Electric motorcycles inspiration - BikeBrewers.com

RTR Electric motorcycles – Startup presents scrambler with classic looks

Jaco Zijlstra — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 15:49:29 +0000

The motorcycle industry, at least on the combustion engine side, has not seen a lot of new brands come to life the past few decades. Yes, we did witness the successful resurrection of famous brands from the past, like Indian and Royal Enfield, who are developing and pushing out impressive ranges of truly great motorcycles. But we haven’t seen many new brands of combustion engine motorcycles lately.

However, the birth and subsequent rise of electric motorcycles has resulted in a whole slew of new manufacturers. Zero was an early starter in 2006, and especially in the last few years quite a few new entrants, like Energica and Cake, have emerged.

But for the motorbike enthusiast with a fondness of classic styling – like myself, I have to admit – many of these motorbikes just don’t look right… Mainly due to the necessity of big battery racks I guess, but it seems quite a few new builds either go for sportsbike-like fairings which hide these batteries (like Energica), or for quite radical new styling accentuating the difference with combustion engine bikes (Cake or Sondors). And the ones who take their styling cues more from ‘regular’ motorcycles, look, at least in this author’s admittedly biased opinion, clunky at best…

There are exceptions of course, like RGNT Motorcycles from Sweden, and now there is a promising new brand out of Brazil just starting up, called RTR Electric motorcycles!

Because what better base for a real commitment to classic lines than founders who share a 30-year history of designing and building award-winning custom motorcycles under the label ‘Retrorides By Lourenço’. You may know them from their book “The CafeRacer Bible”, a great “How to build” resource, and from their sublime proprietary suspension for the BMW K100…

So now, following their desire to play their part in creating a cleaner and smarter future for humanity, they founded RTR Electric motorcycles.

Their first model, the 799e, is an electric scrambler targeted at urban use. Its design is inspired by the iconic Scramblers of the 1970s – and it looks the part!

Pre-production exemplars are undergoing the homologation process in Brazil now, production of the RTR 799e is scheduled to start December 2023. They plan to start selling these bikes in Brazil, the United States and in Europe to begin with.

RTR are determined to preserve their custom DNA, their reputation for delivering great motorcycles, and their spirit of “handcrafted by hand”.

They aim to accomplish this by offering full customization options on the website as part of the purchase process, by using the best high-quality parts and by completely hand-assembling the RTR 799e in Brazil…

On the website, customers will for instance be able to choose the colors, the type of seat, the type of tires, the type of front fenders, the type of headlight, to use side plates or not – making each motorcycle unique.

High quality also means that these motorcycles are built with noble materials that do not harm the environment, and are built to last while also designed to be upgradable. A really neat detail is that where gas would be stored before, the 799e has a 7-liter glove compartment to store your stuff!

While the 799e’s range is not stellar today at 120 km with a full battery, RTR are partnering with major battery developers to significantly increase this autonomy. You can charge it by just plugging into a regular 110/220V outlet.

Top speed of 127km/h is certainly acceptable for its intended mostly urban use. And the ‘kick’, as with all electric motorcycles, is the instantaneous torque thanks to the electric motor delivering “everything” at once, which propels you like a bat out of hell as soon as you twist the throttle!

So all in all RTR are well underway on this exciting journey. Driven by passion as they are, they still want to achieve their goals faster and more efficiently, so they are currently selecting investors to help them. But help them in a way that allows them to stay true to their starting points: Really change the way people get around, by providing a cleaner and more sustainable electric alternative, but also to construct these beautiful motorcycles in their native country of Brazil!

www.rtrmotorcycles.com

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LM Creations R00: The Revolutionary BMW R-Series Electric Motorcycle

Adnane Bensalah — Sun, 26 Mar 2023 05:12:57 +0000

Are you tired of the noise and pollution of your conventional motorcycle but still want to experience the thrill of riding? Luuc Muis of LM Creations has created a solution that will let you have the best of both worlds. Say hello to the BMW R00, the world’s first bolt-on electric drivetrain for vintage motorcycles.

