Chip Yates switches from electric motorcycle racing to electric airplanes

; Date: July 20, 2018

Tags: Chip Yates »»»» Electric Airplanes

In 2009-10 Chip Yates had intended to join the 2010 TTXGP North America series but did not do so. In this video he lies - when the TTXGP said he couldn't enter, it was because the bike was too heavy, not because it was too powerful. Otherwise the point is that Chip Yates went from electric motorcycle racing into building a fast electric airplane.

Chip Yates: Pro AMA Racer Turned Electric Motorcycle Pioneer | On Two Wheels

On this episode of On Two Wheels, we visit Chip Yates, an engineer turned professional motorcycle racer, turned record-setting electric technology pioneer! Chip decided at the age of 36 to quit his job at Boeing and pursue a career as a professional AMA racer.

After turning pro, he had a big crash which ended his competitive career. Looking to the future, Chip was not discouraged, but rather, motivated to venture into new territory. He designed and built an all electric superbike that produced 258hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. He went on to race the bike and broke numerous World Records at Bonneville and Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

With 10 World Records under his belt, he wasn't done yet! He took the technology he developed in the electric superbike and built an electric airplane. In his second flight ever in the aircraft, he broke the world speed record for an electric aircraft and his record still stands today!

David Herron

David Herron is a writer and software engineer focusing on the wise use of technology. He is especially interested in clean energy technologies like solar power, wind power, and electric cars. David worked for nearly 30 years in Silicon Valley on software ranging from electronic mail systems, to video streaming, to the Java programming language, and has published several books on Node.js programming and electric vehicles.