The lightcycle from tron? Is that bike from Akira? A person with two wheels? There is a motorbike sent back in time from the future. In the 1980s, a radical aesthetic was sketched for riding in the 2080s.
It's still relatively rare for vehicles to make it into production closely resembling their design-forward prototypes, but eagle-eyed moto geeks will recognize the CE 04 from BMW's Motorrad Concept Link and its updated 2020 tease. The final production bike has the same modular plastic panels, board-like seat, and long stretched profile as before. The rule book was thrown out by BMW because of the need to accommodate traditional restrains like a fuel-combustion engine, air-box, and exhaust system.
You can get a lower-category motorcycle license if you spec the electric bike to be less powerful. This puts the full-fat version of the CE-O4 squarely in the realm of riders who are serious about bikes.
With a liquid-cooled electric motor that has a power of 42hp, the CE 04 can go from 0 to 30 mph in just two and a half seconds. This means that virtually nothing will touch you getting away from traffic lights. It takes off, if you put it that way.
Add to that the maximum speed of 75 mph (120 kph) and you have the domain of the CE 04. The e- motorbike appears to have more potential than the marketing suggests. My daughter, who was the pillion passenger for the WIRED test, was always trying to get me into racing sport bikes.
The same type of cells found in batteries that fuel BMW's own iX and i4 cars power all this. The cells give a range of up to 80 miles. The Vespa Elettrica costs half as much as the BMW and has a range of 62 miles.
The optional quick charge takes the empty to full charging time down to 1 hour 40 minutes, or from 20 to 80 percent in 45 minutes. In the US, the quick charging is included in the Premium Package, along with features such as adaptive headlights and seat heating. The bike's long floorplate has flat batteries under it. It is a clever way of keeping the weight low.
Everything about electric mobility is dependent on battery, battery, and battery. The capacity of your bike will affect your ride. The aim is to take riders out of the central city to the suburbs with the option of weekend trips on the faster roads. For a five-mile there-and-back commute, riders will be able to make it through a week. Two days of riding in the city with a passenger half the time took the battery out of my bike.
The Easy Rider is easy to ride.
Joerg Kuenstle is the photographer.
It's easy to fire up the bike. Hit the ignition button if you hold the rear brake. The bike is ready to go, just flip up the kickstand, and you're off.
Eco, Rain, and Road are the three driving modes that give power away. Riders can upgrade to the sports package to get an additional driving mode called Dynamic.
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