Damon Hypersport electric motorcycle has launched with some impressive 200 figures: 200Nm of torque, 200mph top speed and 200 miles (320km) of “real-world” range.
The Canadian start-up won the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show Innovations Award last week and claims their Hypserport is the world’s “smartest, safest, and most powerful electric motorcycle”.
In July last year, Damon Motorcycles CEO and founder Jay Giraud demonstrated their patented collision avoidance system at TechCrunch Sessions in California.
Party tricks
Apart from the bike’s electric performance, the party tricks are their “Shift” adaptive rider position and“CoPilot” collision avoidance system.
Making this bike more versatile than any other, Shift will change rider position from commute mode to sporting mode at the touch of a button on the handlebar.
CoPilot uses sensors to lock on to dozens of objects 360º around the motorcycle.
“It intuitively know what’s around you at all times by tracking and warning riders of danger through haptic feedback on the handlebars, integrated LEDs on the windshield, and an always on 1080p rearview rear-facing camera,” they say.
It also comes with 4G connectivity and 1080p cameras front and back.
However, in March 2020 they plan to unveil their first American-built bike and it will be powered by an electric motor.
It will join other American motorcycle manufacturers Harley-Davidson, Lightning Motorcycles and Zero Motorcycles in the race to win market share of this nascent market.
There is not much detail yet except the blurred image at the top of this page and this video on their Facebook page where they talk about electric bikes with another bike under a blanket in the background.
The photo and video show a light and basic street model with a sit-up-and-beg riding position, MX-style bars, upside down forks, bench seat, sprocket for chain drive, electric motor and battery forward of the footpegs and same-size road tyres front and back on spoked wheels.
We can’t see a clutch lever, so it could be twist-and-go, although they do talk about the use of a clutch on another electric bike in the Facebook video.
If it’s like their other product, it will be aimed at the bargain end of the market, not the top end like Harley, Lightning and Zero.
This is the official Cleveland CycleWerks announcement:
A New Concept in E-Mobility, to be released live to the world 03-20-2020 @ the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum in Cleveland Ohio.
This will be our first made in the USA product, which is exciting in itself.
This will be the first bike we have ever run pre-orders on, which will come soon. The project’s code name Falcon Rising represents our brand’s rise in the E vehicle space. It also brings a new chapter to our company, looking inward and local to grow globally. We have wanted to product bikes ourselves, here in Cleveland for 10 years. The time is now, and we are seizing the opportunity.
This vehicle represents 10 years of consumer insight, feedback from loyal customers, and a unique take on the market, that Cleveland has always had.
Dutch company Icon Motorcycles plans to hand-make new-age Triton motorcycles with Norton featherbed frames and modern Triumph 900cc engines.
Original Triton
The original 1960-70s Tritons were not factory models but private builds where enthusiasts mated the lithe-handling Norton featherbed frame with Triumph Bonneville engines.
Now Dutch company Icon Motorcycles plans to supply handmade Triton cafe racers for private orders with bespoke specifications. However, they won’t bear the name “Triton”.
Wouter Pullens of Icon Motorcycles says the frame is special build.
“It’s a replica from the famous Norton ‘featherbed’ frame of the sixties,” he says.
They will use the air/oil-cooled 900cc parallel twin from the previous model Thruxton, so it’s not liquid cooled and doesn’t have an ugly radiator.
He says the “Triumph engine is standard, not tweaked”, so that means 51.5kW of power and 71.8Nm of torque.
“They are available in the second half of this year, I expect about July,” he says.
“This is depending on the final inspection/approval of the Dutch Government.”
There is no word on pricing because each bike will be handmade to order, but Wouter says they can can “ship to every country”.
As a bit of a guide, Triumph 900 models cost around $15,000 while Norton 961 models cost more than $30,000.
So we expect they will cost around the Norton prices, or more depending on how much exotic kit you want to add.
Hyperbole
Icon Motorcycles says the original Triton was “perhaps the most influential motor movement the world has ever seen”.
Certainly the cafe racer seem was seminal, but they may be overstating the case a bit.
Here’s more hyperbole from their website:
Icon motorcycles guarantee you exclusivity as exclusivity is intended. You invest in craftsmanship and quality. We see every Icon engine as an investment in life that only becomes more beautiful with the years. You never really own a motorcycle really look after it for the next generation. Authentic hand assembled engines , we create an interesting investment . This is how we achieve our goal, creating rare motorcycles for the owner. Because of the exclusivity and rarity we create, you are guaranteed a right investment. Courtesy is timeless class, you must be able to enjoy the ownership.
At Icon Motorcycles we don’t just produce motorcycles, we go back deep into history. We let our hands do the work and lay our soul and salvation in every model, with the greatest care for the smallest details and that with only one goal let man and machine come together in perfect harmony.
Rather than a return to the Roaring Twenties, this decade could see an abundance of electric vehicles creating a Whirring Twenties.
Let’s do the disadvantages first:
Expensive;
Limited range;
Dubious whole-of-life environmental impact;
Slow charging;
Scant charging infrastructure;
No common batteries across the industry; and
They lack soul.
