Where Are All the Electric Motorbikes?

I'm no thrill-seeking daredevil.

There may have been a time in my youth when I got a kick out of going fast, dropping from heights and hanging upside down. But I barely remember those days now.

I've certainly never been a motorcycle guy. That was my older brother. His regular crashes were probably main reason I was never a motorcycle guy.

However, I am a practical guy. I'm a guy who loves a good idea. And there's no doubt I'm a gadget guy. So when I see high-speed chases on electric motorbikes in action movies I think, "Of course! That makes perfect sense. The battery to drive a motorbike probably doesn't have to be very big. The power and acceleration on offer from an electric motor would be exhilarating (if my limited EV experience is anything to go by) In short, an electric motorbike seems like the most obvious form of transport that should be being produced right now.

So where are they all?

Well, thank goodness UBCO's here anyway. Of course it's a kiwi start-up - if you want something done right... right?

The UBCO 2X2 Adventure Bike is not one of those streamlined, spaceship-looking motorbikes of the future I've been watching in my action movies. In fact, I've even heard people describe it as ugly. I disagree but then that's probably my practical side coming through again - all I saw when my UBCO first arrived was one of the most purpose-built things I've ever encountered.

Remember, this is not an electric bicycle. In fact it resembles a farm bike more than anything and I'd suggest that'd be a fantastic use for it. Actually, I don't have to suggest that; plenty of farmers are already using them. In effect, an UBCO is a strong, alloy frame with some wheels, handlebars and a seat attached. And that's all - other than the battery which is easily dropped into place - nice and low to help with the centre of gravity.

As with any EV, it's really all about the battery. Here, UBCO comes to the party with the KXH Power Supply; a 3.1kWh capacity, IP66 water and dust resistant and 120A peak current. UBCO claims this gives the 2X2 Adventure Bike a range of up to 120 kilometres, which could well be true. I didn't have my review unit long enough to drive it that far but based on how slowly the charge-meter went down as I did ride around the place, I wouldn't be at all surprised.

Learning to ride the UBCO involved a rigorous thirty-second conversation with the guy who dropped it off. Turns out, that really was pretty much everything I needed to know. There's an On switch. You push it again to put the bike in drive then it's a throttle on the right hand-grip as usual. Because we're electric, there are no gears or clutch to worry about. It's kind of like riding a bike.

Although the acceleration is pretty instant, the 2X2 Adventure Bike is speed limited to just 50km/h and as such, falls under moped rules so as long as it's registered, any licensed driver can ride it on the road. As you'd expect, indicators, headlight and horn are all within reach of your left thumb and there are two basic rear-view mirrors to keep an eye on any speedsters from behind.

So within moments of getting your UBCO home, assuming the battery is charged and ready to go, you can be off to the shops, making your deliveries, running the fence-line on the bottom paddock or any of dozens more activities it would be perfectly suited to.

Speaking of charging, UBCO offers a fast, 10AMP charger that twists securely into place and disables the bike while connected. You can also charge via the same EV charging stations you've seen in carparks all over the place. Best of all, because you can drop the battery in (and out) in a matter of seconds, there's nothing stopping you having a second KXH on charge, ready to swap out should you hit that 120km range.

But just because the 2X2 Adventure Bike is road-legal, that doesn't mean you have to stay on the road. As the name indicates, both wheels have their own motor; so no chain and almost no chance of getting stuck - especially given the bike only weighs 70 kilos and can actually be lifted onto UBCO's own bespoke towball mount bike rack for easy transport from place to place. Another obvious use case here would be on the back of a camper van. What better way to be able to zip off for supplies when you're already all set up at your camp site?

In fact, the first UBCO I saw in the wild was at Okere Falls on the shores of Lake Rotoiti. A guy came whizzing into view, presumably from his bach on the side of the lake somewhere, to pick up a few essentials from the store. The frame of the 2X2 Adventure Bike is totally modular, so you can tailor it to your specific needs - he had big baskets for all his goodies front and back. It was pretty cool.

In fact, I find everything about UBCO pretty cool - you can even access the bike via your smartphone, using the UBCO 2X2 app. This let's you keep your bike's firmware up-to-date, monitor stats like power supply, run-time and engine temperature, fine-tune some settings and it can even be used as a live dashboard if you prefer your phone's colourful display to the reasonably modest one on the bike itself.

Starting from NZ$7999.00, this is a genuinely versatile, powerful EV that, quite apart from anything else, is fun. Really fun. Between the all-wheel drive and the wonderfully forgiving suspension, I couldn't resist taking this thing places I wouldn't even attempt to ride a mountain bike, let alone a motorbike.

Turns out I might still have a little bit of daredevil left in me after all.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the UBCO 2X2 Adventure Bike.