Lightning Motorcycles has been wowing the superbike world a lot this year, and recently one of the company’s production bikes won the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.
Known throughout the racing world as a test of endurance and agility, the Pikes Peak Climb covers a distance of 19.99km (12.42mi), and ascends nearly 3048 meters (10,000ft) over a course that features 156 turns.
At this year’s competition Lightning Motorcycles’ electric superbike completed its run in just a hair over ten minutes, leaving its nearest competitor some 20 seconds behind. By the end of the time trials, Lightning’s bike had secured its hold on the fastest ascent of Pikes Peak by an electric bike. While that’s impressive, consider this; Lightning’s superbike was the first electric machine to beat out a field of gas motorbikes.
Lightning’s motorcycle is propelled by a Remy HVH250 electric motor that produces 125 hp taking the bike from 0-100km/h (0-62MPH) in 3 seconds. When at full throttle the production model of the bike will top out at 267km/h (166 mph).
To power all of the machine’s systems, the bike is equipped with a 12kWh, 370 volt battery that will take a rider 150 miles down the road. To extend the range, engineers at Lightning included a regenerative braking system to charge the battery as the brakes are applied.
As a blend of both performance and beauty the Lightning certainly cuts a clear path in the world of two wheel racing. Only time will tell if bikes like this will be the future of motorcycle design, but for my money, this looks like a big step towards an all-electric, higher performance future.
For those of you who want to take on Pikes Peak, or just your local coffee run, the Lightning all-electric is available for $38,000. While I’d never recommend going 160+ miles an hour on a bike, let alone speeding up the side of a mountain, what you do with it is up to you.
Watch the Lighting’s Run at the Pikes Peak Climb:
Images and Video Courtesy of Lightning Motorcycle
