IOMTT: Team Mugen is Back for the 2013 TT Zero - New Lighter "Shinden 2" & Same-Sized John McGuinness

Runners-up in the 2012 TT Zero race at the Isle of Man TT, newcomer Team Mugen made quite the stir with its Shinden (??) electric race bike, which was piloted by none other than TT great John McGuinness.

Announcing its intention to return for the 2013 TT Zero event, Mugen again confirms McPint as the team’s rider, and boasts of an even lighter and more refined Shinden Ni (????), or Shinden 2, electric motorcycle.

Light on details with its new race bike, Mugen only mentions that the team has developed the Shinden Ni from the original Shinden, which has resulted in the weight of the motorcycle body and electric systems being reduced (read: less battery mass).

Mugen also says that the electric motor and aerodynamics of the motorcycle have also been analyzed and modified to make the Shinden Ni a more potent adversary.

Two miles-per-hour off the winning pace set by Michael Rutter on the 2012 MotoCzysz E1pc (which we rode late last year), McGuinness and Mugen should again be worthy and formidable opponents for the MotoCzysz team.

But, we hear Michael Czysz and his crew haven’t exactly been sleeping away the winter months up in Portland, Oregon either. Good stuff. The 2013 TT Zero race kicks off Wednesday, June 5th.

Photos of the 2012 Mugen Shinden: