing throughout the world.

The TT is the Everest of motorcycling: An impossible concept to most people, and a dream to some. It is only a reality to those few people who are willing to accept the risks and make the sacrifices required to become a part of its legend. Those brave few hold back their fears, and do whatever it takes to get on a racing motorcycle and go as fast as they possibly can for 37.73 miles.

The inaugural TTXGP is now in the books. Ten teams accepted the challenge made 9 months ago by Azhar Hussain and the TTXGP. They fast-tracked their concepts and technology and made them a reality in just a few months. Just to get to the island with a man and a machine ready for this significant race in such a short amount of time is truly amazing.

Team Agni came out on top in the Pro class and now boasts the fastest time and average speed ever recorded on the Isle of Man TT circuit for a zero carbon racing motorcycle. 25:50:53 minutes, and 87.434 mph is now the target for anyone intending to compete at the second TTXGP in June of 2010.

This is a landmark feat for a little known Anglo-Indian company which has been concentrating on electric motor design for over 20 years. Agni's Cedric Lynch, Arvind Rabadia, and Hasmuk Rabadia have made their mark and deserve the accolades. The ultimate reward for the dedication and effort of this team has come to fruition and rightfully put Agni in the spotlight.

The spot-on and consistent riding of Rob Barber pushed the Agni machine to the finish line over three minutes ahead of their nearest rival, Team XXL of Germany. Visit the TTXGP blog for a great video interview with the racers that really captures the excitement of the win and requisite podium celebration: Here

Triumph and tragedy always seem to go hand-in-hand at the Isle of Man TT. The TTXGP was certainly not immune to the dark shadow of sadness that the death of a competitor brings. In awful contrast to the TTXGP podium celebration which saw TORK rider John Crellin celebrate the Indian team’s sweet third place in the TTXGP Open Class; the entire TT was susequently mourning his death on lap 5 of the Senior race a few hours later.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of racer John Crellin. John was an Engineer, motorcycle racer, and mountaineer. He never made it to Everest's summit (he made his third attempt in May) but he did climb the other six highest peaks in the world. He was a man who seems to have never had any concept of the impossible. We can all be assured that he lived exactly how he wanted to live, and he died doing exactly what he loved to be doing. In John’s own words, we hope that he has found peace in his “Final Pit Stop”.

For links to the rich life of John Crellin go to:
http://www.iomtoday.co.im/cq/CQ-John-Crellin.5059985.jp
http://www.manxfellrunners.org/index.php/2009/06/14/a-tribute-to-john-crellin/
http://www.manxradio.com/newsread.aspx?id=36527

Photo: John Crellin via MCN

Part 2 of our TTXGP Review will focus on the rest of the TTXGP competitors and further analysis of the race.

Congratulations to Team Agni, Inaugural TTXGP Champions

Congratulations to all TTXGP competitors! Sadly, condolences to friends and family of John Crellin.

Full Reults can be found: IOMTT

TTXGP Tuesday Practice Times!

Here’s the practice times from yesterday’s delayed (from Monday) first TTXGP practice session.
PRO Class times
Team Agni (Rob Barber): 26:41 (85.7mph lap)
Mission Motors (Thomas Montano): 33:45 (67.68mph)
XXL (Thomas Schoenfelder): 34.07 (66.45mph)
Brammo/Bike (Roy Richardson): 35:47 (63.83mph)
Brammo/Bike (Mark Buckley): 35:52 (63.74mph)
HTBLAUVA – TGM (Paul Dobbs): 41:53 (54.51mph)

Open Class times (£30,000 bike price limit)
ManTTx Racing (Dan Kneen): 32:01 (70.73mph)
Barefoot Motors Racing (Chris Petty): 33:35 (67.89mph)
Electric Motorsport (Chris Heath): 36:26 (62.44mph)
NSR - Kingston University (George Spence): 40:44 (55.98mph)

These are all the teams who have made the time cutoff. There is a lot of interesting behind the scenes stuff going down that we’ll report on later today. The second Practice/Qualifying session is scheduled for today dependent on the weather. The news is coming in fast and furious.

