My new Electric E-Bike (Scooter)

Well it can go 20MPH which is the legal limit in Ontario. And it can go 40Miles per battery charge. But I use the low gear to climb steep hills, I also use the Electronic Braking System to recover some of the electricity when braking. I also coast alot which helps extend my range as much as possible. It was purchased off the show room floor fully assembled and fully charged. I rode it home as soon as it was paid for. On hills if I stay in high gear it slows down to around 18MPH on steep hills but sucks the life out of my battery pack. When I switch to low gear it slows down to around 10-12MPH but the drain on my battery pack is reduced by 15% to 25% when going up steep hills. I have a 1 year warranty on it, so no mods till the warranty has expired.

Ken Finch

Thanks, I appreciate the welcome as well. I was a member of this site quite a while ago, but I lost my old logon details. I origionally purchased a $300.00 Chinese made Hawk Electric scooter from a Dominion Store that was distributed by Seven Star Sports in Hamilton, Ontario. But it did not meet my needs because of it's low quality and low specifications. And also it was not legal for the road at all. This new scooter is completely legal for the road and has significant (SP?) higher specifications and higher quality. 3X+ the price though.

Ken Finch

Well I went and got a used motorcycle helmet to protect my head better then a bicycle helmet will. When my paycheck comes this coming Friday I will buy a brand new motorcycle helmet and keep the used helmet as a spare. I feel a bicycle helmet will not provide adequate protection at 32KMH, especially while riding a 189lb E-Bike. I had one problem with the E-Bike, a power light burned out. I went down to Mobility Unlimited and got a new light bulb under warranty. Got home and replaced the bulb in the console. Everything is fine again. So far the range and speed has met or exceeded my expectations for this E-Bike, I am one happy owner so far.

Ken Finch

Well I recently added a Gorilla Motorcycle Alarm System that has tilt, shock and current sensing. It also has a LED for alarm status and has a very loud 120db 5 tone siren. I also am adding a Mongoose 12 function Bicycle Computer as well as a external 12V DC Power Outlet socket so I can plug in 12V devices easily. I added a 12V 3A SLA in the glove compartment to run the Gorilla Motorcycle Alarm, the GPS and other stuff from the external 12V Power Outlet. I recharge the 12V 3A SLA accessory battery with a 1watt 12V Solar Panel from Canadian Tire when my E-Bike is parked.

Ken Finch

I recently bought a new FUEL brand Motorcycle Helmet from Canadian Tire for $149.99 + taxes. I also did the Shunt Mod to my E-Bike for more torque.

Ken Finch

Well updates on my E-Bike. I removed the Mongoose Bicycle Computer because road bumbs keeps breaking the glass magnetic reed switch, after replacing the 4th reed switch I gave up. I then bought and installed a FIAMM "E" Note Highway Blaster car horn which was louder then the stock horn. But CAGE drivers still ignored me. So Sunday I went to Canadian Tire and bought a set of FIAMM Dual Tone Dual Tone Air Horn with Compressor. Installed the Air Horns, Compressor and Relay under the headlight fairing. Man those are loud, now CAGE drivers do take notice of me.

Here are some of the latest photos;

Here are two more photos of the alarm sticker and new plate and the MP3 sound system.

In Canada we call cars CAGES because the driver is surrounded by protective metal, plastic and glass. Because of the protection CAGE drive tend to take less care, attention and responsibilty when driving then a two wheel rider that has less protection. Plus most CAGE drivers have the attitude that they OWN the roadway and treat other non GAGE drivers with less respect and because of their protection drive more dangerously and recklously (SP?).

Well you could do as I did. Install in a easily accessable location a seperate small 12V SLA battery, 3A or higher. Use a seperate small 12V SLA battery charger 1A to 2A to keep the battery charged. Install your air horn wherever you want. Connect 18 gauge wire from the Air Horn to its relay then connect the relay to a seperate switch for activating the Air Horn and connect the power to the Air Horn and its relay to the seperate 12V SLA battery. That way you still have use of your scooters original horn for pedestrians. I installed my 12V 3A SLA in my E-Bikes locking Glove Compartment. And the 12V 3A SLA battery runs my Gorilla Alarm System, Air Horns and a 12V Accessory outlet (for my GPS Receiver, MP3 Sound System and a Bluetooth Handsfree Kit, I also keep a 12V Air Compressor, 12V DC - 110V AC 80watt Inverter for extra help in my trunk). I keep it charged with a Canadian Tire 12V 1.5A SLA Float Mode Smart Charger.

