Killacycle creator injured by his creation
By MaxW on Sep 13, 2007 in Announcements, Event Coverage, Featured, Video
Los Angeles (CA) – The inventor of the “KillaCycle” electric motorcycle almost killed himself during a demonstration at the Wired NextFest conference. Bill Dube, a government scientist during the day and electric bike builder at night, did a “burn out” in front of the Los Angeles Convention Center, but accidentally accelerated too much and crashed into a Minivan.
UPDATE: We have fixed the video links…
Full Version TG Daily 27.6 MB (Short Version below)
Short version KNBC4 LA 5.05 MB
Allen KNowles | Sep 17, 2007 | Reply
NO HELMET!!! NO LEATHERS!!! Smart guy( to a point) hope he learns from that, he should stick to building them, and me racing them!
Justin | Sep 17, 2007 | Reply
stick to the blueprints and computer programming, nerd. have you even done a burnout with a standard motorcycle? “You can’t just jump in the ring with Ali because you think you can box!”
bill | Sep 18, 2007 | Reply
ya, let me ride the damn thing.
you build it, i ride it.
i guess he said the throttle stuck towards the end of the video
but damm, that bike can shit and get!
400 hp!
Tony Freeze | Oct 4, 2007 | Reply
damn. what were you thinking? You said 0-60 in 1.9seconds.. did you not calculate the distance btw you and the parking lot!? Stuck throttle or not stick to the camera interview…and computers..
Wahoo | Oct 6, 2007 | Reply
Thank you for sharing!
c | Oct 9, 2007 | Reply
That thing get’s it but yeah a helmet at least would have been smart… putting a bicycle with no helmet is not smart at all.. but that much HP? What the heck was going on it your head?
Wild01 | Oct 16, 2007 | Reply
Haaaaaa-haaaaaa-haaaaaaaa, sorry but that was so funny! “Daaaa, this is the key, daaaaaa, look at me daaaaaa, I’m a dude, daaaa, Oh my goddddd, I’m gunna die!!!!” Haaaaaaaaaaaa-haaaaaaa!!
You blew it geek!
JimmyT | Oct 20, 2007 | Reply
oOOH, by the way the people that race bikes are much safer than the inventor, investors!
I have raced “modified/production/” motorcycles for two seasons in the mid seventies, and never did burnouts at full capacity, with anything in front of me, or without the PPE such as helmet, gloves boots, protective leathers and earplugs. The sheer velocity if you calculate the zero to sixty the guy talked about, is enormous in the first nano- second. the brakes couldn’t have stopped that bike in the few yards the guy had in front of him. That launch cost him around $3K in front end parts and possibly the frame is bent from the impact meaning the entire bike may need to be rebuilt.
Jim | Oct 21, 2007 | Reply
The compassion I see here disturbs me no end.
John Owen | Oct 21, 2007 | Reply
Worst name EVER for a motorcycle. And yeah, he should have been in armor and a helmet. A clue would have been a help, too.
Bushwhacker | Oct 22, 2007 | Reply
Who’s the blonde????
Joe | Oct 22, 2007 | Reply
Did no one notice that delicious woman sitting on the bike?
You guys all asleep?
Wolf | Oct 22, 2007 | Reply
I gotta get me one of those…lol
DrNo | Oct 25, 2007 | Reply
Throdle didnt stick- g-forces prevented him from turning it off
Martin Shiyla | Oct 25, 2007 | Reply
WWWWWoooowwww!!!LOL!!!!
What a hell was he thinking!!! Lost his scientific sense???
F=m*a or you go ask Newton underground in your grave sir!
That’s BOMBASTIC though!!
Bugs Bunny | Oct 27, 2007 | Reply
What a MAROON!
KURT | Oct 27, 2007 | Reply
NO BRAKES? NO KILL SWITCH? PARACHUTE? NO BUNGEE? A BIG HOOK, MAYBE? THROW OUT THE NET! WAS THE AMBULANCE PADDED?
Bret | Oct 27, 2007 | Reply
What a Nimrod….! That is why guys like him get beat up and picked on all through school. Leave the riding to the Pro’s and stick to your computer and white boards!
Tobias | Oct 28, 2007 | Reply
Only one word: Stupid!!!
This guy is stupid.
