The Future?
I think electric motorcycles and e-bikes will be an important part of the future of life on two wheels. We’ll see the lines blur between what is an electric motorcycle and what’s an electric bicycle. One of the companies pioneering this is called Bikee Bike. The company has a kit to turn any bicycle into an e-bike.
The company is from Mantua, Italy, and has a track record of making bike kits. In an email, the company told me it expects an uptick in the number of e-bikes and electric motorcycles sold, and new markets to open up. It seems now as its chance to reach new riders.
The kit is a lightweight mid-drive e-bike system. It adds about eight pounds total to your bicycle. The system is a pedal-assist, and the motor varies from 250-watts to 1,000-watts. It can help you easily reach a top speed of 30 mph and can generate up to 66 lb-ft of torque according to the company’s press release.
The system interfaces with your smartphone via an app, allowing you to adjust settings and enable an anti-theft feature. There’s also Heart Assist control, which allows you to pair to a cardio belt to track beats per minute. When this is done, the level of assistance from the motor will adjust automatically.
The range for this system will vary depending on your speed, how you ride, and the kit you choose. At 20 percent assistance, you could get up to 93 miles, depending on the kit you buy. At 100 percent assistance, you could see as few as 15 miles, depending on the kit you buy.
This is an interesting option and something I expect we’ll see a lot more of in the future. I’m certainly not opposed to an e-bike, but one will likely never replace my motorcycle. You can check out the various kits on the company’s website.