The idea for the R00 came from the trend of converting classic cars to electric power. While this is relatively easy for cars, it becomes a challenge when it comes to motorcycles. The original design of vintage motorcycles, with their exposed frames, makes it hard to hide the electric powertrain. Additionally, most electric motorcycle conversions lose the iconic characteristics of the bike due to their bulky battery boxes and hub motors. However, LM Creations set out to design an electric drivetrain that would replace the existing crankcase, maintain the gearbox, and keep the motorcycles’ engine characteristics intact.

The BMW R-Series was chosen as the starting point for the R00 due to its iconic engine design and popularity in the custom scene. However, any pre-unit drivetrain, such as BMW, Moto Guzzi, vintage Triumphs, Harley Davidsons, URAL, and English brands, are suitable for conversion. The engineering involved in designing the new casting for the motor housing and battery pack that fits the original frame, as well as all the necessary and safety components, was a significant undertaking.

The LM Creations team wanted to uphold the excitement of riding a custom or vintage motorcycle, including the sound and experience of shifting, revving, torque, and turning heads. The R00 has a unique sound, combining the whine of a supercharger and a JET turbine, along with incredible torque. Instead of a fixed-geared E-drive, the R00 maintains the gearbox, allowing riders to take off in any gear and switch gears any way they like. The ability to play around with the torque and power wheelies was never possible with the original BMW R-Series engine.

In a nutshell, the R00 has a 72V power unit capable of a max peak up to 20kw and 72Nm with a max RPM of 7500. It has a new aluminum cast housing, which comes in black or silver. The urban range is 80km, thanks to the 4.3kwh battery pack that weighs just 24kg, only 2kg more than the original gas tank. The charge cycles are more than 2000, equivalent to approximately 160,000 km. The charger comes in two options, a 1.8 or 3.3 kw 230V charger, and a gel coat paint-ready fiberglass shell. The R00 is bolted on to R-type airhead engines from 1969 to 1995 (R45-R100).

The BMW 11kw EV kit 4.3kwh battery with a 1.8kw charger retails for €8950, while the BMW 11kw EV kit 4.3kwh battery with a 3.3kw charger costs €9450 (excluding shipping). For pre-orders, LM Creations includes a free ROEG helmet. LM Creations also offers an option to have the kit installed for an additional €1450 (cover paint and gearbox rebuild not included), and custom modifications to the bike are available for an extra cost.

The R00 is a revolutionary electric motorcycle that offers the best of both worlds. It maintains the excitement and experience of riding a vintage motorcycle while eliminating noise and pollution. LM Creations has taken up the challenge of designing and engineering a bolt-on electric drivetrain for vintage motorcycles and has done an exceptional job. The R00 is the first of many innovations to come, and we can’t wait to.

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Racing on ice with spikes – Electric style!

Jaco Zijlstra — Sun, 19 Feb 2023 17:59:53 +0000

If you are ready for a fika, join RGNT Motorcycles in Årsunda (Sweden) next weekend 24-25th February, where they are looking to set a new electric motorcycle speed record on ice!

What is a fika you might ask? Well, it is a Swedish custom where you take a break from your activities to drink coffee, eat cake, and relax with others.
So, we’ve been invited to join the fika, but what’s going on over there in Sweden?

Well, RGNT Motorcycles is a young (founded 2019) Swedish electric motorcycle manufacturer who pride themselves on sourcing and manufacturing all components of their motorcycles as locally as possible. They also say they are wildly ambitious, aiming to push new boundaries all the time. And what better place for a native Swedish motorcycle brand to do that, than on a frozen Swedish lake?
To beat the World Speed Record on Ice for EV-motorcycles, they started project Aurora – bringing together all RGNT’s 40-some employees during evening hours and on weekends to build a complete in house designed and hand-built custom motorcycle.

