The infant electric motorcycle market has been dominated by naked, sports and off-road machines and even Harley-Davidson and Victory Motorcycles have gone electric without a cruiser model.
But electric cruisers may not be too far away.
Switzerland-based Sine Cycles has produced an electric chopper by taking a Tha Heist frame from Cleveland Cyclewerks and a 2013 Zero Motorcycles motor and drivetrain and creating a one-of-a-kind bike.
Bike builder Bruno Forcella says he always wanted to build a chopper “different from anything else”.
“Welcome to the future,” he says.
We’re not so sure.
On the plus side, electric cruisers makes sense as most cruiser riders don’t ride long distances. That’s fine as this chopper is limited to just 55km.
Cruiser riders are also less likely to ride fast and this bike tops out at 120km/h.
On the negative side, cruiser riders love a loud exhaust note and the electric motor runs virtually silently as the video depicts.
But full marks to Frocella for having a go and showing what can be done with a mix of hardtail classic chopper styling and modern powertrain and technology including a smartphone app with information such as battery status, charging time, average watts per mile and total charge cycles.
The electric chopper is powered by a 102 V / 2.8kWh battery and single-speed 20kW/57NM motor.
It is also equipped with a Motogadget digital instrument and switches, LSL Dragbar handlebars, Cole Foster fuel tank and Rich Phillips seat.
Forcella is now looking for investors to bring his electric chopper to market.
- Would you ride an electric chopper?