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Jaco, the friendly barman at my local watering hole, was fed up. ''Have you seen those electric scooters that's being advertised in - I want one,'' he exclaimed.
I suggested he rather stick with his 'conventional' scooter until he's really sure about two-wheel ownership and then look for a reasonable size motorcycle. ''Yes, but they don't make electric-powered motorcycles do they?''
LATERAL THINKER
It was time to buy him a beer and put him straight - had he never heard of a Mavizen?
Perhaps you'd like to learn more about the sort of machine that could be quite common place in a year two... British entrepreneur and motorcycle manufacturer Hussain is certainly a lateral thinker.
For two years now one of his electric motorcycles has taken part in a unique GP series called TTXGP and done rather well.
He rode the same bike around the Nurburgring and now holds the unofficial lap record for a bike of this kind. The time: just over nine minutes!
RIP OUT THE ENGINE
The best part is you can now buy one of these bikes (they go for R275 000). Maybe not cheap, but let's take a closer look at what you're getting.
The Mavizen is basically a KTM RC8 (quite a super bike, I think you'll agree). Rip out the 1190cc engine and in its place install a 75kW twin electric motor. You may have thought the bike would now be incredibly heavy - not a bit of it - just 170 kg - and that includes the batteries. (It's actually 14kg lighter than a standard RC8!)
If you want one, they are readily available but only as a track bike. They can be registered for road use but you'll need to take a look at Mavizen's options list and buy mirrors, lights and a number-plate mount. Amazingly, the warranty only covers it for motorsport use!
Jaco is about to ask how fast it can go, and that's a fair question. So tell him...
CINCH TO RIDE
First and foremost it's worth mentioning the range of the machine, 160km on a charge. With an estimated top speed of about 220km/h and a 0-100 sprint time of just under four seconds, the price tag doesn't seem too bad after all.
To ride, it's a cinch apparently. Turn the key, check you have enough charge for your intended journey, and flick the 'kill' switch from off to on. Open the "throttle" and you're down the road in a flash, if you'll excuse the pun.
The bike has no gearbox, so it's power all the way, silently and smoothly. With light power openings, the high level of torque from low revs is simply staggering. Obviously there's virtually no engine braking to slow you down. Here the Mavizen relies on the standard KTM stoppers, so no problem there, then.
The battery pack is good for 80 000km and a new set of brushes is all that would be needed for the motors to bring the bike back to its original potential. To recharge the bike all you have to do is plug it into a standard wall plug - five hours will do the trick. If you can find a three-phase outlet it takes 30 minutes.
But it's the actual running costs that make the bike so appealing. Your electricity bill to allow you that Sunday ride with a difference would cost just R5. With the latest round of fuel hikes we're all experiencing, electric bikes and cars could well be the way to go.
THEORY COURSE
If your enquiring mind is running wild at the thought of a machine like this in your garage, perhaps you'd be interested to know that Hussain is about to introduce an interesting scheme: it's a five-day course being run in the UK next month on how to build an electric motorcycle.
Sign up and there's a two-day theory course, then you get presented with a complete kit to build your bike over the next two days. The fifth day is spent testing along with track time at Brands Hatch - after which you can ride your baby home.
The cost is roughly the same as buying one from a dealer, but this way you'll understand exactly how it works. Jaco says he's about to book a UK holiday to find out more ... when he gets an idea in his head the sky's the limit!
Mavizen TTX02 technical details
Dry weight: 110kg (without batteries).
Seat height: 805mm.
Ground clearance: 110mm (depending on battery and suspension
configuration).
Wheelbase: 1430mm.
Frame type: Powder coated Chromium-Molybdenum trellis Rake (fork
angle): 23.3°.
Trail: 90mm.
Front suspension: WP-USD, 4mm.
Front suspension travel: 1 mm.
Rear suspension: WP-Monoshock.
Rear suspension travel: 125mm.
Front tyre dimensions: 120/70-17 (Marchesini wheels) Rear tyre.
dimensions: 190/55-17 (Marchesini wheels) Front brakes: Double disc.
Brembo Front brakes diameter: 320mm Rear brakes: Single disc. Brembo .
Rear brakes diameter: 22 mm.