There is also the unanswered vexing question of how the government will respond to diminishing fuel excise revenue as electric vehicles take over. Perhaps a new tax!
I certainly don’t see myself buying one this decade, even though the first six disadvantages will soon be diminished by advances in technology and production.
However, I do see 10 unexpected benefits from the Whirring Twenties.
Whirring Twenties
1 Quiet
Now most of us think this is a negative, but there are many instances where a quiet, whirring motor could be a benefit:
For a start, police and security guards will be able to sneak up on thieves;
Meanwhile, police would not be able to fine you for having a noisy exhaust;
It would also nullify the latest draconian laws to limit use of off-road motorcycles on your own property as is occurring in some states;
There would be fewer complaints from residents near racetracks which might save some from extinction;
You could easily sneak away early on a Sunday for a ride without disturbing your cranky neighbours or come home late without waking the family; and
Young people may like the fact that they can still hear their phone calls and music clearly while riding!
2 Cool runnings
Harley’s LiveWire electric motor is cool to the touch
Even though batteries and electric motors heat up, it is nothing compared with the heat radiating from an internal combustion engine.
I rode the Harley-Davidson LiveWire at the world launch last year in Portland, Oregon, through the forest and through town, yet I was still able to place my naked hand on the battery and motor without it being burnt.
It was only warm, not even hot.
That is a real boon for those commuters who usually fry in slow traffic on a summer’s day.
It would also spell the end of pipe burn for young kids and novice riders.
Motors and batteries can be just about any shape and designers don’t have to factor in ugly exhausts and chain/belt/shaft drives; they can simply make them direct drive.
5 Easy to ride
Most electric motorcycles will be twist-and-go with no clutch lever, shifter pedal or gears to change.
Once again, we crusty old riders think this sucks the charm and skill out of riding a motorbike, but it may also make them more palatable to younger riders who relish convenience.
Since they will be easier to learn to ride, getting your licence should be cheaper as you would need fewer lessons.
No clutch on the LiveWire
6 Lightning fast
If it’s speed you want, it’s speed you get with an electric motorcycle.
Electric motors have peak torque as soon as you roll the throttle.
Consequently, most electric motorcycles will accelerate to 100km/h in about three seconds, which is faster than most supercars.
I tested this at the LiveWire and Victory Empulse TT launches and it’s easy to achieve. No need for a drag strip or any special launch controls. Just wind the throttle and hang on!
As for top speed, the Lightning LS-218 holds the land speed record for fastest production electric motorcycle in the world at 346km/h (218mph – hence the name) at the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Lightning record-holding electric race bike
7 Low maintenance
Maintenance expenses should be low as there is no chain/belt, no internal engine workings, no oil, etc.
Long-life brushless electric motors and batteries need no maintenance.
Even brake pads will need changing less frequently because regenerative braking from the motor means you use the conventional brakes less often.
Brembo brakes on the LiveWire
8 No mess
Scooters shielded their oily engines with panels so women wouldn’t get their skirts dirty while riding.
The same can be said for electric motorcycles, although they don’t need panels. There are simply no oily working bits to smear your clothes!
9 Slap for industry
So far, the electric motorcycle industry has been dominated by start-ups, not traditional motorcycle companies.
The expected revival of the traditional British motorcycle brand, BSA, seems to have stalled more than three years after the brand was bought by Mahindra.
Indian tractor and automotive company Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) bought the revered brand for $A5.4m in October 2016 through their wholly owned subsidiary, Classic Legends Private Limited (CLPL).
At the time they expressed intentions to make it a traditional-styled revival.
A few months later Italian motorcycle designer Oberdan Bezzi released some sketches of BSA models but they were never confirmed.
When they launched, the order website crashed because of demand.
They said they planned to sell 90,000 bikes a year.
But despite the interest, the Jawa relaunch has been fraught with production problems and delays of up to a year.
Some customers cancelled their orders in frustration.
And that’s just for domestic sale. They haven’t even contemplated exports.
Jawa say that production is improving and customers only need now wait a few weeks for a bike.
However, Mahindra’s boss recently lamented getting into motorcycles at all, so the revival of BSA could be stalled permanently.
BSA history
An original BSA factory record book
BSA stands for Birmingham Small Arms Company Limited and it began in 1861 making guns.
It gradually moved into bicycles and motorcycles for which they are most famous, although they also made cars, buses, tools and other metal products over the years.
Its most famous motorcycles were the Gold Star 350cc and 500cc single-cylinder four-stroke bikes considered among the fastest of the 1950s. At the time, BSA was also the world’s biggest motorcycle manufacturer.
However, the halcyon post-war days slipped away in the 1960s under competition from more modern and reliable Japanese models.
BSA went bankrupt in the early 1970s and merged with the Norton Villiers Triumph Group. BSA-branded machines ceased production in 1973.
BSA is currently just a brand that churns out motorcycle t-shirts and merchandise.
KTM is also building a joint factory with CFMoto in China with an estimated output of more than half a million bikes a year.
