Retry seems to be working now.
http://www.mlive.com/news/aanews/index.ssf?/base/news-14/1125137482146900.xml&coll=2
Ann Harbor News
Electric motorcycle leaves price hikes in the dust
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Editor's note: This week, we take a daily look at how
people in this area are coping with high gas prices.
Unlike most motorists these days, Terry Richards feels
pretty good when he drives by a gas station, no matter
how high the price per gallon.
"I just kind of thumb my nose at them, and it feels
good,'' said Richards, 47, admitting it's easier when
you're not feeling the pinch of recent sharp price
increases.
The reason? Richards, a test specialist at Chrysler
Corp. Proving Grounds in Sylvan Township, rides a
21-year-old racing motorcycle he converted into a
fully electric-powered vehicle for about $2,000.
"I study a lot of material about alternative energy
sources, and I had a pretty good idea (the price hike)
was going to come, and fast,'' said Richards, a driver
mechanic by trade and environmentalist at heart.
The 1984 Yamaha RZ350 racing bike was never known for
gas mileage, he said, but now runs on 48 volts of
electricity stored in four batteries. Richards
calculates spending 4 cents per mile to operate it and
averages about $15 worth of electricity per week if he
drives it every day.
The motorcycle cruises at 40-45 mph and can reach a
top speed of 60 mph, he said.
The batteries collectively take about fours to fully
charge and provide enough juice to average about 16
miles per use. Not too far, but far enough to make his
13-mile daily commute to work, where he has permission
to plug in to an electrical outlet. He also regularly
rides in to downtown Dexter, where he says people
marvel at the quiet engine.
"I've had joggers jump out right in front of me
because they just don't hear it,'' he said, likening
the soft hum to a household blender.
Richards admits he and his wife, Rosemary, still do
the majority of their driving with their two sedans.
But these days, even skipping one or two commutes or
deciding to stay home can add up to significant
savings over a month's time.
"I wanted to get off gasoline as early as possible,
and I'm glad I did,'' he said. "But it's just a
start.''
Richards' latest project is constructing a hybrid
bio-diesel car, which he hopes to have done within a
few years.
Art Aisner, News staff reporter
--- Mike <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >Thanks and Sorry. The link worked 2 days prior to
> >sending it. The author was extolling how great it
> was
> >to simple recharge and go as compared to the gas
> >station on a converted motorcycle.
>
> Bummer. It must have gone outside of their 14 day
> archive. Was it
> about an Ann Arbor rider? Ann Arbor isn't very far
> from me.
>
>
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