Is the future electric? In most countries, electric bikes haven’t made the same impact as their four-wheeled counterparts. But despite the odd hiccup—such as the closure of Alta Motorcycles in 2018—the electric motorcycle is here to stay.
It’s likely to be the preserve of city slickers, due to battery pack range limitations when compared to the internal combustion engine. But the average price tag is likely to come down, and the local charging station will become a more common sight.
Custom builders are already looking at battery-powered motorcycles, with Zero models likely to be the most common platforms until the Harley-Davidson LiveWire builds up sales. And Honda Cub conversions are making waves in the East.
Here’s an up-to-date selection of the best EV customs so far.
Australia’s Grid Cycles know electric bikes are a blast. They know they’re damn quick, they know they’re simple, and they know they’re hilarious fun to ride. But they’re also aware that they’re unappealing to many grizzled bikers—and they want to change that. “We want to get people excited about electric motorcycles,” Grid’s Tom Gilroy says.…
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Ever wondered what it would be like to ride a motorcycle on the moon? Meet the Tardigrade—a conceptual electric lunar vehicle, named after the microscopic creatures that can survive in the vacuum of space. Brought to life by Hookie Co. around a Cake drivetrain, it was conceived in Moscow, built in Dresden, and will soon…
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Any conversation about electric motorcycles will eventually turn to gripes about range and charging times. But if you just want to hoon around on trails with your friends on weekends, without alerting the locals, a small electric enduro makes sense. Which is why Tom Gilroy at Purpose Built Moto picked the KTM Freeride EX C…
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This week we’ve got a pair of very different classic Hondas: a CB550 rebuilt in lockdown, and a feisty lil’ NSR50 pocket rocket. Plus a new BMW concept aimed at Gen Z, and a limited production run of custom Ducatis from NCT in Austria. Honestly, we’d take ’em all.
Read more »As the electric motorcycle market continues to grow, so does the custom electric scene. But it’s forcing builders to change tack. Electric…
Read more »There’s a marvelous history of smaller motorcycle manufacturers in France, and the tradition shows no sign of abating. Mash Motors is probably…
Read more »The growth of the electric vehicle market has sparked a new trend in the car world. Older vehicles like Land Rovers and…
Read more »Remember the Honda Motocompo, the cute folding scooter from the early 1980s that could fit in the trunk of a car? We’ve…
Read more »Our weekly search has uncovered a Suzuki GSX 1200 dressed as a Honda, a Triumph Speed Triple cafe racer from France, and…
Read more »The debate rages on whether electric motorcycles are better than petrol-powered ones. Meanwhile a group of mad scientists in Saint Petersburg have…
Read more »The compact and modular nature of electric drivetrains makes them well suited to small utility motorcycles. But surprisingly few manufacturers have jumped…
Read more »The stories that caught our eye this week, including Gene Romero’s Triumph racer being sold, an MV Agusta that an 18-month-old can…
Read more »It’s been a couple of years since Harley-Davidson revealed the LiveWire and sent shockwaves through the industry. It was the first battery-powered…
Read more »Our round-up for the week includes a well-used Moto Martin-framed endurance racer, and two BMWs; an R nineT and an R18. But…
Read more »One of the raddest things about electric motorcycles is their ability to spark imagination. The possibilities are endless when you’re piecing together…
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