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.

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