Range: up to 80km (track) and 160km (road).
Top speed: 220km/h plus.
I suggested he rather stick with his 'conventional' scooter until he's really sure about two-wheel ownership and then look for a reasonable size motorcycle. ''Yes, but they don't make electric-powered motorcycles do they?''
LATERAL THINKER
It was time to buy him a beer and put him straight - had he never heard of a Mavizen?
Perhaps you'd like to learn more about the sort of machine that could be quite common place in a year two... British entrepreneur and motorcycle manufacturer Hussain is certainly a lateral thinker.
For two years now one of his electric motorcycles has taken part in a unique GP series called TTXGP and done rather well.
He rode the same bike around the Nurburgring and now holds the unofficial lap record for a bike of this kind. The time: just over nine minutes!
RIP OUT THE ENGINE
The best part is you can now buy one of these bikes (they go for R275 000). Maybe not cheap, but let's take a closer look at what you're getting.
The Mavizen is basically a KTM RC8 (quite a super bike, I think you'll agree). Rip out the 1190cc engine and in its place install a 75kW twin electric motor. You may have thought the bike would now be incredibly heavy - not a bit of it - just 170 kg - and that includes the batteries. (It's actually 14kg lighter than a standard RC8!)
If you want one, they are readily available but only as a track bike. They can be registered for road use but you'll need to take a look at Mavizen's options list and buy mirrors, lights and a number-plate mount. Amazingly, the warranty only covers it for motorsport use!
Jaco is about to ask how fast it can go, and that's a fair question. So tell him...
CINCH TO RIDE
First and foremost it's worth mentioning the range of the machine, 160km on a charge. With an estimated top speed of about 220km/h and a 0-100 sprint time of just under four seconds, the price tag doesn't seem too bad after all.
To ride, it's a cinch apparently. Turn the key, check you have enough charge for your intended journey, and flick the 'kill' switch from off to on. Open the "throttle" and you're down the road in a flash, if you'll excuse the pun.
The bike has no gearbox, so it's power all the way, silently and smoothly. With light power openings, the high level of torque from low revs is simply staggering. Obviously there's virtually no engine braking to slow you down. Here the Mavizen relies on the standard KTM stoppers, so no problem there, then.
The battery pack is good for 80 000km and a new set of brushes is all that would be needed for the motors to bring the bike back to its original potential. To recharge the bike all you have to do is plug it into a standard wall plug - five hours will do the trick. If you can find a three-phase outlet it takes 30 minutes.
But it's the actual running costs that make the bike so appealing. Your electricity bill to allow you that Sunday ride with a difference would cost just R5. With the latest round of fuel hikes we're all experiencing, electric bikes and cars could well be the way to go.
THEORY COURSE
If your enquiring mind is running wild at the thought of a machine like this in your garage, perhaps you'd be interested to know that Hussain is about to introduce an interesting scheme: it's a five-day course being run in the UK next month on how to build an electric motorcycle.
Sign up and there's a two-day theory course, then you get presented with a complete kit to build your bike over the next two days. The fifth day is spent testing along with track time at Brands Hatch - after which you can ride your baby home.
The cost is roughly the same as buying one from a dealer, but this way you'll understand exactly how it works. Jaco says he's about to book a UK holiday to find out more ... when he gets an idea in his head the sky's the limit!
Mavizen TTX02 technical details
Dry weight: 110kg (without batteries).
Seat height: 805mm.
Ground clearance: 110mm (depending on battery and suspension
configuration).
Wheelbase: 1430mm.
Frame type: Powder coated Chromium-Molybdenum trellis Rake (fork
angle): 23.3°.
Trail: 90mm.
Front suspension: WP-USD, 4mm.
Front suspension travel: 1 mm.
Rear suspension: WP-Monoshock.
Rear suspension travel: 125mm.
Front tyre dimensions: 120/70-17 (Marchesini wheels) Rear tyre.
dimensions: 190/55-17 (Marchesini wheels) Front brakes: Double disc.
Brembo Front brakes diameter: 320mm Rear brakes: Single disc. Brembo .
Rear brakes diameter: 22 mm.
Range: up to 80km (track) and 160km (road).
Top speed: 220km/h plus.
