More On Lightning Motorcycles Winning Pikes Peak With Solar Power – Video

Troy Siahaan
by Troy Siahaan

In late June, I raced in the 91st running of the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb in the newly-created Exhibition Powersports Z class aboard a Zero FX production electric motorcycle. I’d like to think myself, as well as my teammates, did pretty well for ourselves and changed many people’s perceptions about e-bike technology and performance.

But in case anybody needed more convincing as to the validity of electric motorcycle having outright speed, look no further than team Lightning and rider Carlin Dunne. Riding the same Lightning superbike I tested last year, Dunne and Lightning handily beat every other motorcycle in the field — gas or electric.

This video, provided by SNA, the team’s main sponsor, gives a little more insight into the historical significance of the event, and how Lightning was able to generate enough power to charge the bike purely with solar panels.

Troy Siahaan
Troy Siahaan

Troy's been riding motorcycles and writing about them since 2006, getting his start at Rider Magazine. From there, he moved to Sport Rider Magazine before finally landing at Motorcycle.com in 2011. A lifelong gearhead who didn't fully immerse himself in motorcycles until his teenage years, Troy's interests have always been in technology, performance, and going fast. Naturally, racing was the perfect avenue to combine all three. Troy has been racing nearly as long as he's been riding and has competed at the AMA national level. He's also won multiple club races throughout the country, culminating in a Utah Sport Bike Association championship in 2011. He has been invited as a guest instructor for the Yamaha Champions Riding School, and when he's not out riding, he's either wrenching on bikes or watching MotoGP.

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