Team Mugen is no stranger to the Isle of Man TT->ke3446, having taken its talents to the annual race for the past three years. This year, the racing team returns to Snaefell Mountain with a brand new iteration of its Shinden electric motorcycle->ke3364. The new bike, called the Shinden Yon, is all-set to compete at the event’s one-lap TT Zero Challenge and follow up the success of its predecessor, the Shinden San, which took the top two spots in last year’s event.

It’s a task far easier said than done, but Team Mugen seems to up to the challenge with a bike it says is more powerful, albeit a little heavier, than the previous version. Don’t confuse that “heavy” part with a bike that will run slower because the increased output - from 134 horsepower on the San to 147 horsepower on the Yon - will likely offset whatever added weight the bike has.

Besides, the Yon’s torque numbers remained the same at 162 pound-feet and the increased weight is due to the addition of a 370V laminate-type Lithium-ion battery that will help the Yon power through the course. Team Mugen is also expected to use generous helpings of carbon fiber to help compensate for the added weight of the battery pack. As a whole, the Yon tips the scales at 550 pounds, 22 pounds more than the San.

The Shinden Yon also retains the distinctive livery of the San. From the eagle eyes on the front cowl to the muscular arm holding a thunderbolt on the fairing, the Shinden San looks more than ready to lay the smackdown on Snaefell Mountain when the TT Zero Challenge starts on June 10, 2015. Just like last year, John McGuinness and Bruce Anstey will be piloting the electric bike up the mountain, determined to improve their respective times from last year’s event.

Continue reading to read more about the Shindon Yon and the one-lap Zero TT Challenge.

Why it matters

Team Mugen has got a lot to live up to after securing the top two spots at last year’s TT Zero Challenge. The Shinden Sen played a huge role there so you can be sure that the its successor, the Shinden Yon, is under pressure to do better than the Sen.

The Sen electric bike certainly has the credentials to at least be as good as the Yon, even if it is a little chunkier. But the added weight shouldn’t compromise the bike’s performance because it has more power than its predecessor.

The onus also falls on the shoulders of John McGuinness and Bruce Anstey. The two riders blew away the competition last year, turning the 2014 TT Zero Challenge into their own personal duel. McGuinness ended up taking the event with a time of 19 minutes and 17.3 seconds around the 37.73-mile mountain course. More importantly, he managed to hit a top speed of 117.366 mph on the bike, well ahead of Anstey’s time of 19 minutes and 40.625 seconds around the course and 115.048 mph.

You can be sure that Anstey’s going to try to return the favor to his teammate and if he’s going to do it, he needs to squeeze every ounce of performance out of his Shinden Yon electric bike.

With the way Team Mugen set up the bike, both McGuinness and Anstey could end up battling for the top two spots in the race again.