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Modified Badsey
HotScoot
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ESM article with more photos on this modified scooter here. This is the second scooter I modified for Electric Scooter Magazine (ESM). Unlike the first project, this one and all subsequent projects were between myself and ESM and not on the EV Parts time-clock, although all the parts and materials for this project did come off the EV Parts shelf. ESM article on this project here. As far as electric scooters go, the Badsey HotScoot is a premium package right out of the box. I had a good feeling about this project from the start and was more than pleased with the end results. From the factory, all the drive system wiring is 10 gauge, this was all removed in addition to the stock controller, fuses, and charger. I fabricated all new 6 gauge wiring from scratch using premium cable and terminals, all junctions were sealed with heat-shrink tubing. The 6 gauge wire has about four times as much copper per inch as 10 gauge. We needed a big pipe to move a lot of current. I installed Hawker Genesis AGM batteries, the standard of electric drag racing due to their high power output (over 1000 amps). There was insufficient space under the deck for the Curtis controller, so it was mounted to the fork tubes. The stock fuse was replaced with a 250A Mega-Fuse in a Mega-Fuse holder. The Soneil 24V 5A constant-current charger was mounted above the controller inside the bodywork. |
The toothed "rubber band" drive belt had to be replaced with a fresh one and was adjusted very tight to prevent it from slipping with the excessive torque. After working on the scooter at home off and on for a few days, I worked on it late into the night to get everything right so ESM could do their testing and go to press with the hop-up article. At about 2:30AM I took it out into my Seattle neighborhood for "testing". Though I thought I was being easy on the throttle, it just about threw me the first time I cranked on the power. With a little practice, I was able to carry the front wheel about 4 inches off the pavement under hard acceleration for about 50 feet. This proved to be something you always had to pay attention to because it was very easy to accelerate through an intersection and not realize that the front wheel was in the air. A few people got road rash because of this. Keeping up with, and passing cars in the 25 mph neighborhood streets was no problem. This little scooter has tossed quite a few folks, including many experienced NEDRA (National Electric Drag Racing Association) competitors, including Roderick Wilde, my employer at EV Parts and NEDRA president, and Bill Dube', owner/builder of the world's quickest electric motorcycle. Overall, I couldn't be happier with the way this project turned out. The combination of the high-output batteries, the fat-pipe wiring, the Curtis controller, and the exceptionally strong Bosch motor made this an extremely quick and powerful scooter.
Specifications: Owner:
Electric Scooter Magazine
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Updated 2/4/06
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