The Current News: Oct 3, 2019

This time ’round, a Spanish company gives the Honda Super Cub the EV treatment, BRP unveils a host of new electric concepts, UBCO releases a hardcore trail bike, Loncin teases its stylish new naked, a sexy off-road scooter from down under, and Sur Ron continues to make moves with yet another new model.

Sur Ron Unveils Street-Legal “Storm Bee”

Shortly after the company confirmed it has a new model coming down the pipe, Sur Ron has now officially introduced its “Storm Bee”, giving the public its first glimpse at what’s expected to be the production version of the new on/off-roader. Unlike the manufacturer’s prior offerings, which are sort of dirtbike/mountain bike hybrids, the Storm Bee is a full-on dual-sport, and will be offered in off-road or street-legal specs.

At the heart of the battery-powered MXer is a 22.5kW (30hp) air-cooled electric motor paired with a 4.6kWh battery — that uses Sony VTC6 cells — and a 150V sine wave controller. Together the components constituting the powertrain are good for a top speed just shy of 70mph, a range of 60 miles (at 31mph) and a cool 382ft-lbs (520Nm) of torque.

The Storm Bee boasts modern MX bodywork wrapped around a rugged yet lightweight forged aluminum chassis. The e-bike sports an upside-down fork and rear mono-shock that both offer a range of adjustability and nearly a foot of travel. Braking duties go to small single discs fore and aft, and the road-going version will feature ABS and smart-phone connectivity. The Storm Bee tips the scales at just 280lbs at the curb for the street-spec, and 260lbs for the off-road model.

Pricing has yet to be announced, but Sur Ron’s existing wares have competitive MSRP’s, so I assume the Storm Bee will be priced similarly. The bike is slated to hit dealerships in certain markets before the end of the year, followed by a rollout into additional regions in 2020.

Droog Moto Goes Electric

As electric motorcycles take on an increasingly important role in the overall motorcycling landscape, more and more customs outfits are seeing clients commission electric builds. The latest shop to tackle a bespoke battery-powered project was Washington’s Droog Moto, with the husband and wife team being tasked with bestowing their signature post-apocalyptic scrambler treatment upon a Brammo Empulse R.

One-off elements on the creation include a custom tank cover, skid-plate, sub-frame and seat, and modern beak fender and bespoke housing for the project’s seven-inch Halo-style LED headlight. Other knickknacks include the outfit’s DM Fat Bars, LED lighting throughout, a modified swing-arm, and of course Droog’s hallmark knobbies.

Dubbed the “E-Scrambler”, the bike uses the stock 40kW (53.6hp) water-cooled permanent magnet AC Motor pulling energy from a 10.2 kWh lithium-ion battery pack with an on-board J1772, level II charger that can fully replenish the cells in 3.5 hours. The custom’s 46.46ft-lbs of torque is fed through an IET six-speed gearbox with a hydraulically-activated wet clutch. The E-Scrambler also gets dual front discs with Brembo four-pot calipers, Marzocchi forks, and a Sachs’ mono-shock.

Spain’s Environmentally Friendly Cafe’d Commuter

A new Spanish startup, ØX Riders, has just pulled the cover off a prototype version of its inaugural model. Named the Ø1, the proto is constructed around the frame of a vintage gas-powered bike that’s been fully stripped down and built back up using 3D-printed parts comprised of biodegradable plastic filaments. The Ø1’s design is a very deliberate blend of modern and vintage aesthetics, with an upswept rear frame hoop, cafe crossed headlight, spoked rims, inverted forks with fork guards, drilled side covers, and a knee-dented tank shell, all fixed to a traditional single backbone frame.

Taking almost nine months to complete, the Ø1 was built with a focus on environmental sustainability and minimizing CO2 emissions throughout the production process. ØX Riders didn’t reveal any of the model’s specs, aside from relaying range and top speed, which are 50 miles (80km) and 75mph (120km/h) respectively. While that might not sound too impressive, the reality is that the Ø1 isn’t about pushing the performance envelope and is more about providing an attractive, environmentally conscience two-wheeler, capable of competently performing commuting duties and the like, and from that standpoint, the Spanish startup has very much succeeded. The Ø1’s price — which has yet to be announced — will obviously play a pivotal role in the model’s success or failure.

