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Michael Rutter

  • Michael Rutter set a new record on the Mugen Shinden Hachi on the way to win the TT Zero category at the Isle of Man TT (IOM TT).

  • The bike recorded speeds faster than those in the Supersport category.

  • Electric performance bikes have come a long way.

Michael Rutter set a new record on the Mugen Shinden Hachi on the way to win the TT Zero category at the Isle of Man TT (IOM TT). More importantly, however, was that the Mugen Shinden Hachi recorded speeds faster than those in the Supersport category.

Rutter hammered the bike to 176 mph (283.2 km/h) on the Sulby straight. He also completed the 37.73-mile (60.72km) course with an average speed 121.91 mph (196.20 km/h). It was the fastest record in the TT Zero electric motorcycle class.

Rutter’s teammate and multiple IOM TT Senior class winner, John McGuinness came in second on the other Mugen Shinden Hachi. It was his 47th IOM TT podium.

Ian Lougher completed the podium on the Team Mirai ILR Idaten X RE in a distant three-and-half minutes behind McGuinness.

Mugen’s domination undoubtedly shows how far electric bikes have come (and are still improving). While many riders are still contemplating on the lack of petrol engine exhaust note, charging times and mileage, performance of electric bikes is of no laughing matter.

Another electric performance bike, the Lightning LS-218 has already demonstrated that when it set a new record in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC), and a speed record of 218 mph (350.84 km/h) at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

Photo credit: https://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2018/06/rutter-wins-tt-zero/

  • John McGuinness and Michael Rutter will ride the 2019 Mugen Shinden Hachi electric bike at the Isle of Man TT Zero race this year.

  • Last year’s Mugen bike set the fastest electric bike record at the TT.

  • This year’s bike promises better aerodynamics and power.

John McGuinness and Michael Rutter will ride the 2019 Mugen Shinden Hachi electric bike at the Isle of Man TT Zero race this year.

According to Visordown, the Mugen Shinden Hachi is the uprated version last year’s bike. Rutter won the TT Zero race last year on the previous Mugen (called “Nana”), setting the fastest lap record for the class along the way. He averaged 196.056 km/h around the TT course, which was only 20.922 km/h slower than the record-setting superbike.

Photo credit – Visordown

So, for this year, Mugen is back with a bike that promises to be better and faster.

Mugen gave Visordown unlimited access to their facilities in Milton Keynes, thus all credit goes to Visordown.

Photo credit – Visordown

The 2019 Mugen has better aerodynamics and increased power. It weighs a somewhat heavy 248 kg (due to the batteries) but the engine… sorry, motor, produces the equivalent of 160 hp. The 370-volt lithium-ion battery powers the 120kW oil-cooled brushless electric motor. Torque is rated at 210 Nm.

The fairing is sharper and wraps tightly around the bike. The front suspension consists of the Showa Carbon Fibre prototype forks. The chassis is a monocoque.

Source: Visordown

It was recently announced that John McGuinness is out of this year’s Isle of Man TT races.

Mugen announced that the King of the Mountain re-fractured his right leg after 14 months of recovery.

Their Mugen Shinden Nana electric race bike will be piloted by Michael Rutter and Lee Johnston.

It’s not easy for an accomplished rider such as John McGuinness to sit on the sidelines watching other racers ride their race bikes. Having broken his right leg last year, the King of the Mountain took over 14 months just to get healthy enough to be declared fit to race BUT the gods of racing have ruled him out of contention once again. (more…)

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