Yates Pilots E-bike To Two Podiums Against Gas Rivals

When restrictions on weight disqualified Chip Yates' electric superbike from the TTXGP all-electric racing series, Yates made quite a show of his exit from the competition. Rather than build a new bike that would be allowed to compete, Yates said he could prove his bike's superiority - by going up against gas-powered bikes.

It might have been written off as a publicity stunt, but Yates, the owner, designer and rider for the Swigz.com race team, did more than back up his talk. His Frankenstein of a bike, made up of a Gixxer chassis with Brembo brakes, Ohlins suspension and a ton of battery power, was able to take down more established models like the Ducati 848, Honda 1000 and Suzuki SV 650 on its way to two podium finishes at the WERA Heavyweight Twins races in Califronia on Sunday.

"I was surprised," Yates told Wired. "I was thinking, optimistically, that I'd like to be fifth or sixth. I was over the moon. There's no way we figured we'd get a podium."

Yates took second in the superstock race and third in the superbike competition. But despite proving the naysayers wrong, he thinks he can eventually crank out first-place finishes on a regular basis. The rider told the news source that he learned a lot from the first race and, with some tune-ups and adjustments to his riding style, can make the bike even faster for future races.