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For decades, manufacturers have been tapping into consumer trends by releasing motorcycles influenced by the custom scene. Norton did it in the early 1970s with the Commando Hi-Rider chopper and Harley-Davidson with the XLCR café racer. In more recent years, Honda released its Fury chopper, Ducati the Scrambler, and Triumph the Bobber. Although not all of those bikes can be considered a huge success, there's no denying the approach is a sound one.
Now, with electric motorcycle companies popping up around the world, we're seeing some of them adopt a similar approach. Here are three upcoming electric motorcycles whose looks are inspired by custom trends.
Switch Motorcycles eScrambler
The aptly named Switch eScrambler borrows its timeless look from the scrambler style trend. Traditionally, a scrambler is a road-going motorcycle that's capable of light off-road duties. Sporting a high handlebar, a tall stance, chunky-ish Firestone rubber, and a clean, pared-back look, the Switch eScrambler ticks all right boxes.
Conjured up by Switch Motorcycles (Instagram) founder Matthew Waddick, the eScrambler was developed in conjunction with ex-Yamaha designer and former speedway champion Michel Riis Eriksen. So you can bet there's more to this motorcycle than its slick exterior.
When Switch unveiled the first eScrambler concept in 2020, the bike caused a flurry of excitement online. Spurred on by the positive response, Switch has refined the design to prepare it for production. To their credit, the production version stays true to the design of the concept with most of the changes relating to geometry tweaks and electronic improvements.
Despite the eScrambler's look being undeniably retro, there's nothing old-school about its engineering. Aluminum plays a big role in the manufacturing of the eScrambler and has resulted in a scant total weight of only 170 kilograms (375 pounds). The bike's frame is a sturdy double-cradle design formed from lightweight aluminum tube and CNC-milled components. The swingarm and triple clamps follow, as does the casing for the batteries. Unsurprisingly, the "fuel tank" doesn't contain any fluids. Instead, it acts as a housing for the eScrambler's many electronic components.
The motor is a 50 kW interior permanent magnet design that delivers a claimed 70 horsepower. There are three ride modes with the sportiest capable of a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds and the bike will rocket all the way up to 100 mph, if you'll let it. Power comes from a 13 kW lithium battery pack that can be charged to 90% capacity in four hours at Level 1. A full charge is reported to deliver a range of 93 miles, which makes it a viable transport solution for most urban commuters.
The suspension consists of an inverted fork and a monoshock at the rear. Other smart details of this all-electric offering include a reverse mode, a low-maintenance carbon fiber belt drive, LED lighting, and a smart-looking digital gauge. The final street-going eScrambler will also include a few essential components for registration, such as mirrors and a license plate holder.
Switch is marketing the eScrambler as a premium offering priced a touch under $12,000 and says the first round of eScramblers is set to reach customers in late 2023.
Super73 C1X
California company Super73 (Instagram) made its mark on the EV scene with a range of good-looking electric bicycles. Now they're delving into the world of electric motorcycles. The Super73 C1X concept is the company's first electric motorcycle without pedals and it is wrapped in a very stylish exterior.
Featuring geometry similar to Super73's largest e-bike offering, the C1X is designed to make their existing customers' transition from electric bicycle to electric motorcycle as seamless as possible. In reality, the Super73 C1X is similarly sized to Honda's Grom, if not slightly larger. It rolls on 15-inch wheels, has an accessible 31-inch seat height, and is sure to be a featherweight. As for the styling, there’s no denying it has been influenced by the street tracker trend with its number-plate-styled front end, elbow-out ODI motocross handlebar, and a tight rear end.
In regard to specifications, Super73 has been light on details so far. The company says the battery will be removable and lists range as more than 100 miles, but there's also talk of different battery options being available that could extend the range further. All of the lighting will use low-draw LED technology and the gauge is a small digital unit that offers connectivity. Motor details are yet to be released but Super73 says the bike will be capable of reaching 80 mph.
Super73's biggest claim for the C1X, however, is the rate at which it can charge. Super73 says it will use new technology that will allow the C1X to recharget the battery to 80% in a mere 15 minutes.
At this stage, the C1X is still a concept but the company has said it will be in production in 2024, though like the other specs, the final price has yet to be revealed.
Savic Motorcycles C-Series
For the past seven years, Australian electric motorcycle startup Savic Motorcycles (Instagram) has been developing its first model release. Company founder Dennis Savic started the project soon after a stint at Ford where he worked as a young engineering graduate. Since then, his dream to become the country's first EV motorcycle manufacturer has gained the support of both the public and the Australian government.
Coined the C-Series, Savic Motorcycles' first model comes in two performance variants and boasts a look inspired by the café racer movement. Epitomized by the classic styling of the motorcycle's bodywork, level bone line, and aggressive riding position, it's an imposing modern interpretation of the style.
Savic's goal with the C-series was to develop a performance motorcycle and this is evident when you look at its stats. Powered by the company's proprietary SM1 drivetrain and battery pack, the higher-spec C-Series Alpha generates 60 kW of power, manages a claimed 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds, and can cover around 125 miles on a single charge.
Premium components complement the powertrain on the Savic C-Series, including suspension by Wilbers, brake hardware from Brembo, a specially designed ABS system by Bosch, and Pirelli Diablo Rosso III rubber. The $17,900 price tag also gets you regenerative braking, built-in smartphone connectivity, a real-time security system, four ride modes, LED lighting, a reverse mode, and a seven-inch touchscreen dash. Charging the bike takes between four to eight hours at Level 2 or Level 1. For those with smaller budgets, you can opt for the C-Series Delta ($12,900) which differs from the Alpha mainly in its battery performance and power output.
Surrounding the battery and engine components on the Savic C-series is a specially designed frame. The stressed member design uses a cast backbone, lightweight subframe, and single-sided swingarm. Electric motorcycles typically require very little maintenance and Savic has optimised this through the use of a resilient carbon belt final drive and many components made from corrosion-resistant materials.
Savic is aiming to deliver their first bikes in early 2024.