While RGNT “plan to silence boulevards, backroads and beaches globally by quickly expanding”, what sets them apart – in my view – in the fast-growing market of electric motorcycles is that they are also passionate about iconic motorcycle design. Their bikes – in any case the two models they brought to market so far, the Classic and the Scrambler, are, in their words: “an ode to classic design – from the days when machines were built to last.” “Premium components, groundbreaking tech and hand-crafted details add up to an exclusive, state-of-the-art motorcycle.”

This desire to not only perform but also look great really shows in the Aurora project.
Taking the RGNT No. 1 Classic SE production model as its starting point, the team modified several components in the battery to maximize power output. They unlocked the software and power output of the drivetrain, and built a full aerodynamic lightweight fairing. Resulting in an EV racer with a peak power of close to 30 kW (standard 21 kW). Add spike-studded tires and you’re ready to go! RGNT-engineer Timmy Eriksson is all geared up to race Aurora next weekend, aiming to break the current electric motorcycle speed record on ice….

Check www.landracing.events for more details of the races at Årsunda, and check out RGNT’s site for more info and pics: rgnt-motorcycles.com.

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Energica Experia First Ride

NHWS — Wed, 06 Jul 2022 05:00:10 +0000

It’s electric
Okay, let’s start by answer some burning questions. Yes, it’s electric. Yes, you miss sound and vibration. Yes, you miss shifting gears and the feeling of being directly connected by the clutch. And yes, you have to get used to it. But no: it is not the end of the world!

Electric motorcycles have been around for a while now and there are still die-hard motorcycle enthusiasts who maintain, with some persistence, that they never want to be seen on such a thing. Or that ‘the fun stops as soon as you can’t put any more petrol in it’. Or something like that. And then the comments come from the other side, it becomes a fight and the conversation, if it ever was one with so many rigid attitudes, gets bogged down in a kind of bingo card with cliché remarks and it’s done, until the next time. This is that next time, so I’ll get right to it.

Especially with a back-to-back comparison, it stands out even more; you miss some of the sensations you would normally get on a petrol powered motorcycle. But that doesn’t make it bad; it’s just different. And I’m certainly a firm believer in internal combustion engines myself. The bonus of sound, feeling and experience is not something you can ignore. Do yourself a favor though, you might want to keep an open mind.

The Experia Experience
The Experia is Energica’s latest model and after a supersport, naked and retro naked, Energica has now gone for a real Adventure bike style. Pretty ambitious, because you immediately think ‘cases, payload, aerodynamics and mileage’. Not the things you think of with an electric motorcycle, so my curiosity was piqued. Quite simply, if they have an answer to this, you could call it a breakthrough. If this succeeds, every other genre is a cinch and you have swept aside almost all, if not all, objections.

Energica does not cut back on materials or suppliers; the Experia is no exception. And they go even further, because for an Adventure bike you need even more than the minimum. Different suspension, luggage racks and panniers to name but a few, but also totally new bodywork, without losing the characteristic Energica look. New on the Experia are the charging ports on the side, with 2 different plug options. There are different power settings, with a possibility for a custom map. This allows for a personalised power delivery and regeneration. The electric motor itself has been improved for economy and performance. Just take a look at these specifications:

POWER: Continuous: 60kW/80Hp at 7000 rpm – Peak: 75kW/102Hp at 7500 rpm
TORQUE: 115 Nm / 85 ft lb. – 900 Nm / 664 ft lb. at wheel
TOP SPEED: Limited at 180 km/h (112 mph)
ACCELERATION: 0-100 km/h (0-60 mph): 3.5 sec
RANGE:

City: 420 km (261 miles)
Combined: 256 km (160 miles)
Extra-Urban: 208 km (130 miles)
WMTC: 222 km (138 miles)

Nimble
The single biggest advantage that Energica has now embraced is mass. Indeed, up until now, electric motors have still been on the heavy side. That’s fairly inevitable, the batteries and motor are just heavy. But… an average Adventure often is too. And with that Energica erases one of the biggest objections; the Experia is not much heavier than an average competitor with a claimed weight of 260kg.

