Electric Cafe Racer - Vintage Motorcycle Build

This project started as a 1974 Kwasaki G3 on craigslist for $300. I took off the wheels, loaded the frame in the back of my car and the wheels in the passenger seat. I stripped the tank down to bare metal, cut down the rear fender, mounted a pair of Krator handlebars, and fabricated a custom cowl. I mounted foot pegs far back on the swingarm to stretch the riding position on the small 90cc frame. For the electric motor, I went with a QS138 3000W Mid-drive BLDC motor. This motor pairs with a programmable Votol EM-150s controller that can plug into a computer to adjust settings such as throttle response. This 72v system was a big step up from my 48v Honda in both power and sophistication. The programmable controller gives the bike the feeling of a hod rod. A machine that is never done, but always in the process of modification and testing. Implanting a powerful new technology into a small, old frame for which it was never intended also harkens back to the California hot rod culture. The 72v 21ah battery supplies just enough power for a spirited trip from my home to Seal Beach Pier and back a distance of 25 miles. This is a motorcycle that will continue to evolve and develop as long as I own it. Willowbrook Customs | Aaron Laniosz

Handlebars Link https://amzn.to/31ChETQ

IG -   / willowbrook_  

email - [email protected]