Last weekend, the Team Icon Brammo and Team Parker Brammo squads competed against their gas-powered counterparts, which you can read about here. Now, let’s take a closer look at just how far e-bike technology has progressed since Brammo — and Lightning — last raced at Sonoma Raceway, exactly one year ago.
This past weekend, Brammo arrived to Sonoma Raceway in Central California ready to do battle. Only this time the electric sportbike manufacturer would be trading blows not with other electric bikes, but with their ICE counterparts at the second round of the American Federation of Motorcyclists series — one of the oldest club racing organizations in the country. Continue Reading »
Icon and Brammo made a big splash last year with eye-catching livery for their TTXGP racebike, with Steve Atlas riding the black-and-white patterned “Stack” graphic Empulse RR to a TTXGP world championship. The riding apparel maker returns to sponsor Brammo’s team again for 2013, introducing two new designs for Atlas and teammate Eric Bostrom.
Atlas’ Team Icon Brammo Empulse RR will be clad in a red cheetah-themed “Sauvetage” livery (pictured above). It features a red-on-red spotted pattern with a gaping mouth with fangs running from under the seat to the belly resembling the design of fighter planes of the World War II era “Flying Tiger” 1st American Volunteer Group. The livery is paired with red wheels and frame.
Bostrom’s race bike keeps the black and white with florescent green from last year’s Empulse RR but features a new zebra-themed design called “Big Game” (pictured below the jump.) Continue Reading »
Electric Brammo motorcycles will share the grid with gas-powered motorcycles in American Federation of Motorcyclists competitions. The AFM, America’s oldest motorcycle road racing body, announced Brammo riders can compete head-to-head for championships against those riding internal combustion engine motorcycles.
The Brammo Empulse R, Empulse TTX and Empulse RR will be eligible for competition. The AFM has yet to define which classes they will be eligible for, except to say they will be determined by power-to-weight ratios. The key point however is Brammo’s electric motorcycles will be integrated into existing classes instead of being segregated into an electric-only class.
“What caught AFM’s attention about Brammo’s approach was that they were not asking for a separate class, but were instead looking to have a chance for their bikes to compete within the existing class structure and go head to head with gas-powered bikes of similar performance and power-to-weight,” says Berto Woodridge, president of AFM Racing. “We believe this to be a historic moment in motorcycle racing and are happy to have made it possible.” Continue Reading »
Lightning Motorcycles has signed two-time Isle of Man TT race winner Cameron Donald to race in the 2013 TT Zero and the FIM’s e-Power championship.
The Australian native, who won races in both the Superbike and Superstock classes at the 2008 Isle of Man TT, will ride the latest version of Lightning’s electric motorcycle, a bike our own Troy Siahaan calls the fastest motorcycle he’s ever ridden.
Donald becomes the latest established road racer to sign up to race electric motorcycles. Last September, Miguel Duhamel rode the Lightning to victory at the Le Mans stop of the e-Power series. Earlier in 2012, overall Isle of Man TT lap record holder John McGuinness rode the Mugen Shinden in the TT Zero, and on this side of the Atlantic, Eric Bostrom rode for Brammo in the TTXGP’s North American Championship. Continue Reading »
Ed: This article has been updated with a comment from Zero Motorcycles.
Anyone else tired of hearing about the Fiscal Cliff yet? We are, and we were hoping to avoid having to write about it on this blog, but alas, motorcycle world has been drawn into the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 w The Act casts a wide net over many tax issues, including the extension of an existing tax credit for electric motorcycles.
Added to the Act by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the amendment allows the purchasers of electric two- and three-wheelers to claim a tax credit worth the lesser of 10% of the cost of the vehicle or $2,500. The amendment applies to street-legal vehicles capable of achieving speeds of 45 mph or higher. The amendment also reduces the requirements for the capacity of the vehicle’s power pack to 2.5 kWh from the previous level of 4 kWh.
The amendment was supported by Republican Congressman Greg Walden and Democrat U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, both representing Oregon. The state is home to a number of electric vehicle producers including Brammo, so it’s no wonder the act drew bi-partisan support. Wyden says the electric motorcycle industry is expected to generate nearly 2,000 jobs in the next 18 months and 16,000 jobs over the next five years. Continue Reading »
Eric Bostrom has signed on to ride the Brammo Empulse RR in the electric motorcycle race at Laguna Seca July 28-29. The race is the final stop on the TTXGP‘s North American series and a joint event with the FIM’s ePower series.
The AMA racing veteran will join Steve Atlas to represent Team Icon Brammo at Laguna Seca. Bostrom becomes the latest established racing name to compete in the relatively new field of electric motorcycle racing. Bostrom’s renown in U.S. racing circles gives both Brammo and the TTXGP another boost towards legitimacy in the eyes of those who still have doubts about the potential of electric motorcycles. Bostrom says he is a believer.
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Jul 10, 2012– GE Capital’s Commercial Distribution Finance (CDF) business has agreed to provide Brammo Inc. with inventory financing to support the expansion of its dealer network in the U.S.
“We’ve proven that we can successfully marry technology with performance and now we’re ramping up our efforts to deliver our unique products to the marketplace,” said Craig Bramscher, founder and CEO of Brammo. “This program with GE Capital will support the rapid growth of our distribution network, allowing leading motorcycle dealerships to capitalize on the growing demand for electric motorcycles.”
Riding apparel company Icon has signed on to be title sponsor for Brammo‘s factory TTXGP electric racing team for its upcoming North American title defence.
Team Icon Brammo will compete in the four-round TTXGP North American series with reigning champion Steve Atlas riding the Brammo Empulse RR race bike.
“Icon is a company that loves to see others striving to be different and the TTXGP is just that,” says Kurt Walter, Icon brand manager. “We felt that Brammo Racing had the whole package, with a great company, staff and rider, which made for an easy decision to sponsor their efforts.” Continue Reading »
“We wake up every morning and build bikes. It’s a great life.” – Craig Bramscher
Brammo continues charge up its public relations motor as we approach the launch of its long-anticipated Empulse R with a new video featuring company founder and Chief Executive Officer Craig Bramscher about the state of the company and its upcoming electric motorcycle.
Bramscher touches upon many points in the 21-minute video, but two things stand out: Bramscher’s passion for his company and the importance Brammo places on consumer feedback. Continue Reading »
