A Different Kind of Education
A team of MIT engineering students, led by the author, build electric motorcycles to compete in the world's oldest and most dangerous motorcycle races: the Isle of Man TT (TT Zero) and Pikes Peak Hillclimb. Strap on your helmet because this is a wild ride.
Notes:
[1] This is a draft book.
[2] The audio was generated with a text-to-audio service.
- Update frequency
- every day
- Average duration
- 19 minutes
- Episodes
- 15
- Years Active
- 2025
Chapter 3: Adventure and Risk (9/7/25)
I started my PhD determined to balance theory with hands-on work, splitting days in the lab and nights in the MIT Garage—until an article about the Isle of Man TT made the race feel inevitable, the p…
Chapter 2: M.I.T. Garage (9/7/25)
This chapter describes the initial stages of the electric motorcycle project, beginning with the team's efforts to develop fast-charging technology for electric vehicles. Despite facing skepticism fr…
Chapter 1: Drop-out (9/7/35)
In November 2003, I was spiraling at MIT when my dad showed up unannounced, shared his own freshman-year collapse, and quietly steadied me. I scraped through the semester, then left MIT and wandered …
Chapter 14: Race (5/23/25)
This chapter describes the final race day and its aftermath, capturing the team's emotions and reflections on their journey. The team meticulously prepares eSuperbike for the race, feeling confident …
Chapter 13: Balancing Risk (5/23/25)
This chapter recounts the team's final preparations and qualifying events leading up to the TT Zero race. During a test run, a near-catastrophic motor failure forces the team to make a critical decis…
Chapter 12: Crucible (5/23/25)
This chapter describes the intense week leading up to the TT Zero race, highlighting the challenges and pressures faced by the team. The author details the rigorous scrutineering process and the dema…
Chapter 11: Converging (5/23/25)
This chapter describes the team's arrival and preparations on the Isle of Man leading up to the TT Zero race. The author arrives first, exploring the iconic racecourse and setting up their base at Al…
Chapter 10: Arriving on the Island (5/23/25)
This chapter recounts the author's arrival at the Isle of Man TT race, two weeks before the event. He describes the island's dramatic landscape and treacherous roads, highlighting the inherent danger…
Chapter 9: Premonition (5/23/25)
As I tore into the pre-release DVD of "CHARGE," a documentary about the TT Zero electric motorcycle races we were about to enter, my initial excitement for a sneak peek into this secretive world quic…
Chapter 8: Build It, and They Will Come (5/23/25)
This chapter focuses on the team's struggle to secure funding and finalize their preparations for the Isle of Man TT race. Despite facing financial challenges and skepticism from potential sponsors, …
Chapter 7: Go, No-Go (5/23/25)
This chapter recounts the author's personal and professional challenges leading up to the Isle of Man TT race. He describes a near-crash experience while motorcycling in Peru, highlighting the inhere…
Chapter 6: Building a Team (5/23/25)
This chapter introduces the core team members who played crucial roles in the electric motorcycle project. Radu, a fearless and unconventional engineer, provided much-needed support with his design a…
Chapter 5: Impressing a Girl (5/23/25)
Feeling isolated from the Isle of Man project and my PhD, my friend suggested I read "The Game" and try its dating strategies. We ventured into Boston's nightlife for several weekends with little suc…
Chapter 4: The Orthogonal Path (5/23/25)
Around eight years before the race, during a dark period in November 2003, my dad showed up unannounced at my MIT dorm. I was deeply struggling, disinterested in my theoretical research, battling dep…
Chapter 3b: Early Milestones (5/23/25)
My trip to BMW in Munich was a whirlwind. I presented our electric motorcycle project to their top brass, securing a partnership that provided us with their latest racing motorcycle, the S1000RR, alo…