10 Electric Motorcycles to Recharge Your Thirst for Adventure
Harley-Davidson Livewire
While you were busy doing other stuff, the future made its quiet arrival. Sleek and stealthy. Brimming with state-of-the-art technology and propelled by gobs of creamy, effortless torque. These next-gen two-wheelers make their carbon-incinerating progenitors seem downright crude by comparison. Fortified with advanced engineering that’s in service of more than simply speed, these motorbikes impart high-minded optimism and fluidity—without the usual nasty fluids. Few, if any, moving parts equals low maintenance. The absence of transmissions means no clutching or shifting. So even novices can quickly and safely master the pleasures of riding. Zero emissions alleviate unspecified guilt pangs over spending a self-absorbed afternoon carving up backroads. When you return to home base, simply plug it in and the next morning you’re ready to go. Arrivederci, service stations! The market for battery-powered ’cycles is growing exponentially, with the legacy marques scrambling to catch up to a burst of brash upstarts. Though we’re still in early innings for the genre, there are many excellent offerings for those who love to experience life on the leading edge. (And have the means to do so, these babies don’t come cheap!)
10. Zero SR/S
Range: 161-200 miles city/highway
Top Speed: 124 mph
Base Price: $21,995
Desirability: 8/10
Availability: Nationwide dealer network
Info: zeromotorcycles.com
Looks are deceiving. The Zero presents like a sportbike but delivers a more relaxed upright riding position, ideal for either spirited riding or responsible commuting. Brisk acceleration is matched to an adjustable and compliant suspension that smooths out rough road patches. Its smart, contemporary sportbike styling is familiar without trumpeting its electric pedigree. Plug it into your home outlet for overnight charging, or opt for the Rapid Charge connector for faster Level 2 (220 V) refueling on the road. According to the Santa Cruz, California firm: “The Zero powertrain delivers more torque than the most powerful 1000cc sport bike in production today.” We’ll get back to you on that. But there’s no denying that, like all EVs, the Zero’s instantaneous throttle response from zero RPM is immensely satisfying.
9. Tarform Luna
Range: 120 miles, average
Top Speed: 90+ mph
Base Price: $24,000
Desirability: 10/10
Availability: Pre-order with $500 reservation fee
Info: tarform.com
Hailing from Brooklyn, the epicenter of cool, Tarform is not content touting the usual perks of electric-powered propulsion. The classic café racer-inspired Luna goes big on bespoke with customizable finishes, bioplastic materials, and saddles made from biodegradable, vegan leather. Both bodywork and software can be tailored according to taste and riding style. But wait, there’s more! Smart functions deliver health metrics, maintenance notifications, and a 180-degree rear-facing camera with radar-based blind spot awareness. If you’re willing to wait, an array of dazzling AI magic is said to be in the works. And in a brilliant strategy pioneered by Saint Elon, the modular battery pack anticipates future upgrades to avoid obsolescence and keep your bike up to speed. Available in Racer or Scrambler editions.
8. Energica EVA EsseEsse9
Range: 143 miles, average
Top Speed: 125 mph (limited)
Base Price: $$20,930
Desirability: 8/10
Availability: Online and US dealers
Info: energicamotorusa.com
There must be something in the water. Modena, Italy, home to Italian icons Ferrari, Maserati, and Vespa, is where you’ll find the artisans and craftsmen of Energica toiling away on futuristic mobility like the Eva EsseEsse9. Prodigious torque and mind-bending acceleration are matched to best-in-class Brembo brakes, Marzocchi suspension, Bosch ABS, and adjustable traction control. It features dual Slow Charge and DC Fast Charge, which the company claims is 82% quicker to top off than any other electric motorcycle. A great weekender for two-up riding, the EsseEsse9 is superbly designed and finished in a style evocative of that other Italian stallion from just down the road, Ducati. Fine company indeed.
7. Brutus V9
Range: 280 miles, average
Top Speed: 115 mph (limited)
Base Price: $32,490
Desirability: 9/10
Availability: Custom order
Info: brutusmotorcycle.com
Steeped in the outlaw spirit of the American frontier, the retro-cool Brutus V9 is outfitted with a robust, electric powertrain boasting 277 pound-feet of grunt at the flick of the wrist. The only thing missing is the exhaust rumble. Hand-built on the outskirts of Las Vegas, the V9 is highly customizable, ensuring that yours is one-of-a-kind. The stand-out metric for this bad boy is a precedent-shattering 280 mile range of juice, more than enough to hightail it out of Dodge.
6. CAKE Kalk&
Top Speed: 56mph
Base Price: $14,000
Desirability: 7/10
Availability: Order online
Info: ridecake.com
Cooler than a scooter, yet more nimble than a motorbike? Yes! But about that name: Kalk refers to kalksten, the limestone bedrock of Gotland, Sweden, home to the CAKE brainiacs, a flock of hip, wheelie-loving tree-huggers. The ampersand stands for ‘and.’ As in, you can ride your Kalk to work and take it out on the trails at quitting time. Or, as the CAKE crew describes it, the best of both worlds. A totem of design minimalism, this wisp of a bike belies a rigorously engineered and capable motorcycle. Future-proof, it’s designed to slot-in battery upgrades as new tech becomes available in the months and years ahead. Its teensy 15kW motor spools up a whopping 186 pound-feet of peak torque, plenty of oomph to keep pace with brisk urban traffic. And outback hill climbs.
