Customer Reviews

Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle (Tab Green Guru Guides)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book should have been titled "Electric Components and their History". Over 300 pages and most is about the components and their inner workings. Like what is inside a battery. Most of the batteries and motors are not even what you would use for a Motorcycle. The last chapter titled "The Build" is just a few more pictures from the first chapter. If you want to know about electric components this is the book for you. If you want to build an Electric Motorcycle forget it this is anything but that book. Very disappointing I expected to build a motorcycle not study history, most of which was outdated. Even reporting on the EV1 being distroyed, how long ago was that? This is a reprint not an update.

Pictures and illustrations too small or otherwise unreadable, page after page of irrelevant information like; battery recycling, steam powered bikes and sketchy electric bike history.
The information on I.C. motorbike efficiency and fuel consumption is way too inaccurate.
There's not enough information on current battery technology, and current battery powered bikes - like the TTXGP race bikes.

This book is not very good, IF one has read Build Your Own Electric Vehicle

This book takes the same information and applies it to the motorcycle. However, whole chapters from the old book are essentially copy pasted into this one, including typos. Furthermore, the information I would have wanted, like plans for the motorcycle, are totally absent.

What a disappointment!

I do recommend "Build Your Own Electric Vehicle." It is a good book, although poorly edited. This volume on the other hand gives us absolutely no new information and is essentially the same book, applied to motorcycles.

Definitely not worth the purchase price in my opinion.

This book is a 2009 edition,it has exactly the same EV info,as a 20 year old book I already own,Except not as good.
Full of history,good and bad points,A huge section on saving the planet,Also huge section on each part,ie history,how,and why it works,also make your own descission what to buy ?.
Promises of a fast or long range or all round bike,Answer work it out your self ?.The build section,or what I did as a lad,small blurry,black and white pictures,less than 10 pages,of an 800lbs bike,that does'nt go very far or mildly fast, Disappointed,I expected the latest info,and a large part of the book to be the build,of a resent project,Not some old gezzers memoirs, I really do not care that sir Issac,got hit on the head,by an apple,I do not need to no the inner workings,history of each and every part,I want a recent build,with recent parts,for an all round bike,ie 65 mph longest range I can get,with the lightest bike possible.

This book gives a good overview of electric motorcycles as they stand as of this writing. He also explains most of the technical info, advises on the trends in the electric vehicle field and gives educated speculation on the evolution of the technology in this field.
Additionally, Carl Vogal takes us through the building of an electric motorcycle, with variations shown and explained, and goes into great detail. Since I have never worked with electric vehicles before, but I do have some mechanical experience, this book is great for my needs. This will help guide me on my conversion of my Vulcan with a seized engine into en efficient electric commuter for my 50 mile round trip. True, it is not a step by step paint by numbers guide, but then Carl has no idea what your individual wants and needs are, so he gives you the tools and info to make your own decisions while doing your own specific research and refinements.
Highly Recommended.

I would highly recommend this informative and interesting book. It has a lot of good, basic information and was an interesting read. I may or may not delve into building an electric motorcycle or scooter, but this book goes far into helping make that decesion and gives me plenty of ideas.

If you are serious about making an electric motorcycle, I would say this should be your first book. You must build a better bike, and to do that you should understand the fundamentals. Know what your wizards did (and failed to do) and you will actualize on your dream faster.

It is a 300 page book not only about electric components (inner workings in detail) and their history, but also a guide as to what choices you would need to make when designing your own personal motorcycle. It is not about making choices for you, but more about the grocery store out there for you to design your own bike. He provides, simple to understand, concise information on the strengths and limitations on each one. I was particularly entertained by the candid stories that demonstrated his failures in choosing wisely. I also was pleasantly suprised by his style of writing that exhibits a personality that I would want to see in a teacher--approachable, inviting, and in regard to his content, concise and detailed. I would certainly recommend that a digital book update be made available or a website be created so that the readers could extend on his book. Or perhaps the author can start a free podcast to discuss newer technology such as the batteries, that are always being updated.

Excellent book. Has some basic history explaining why it s "good to be green" as well as giving a general technical description of how to go about designing/making an electric vehicle.

This IS the foundation of building the electric motorcycle.
If you plan on putting up a high riser, you must have a solid foundation to build on.
Have no doubt when you are finished reading this book, you will have a wealth of invaluable information. You will have the basics set and on the road in no time. I enjoyed the read and know that I am ready to build my highriser! Great Book, Great Content!

I have no real handyman background, but was intreagued by the title of this book. Plus, I'm starting to understand we need to get off the oil! So, with no real inrention of building a motorcycle, I bought the book as a "rush-hour" read. I was pleasantly surprised! I don't know if I'm ever gonna really build my own motorcycle, but I recommend this book as a cool read for anyone interested in motorcylces or alternate fuels...