Set to compete in the MotoAmerica Super Hooligan class, the Lightfighter V3-RH is a naked electric racing motorcycle with a proprietary battery pack, an enviable parts spec, and a unique partner program.
Those who heap hate on electric motorcycles usually cite their cost and limited range as factors. Or, if they’re feeling particularly salty, they’ll mention the lack of noise and vibration. But few will acknowledge the inconvenient truth: electric motorcycles are blisteringly quick off the mark.
The American EV startup Lightfighter is out to change that perception, in an arena that has served major OEMs well over the years: the race track. They’ll be fielding two bikes in this year’s MotoAmerica RSD Super Hooligan class with OrangeCat Racing, and they’re planning to ruffle feathers.
Headquartered in California, Lightfighter was founded by Brian Wismann, whose résumé includes leading product development at Brammo and Zero Motorcycles. The company currently has two models on its books—the full-faired Lightfighter V3-RS and the naked Lightfighter V3-RH. Super Hooligan rules call for naked bikes with upright bars, so it’s the V3-RH that they’ll be competing with.
The ‘V’ nomenclature might suggest an internal combustion engine, but that’s not the case. “We call the platform V3 because it’s the third iteration of the electric motorcycle program that Brian has been working on for the past eight years,” says Lightfighter’s Director of Strategic Programs, Jensen Beeler.
“They’re basically the same bike, but with different bodywork and handlebar styles. ‘RH’ stands for ‘Race Hooligan’ and ‘RS’ stands for ‘Race Supersport.’ They’re the most engineering names ever—and we know it.”
The race-prepped Lightfighter V3-RH certainly looks the part. A bright orange trellis frame forms the centerpiece of the chassis, hugging the battery and suspending the motor.
The motor itself comes from Parker Hannifin, while the battery cells are from Farasis Energy. The actual battery pack is a proprietary part, manufactured at Lighfighter’s facility in Ashland, Oregon. It boasts a battery density of 300 Wh/kg—well above the average for most electric motorcycles.
Equipped with an integral constant mesh gearbox with a 2:1 reduction, the Lightfighter’s motor makes 162 Nm at its output shaft and 324 Nm at the gearbox output shaft. There’s 135 horsepower on offer, with an overall dry weight of 186 kilos [410 pounds].
Those numbers are backed up by a spare-no-expense parts package. Lightfighter has specced their Super Hooligan bike with Öhlins FGR252 forks and an Öhlins TTX36 shock, plus Brembo GP4-RX front calipers and a Brembo SuperSport rear caliper. It’s all proper race-spec stuff—as are the Brembo T-Drive front discs.
The swingarm is a billet aluminum masterpiece, built by Suter Racing in Switzerland. “It accounts for nearly 20 percent of the bike’s build cost,” Jensen quips. Gorgeous OZ Racing forged aluminum hoops complete the package.
The Lightfighter’s bodywork is a mix of carbon fiber and fiberglass parts, with the monocoque tail section acting as its own subframe. The cockpit sports Rizoma bars, a Domino throttle and grips, and Brembo controls. The front brake lever guard, rear-set foot controls, and dashboard are from one of Lightfighter’s key partners, Alpha Racing in Germany.
“You can see some of their hard parts on the bike,” says Jensen, “but the real magic is what they are doing with the electronics—helping us build out more advanced traction control algorithms and other electronics. Because of the continuous application of torque from an electric motor, versus the power pulses of a gas engine, high-sides and loss of traction happen a lot quicker on an electric track bike. So Alpha Racing is helping us pioneer in this space and doing some top-rate nerdy work.”
“The bike is constantly evolving. What you see here won’t be what you’ll see in two weeks’ time, and likely won’t be the same you’ll see mid-season. That’s one of the fun things about this project, and we really want to embrace the constant development side of our business into our consumer-level offerings.”
“With that, you won’t see us doing model years like other OEMs. Instead, we’ll do part and design versions, with customers able to continuously benefit from the release of new and improved parts for their bikes. This means someone could buy a Lightfighter next year, and if in a year or two we have a significant leap in battery design, they could upgrade to the new module.”
“The same can be said of hard parts like the chassis, swingarm, or bodywork. We’re baking backwards compatibility into our designs and thought process.”
On the track, Lightfighter has MotoAmerica sensation and multiple champion, Josh Herrin, and former MotoAmerica Twins Cup champion, Kaleb de Keyrel, piloting the two OrangeCat race bikes. “Where we’re at as a company right now is trying to prove our platform on the MotoAmerica stage,” says Jensen, “mostly to validate our technology and designs, and to see if we can compete with gas-bikes on a level playing field. The business plan is performance parity with gasoline-powered motorcycles.”
Lightfighter isn’t just relying on its race program for data. They want to release the fourth iteration of their platform next year, and they’re looking to engage customers in its development via their Design Partner Program. Limited to 10 customers and priced at $100,000, it’s basically a private beta testing initiative.
Your money gets you a Lightfighter V3, plus access to eight track events, which include private test sessions and amateur races. There, you’ll test various Lightfighter components, give feedback, and help the company build a rider-led knowledge base to inform their decisions on the V4. And when the time comes, you’ll be able to swap your well-worn V3 for a brand new V4.
It’s a significant chunk of change—but we’re sure well-heeled enthusiasts will fill Lightfighter’s roster in no time. After all, they’ll be getting a boutique race bike, a whole bunch of track time, a front row seat to an OEM’s development process, and a free upgrade.
If our piggybank had $100k in it, we’d be reaching for a hammer.
Lightfighter Racing | Instagram