5. Johammer J1.50/J1.20
Top Speed: 75 mph
Base Price: $25,731/$27,987 (€22,900/€24,900)
Desirability: 6/10
Availability: Order online
Info: johammer.com
The Johammer J1 is to conformity what propeller beanies are to biker leather. Its unabashedly geeky armadillo shell gives a stiff middle finger to tradition. And since riding broadcasts to the outside world the badass you believe yourself to be, only those souls with a surfeit of self-assurance can really pull off the Johammer. On the flip side, the stark beauty of its post-industrial componentry design and engineering prowess could elicit tears of joy from even the most jaded tech devotee. As an owner, you’ll assuredly enjoy a highly rewarding and unique experience. Still, to be on the safe side, if you come upon a distant, remote biker bar while straddling your Johammer, maybe keep on rollin’ until you find, perhaps, a Dairy Queen. Engineered and built in scenic Austria, where they do things differently.
4. Harley-Davidson LiveWire
Top Speed: 95mph
Base Price: $29,799
Desirability: 10/10
Availability: Harley-Davidson dealers
Info: harley-davidson.com
Whoever dreamed up the tagline for Harley’s bold foray into electric mobility deserves a hearty atta-boy. “A Jolt of Zen” is a pitch-perfect response to the inevitable slings and arrows hurled by the Hog faithful for forsaking the signature potato-potato-potato exhaust note. Evidence, as it were, that hell was, in fact, freezing over. The LiveWire is acclaimed as one of the best all-around bikes for a new generation of riders. It’s a nascent demographic that H-D desperately needs to cultivate as the hidebound geezers move on to Hog heaven. The heretic Harley boasts respectable numbers for acceleration and range: Naught to 60 mph in a blistering 3 seconds flat, maxing out at 146 miles of roaming on a single charge. Just as critically, they got the look right with the perfect measure of heritage suffused into a distinctly modern package. Starting at an eye-watering $27,799, Harley wisely touts the available $2,500 EV tax credit and rebates for residents of California, Oregon, and Pennsylvania to help ease the sting.
3. Lito Sora 2
Top Speed: 120 mph
Base Price: $82,250
Desirability: 11!
Availability: Custom order
Info: LITO Motorcycles
Montreal-based Lito Motorcycles have been around for ten years already, which qualifies as a legacy brand in the brave new world of electrics where upstart players emerge almost daily it seems. They claim the first-gen Sora as the world’s first electric superbike—with a supercharged price to match. Depending on the configuration, prices could surge to an eye-popping $104,000! Clearly, on a roll, they decided to up the ante with Generation Two that boasts nearly twice the power with increased range (up to 180 miles in city riding). Exquisitely detailed—as one would expect with a starting price north of $82 grand—the brutally stunning Sora 2 includes perks such as keycard ignition, an electrically adjustable seat, a reverse gear, and a 5.7-inch LCD touchscreen.
2. Lightning LS-218
Top Speed: 218mph
Base Price: $38,888
Desirability: 10/10
Availability: By reservation
Info: lightningmotorcycle.com
The Lightning LS-218 is the undisputed speed king among electric motorcycles, scoring the world record at 218mph. Soaring to 60mph from standstill clocks in at a ridiculous 2.2 seconds. But why stop there? After all, 150mph is a mere 6 seconds away. Granted, that’s not exactly a practical concern for most of us. But it’s nice to know. This machine, evil incarnate though it seems, is remarkably fully street legal with a decent city/highway range of 180 miles on a single charge. Probably less, however, if you’re gunning it to the high 3-digits. For riders who enjoy living, Lightning is planning a second, lower-priced model, called the Strike. It tops out at 150mph with a 150-mile range, and an MSRP of just $12,998, putting it within reach of a broader arc of earth-bound motorcyclists.
1. Verge TS
Top Speed: 111 mph (limited)
Base Price: $27,000
Desirability: 10/10
Availability: Pre-orders open with $2,160 (€2,000) deposit
Info: rmkvehicles.com
The most extraordinary motorcycle innovation to date must belong to Finnish maker RMK and their upcoming Verge TS featuring an uber-cool hubless rear wheel. Let’s review: Notice that the back wheel has a hole in its center like a donut. Power is delivered via the swingarm that attaches to a fixed inner ring around which the tire rotates. It’s a spectacular feat of engineering that equates to frictionless motor efficiency with zero loss of power, unlike chain, shaft, or belt drives. There is nothing else like it. This futuristic feature fuses with ultramodern faceted surfaces perfectly suited to a Blade Runner sequel. Vital stats comport with most competitors: zero to 60 in under 4 seconds and a claimed range between 124-186 miles, depending on variables like temperature and load that affect all electric-powered vehicles. Deliveries are expected in early 2021.
Bonus Mention: Damon Hypersport HS
Top Speed: 200mph
Base Price: $24,995
Desirability: 10/10
Availability: 2021, reservations accepted with $100 deposit
Info: damon.com
Out of Vancouver, British Columbia comes Damon, another upstart marque that has planted its flag on safety, comfort, and performance. Which is formidable. Ergonomic adjust-ability—made on the fly if you like—is key. Damon’s variable ride-position functions are a gift to riders of varying sizes and shapes that struggle to find a bike that fits their physique or riding style. Or for anyone familiar with navigating a sportbike through cumbersome stop-and-go traffic hunched over the tank. Situational awareness is optimized via 360º traffic-monitoring radar with embedded crash detection sensors and front/rear live-view cameras. Damon makes use of vibrating hand grips to indicate blind spots, a significant safety feature made possible thanks to smooth electric power. Vibration signals are useless on a combustion-powered bike where it is drowned out by engine vibration. Now, about that performance. How does 200 horsepower, 200mph top speed, zero to 60 in under three seconds, and a range-topping 200+ miles suit you?
