Electric motorcycles (e-bike) are coming,
no doubt about that, but whether this trend is going to take the world by storm
or be just that, a trend that eventually sees a few hardcore adopters and a
die-hard fan base who won’t hear a bad thing said about their rides (like Honda
CX500 owners) remains to be seen.
What does seem to be missing from the
equation is a simple, no fuss e-bike that comes between the tiny electric
scooters for urban use like the Kumpan 54 and super fast sports e-bikes like
the Harley-Davidson Livewire, a situation Swedish firm RGNT attempts to address
with its first product, the No. 1.
Despite the somewhat less than imaginative
name, the RGNT No. 1 is intended to slot in between the cheap, small and slow
end of the market, the commuter or urban daily use e-bike and the top end, high
speed, high tech machines like Energica. Coming in a basic styling that
resembles a scrambler motorcycle of the 1960s, the No. 1.
No swoopy styling lines or plastic
bodywork and unnecessary frills here, RGNT takes a conservative two-wheeler
look that is immediately recognisable and powers it with a hub-mounted 11 kW electric
motor. RGNT – known as Regent Motorcycles till a name change last year – says
the No. 1 carries a 7.7 kWh battery pack which gives the rider a claimed 150 km
of range.
With a top speed of 120 km/h and a dry
weight of 130 kg, the No. 1 would be suited for light highway riding and as a
daily commuter for a rider living outside the city. Charging the battery pack
uses domestic current, taking 4.5 hours to get to a full charge with a fast
charger currently under development and expected to be ready in 2021.
Braking on the No. 1 is done with
hydraulic callipers on single discs, front and rear, with braking control using
a combined braking system (CBS) with the right and left handlebar levers.
Priced at 10,500 euro, a 150 euro online deposit is being
taken for the 2020 RGNT No. 1, with delivery expected to take place six months
after the order is accepted.