I finished work at 6:00 PM last night and packed my stuff in my E-Bike to ride home for the night. I got 1/2 way home and came to a stop light, I let go of the throttle and applied my brakes and came to a stop. While stop I had my feet down so I let go of the brakes and my E-Bike lurched forward without me touching my throttle. Luckily both brake handles has a motor kill switch built in as well as there is a emergency kill switch on the right handlebar under the throttle. So I had to ride the rest of the way home stopping the bike by lightly using the brakes.

I got home and disassembled the throttle assembly but it was fine. Because E-Bikes use a magnet in the throttle handle and a Hall Effect Transistor to detect throttle settings. Since the Hall Effect Transistor is encased in Epoxy it and the maget are not affected by water. But the Hall Effect Transistor changes the detected magnetism to a electrical resistance setting to tell how open the throttle is. The more open the throttle is the more electrical resistance there is.

So I determined the throttle was not at fault. So I traced the throttle wire to a connector under the upper fairing in the center of my handlebar. Determined it was not at fault. So I then removed my seat and the seat bucket to get access to the Contrller and its wiring.

Early this summer I removed the Controller to do the Torque Mod. After putting the Controller back in the E-Bike I connected the wiring but forgot to put the wire connectors back in a protective bag that they were in. I figured they would not really be affected by moisture. I did not realize at the time the throttle worked by measuring electrical resistance. What had happened is the wire connector that connected the 3 throttle wires to the controller had become wet from road water splashing up onto the wires. Water got into the throttle wiring and created a small electrical path with enough resistance to fool the Controller into thinking the throttle was partially open when it was not.

So I dried the wires off. Put some plastic lunch bags over the wires then wrapped the wires, bags in lots of grey Duct Tape. Problem solved and now the throttle is working properly again.

Yes it is the same E-Bike from the Luyuan Company in China.

http://en.luyuan.cn/product/pb803.asp

I found it is a very good E-Bike with lots of torque (after the torque mod). And is very easy to ride and built well.

I have found my E-Bike rides perfectly fine in our Canadian winter climate. I am still commuting to/from work and around Toronto. Even with snow and some ice the E-Bike handles these conditions the same or better then my motorcycle ever did. It also handle rain days just as good as well. I have fineally realized I can ride it all year long without stopping. So E-Bikes are just as reliable and robust as any other vehicle on our Canadian roads. My E-Bike has far surpassed my expectations when I bought it and I am very happy with it, it was well worth the price I paid.

Well I did some upgrades and some warranty repairs to my E-Bike.

1st. the warranty repairs (which are not finished yet). Mobility Unlimited replaced the rear wheel bearing again. They also have to replace the motor as well, but the motor they had in stock was defective as well. So when they get a replacement motor they will then replace my motor for me. Turns out somehow water is getting in along the rear axle and traveling along the axle into the motor and corrosion is forming along that water path. Also a magnet has let go from the wall it was mounted to, and that is causing the sounds and hesitations inside the motor. They said I can just keep riding it but keep grease packed in the exposed portions of the rear axle. So I bought some Red N' Tacky grease from Canadian Tire to do the job.

Now for my upgrades. I replaced my old cracked rear trunk with a new larger rear trunk that now can hold everything I usually carry under my seat plus what I carried in the old trunk. Now the only thing I carry under my seat is my MSI Netbook and it's AC Adapter.

Since I have more room under my seat I now carry a second battery pack made out of 8 12V 2.2AH AGM SLA batteries in a 4S2P configuration for 48V 4.4AH of extra power for my E-Bike, the total battery capacity is up to 24.4 Amps from 20 Amps of the original batteries. The pack only adds an extra 17 pounds to the carrying weight. But on the ride down I noticed the extra capacity does make a difference when climbing hills and accelerating from a intersection. Plus this battery addition is easily removable or installable with no modifications to the E-Bike done.

I also added some more chrome decals (a phoenix and a dragon, as well as the SPORT decal) And put my name in gold on black on the rear trunk. I will reinstall the CB antenna at a later time. In the future I will be adding a wireless bicycle computer for it's Odometer and Speedometer functions. I have it at home. But I will have to figure out how to install it neatly.