In terms of ride quality, we’ve never had anything to complain about with this brand, and now that the details have been addressed as well, we can get ready for an exhilarating ride. And am not disappointed immediately after. The best part: the instant power delivery. Holy cow this thing goes. As the speed increases, so does my confidence. There’s something about the sound the electric motor makes that makes it addictive. The Experia also feels lightfooted, almost nimble; a rare combination on an Adventure bike of this size. Those that are brave could venture off road. We stuck to the tarmac this time, but see no problem in the Experia going anywhere a BMW GS would go.

Energica has mastered the art of mass centralization. Their engineers have succeeded beautifully in getting the center of gravity in the right, balanced place so that you can actually just point and shoot. Just like a regular motorcycle. The frame is top-notch, the suspension is great and the controls are intuitive. It’s incredibly predictable, overwhelmingly powerful and super comfortable. Maybe except for the windscreen, which is adjustable, but not super effective.

Got juice?
And that load capacity? Look at the specifications and you know. Of course you have to recharge every so often, but now you only have to combine that with a cup of coffee instead of a three-course lunch. And you were on vacation, right? Who’s in a hurry then? With the various connection options you can charge wherever you want, whether it’s at a Tesla fast charging station or a half-decayed, cobwebby outlet in a farmer’s barn. Okay, the latter will take longer and you have to make sure that you do not start a fire, but it is possible. Literally anywhere. And once full you can really go a long way with it, before you have to look again. I would like to try it in practice for a realistic impression though. But it already promises a lot and it is anyway better than what we were used to so far. Only question I have is how it will work with a passenger and luggage added to the mix, but that too is a nice idea to figure out.

CAPACITY: Max. 22.5 kWh / Nominal 19.6 kWh – lithium polymer
LIFE: 1200 Cycles @ 80% Capacity (100% DOD)
RECHARGE:

Fast Charge DCFC Level 3 Mode 4: 400 km/h o 6,7 km/min (248 miles/h o 4 miles/min)
Slow Charge Level 2 Mode 2 or 3: 63,5 km/h (39,5 miles/h)

So. Conclusion? I think it’s swell. As I said at the beginning, it’s irrefutably different, but that really doesn’t make it, by any means, totally and utterly, the end of the world. If electric motorcycles really do go this way, I’m looking forward to it. One by one the differences and objections will disappear and you’ll just be left with a super-thick, really cool motorcycle. And if you disagree, you are welcome to prove me wrong.

Photo credits: Vincent Burger

Energica Motorcycles

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Finally! Electric goes Triumph TE-1 prototype

Ron Betist — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 18:59:20 +0000

Triumph goes electric in style
Project Triumph TE-1 has just been revealed in completed prototype form.
To get to this stage Triumph Motorcycles set up a collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE), Integral Powertrain Ltd, and WMG at the University of Warwick. The project is funded by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles through Innovate UK. This fund was set up to create ground-breaking developments in specialist electric motorcycle engineering and innovative integrated technology design.
Well, as far as looks go they are on the right track at least.

Next stage
Marking the official end of the collaboration stage of the TE-1 project, the completed demonstrator is now fully ready for the next Triumph-led stage of the project to begin – the live testing programme – integrating for the first time all of the latest and final innovations from the project partner workstreams.

Energy source
The WAE battery pack incorporates dedicated cell packaging for optimum centre of gravity, vehicle control unit, DCDC converter, integrated cooling, charge port, and styled carbon covers. This all-new WAE-developed powertrain will set new standards for electric bike performance, with class-leading power, efficiency, charging time and range.
Wholly responsible for TE-1’s lightweight, ground-breaking battery system, WAE has employed a holistic approach to development which will allow riders to use more electric power for longer, providing access to outstanding performance regardless of battery charge, alongside rapid charging times.

Proper power
The all-new battery has peak power of 170kW and continuous power of 90kW, with a capacity of 15kWh. This enables the motorbike to deliver 130kW of peak power and 80kW of continuous power. Class leading system cooling combined with the optimum balance of power and energy means TE-1 can give the rider more electric power for longer and deliver outstanding performance regardless of battery charge. The 360-volt system also enables a fast-charging time of under 20mins (0-80%), which is combined with a market leading target range.

