Filed under: Etc., Green, Safety
VIDEO: Killa electric motorcycle almost kills maker in demo
Any bike that can do zero-to-60 in 1 second and tackle the quarter mile in eight seconds deserves quite a bit of respect. Nobody knows this better than the owner of the KillaCycle, Bill Dube, who recently crashed his electric-powered two-wheeler. Mr. Dube was trying for a burnout, but ended up having a close encounter with a soccer mom-mobile. The 619-lb. extra-long cycle utilizes A123 Lithium batteries, and was developed by Dube in his spare time. One would think that someone smart enough to make a 400 HP motorcycle powered by batteries would also have excellent judgment, but then again, maybe not. Dube dropped the hammer on his two-wheeled bullet without a helmet, and only 200 yards from that parked minivan. We're very happy to let you know that Dube is relatively OK, and that nobody else was injured in the crack-up. Check out the Dube interview and subsequent crash video after the jump.
[Source: Autoblog Green]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
sean 6:53PM (9/16/2007)
They should drive that ambulance straight to jail. That'll teach the greenpeace-eco warrior-tree hugger not to speed wrecklessly.
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Harrison 7:09PM (9/16/2007)
Oh yeah... just because he used batteries makes him a reckless eco tree-hugger, even if it does go 0-60 in an ungodly short amount of time.
F451 12:56AM (9/17/2007)
This was simply an inventor caught in the throes of excitement demonstrating his invention. Unfortunately, he is not the bike's real rider, and should have stuck to the math and science department. If America is to rid itself of foreign oil dependence we should embrace people like Ed Dube, and the people behind the very special batteries it uses that dissipate and charge quicker than any other at this current time.
Also, the tree hugger statement is such an insipid remark. I truly hope it did not come from an American? No wonder the rest of the world views the U.S. as idiots.
Rob 3:26AM (9/17/2007)
More like simply a silly hippie, he forgot to put on his hemp helmet before crashing his lollercycle.
Barney 9:16AM (9/17/2007)
Rob "More like simply a silly hippie,"
If you paid attention, you would have realised his real job is a government scientist. Not to simple.
Rob 2:37PM (9/17/2007)
"His job is a government scientist"
Sounds like a hippie to me, man.
Don 10:44PM (9/18/2007)
Wow. That thing was fast till he fell off.
iPhoneResidentObssesive 6:55PM (9/16/2007)
dumbass
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Chris Vitale 7:03PM (9/16/2007)
Had he even ever turned that thing on before? Doesn't look like he had much practice. I wonder if he let off the brakes or it simply overpowered them.
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zamafir 7:17PM (9/16/2007)
I'm wagering not, and a little disappointed that chris neglected to mention it's quite clear from the interview that Bill Dube does NOT frequently pilot this bike.
That aside, why on EARTH would you attempt a burn out in a vehicle of this magnitude on a sidewalk? What the hell kind of ignorant white trash jollies was he attempting to get off? Want to show wired what it can do on a 1/4 mile track? awesome. But this demo was purely immature and purely pathetic, especially taking into account his own lack of experience with the bike.
Shadyman 7:34PM (9/16/2007)
I'm betting overpowered the brakes.
Azrael4h 7:28PM (9/16/2007)
I wonder what it cost to build, and what kind of range it has.
It's rather stupid to run a bike without a helmet, period. It's a miracle he wasn't killed.
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JD 8:02PM (9/16/2007)
If you watch the video, He says "30-40 thousand" for the price of the bike, and he states pretty explicitly in the interview that he's the crew chief, which they don't make very clear here. So yeah.
Azrael4h 9:03PM (9/16/2007)
I rarely watch videos, so I missed that. Thanks.
Not too bad, assuming it's a one off design, and not just another bike gutted and modified. I'd still like to know the range, but I'm sure it'll come out. If this can do 60 in a couple seconds, have a couple hundred mile range, and otherwise compete with regular bikes, it might do well in the market.
Henry 7:32PM (9/16/2007)
That WAS Fast!
I must be a complete Ass as my first instinct was to laugh.
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paul 7:53PM (9/16/2007)
it was actually quite funny. but that bike is a complete monster!
RicardoHead 7:33PM (9/16/2007)
Damn. Almost had an entry for the Darwin Awards this year.
There are still 3 months left, though. Maybe we'll get lucky.
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Andy 7:56PM (9/16/2007)
I heard him say when he was laying on the ground that the throttle stuck on.
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0mega 8:11PM (9/16/2007)
figures it would be toms hardware to almost get the guy killed :P
Monster of a bike though... and that guy has some guts for trying to ride it 0_0
damn lucky he hit a car and didnt hit one of those cement blocks... send him flying in to the street 0_0
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Chris Vitale 9:21PM (9/16/2007)
It did haul arse. When that thing let go it took off like a bat outta hell. I hope it was machine error and not pilot error. He might not deserve all the critisism he is getting. It could happen to anyone...If he was the crewchief he probably did have a good amount of practice so I retract my previous statement.
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