Make sure you vote for the top US team and stay tuned!

Source: MCN

TT Postponements

Due to the crap-load of crappy weather IoM has had throughout the weekend, it looks as though Monday TTXGP practice has been bumped out to Tuesday at 3:45 PM IoM-Time. All racing and practice sessions for all classes have been bumped up. Not sure what this means for the qualifying sessions or how the rest of the week will play out. We'll update as we know more...

Link: IoM forecast

Mission Unveils Racebike at TT

First photos of the Mission One TTXGP machine at the TTMA Dinner Sunday.

Source: TTXGP

EvironMoto’s Friday Top Three!

Our Friday top 3 news items from the week in the world of green motorcycle racing and design:

1 – Moto Czysz E1pc TTXGP Racebike Revealed
- SKADAMO’s great article with detailed photos of the MotoCzysz racer at the Isle of Man. Read the article at: AsphaltandRubber.com
EM comment: Stare and drool. Our take: Article

2 – Mark Miller’s Daily TT Reports
- Mark Miller is racing several classes at this years TT, including the E1pc in the TTXGP. His daily reports get you inside the race. Go to: RoadRacerX.com
EM comment: Being there, without being there. Our take: Article

3 – TTXGP Announces The eGrandPrix America
- TTXGP has announced that the eGrandPrix America will run at Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course in conjunction with the AMA Vintage Days, July 24th –July 26th, 2009. Brammo, Moto Czysz, and XXX will be there and international competitors have been invited as well. Go to TTXGP.com
EM comment: Awesomely awesome, awesomeness!

Photo: AsphaltandRubber.com

TTXGP: eGrandPrix America @ Mid-Ohio!

From the TTXGP Blog:

"The TTXGP eGrandPrix is to launch zero-carbon motorcycle racing into the USA with an exhibition appearance at the annual American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Vintage Motorcycle Days festival at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio."

The TTXGP people are working aggressively toward world wide participation in zero carbon roadracing. This is a good thing for all of us, and it's just plain awesome that we'll be able to see these bikes in action on US soil. Even better if we'll be seeing them all on track at the same time...

Link to the TTXGP post is here: TTXGP America

Mark Neale/Discovery Channel Documentary on Moto Czysz at TTXGP

An interesting snippet from Mark Miller’s (Moto Czysz E1pc, TTXGP rider) daily Isle of Man TT report today on www.RoadRacerX.com :

“I met up with Mark Niel (sp) of FASTER movie fame (roadracing DVD with Nicky
Hayden) who is here to do a documentary on our Moto Czysz electric bike entry.
Did our first interview chat and we’re meeting tomorrow to take
a car around the circuit. The doc is supposed to get picked up by the
Discovery Channel.”

This is very cool stuff. If you aren’t familiar with the movies Faster or The Doctor, the Tornado, & the Kentucky Kid, you need to get them in your DVD collection or at least add them to your Netflix list. Go to www.FasterMovie.com for more info.

Mark Neale understands how to bring motorcycle roadracing to life. His documentaries are truly insightful works of art. Both movies are well narrated by Ewan McGregor, and just impeccably filmed. Neale will certainly do well by Moto Czysz and the TTXGP.

Cheers to Mark Neale and The Discovery Channel for having real insight into how significant the TTXGP is, and how legendary the Isle of Man TT is. We’re certainly looking forward to it.

Source: RoadRacerX.com
Photo: FasterMovie.com

TTXGP: Unofficial Overview of Official Rules, Part 2

Part 1 of our TTXGP official rules summary covered the breakdown of the two classes (Pro and Open) within the TTXGP competition. In Part 2, we'll detail the schedule and qualification process that each each competing team must follow in order to race in the main event on June 12th 2009.

Tech Inspection
Initially, all TTXGP racing motorcycles must pass technical scrutineering. TT officials must ensure all bikes meet the required rules and regulations with respect to the bikes designated race class. Additionally, all teams riders must attend mandatory riders meetings.

Qualifying Session 1 - Monday, June 8th, 2009
TTXGP competitors must prove the bike and rider can complete one lap of the 37.5 mile, Isle of Man TT course within 50 minutes, maintaining an average speed of 45.28 mph.