Weight balance
WAE has optimised the battery module layout to balance mass and positioning within the prototype chassis taking into consideration centre of gravity, space and relationship with the powertrain and charging approach. A new and bespoke vehicle control unit has been integrated into the battery pack to minimise weight and packaging.
Key project achievements during this phase include test results that exceed current benchmarks and targets set by the UK Automotive Council for 2025, providing a platform with great potential for future development in electric motorcycle performance.

The overall objective of the TE-1 project has been focused on developing electric motorcycle capability, in order to provide an input into Triumph’s future electric motorcycle offering, driving innovation, capability, and new intellectual property, and enhancing the credibility and profile of British industry and design.
With the completion of the prototype demonstrator, the full live testing phase of the TE-1 project will now begin. Over the next six months the prototype demonstrator will undertake an extensive live testing programme within Triumph’s state-of-the-art facilities, including rolling road and track testing, designed to provide direction into the final set up and calibration of the prototype demonstrator.

Going live
At the completion of the live testing phase, estimated to be Summer 2022, the prototype demonstrator will be updated with its final body panels in readiness for active track demonstration. At this time, final specifications and testing outcomes will be published, as well as insights and key facts on how the TE-1 delivers on the project targets including final battery and range performance.

If Triumph are looking for volunteers, the BikeBrewers team members are ready to pack their toothbrush in a jiffy.

What the boss says
As we do not take any marketing speak for granted, we gave the Triumph Motorcycles CEO Nick Bloor a call. Here’s what he has to say: “It has been truly exciting to see the progress made during phase 3 of Project Triumph TE 1 with the final prototype motorcycle now going into real life testing. Everyone involved at Triumph is proud to have been part of this innovative British collaboration. Personally, I am thrilled with the results we have already achieved with our partners, and the exciting preview of the potential electric future to come. We look forward to continuing the ambitious and innovative work on the TE-1 demonstrator prototype through the live testing phase and sharing the outcome with Triumph fans across the world.”
The demonstrator bike is now undergoing final battery level validation and calibration to ensure the performance results meet best-in-class power and energy density targets and for the rider, ensuring there is no compromise in performance at low levels of charge.

Our point of view
BikeBrewers are deeply rooted in the custom scene. We are purebred petrolheads by definition.
Still, we do recognize that electric is an important factor in future mobility. We are regularly testing electric bikes and are in general quite enthusiastic about the experiences we have had. There are quite a number of road tests on electric motorcycles scheduled for 2022 and we will continue to report and share our findings.

But truth be told, after each electric adventure our hearts jump with joy each time we get back on our loud, smelly and noisy machines.
That is just us speaking though.

What we REALLY want to know is how YOU feel about all this!
Please share your uncensored comments on this bike and riding electric with us.
We have some nice give-aways in store for the best comments.

More background on WAE can be found here

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Zero FXperience – riding electric off road

Ron Betist — Tue, 28 Sep 2021 03:53:57 +0000

..and now for something completely different
Yeah, we know. this is not a custom build!
However, riding motorcycles brings us all sorts of experiences. So why not veer off the familiar roads and go for a new adventure every now and then?

Zero FX
‘Experience electric’ is how Zero Motorcycles entices riders to make a switch and try out their electric motorcycles.
Having ridden a number of their machines under regular road conditions I was already up to speed to the advantages of moving away from combustion engines. It goes without saying there is still quite some room for improvement, but this has more to do with battery capacity and (international) charging infrastructures.

On average you will use up to 1% per off road kilometre. A full charge will offer you around 100km of muddy bliss. On tarmac you can add another 50 kilometre, but that’s on twisty roads or under urban circumstances. Highway blazing will empty your battery much faster without the advantage of regenerating while braking.

From a pure riding point of view electric motorcycles have come a long way over the past years and deliver (really) a lot of unadulterated excitement right from the get go. Having tried Several Zero motorcycles on tarmac, which is their natural habitat, I was delighted to receive an invitation from Zero Motorcycles European head office for some more nature.
I had to ride 250 kilometres South, not far from the border between Belgium and France where Thierry Sarasyn, a seasoned off road expert with loads of experience in motocross and enduro riding, was waiting for me with two Zero FX bikes in off road trim.