VOGE Shows Off Affordable ER 10 E-Naked

In 2018, on the heels of the Chinese firm’s wildly successful Firefly electric off-roader, Sur Ron introduced a sleek and affordable electric naked bike called the “White Ghost”. The company released images, details, features, and specs, but after the initial press blast, the White Ghost just kind of faded into oblivion. Behind the scenes, however, moves were being made. Sur Ron ended up handing production of the White Ghost over to Chinese powerhouse, Loncin Motors. One of the Chongqing conglomerate’s subsidiaries is VOGE Motorcycles, which will sell the White Ghost under its banner, only rebranded as the “ER 10”.

The ER 10 uses Sur-Ron’s 60V/6KW DC motor, and a 60V/70Ah lithium battery with Panasonic 18650 cells, good for delivering 14 Kilowatts at peak power. With a 254lb weight, the ER 10 can reach speeds of over 60mph and can travel over 60 miles on a single charge. The powertrain is housed in a forged aluminum frame with inverted forks and a mono-shock.

The ER 10 is reportedly priced at $4,750, which is pretty impressive considering its performance, appearance, and features. That’s a bit more than half the (base) price of Zero’s entry-level FX ($8,495). VOGE is expected to unveil the final production version of the ER 10 at EICMA later this year, though there’s no word as to whether it’s destined for North American shores.

BRP Unleashes Seven Electric Prototype Vehicles

Six months after acquiring an array of assets and IP from the now-defunct Alta, Bombardier Recreational Products — better known simply as BRP – has unveiled a slew of fully electric prototype vehicles. First revealed at the Club BRP 2020 event in Las Vegas, the Canadian company showed off a total of seven proto-offerings, including an electric version of the Cam-Am Ryker, an electric motorcycle concept, and two e-scooters; a small-displacement step-through-style equivalent; and a larger leaning three-wheeler. “BRP has been working for some time on how to create e-vehicles to bring new experiences to potential and existing riders. As we’ve said, it was never a question of ‘if’, but ‘when’. We are truly excited about electric and see it as a potential opportunity for our business. For the moment, these are preliminary concepts as we are currently evaluating market viability,” stated Denys Lapointe, Senior Vice-President of Design, Innovation and Creative Services.

The most interesting of the newly unveiled machines is the e-bike, which has been dubbed the CT-1. The fully-electric two-wheeler sports a sleek monocoque design with a modern bobber-style seat, a single-sided swing-arm, and a trick-looking LED headlight set up.

On top of showing off the new concept vehicles — which also included an electric jet-ski and go-kart — the Quebec-based firm released a statement from Denys Lapointe, Senior Vice-President of Design, Innovation and Creative Services. Lapointe explains that these new products showcase BRP’s future plans, and signal its intent on further tapping into the EV space. Though the electric vehicles are all in the early prototype phase, BRP says it’s not a matter of if these will see production, only when.

UBCO Unveils Hardcore Electric Trail Bike

UBCO, the New Zealand-based outfit behind the utilitarian “2X2” ebike, has just debuted its latest offering with the all-new FRX1 Freeride Trail Bike. First revealed at the recent AIMExpo in Columbus, Ohio, the FRX1 has a 2.2 kWh Lithium-ion battery that affords a 62-mile range and can be fully recharged in 2.5 hours. Regenerative braking is reportedly capable of recycling as much as ten percent of the charge, too. And with a weight of just 115lbs, the FRX1 can reach speeds of around 50mph.

Unlike the modular and highly-versatile 2X2, the FRX1 is a performance-oriented model aim at recreational riders than farmers and ranchers. Falling somewhere on the spectrum between a motocross mount and a hardcore downhill mountain bike, the FRX1 boasts an advanced T6 aluminum alloy mid-drive frame paired with long-travel suspension and traditional MTN bike geometry. Pushing the two-wheeler along is a liquid-cooled brushless motor offering 20 (peak) horsepower, delivered through the bike’s “Super Pedal Assist” throttle.