Update on my E-Bike, Mobility Unlimited replaced the motor for me because my motor was failing big time. It has started grinding more and has a draging in the internal gears. But the replacement motor is working perfectly, in fact it seems quieter and smoother running then the original motor ever was. The replacement motor was taken off of a Red Condor demo model. It has been a demo model for only 6 months. I actually like that idea, the motor is well broken in, and it has been proven a good motor by actually been used on a weekly bases. My E-Bike is now back in 100% operational status thanks to Mobility Unlimited. I will post a link, because I will say they definately stand behind their products 100% before and after the sale.

http://mobilityunlimited.ca/g_force_electric_bikes.htm

It is the same with my E-Bike as well. But luckily you can press the button and change gears on the fly with or without the throttle engaged and while the bike is in motion.

Ken Finch

Well today for Easter Sunday I connected my bicycle child carrier/stroller and put my two children with helmets in it and we went for a nice 2 1/2 hour ride around Scarborough then back home. My E-Bike towed the extra 130-150 pounds just fine. But it did drain the battery faster and further down for the same distance without the trailer.

Well I modified my E-Bike again. Did a headlight mod last night. I took out my 48V 15/15 watt incandescent headlight bulb and installed a 1.5/2.5 watt ring LED light assembly that I made myself from a heavily modified 120V AC LED light from Walmart that cost me $10.00 last night. The low beam is at least 100% brighter then the original bulb. And the high beam is at least 200% brighter and both beams are whiter and light up a greater area. So my new headlight draws less power but is significantly brighter and whiter. I say the mod to the headlight is a total success.

I also did the same LED mod to my tail/brake light. Just made it not so bright as to not blind the drivers behind me.
Now I just have to figure out how to replace all my Incandescent signal and dash lights to 48V LED lights.

Well on the Easter Sunday I took my children out with the E-Bike and their bicycle trailer attached I got stopped by 2 police officer at different locations. The first officer a man had me stand by his car while he searched the rules and regulations for a rule against attaching a bicycle trailer to an E-Bike. 20-30 minutes later he said well I guess I cannot charge you with anything because there is nothing in the regulations that state you cannot attach a bicycle trailer to an E-Bike which is classed as a bicycle. You can go on your way, and he left. Later on in the day a woman police officer flagged me to pull over and I did. I explained her my morning dealings with the male police officer in the morning and she said ok, but you are endangering your children by pulling them along the side of the rode with my E-Bike, that a car will hit the trailer from behind. I told her because my motor is only 500 watts my maximum speed is not 32 KMh but 15-20 kmh. Also that the trailer has reflectors and two yellow safety flags on the trailer and I am staying to the side of the road like a bicycle is supposed to. She said it is still unsafe. I then said to her if I was pulling the kids along with my 18 speed Walmart mountain bike at the same speed would she have pulled me over for safety reasons. She said no because a bicycle is not motorized and the normal way of pulling a bicycle trailer. I said yes maybe but since my E-Bike is classed as a bicycle and I was going no faster then if I was on a bicycle and I have better signals and safety features on my E-Bike would it not be safer. She said yes it is safer but it is just the morals of doing it verses the normal way. I said well call your supervisor and talk to him about it. She then said well I got a call to go to (her radio never made a sound while we were talking) and she dped of like she was in a hurry. Now I have not rode with the trailer any more because the primary clamp that holds the trailer to the frame of the bike bent on the ride home and is unuseable. I do have a second primary clamp but obviously it will bend as well when attached to the E-Bike. But the bicycle trailer has a secondary safety strap that wraps around the bikes frame and snaps in place in case the primary clamp fails the safety strap will still hold the trailer to the bike.

So there is no law against it, but you will draw lots of attention to yourself from the authorities, and even though it is not against the law, they will try and find someting to charge you with if you did not follow the rules 100% when they pull you over. I did, I had my pedals attached, I had my motorcycle helmet on, my two children had their bicycle helmets on. The trailer was properly attached to the E-Bike with both primary clamp and the safety strap. I was traveling along signaling properly with proper mirror and over the shoulder checks. Riding to the side of the road properly and going no faster then 15-20kmh. But I will not do it again with my E-Bike.

Ken Finch

She basically said I was endangering my children because my E-Bike is a motorized vehicle. I said it is an E-Bike with a 500 watt motor that is less the a quarter horse power. Plus it can go no faster than 32kmh or 20mph. Though she did take off because I think she knew I was correct and did not want to admit it. Anyways that was a while ago. The only problems I have now is with sarcastic cyclists on different forum thinking they are gods and E-Bikes do not belong in the bike lanes.