AppEng | Oct 29, 2007 | Reply
while it is not argueable the guy made a mistake, he was not planning on going for a ride like that. The intent was to do a burnout, as said in the interview. that was why he was not wearing safety gear. Considering The size of that back tire and the horsepower being made, it is easy to understand how an average Joe lost control of his bike. Hopefully the bike and the scientist live on to bring better technology to use so we can break out from under the thumb of the big oil companies and the scandelous automakers. That’s my $.02
Harry Wiggleson | Oct 30, 2007 | Reply
The above comment? nope: ANYbody with a partly-functioning intellect will NOT ‘just do a burnout’ w/o all relevant PPE. He’s an idiot, and it looks as if he’ll live to see the day that will explain why he’s NOT a driver! Glad he’s OK..but testosterone poisoning will *do that* to ya….
ThomASS | Oct 31, 2007 | Reply
You guys seem to forget that if it wasn’t for these “Nerds”, none of your under-educated selves would be riding bikes in the first place. I highly doubt if any of you, including myself, could build a 400HP electric bike. The man was taken away in an ambulance and all most of you can say is how “stupid” he is. How about, “I hope he is alright”. I’m sure more then half of you out there have never done something stupid or that you regretted in the future. He said it himself in so many words: he built the bike, he doesn’t ride it. Perhaps he had a rider who didn’t show up and the media still wanted the show. I saw a lot of cameras. Maybe he REALLY doesn’t ride. This could explain why he doesn’t know better then to wear a helmet or armor. This is the Wired Nextfest, it is about electronics and technology… not specifically motorcycles. So I can understand how he may not of had anyone offer that vital advice to wear a helmet. You people are so quick to talk shit and be so judgemental. So you spam Jason Britton for doing all those insane stunts? No you don’t, because he rarely messes up. Now if Bill Dube had been successful here, You same people would have praised him and never even mentioned the issue that he didn’t wear a helmet. You people need to check yourself. Are you that spoiled and self involved that you no longer have compassion inside you. You almost make me ashamed to be American. I’m done ranting now. Let the spamming begin because you don’t want to hear what I have to say… you don’t want to hear the truth.
pauls | Oct 31, 2007 | Reply
I’m with ThomASS. So what speed do you think he was going when he crashed? 60? How many guys do you see riding w/o helmets or leathers going 60 , in traffic with hard moving objects all around? This doesn’t excuse his behavior but until everyone, or at least most, start wearing helmets and leathers there’s no justification to be so critical of the guy. Stupid yes but get over it.
arthur grant | Oct 31, 2007 | Reply
Look at image 3 of the Image Gallery. The turkey doesnt even have the front wheel brakes on.
bill | Oct 31, 2007 | Reply
Well, in my opinion, the whole thing was a set-up, a sham. I’ve seen enough M/C / auto accidents to know if that bike had been going half the apparent speed, there would be car and M/C parts strewn for half a block, and the rider would have been thrown over the car, and never be in a positioin to make snow angels on the sidewalk. The only damage I could see was a deflated front tire on the bike and maybe some seed parts on the ground.
Rick | Oct 31, 2007 | Reply
Set-up….I dont think so. I hope the guy is alright, it looked like he was ok.
That big is quick, and all about traction.
Ron Arnason | Oct 31, 2007 | Reply
Bull Puckey!!
That is my opinion
I could be wrong
but
I doubt it……
LJonny | Oct 31, 2007 | Reply
Hey wait a minute!!! That’s MY van!!! So that’s how that dent got there. The bastard didn’t even leave me a note.
Larry Savage | Nov 1, 2007 | Reply
Looked like one low UFO…spectacular crash…but you’ll never see Harley Davidson going electric…and this video is the reason…lol
ron | Nov 4, 2007 | Reply
STUPID IS AS STUPID DOES
Watt | Nov 5, 2007 | Reply
The Darwin theory is still intact!
Geo | Nov 6, 2007 | Reply
I was on the Team for the first World Record representing Bolder Technologies. Bill’s a good guy – ‘wish him the best and I hope you all do too. Yes, Bill, let someone else demo, you’re too smart for that anyway !
Geo
BMW Rider | Nov 7, 2007 | Reply
To Arthur Grant, in pic 3 the left hand lever is for the clutch not the front brake. With an electric motor, a clutch may not be necessary, so it could be configured for rear. But any rider knows the front brake is on the right grip. I did however notice the expression on his face in the photo… He had just started moving forward in the burnout and picking up speed. Oh Sh****T!
I just jope he got the number off the building in the background when they were loading him into the ambulance. Accidentes attourney. “Larry H. Parker got me… You know the story.”