Qualifying Session 2 - Wednesday, June 10th, 2009
The second qualifying session is another chance for TTXGP riders to circulate the track at racing speeds. Racers unable to complete the first qualifying session are given this second chance to make the official race on Friday. Any bike or rider who is unable to complete the circuit in 50 minutes or less in qualifying will not compete in the TTXGP.

By the end of the second qualifying session, we should have a pretty solid indication of who the serious players are going to be on Friday. But it's the TT, so anything could happen on Friday!

TTXGP - Friday, June 12th, 2009
This is it. The moment we've all been waiting for. The flag drops and the world will see who the best rider is and which bulider has the best zero-emission racing motorcycle. History in the making without a doubt. EnvironMoto will be following closely and making updates throughout the race week. Keep us bookmarked, fed, and follow us on Twitter (@EnvironMoto).

Think you know who's going to take home all the TTXGP glory? Cast your vote for the top American team on the right. Think someone else will win it? Comment on this article below!

Photo: TTXGP

TORK! Need we say more?

Check out the photo of the Indian-made TORK TTXGP race bike posted on the TTXGP blog.

Kind of a weird mash-up of a Ducati and a Buell. There is not a lot of information to be found on the bike or the team. Maybe someone could send us some more info?

The team rider is Garth Woods. Again, not a lot of information on him but he does appear to have some real roads racing experience at least in the North West 200 held in May of this year. Woods placed 48th in Supersport, and 47th in Superstock. Certainly not podium finishes, but nothing to sneeze at if you understand how difficult the North West 200 is.

It's getting interesting.

Photo: TTXGP

MotoCzysz TT bike in race trim

Had to post this photo from Matthew Miles (@CW1Miles on Twitter) of the race-ready MotoCzysz TTXGP entry.

The most striking impression is how well finished it looks. This is MotoGP level fit and finish for sure.

The styling is incredible, and the level of detail is amazing. MC needs to get a production version going ASAP! Good thing they are running the Pro Class, or we'd be buying it for $33,000!

TTXGP: Unofficial Overview of the Official Rules Part 1

With all the excitement over the inaugural Isle of Man TTXGP, the fact that there are actually two races within TTXGP has gotten a little lost. Let’s break it down:

The TTXGP is comprised of two classes: The Professional Class and the Open Class.

Professional Class Summary
- The motorcycle propulsion system may be one of the following
o Electric power supplied by battery or accumulator
o Fuel cell (considered a separate class?)
o Internal Combustion using non-carbon based fuel (i.e. Hydrogen)
o Hybrid using non-carbon based fuel and producing non-toxic emissions

Open Class Summary
- Electric power supplied by battery or accumulator ONLY
- Motorcycle must be made available for sale for a period of 75 minutes following the completion of the race for a price of £20,000 ($33,000 USD). Refusal to sell the motorcycle upon receiving a legitimate bid results in disqualification from the race.
- Intellectual property remains in the possession of the original owner

From the entry lists, it appears that Electric Motorsport is one of the few, if not the only entrant to sign up for the Open Class competition with their Yamaha R1 based R144.

It takes some balls to risk letting your electric racebike get into the hands of your competitors by participating in the Open Class. It’s certain that this class won’t appeal to teams fielding the expensive prototype and one-off machines being built exclusively for the TTXGP. But it is a great opportunity for manufacturers currently building production bikes to show what they’ve got and give their product some well deserved street cred.

The Professional Class should see the most competition and will definitely garner the biggest bragging rights. These motorcycles will be the most expensive and exotic of the lot, containing each team’s most secret ingredients for TT success. It appears most Pro Class competitors are going with the electric power option but the door is open for some interesting choices.

TTXGP Official Rules for other aspects of the machines including dimensions, bodywork, and safety are all the same for both classes. Thus allowing each builder to focus to be on power technology and handling.

Tomorrow we’ll continue with Part 2 and detail what it takes for each team to qualify for TTXGP. Stay tuned!

Source: TTXGP
Photo: Electric Motorsport