Technical
The Zero FX is a torque monster. It looks light and cuddly when you see it, but its powerful Z-Force brushless motor has you in for a surprise. It is centrally integrated into the frame and is factory supplied with carbon fiber belt drive connected directly to the rear wheel. The heart of the beast is the Zero Z-Force electric engine. It will deliver more torque than most 1.000 cc combustion engines straight from te starting line. The ‘7.2’ decal (removed on the bike in the pictures) indicates the 7.42 kWh force that is with you at all times. The motor dishes out a whopping 106 Nm of torque from 0 rpm. The Zero FX is much like it’s street-oriented FXS brother and contains most of the features/specifications but is definitely born from a muddier pedigree and is your best bet when seeking an extremely lightweight bike for some serious trail-blazing.

For off road purposes an electric bike is very attractive as it does not require more complicated technical maintenance after a ride than just spraying it off with water.

To go for the maximum bliss during off road adventures Thierry had prepped the bikes to match the situation. The belt drive was replaced by a chain and sprockets. Belts and mud are not exactly fond of one another. The rear sprocket has an impressive size. It dominates the rear wheel and is a clear indication we were in for some serious stuff. The ‘hugger’ protecting the belt was removed too.

Also proper off road foot pegs were mounted and the handlebars were fitted with hand protectors. The front suspension was given three extra clicks extra compression damping and spring pre-load was upped two notches. The USD front suspension (Showa) is fully adjustable to fit any riders’ personal preference or the terrain to be conquered. Rear suspension pre-load was also given two notches extra. Front suspension travel is 218mm, the rear will give you 227mm.

The Italian (Pirelli Scorpion) rubber was replaced by Bridgestone AX41 tires. These offer sufficient grip in the dirt and are pleasant on the hard surface under regular road conditions. Moving from one track to another by riding on the road was a cinch and without heaps of mud hitting your face when following your lead. As can be expected the latter set will be noisier on the road. So if yo end up riding more on hard surface, the Pirelli’s are an excellent choice covering the 21″ front wheel and the 18″ rear rim.
If you go for even more serious off-road adventures, consider replacing the front fender for a decent motocross style version. For this day it was fine however. Having said that, By the end of the three-hour ride the rust had been washed away by a wave of testosteron and i found myself doing stupid stuff similar to my antics as a teen.

Complementing the high-tech structure of the Zero FX motorcycle is a blue LCD dashboard with minimalist design. The display shows the bike’s speedometer, battery level, power output, and projected recharge time as well as temperature and ride profile. That’s all you really need.

A mobile phone can also be connected to the dashboard to configure the bike’s performance and behaviour though Zero Motorcycles’ mobile app.

Off we go!
About twenty years ago I sold my last dirt bike as it became increasingly difficult to enjoy off road riding without having to spend two hours in the car to be able to ride. The Northwest of the Netherlands is not exactly densely populated with decent dirt tracks.
So climbing aboard the Zero FX with the prospect of some proper off road riding was a trip down memory lane for me. It filled me with excitement but also with some doubts on how well (or bad) I would do on two wheels in the dirt. Even more as this would be the first time on an electric motorcycle. Being the rusty off-roader I am, the pictures will not give you the professional spraying of mud you’d normally see in reports from find this to be their natural habitat unfortunately. But then again this piece is more to show that this kind of riding is availalable to all of us easily and on just the Red Bull sponsored high-flyers.

From the moment we left the tarmac and headed off on the first narrow muddy path a sense of exhilaration took over. Even though it took me about an hour to get back into the basic art of standing up and throttling through mud, sand and water, I enjoyed the experience right from the start.
An important building block for the positive encounter with riding surrounded by nature was the fact I did not have to concentrate on switching gears anymore. That is one of the great advantages of using the electric option for such an occasion. You just (carefully) twist the throttle and off you go!