Bart | Nov 7, 2007 | Reply
Definitely had an ‘Oh sh*t’ look to it. His burnout was fine until the bike moved out of the ‘water box’. You can see in the video that he had a couple right hand fingers pulling on the front brake but at the same time he was rolling the throttle up and down. That’s pretty hard to do on a street bike let alone a drag bike with a 14″ drag slick for a rear tire. Once that sticky rear tire hit dry concrete the front brake/tire couldn’t hold the bike and off it went. He had no clue after that point on how to shut it down. Pretty stupid to do without at least a helmet.
JMS | Nov 7, 2007 | Reply
Listen people.. PPE that thing is a BEAST.. Love it!! but Always Have PPE! that blonde should of had PPE on just to sit on the damn thing, well that and a bikini lol..
Fire Marshal Bill | Nov 13, 2007 | Reply
Stupid Hurts
mash44wheeler | Nov 13, 2007 | Reply
Its amazing how much power that bike has and how quick it was! He might be a good scientist….but he
Johnny Ashburn | Nov 13, 2007 | Reply
Can you spell S-T-U-P-I-D ???
Cruiser_CT | Nov 15, 2007 | Reply
Oh yes, powerful. You stick to building the machine. Let an experienced motorcycle racer and test rider test them for you.
Sam Elliott54 | Nov 16, 2007 | Reply
As for the comment about the front brake arthur grant
it’s clear that you know nothing about pro stock bikes
The front brake is on the left and the rear brake is on the right
there is no cluch lever they use whats clled a slipper cluch and no foot brake both brakes are on the handel bars
rydude | Nov 25, 2007 | Reply
this dude is a joke, should have atleast knew a way to get outta a stuck throttle, thats the excuse for anything moto crash is throttle stuck, if your not a dumbass youd know how to get yourself outta that situation without crashing yourself or the bike.
i dont put myself on bikes though, closest thing i get on is a sled that does the speed of a bike but atleast with rough terrain making it more complicated, if i were on a sled or a bike on a track, id definetly pick the bike though, circles are circles
Denny | Nov 25, 2007 | Reply
What was this guy thinking to do a burnout on a drag bike — 400 horse-power on a city sidewalk!!!??? I bet he also got a ticket!!
Oldgringo | Nov 26, 2007 | Reply
High performance vehicle – low performance rider.
Ed | Nov 26, 2007 | Reply
First Order of Business Thom-ass is a fitting name for you! Dude you must be a geek trying to get tough with your keyboard stop sniveling! And that goes for the rest of you sniviling Campassionist on here. We all moarn in our own way! Second that guy builds an awesome bike (He has my props for that!!) I would love to have one of those toys, but the difference is I know how to ride. Experienced riders know you don’t go getting on something that powerful without protection. Rule 1 on any date! Anyways the guy messed up I hope he learned from which I am sure he has! I hope he comes out with some street bikes soon, but doesn’t charge 40,000 for them.
MG | Dec 6, 2007 | Reply
WHo is the blonde???
Grumpyoldcodger | Dec 12, 2007 | Reply
Incredible technology! Can it be adapted to aircraft? Sorry for him that the results at the moment are disasterous. It will be interesting to see what ultimately comes from this.
Rick | Dec 19, 2007 | Reply
Yes it wassn’t a very smart idea to not be wearing a helmet and protective gear for this demo, much less doing it in an uncontrolled environment, but I really hope the guy is OK. He is obviously a very smart person to be able to invent this cycle, just a bad judgment to demo it in this fashion.
R.camper | Jan 26, 2008 | Reply
If the idiot new how to ride the whole 4mins would have been worth watching.10 ponits on the elctric factor
simply | Feb 14, 2008 | Reply
Comments of cowards until now… I am very excited by this. 175 horse from 175lbs of batteries? Let me put it this way, it is all about power to weight ratio. And the reason that this guy got hurt was that with an electric drive, there are no gears. That back wheel was going 150 miles an hour, then he hit the dry concrete. The electric motor does not stall out like a fuel engine does so it was one smooth, however, dangerous transition from full blast to about 50.
Yep, it was too powerful for the situation and accidents happen.
But… what he has delivered is amazing. It is clear now, that the future of power sports lies in battery technology.
All of that power and no noise, no flames upon collision and the bike really did track straight.
Where do we get ours?
nevermind | Apr 19, 2008 | Reply
Well stupid or not.. it sure has generated a ton of publicity for the Electric Bike. No one can say that these bikes are only for sissys now. 400hp, 0-60 in .9 seconds..street legal..most of you Ax-man ubermenchs could not handle that.
simo | Jun 18, 2008 | Reply
He has been a bit unlucky with the traction control but his creation looks very interesting and i think we will see many of them in the near future. good job Bill.