Electric Bike To Challenge Gas-powered Rivals

After being excluded from
electric motorcycle competitions like FIM and TTXGP, Swigz.com Pro
Racing team owner and racer Chip Yates says he'll be testing his
electric-powered machine against gas-powered bikes in the WERA
Pirelli Sportsman Series Twin Superbikes class.
The showdown will take place on January 9th at the Auto Club
Speedway in California, where the electric bike will go up against
gas stalwarts like the Ducati 1198 and KTM RC8. Yates estimates
that the bike's power-to-weight ratio will put it in the middle of
the pack, although the group plans to upgrade the horsepower after
the first race.
The owner and racer pulled no punches in declaring his
dissatisfaction with the electric-only competitions, which recently
lowered their weight restrictions to 250 kg (551 lbs). Yates' bike
weighs in at 266 kg (586 lbs.)
"Clearly, these championships are more concerned with promoting
scooter development, and our bike is so much faster than the
electric competition that we feel far more inclined to push our
bike's unique technology platform forward in the ultimate
competitive environment of gasoline bike racing," he said in a
statement.