dWRENCHED

    Ever since I've seen it...

     I knew I had to know more. It looks fast, retro but in the same time very modern. Spotted it at the Dublin Bike Showa few days ago. More event pics, here.
Considering the fact that no engine was showing from inside the frame, it was clear to me what we have here it's an electric motorcycle. And my brain went all...



     Don't get me wrong... I'm the kind of turd who dreamed ever since he was a kid to get down & dirty working on his Harley chop. So electric, go green or Prius aren't really in my daily vocabulary.     But that doesn't mean I'm ignorant. You know... I'm just dWrenched.

       Besides the photo posted above (photo by my friend Tom Nolan), not much on the www.
  Thanks to our friend Pete Pearson from Rocket Bobs, we went straight to the source, to the builder of this beauty..

     It's called Strom 48 and was built by Noel Connolly from Flame Art Design FAD, Ireland.
''This is an Electric Motorcycle using a Motenergy Me 0909 Motor. 
It's a 48 volts system using 4 Sla batteries ( hoping to upgrade to Lithium Ion),  an Alltrax Controller,heavy duty contactor, and Magura. 
    Electronic twist throttle. Rims are by Surly and are 26x4 with Vee Rubber tyres. Brakes are Shimano hydraulic. Frame and Bodywork by FAD. Sprocket cover by Tony the Engraver.''  -Noel told us.
     The whole board tracker style goes really well with the Tron frame design and paint.   The old racing style brake levers are also a cool feature. The cooling scoops on the side covers also adds some hot rodding feeling to it. Love it !

   Strom 48 was also voted Best Custom at the AMD affiliate Irish Motorcycle and Scooter Show 2015. Huge congrats for that and well deserved !
The electric market/idea these days isn't Sci-Fi anymore. After all, we do have an 163 hp electric bike into production these days, Mission RS. Check it in this Jay Leno's Garage episode, here.
   And as a ps, there's also an electric chopper built long ago in Japan. Maybe someday I'll find the time (& inspiration) of featuring it.

Electric means no gears (less headaches) but also no ''sound'' . I don't see myself anytime soon riding an electric thought. After all, my old petrol suckin' lady is still giving me hard times, keeping me alive and poor. We all know how it is, the hate-to-love-it story...
        But damn I'd sure love to have a Strom 48 next to it, just so I can cheat on her from time to time :) Big thanks to Noel for the cool words and for the photos and again, to Pete for the help realising this article. Cheers mate !