There were two valuable tips Thierry shared with me when we headed off; put the bike in ‘Eco’ mode rather than ‘Sport’. This will give you a sufficient amount of power at any given moment and it will help you hitting ‘magnetic trees’ along the track involuntarily if you give it way too much power. So just make life easy on yourself and start up in this mode, when you are used to the bike you can take it up a notch and enjoy the next level.

The second tip was to switch of the ABS braking system. When off-roading this is not the sort of assistance you’d be looking for. Shutting down the mode was easy. A simple ‘burn out’ in the wet gras for a few seconds would send the ABS assistants away for a break.

This bike, geared toward the “adventure segment,” which is loosely defined as semi-off-road focused, is a true pleaser. It will give you instant joy on most terrain. Mostly, because it will give you maximum torque from a standstill. Even in the ECO mode it can be a serious handful in the dirt. You’ll find yourself spinning that back tire if you just open the “throttle” and go for it.

Smiles all over
With the ecstasy level rising with every mile covered there was one specific element that added to the excitement of the ride.
As we were zooming along tracks open to people walking their dog or just enjoying nature, it was stunning to encounter just friendly smiles and thumbs up. Try riding those paths on a regular noisy dirt bike. You will definitely not make a lot of friends on the way.

This was a totally opposite experience. The absence of noisy engines and unpleasant exhaust fumes made it a delightful experience for both riders and passers-by.
What a great way for all of us to share the joy and feel good about it.

After cleaning the bikes we rode back into town and I got back on my Triumph Thruxton caféracer still soaked to the bone and with water sloshing ankle-high in my boots. Nevertheless it was impossible to wipe the smile of my face during all of the 250km ride back to Amsterdam.

Special thanks to:
Zero Motorcycles
Thierry Sarasyn for his patience and putting up with me. You are awesome!
Photography: Thierry Sarasyn for Motornieuws
MKC Moto
Belstaff
Bell helmets
BIHR
Richa
Stylmartin
100 Percent

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Electric Menace: The H-D LiveWire dubbed “Rule Breaker” by Moto Adonis

Adnane Bensalah — Wed, 25 Aug 2021 08:14:43 +0000

[su_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/MhA4EafzSrM” width=”800″ title=”Rulebreaker by Moto Adonis”]

History Lesson
A long time ago I saw a documentary about Carl-Benz and his invention; the automobile. This is not about who invented a car with a combustion engine first, but rather the challenges and misconceptions he faced when he tried to convince the people of his creation. Long story short: it sucked! In general people don’t like change. Moreover, we often ridicule or patronize those that embrace change, the so-called creators. “How can a machine replace my trusty steed?” and “It will explode when you ride it” were common phrases that were used back then. Still, if it wasn’t for the likes of Carl-Benz, we probably wouldn’t be writing articles about custom built motorcycles, instead, we would probably hand-write about custom build chariots…

Booming!
The number of electric motorcycle manufacturers is increasing fast, and the portfolio of new models is booming. We have seen Zero Motorcycles, Energica, Cake, and many more, creating some very good looking machines. There is something about having maximum torque available from the get-go. Honestly, go ahead and try one out, we dare you! You would be surprised at how much fun it can be. Yes, they sound different, and yes, they feel a bit different too. But, at the end of the day, they have two wheels, and with the pull you feel when you twist the throttle, you will smile guaranteed.

Pioneers
It is safe to say that typically, electric motorcycles are designed and built by non-motorcycle building companies. Let me explain: Tesla never built a petrol or diesel car before. As a matter of fact, for a car manufacturer they are still very young compared to, let’s say, Ford or Volkswagen. Still, Tesla is now considered as one of the world’s leading electric car manufacturers.

Traditional
When we think of Harley-Davidson, we think of one of the world’s oldest motorcycle manufacturers. They have a reputation of being the opposite of innovators*. And quite frankly, they didn’t have to be innovators for a long time. Their customers wanted air-cooled, push rod, big v-twins for years. However, decreasing sales numbers as well environmental restrictions are making it harder and harder to continue to build the same type of bikes with the same type of engines as they used to.