Silicon Valley Startup Launches Crowdfunding Campaign For New E-Scooter

Karmic OSLO, a new Silicon Valley-based startup just kicked off its crowdfunding campaign for its new OSLO e-scooter after spending several years developing and refining the idiosyncratic new scoot. The Bay Area company is seeking $200,000 in hopes of pushing the model into production and hopes the OSLO’s unique design will help that goal along.

Powered by a swappable 480Wh battery and a 250W motor with 33ft-lbs of torque, the OSLO’s pedal assist is delivered via one of three ride modes, though is capped at a 20mph top speed, per its Class 2 eBike classification. Offering a real-world range of 20-miles, the battery uses the 21700 cell size, which was co-developed by Panasonic and used by the Tesla Model 3.

Where the OSLO stands out, however, is its appearance. With a low-slung aluminum frame cloaked in thermoplastic bodywork with integrated LED lighting strips throughout — including a daytime running light — along with five-arm wheels shrouded in disc covers, an external LCD display, the OSLO sports an incredibly clean and contemporary design, packing a myriad of modern features into a minimalistic and chic package.

Karmic is also working on a variety of optional upgrades for the OSLO including a bigger, 500W (with 48ft-lbs of torque), a Gates Carbon belt drive, front and rear cargo racks, an integrated LED display, Aero wheel covers, metal fenders, an auto-locking security system, just to name a few. The company also says in the future it plans on selling a longer range (1kWh) battery, an OLED touchscreen, and a smart-phone connected app.

Australian Outfit Releases Breathtaking New Electric Scooter

Australia’s wonderfully-named Fonzarelli, has recently introduced the world to its wild new electric scooter model, called the “NKD”. Touted as a rugged dual-sport scooter, the NKD features a futuristic design with a variety of sci-fi and customs-inspired visual themes. The NKD packs a mid-drive permanent magnet brushless motor with 9.6kW (12.8hp) and more than 40ft-lbs of torque on tap. Paired with a 3.5kWh Lithium-ion battery that yields a 75 mile (120km) range, the powertrain allows the NKD to achieve a top speed of 62mph (100km/h), which can be reached from a standing start in five seconds flat. Marking the New South Wales firm’s fourth model after the release of the FZ, S1, and X1, the new NKD is backed up by high-end adjustable suspension and regenerative hydraulic disc brakes front and back.

The overall appeal of electric scooters have, until now, largely been their economical and efficient nature, and much less their appearance and attitude. The NKD takes e-scooters in a new direction however, with a genuinely attractive small-wheeled runner, powered by electricity and dripping in awesome. Pricing is also fairly competitive, starting at AUD $9,990 (or about $6,700 US), though thus far the NKD’s release is limited to its native Australian market.

The Honda Super Cub Undergoes The EV Treatment

Rottwellmeyer, a company in Spain, has commenced a crowdfunding campaign on IndieGogo in hopes of putting their Otto ebike into mass production. Currently, in the final prototyping phases, the Otto is largely based on the legendary Honda Super Cub — the best selling vehicle in all of history. While Rottwellmeyer isn’t the first outfit to release an electric Super Cub, it does appear to be the first offering a ready-made version, instead of the existing conversion kits. The Otto uses a monocoque composite frame with carbon reinforcements, a 3kW brushless hub motor, and a Lithium-ion 58.8V, 27.2 Ah, 1.6kWh battery. Weighing in at under 85lbs, the Otto offers a range of up to 75 miles (120km), and a top speed of almost 30mph (45km/h), though that number is limited in order to comply with European/EPA regulations.

The Otto is incredibly clean and sparse, without any visible powertrain components and very few external lines or wires. Contemporary-style fenders, high-rise bars, LED lighting, bar-end mirrors, and a smattering of carbon fiber bits come together to put a modern twist on the beloved 1960s Honda. The crowdfunding campaign promises early investors Otto examples for around $3,300, including shipping (with a delivery date scheduled for March of 2020). Unfortunately, things aren’t looking good for Rottwellmeyer’s $79,000 funding goal, as the project has yet to gain a single large backer.

Either way, the Otto offers an interesting look at how electrics continue to permeate the landscape. The idea of implementing an EV powertrain into a much-loved existing design is definitely a worthwhile idea, and to Rottwellmeyer’s credit, they’ve done a great job of executing the thing.