LIGHTFIGHTER V2.0
R I D E R E V I E W
P92
"It started dawning on me, being
around more of these events, that what
we ought to do is look at the things gas
motorcycles are already doing really well
and try to adapt this new powertrain to
see if we can do it a little bit better," says
Wismann. "That's where the Lightfighter
idea was born. It is an electric motor-
cycle, like some of those other prototype
electric motorcycles, but it's considered
geometry first."
Finding The Balance
Wismann's intentions were to create a
motorcycle with very similar dimensions
and tuneability to that of a gas bike.
Housed in a custom chromoly trellis
chassis fabricated in house by Schless,
Wismann started with conservative 24°
rake and 28mm trail numbers and adjust-
able triple clamp offsets, and focused on
making the center of gravity perfect to
give nimble yet stable handling. Starting
at this point and adapting the electric
powertrain to the machine, rather than
the other way around, set this project
apart from the beginning.
"It was also important to come up
with a bike that was about the same
weight as gas bikes, because that's
what everybody's tuned their suspen-
sion around and what we know works so
It looks like a
Kramer, but that
big grey block in
the center of the
frame hides a
few secrets.
Sans clothes.
There's not
much to the
Lightfighter.
Schless's
fabrication work
on the chassis
is superb.