24 Hours of Electricross Results

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

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Eventual winner, Team HotChalk, leads during the daylight hours.

How long can you ride a battery-powered motorcycle? At least 24 hours, apparently. Fifty riders turned laps at the 408MX Motocross Track in San Jose, Calif. on 10 electric dirt bikes. The race was more of a publicity event to raise awareness about two-wheeled ZEV (zero-emission vehicles) – in this case, Zero Motorcycles.

The track is located at the Santa Clara Fairgrounds, across the street from Oak Hill Memorial Park, but despite their proximity to the cemetery, these competitors were far from waking the dead. Don Amador of the BlueRibbon Coalition reported that the bikes were testing between 72 and 74 decibels on a drive-by sound meter. According to dangerousdecibels.org, regular conversation occurs at 60 dB, a lawnmower operates at 90 dB and your iPod is probably delivering 100-105 dB. Hearing loss can occur with noise above 85 dB, but what about land loss? How loud do you think your motorcycle needs to be to piss off the neighbors?

Electric motorcycles are poised to be the future of our sport thanks to low-impact sound emissions and the always popular freedom from gasoline. Zero Motorcycles set out to prove that these bikes can handle the abuse of a 24-hour race and set a world record since they were at it. Founder Neal Saiki called the event an “opportunity to make motorcycle history,” which is exactly what the 50 competitors did as they raced the world’s longest all-electric motorcycle race.

All 10 teams finished the race, some with more luck than others. Riding from 10 a.m. April 4 to 10 a.m. April 5, the Hotchalk Stolle squad completed 1015 laps with a best speed of 27.5 mph. The teams combined for 8932 laps - that’s over 372 laps per hour.

2009 24 Hours of Electricross Results:
1. HotChalk, 1015 laps
2. MCMA, 986
3. Fox Marquez, 940
4. Marin Zero Wired, 927
5. Bernardi, 925
6. Kidder Electric, 910
7. Raiser, 886
8. 50 Cycles, 879
9. Wingdingers, 858
10. Dotcom Bombs, 606

All the machines entered in the race were able to finish the entire 24 hours, a testament to their durability.

Here’s the official release courtesy of Zero Motorcycles.

Zero Motorcycles made history today, after hosting their 24 Hours of Electricross this past weekend. The event was the first international endurance competition for off-road all-electric vehicles and included teams from around the world. Setting several world records including a Guinness World Record, over 50 competitors raced for 24 hours straight, only stopping to change out batteries and riders. In total, more than 4000 miles were completed by the field of 10 teams. The winning team was HotChalks MDV and completed more than a 1000 laps and 500 miles.

“This event proved that electric technology can endure the same level of competition as their gas-powered counterparts, however, the power resources to compete are drastically different. The total cost to power all 10 motorcycles for 24 hours was approximately $100,” said Neal Saiki, inventor and founder, Zero Motorcycles. “From New Mexico to Canada to the UK, teams traveled from across the globe to participate in this record-setting race and to be a part of history.”

“The 24 Hours of Electricross, hosted by Zero Motorcycles, was the perfect event to showcase what electric motorcycle technology can accomplish. Our team worked very hard to win this race and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the outcome,” said Edward Fields and Bryan Stolle, co-captains, Team HotChalks MDV.

Created by company founder, entrepreneur and former NASA engineer Neal Saiki, the 24 Hours of Electricross took place in the heart of the Silicon Valley at the 408MX Motocross Track in San Jose, California. This grueling 24-hour endurance race tested the limits of both the competitor’s skills and their electric vehicles as they battled it out to set a Guinness World Record.

Collaborative efforts between Zero Motorcycles, Blue Ribbon Coalition, California State and Private Parks and numerous industry sponsors have made this seminal event possible.

Event Sponsors: Hi-Ball Energy Drink, Fox Racing Shox, Alpinestars, We All Ride Motorcycle Shop, Scotts Valley RV, Custom Culinary Concepts, Watchwear.com, Acerbis, Bell Helmets, Tiger Balm, Akeena Solar.

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Comments

alexis wilson - I like that September 28, 2009 07:28 AM
I really like that dirt bike I might buuy It from you never know. How ever did you find that that picture is like so epic wow awesome dude and dudete sweet totally

frankie - zero x August 14, 2009 01:41 PM
can this be soupped up by more volts? FRANKIE

rc - ugly June 15, 2009 02:39 AM
firstly the bikes look so ugly why not simply remove emgine from gas powered 09 frame and insert electric motor. if the bikes are going to be silent thats great news but i reakon they look weak and boring.

