Chip Yates Sets 190mph Record on Electric Motorcycle

Chip Yates recently became the fastest man on an electric motorcycle after he set the record of 190.6 mph over the past weekend at the Mojave Mile Competition.  Yates and his custom built SWIGZ electric bike shattered the previous record of 176.4 mph set by Riches and Nelson’s E-Race Bike.

This is not your typical electric bike, as show on Yates’ website.  This impressive machine was built on the frame of a Suzuki GSX-R 750, with custom Ohlins USA forks, shocks and steering damper.  The power comes from a “Permanent Magnet” DC Electric motor producing 8,000 RPM and 194 Hp with 295 Ft/Lbs of torque.  Impressive.  The motor gets its juice from LiFePO4 Lithium-Ion batteries.  Now on to the brakes, this bike sports Brembo monoblock GP 4-pad calipers that cost $2,300 a piece, according to Yates’ website.    

Although Yates broke the current record the team was hoping to break the 200 mph barrier, but due to technical problems they could only make two runs. “I only got 2 runs cause we blew up $5000 in chargers with the generator we rented, we tested prior, but got diff model w/big volt spikes…What an honor to have ridden an electric motorcycle faster than anyone in the world,” Yates wrote on his Twitter page.  Next on Yates agenda, according to a write-up on Hell For Leather, he is planning on entering Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. 

“The SWIGZ.COM Pro Racing Team is ecstatic to have been invited by Pikes Peak International Hill Climb officials to compete in this epic event,” Yates said in a recent press release.

Congrats to Chip Yates and his new record, no doubt a huge achievement.  This is quite possibly the future of motorcycles and I am happy to see someone create such a powerhouse out of an electric motor.  Now if anyone is curious what a 200 mile-per-hour electric bike sounds like, I leave you with this on-board video of the record-breaking run.