Unexpected move
That is, until we heard of Project LiveWire. A radically different Harley-Davidson. Not only was it a naked bike (totally different segment), it was also going to be 100% electric! Clearly this bike was meant to attract a new audience. Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor took two of these machines from Ushuaia to Los Angeles, with some support of course, to show just how capable Harley-Davidson had build this motorcycles; an impressive feat! It definitely got our attention.

Moto Adonis
When we saw that one of the Netherlands finest builders, Moto Adonis, had gotten their hands on a Harley-Davidson LiveWire, we lost our shit. Really, we literally jumped up in excitement! So, we hit Arthur Renkema up, one of the 3 founding members and co-owner of Moto Adonis, together with Job Leussing, to ask if we could see the bike for ourselves. The answer was: YES! But we had to be quick, because the owner of the bike, who wishes to remain anonymous, was. going to pick up his bike in 2 days time. The results of that visit can be seen on our YouTube channel. It is mind boggling when you realize that this entire build was created in just 4 months time!

If you haven’t heard of Moto Adonis before, they have been building custom motorcycles for years. We have featured a great number of articles about their builds in the past 5 years, make sure to check those out! This is the first time we have seen a HD LiveWire build like this. Since the bike is all electric, they left the internals of the motorcycle untouched and focused primarily on the esthetics. And they did an incredible job at that! A quick look at the spec sheet shows: 105hp, 116 Nm, 251kg, 160km range and a top speed of 185 km/h. Not bad at all!

We can’t wait to see more builds like this. In the meantime, enjoy these beautiful shots of the Harley-Davidson LiveWire

Photo Credits: Mark Meisner

Builder details:
Moto Adonis
Website
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The post Electric Menace: The H-D LiveWire dubbed “Rule Breaker” by Moto Adonis appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.

NEW BMW CE 04 Electric Scooter

Ron Betist — Wed, 07 Jul 2021 17:13:42 +0000

Recently BikeBrewers were invited to a BMW Motorrad ‘Closed Room’ event. We always like secretive stuff, especially when it is organized by innovative companies from Bavaria. YEAH! After being frisked thoroughly and under the deepest secret circumstances we were led into a completely sealed off room. The only thing absent was a drumroll when a completely new electric vehicle was unveiled in front of our eyes.

The BMW Definition CE 04 is the German brand’s unique vision on Urban Mobility

Technical details:
It is completely electric obviously and it is fitted out with a permanent-magnet synchronous motor with liquid cooling. The CE 04 comes with a constant power up to 15kW, whereas the maximum power releases 31kW.

Available torque is 62Nm
Top speed 120km/h

With pure urban usage in mind, BMW claims a range of around 130km. Not very impressive, but we guess for rides around town that should be sufficient. We will see when the time comes if this is really the case.
BMW are known for their meticulous design. The bench is one of many examples of the excellent ergonomics of the CE 04. It allows riders to climb on easily from the rear and improves ergonomics for single riders, regardless of their leg length or body size. With a wheel base of 1.675mm there should be ample room to fit the long legs of the average modern man or woman.

When it comes to digital aspects, the focus is once again on practical and user-friendly solutions for the BMW Motorrad Definition CE 04. For example, the rider can connect with their surroundings via a combination of the BMW Motorrad Definition CE 04 and their smartphone. The 10.25-inch display is the largest of its kind so far in the scooter segment and serves as an interface between the rider’s analogue and digital worlds.

It goes without saying that there was no opportunity to ride the machine yet, but we are very curious to find out how noble it really is with a long wheel base like this under urban rush hour traffic circumstances.

We are even more interested in your thoughts on the design and perhaps how you would customize this scooter. We appreciate the daring design from an innovation point of view, but we are sure there will be many people who look at this from a different perspective.

During the presentation we felt like we were given a glimpse of how commuters could be zooming around town in the future. How near that future will be is still left to be seen.

Photo Credits: BMW Motorrad

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