electricross team leader - easy, eh? April 15, 2009 02:47 PM
@ Grand Prix - It's an actual motocross track, the 408MX Motocross Track in San Jose, California. Yep, for real. I guess you need to get out more. Let's see you do a 24 hour endurance race on it, then, surrounded by many crazy hoons. Iron man solo for you, since you're so dismissive? I'll be there to take pictures of your face at 4am. Don't forget that that the noise ordinances mean that you have to use an electric. @ Tim B - That was for total lap average on a technical motocross track with plenty of 180 degree short switchbacks, with pacing for running 24 hours straight. That time is consisent with winning open class times at well known 24 hour endurance motocross races that have been in place for years. I think the one point in time top speed was around 57 mph. How fast did you do it? Oh, you didn't ride in it? Jeremy, if there were no jumps what was all that air doing under the wheels? http://www.gearlog.com/2009/04/zero_x_electric_motorcycle_set.php Your team number, I think. Showoff. Plenty of riders got plenty of air. And how about that rut valley on the start of the back sraight corner - that was single file there and there were some other corner ruts. Considering how much the teams beat on their equipment (and riders), we all turned in pretty good results, comparable with the Glen Helen 24 hour endurance open class times. I guess some riders are still learning how to have a light, sophisticated touch on these electrics. In fairness though, I think my light, sophisticated touch resulted in the slowest track times. Still, riding skills is about more than just giant air, otherwise it's just brainless entertainment that damages equipment and riders. Try the electrics on backcountry singletracks if you want a real world experience. Just make sure you keep the 12 point bucks legs from getting tangled in your wheels as you whizz past them. I'd love to see an event in backcountry mountain bike type single track terrain against gassers. Then again, with all the noise they bring, I wouldn't. Sure, we all had our beefs, especially at 5am, cranky and tired after 18 hours of solid racing, but all the riders there are now in the top 10 electric 24 hour endurance motorcross teams on the planet. Nothing but pride. Jeremy, I'm glad you were there. I'll never forget it. If the riders were holding back, I don't ever want to get within a mile of ones who aren't. It turns out that construction workers talk at about 70 db, while our bikes averaged 73 db, which allowed for on track conversations to accompany any useful hand gestures. http://www.elcosh.org/docs/d0100/d000020/d000020.html @ x2468, 90-100 decibles is the noise level of a jackhammer, which will cause unprotected ear damage and hearing loss after 4 hours and this was a 24 hour continual event. Slighly more decibles equals way more noise. @cajunrph myth - the power was hydro and solar. My Zero X uses 100% wind power at home and work, thanks to a subscription plan from my regional power company. Even if the power source had been 100% coal, the pollution still would have been less than running 10 individual gasoline engines.

jeremy - 24 hour April 9, 2009 09:49 PM
oh ya thats me flat trackin it at about five in the morning, i was soooo tired but i couldn't resist to push the track and the bike

jeremy - 24 hour April 9, 2009 09:46 PM
ok ya the track was like a bmx track i race motocross it had moto x turns just not the jumps. the bikes ran anything but trouble free like they are trying to say in the interview we alone broke a back wheel two rear shocks including one of those shiney new fox ones the front forks two throttles and the wiring harness connectors kept breaking but what is to be expected of a new untested bike i just with the event would have been a bit more planned so it was more of an actual race and not just who had genarators sence the power was out for a few of us for a half hour than we had to sit and wait for the batteries to charge...that was sweet. and they definately should have been enfourcing the 3 battery limit from the beginning but all i can do is hope for a little better organization next year

Robb M - Electric MX Bikes April 8, 2009 07:06 PM
I am surprised by the negative comments, this is basically new technology. The bikes ran for 24 hours trouble free. Give it a few years and they will be running just as hard as current petrol powered MX machinery. After this event I am sure a lot was learned. The bikes will come back faster, stronger, better. The knockers out there need to think about how long the internal combustion engine has been around and the $ spent developing it. I was also pleased to read there's a bit of noise involved.

cajunrph - ZEV myth April 8, 2009 06:21 PM
Where do you think they got the electricity to charge those batteries???????? More than likely a coal burning power plant. Give me an internal combustion powered vehicle any day. Not to take away from what the riders did for 24 hrs straight.

jmeperu - best speed April 8, 2009 11:11 AM
27.5 was the average speed for one lap. the max speed is more like 50mph. i raced in it, it was brutal.

Tim B - Laughable April 8, 2009 09:25 AM
Best speed of 27.5MPH?! Haha! You have got to be kidding me! Anything is reliable going that slow...

Gran Prix - Track April 8, 2009 08:26 AM
That track looks more like a BMX track than any actual motocross track that I have ever seen. No ruts, loose soil, sand, rocks, or elevation changes. The whole thing looks hard packed, level, and smooth. Try these machines at Southwick, or in an actual HS or enduro and see how they fare. I want them (electric bikes)to succeed but stacking the deck for them is counter productive.

JC - average speed? April 8, 2009 07:16 AM
"the Hotchalk Stolle squad completed 1015 laps with a best speed of 27.5 mph." It sounds like this is X miles/24 hours, and not X miles divided by "actual time on the track". In 24 hours I bet there was a lot of rider swaps going on, and even if they did coincide with battery swaps the average riding speed was probably much higher. Maybe I'm wrong, but kind of wondering. I've ridden for 24 hours before in races, and it is brutal on the body, fatigue and sleep deprivation can be a big factor in just finishing. Certainly says a lot about the durability and reliability of the machines, although they are in some ways simpler than a gas bike.

x2468 - na April 7, 2009 10:04 PM
I'd like to see some electric bikes, but i hope gas powered bikes never go away (as with 2-strokes). I think people that ride with 120DB are obnoxious but 90-100DB.... come on. that's not that loud. people just need to calm down and not be so sensitive.

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