Electric Superbike Makes History Against Gas Bikes

We were reporting a while back about the ambitious plans of SWIGZ.COM Pro Racing Team, who have developed an electric racing bike that was suppose to go against conventional gasoline powered race bikes in a professionally organized road race. The event has taken place a few days ago at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California.

Curious about the result? Well, let us tell you that the SWIGZ Racing electric machine, ridden by Chip Yates, managed to make history in the WERA Heavyweight Twins classes, clinching second and third place finishes against its gas-powered competitors.

The event marked the first time an electric superbike competed against gas bikes, proving the electric platform can be competitive. The SWIGZ Racing machine is claimed to put 194 hp to the rear wheel. Its developers used a Suzuki GSX-R750 frame with Ohlins suspension and Brembo brakes, bringing the bike to 266kg (586 lbs).

“Our scheduled power increase will make our electric superbike more powerful than a MotoGP bike and will bring us extremely close to power to weight parity with the best 1,000cc Japanese superbikes,” stated Yates. “Those two facts are a simply outstanding reflection of the potential in electric power.”

In the WERA Heavyweight Twins Superbike Expert race, Yates managed to beat the likes of Ducati’s 848, NCR1000 and the Suzuki SV 650. On the other hand, in the WERA Heavyweight Twins Superstock Expert race, Yates ousted a Honda 1000 in addition to several more Suzuki SV 650s.

The race followed the bike’s recent exclusion from the FIM and TTXGP Championships for electric motorcycles, which has imposed a significantly lower maximum weight limit of 250kg (550lbs) for the 2011 season.

An on-board video of the WERA racing action can be watched below: