The Canadian Motorcycle Association has organized a fund to help Canadian motorcycle racers compete in events for bikes using "power sources other than the conventional gasoline engine."
The money — they’re not saying how much is in the fund just yet — would be used for things like travel costs to zero-emissions races.
CMA boss Marilynn Bastedo says the fund won’t be available for bike preparation just now, but "hopefully down the road we’ll have those kinds of funds."
There are no special criteria for applications. "It’s a little premature to be developing criteria," she said. "What we’re really hoping to do is hear from people who plan to attend one of the events that are taking place."
Bastedo said racers who might use the CMA fund should simply contact the Canadian Motorcycle Association.
"In 2009 there were a number of international races for electric motorcycles, most notable of these being the TTXGP road race at the Isle of Man in June and the three-day Eco-Enduro in Denmark in December," says a CMA press release. "For 2010, the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) world governing body for motorcycling has established an e-power road racing world championship series. By establishing the AEF the CMA hopes to encourage Canadians to participate in these events."
The originator of electric road racing, Azhar Hussain (he put on the Isle of Man event in June) and his TTXGP series have been kicked out of the Isle of Man race program, but will soldier on with an independent zero-carbon road race series that begins the weekend of May 14–16 at Infineon Raceway in California and comes to Canada at Mosport July 8–11.
And just where is the CMA getting funds from these days??? :eek