From 2021, the factory will make all KTM models powered by the new 799cc parallel-twin for the world market.
That doesn’t mean they won’t build other models.
Perhaps some of these new models may only be available for the Asian market, but we think all would have wider acceptance across the world.
It should be a big year for the KTM group who also own Husqvarna and in August acquired GasGas.
Husqvarna Norden 901
Husky recently confirmed they will produce the 901 Norden adventure bike in 2020 and GasGas say they will move into the street market just like KTM Husqvarna.
Royal Enfield has applied for the trademarks of Sherpa and Hunter which we expect could be applied to the upcoming smaller and bigger Himalayan adventure models.
The current 400cc Himalayan has been a moderate hit so 250cc and 650cc versions could also score well for the Indian company, both in the subcontinent and overseas.
Several manufacturers have produced baby adventure bikes in recent years such as the Kawasaki Versys-X 350, and there has been a host of 650cc models available for many years.
Kawasaki Versys-X 300
Sherpa and Hunter
Both Sherpa and Hunter would be ideal names for extensions to the Himalayan family.
Perhaps the Hunter would be the bigger model and the Sherpa the smaller one, given the company had a 178cc Sherpa in the 1960s.
Royal Enfield boss Siddhartha Lal has long suggested the 650cc engine from the popular Interceptor and Continental GT could be used in the Himalayan.
The Himalayan is powered by a 411cc, single-cylinder engine producing just 18kW of power at 6500rpm and 32Nm of torque at 4250rpm.
Royal Enfield Himalayan
That compares with the 648cc twin from the Interceptor and Continental GT which has 35kW at 7250rpm and 52Nm at 5250rpm
Indian websites have published spy photos of disguised 650cc Himalayans being tested on local roads, so they could be close to production.
However, the trademark application is probably a little late for a 2020 release.
Segway, the makers of the ubiquitous personal mobility vehicle, are branching out into electric sport bikes with the help of Chinese company Ninebot.
They have released this video of their Apex sport bike on a Japanese racetrack.
The sound and speed of the bike certainly don’t impress. At one stage it shows the cockpit wth 81km/h showing on the dash. Hardly inspiring!
It also doesn’t look like it handles all that well with the rider not really leaning it over very far, a twitchy steering and a jerky change of direction.
Or perhaps they just needed a proper racer who knows the apex of a corner; as ironic as that is for a bike called Apex!
But we are sure it will accelerate rapidly as most electric motorcycles do.
There are no tech specs available yet, but we only have to wait until it is unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show on 7 January, 2020.
Racing Segway?
Is this “racey” video also a segue into plans to go racing?
Italian electric motorcycle Energica currently has the contract to supply bikes for the FIM Moto-e World Cup which runs as a support event at select MotoGP rounds around the world.
Energica MotoE race bike
The Energica race bikes have 110kW of power, 200Nm of torque and go from 0 to 100km/h in three seconds with a top speed of 250km/h.
Segway and Ninebot already have a working relationship to make electric scooters and bikes and have a store in Milton, Brisbane, and an Australian online shop and Facebook page.
We have gone over the reader statistics for our motorcycle stories, assessing multiple entries about particular bikes and also considered your comments.
The statistical analysis arrives at what we think are the bikes you would most like to ride in 2020.
We apologise if this list does not reflect your particular interest. It certainly doesn’t reflect my choice!
After all, it’s just a statistical analysis and a bit of fun for your New Year reading.
2020 vision
So here are the top five bikes possibly coming in 2020 … according to you!
1 BMW R 18 cruiser
First R 18 concept
BMW said it would never build another cruiser after the R 1200 C. A few years ago they altered their tune, saying “never say never”.
Now they are building one!
BMW R 18 second concept model
We are still unsure what the R 18 will look like, although there have been some concepts and spy photos.
BMW R 18 spy photo
Even so, it hasn’t stopped BMW from launching a dedicated order site and even taking deposits from excited fans.
Harley-Davidson Revolution Max platform Bronx Streetfighter
Speaking of which, Harley-Davidson will release an abundance of unusual products in 2020, including the Bronx Streetfighter range, electric bicycles and motorcycles, and their first big-bore adventure bike, the Pan America.
While our articles on all these bikes scored highly with our readers, the macho Streetfighter won this title bout.
We wish founder Denis Savic the best of luck with his motorcycle and are looking forward to the promised test ride. Stay tuned!
5 Suzuki Hayabusa
Hayabusa engine patent filing
The Suzuki Hayabusa no longer meets stringent Euro5 conditions that kick in from 1 January 2020.
And we don’t exactly know what Suzuki will do to replace it or even if they will!
However, our articles about patent filings for an updated Hayabusa have sparked a lot of interest, especially the possibility it could be powered by a 1440cc engine.
Other 2020 contenders
Ducati Streetfighter V4 wins most beautiful bike at EICMA
It’s difficult to set out the other contenders, but there has been a lot of interest shown in the Ducati Streetfighter V4 and the MV Agusta Superveloce 800.
BMW Motorrad has filed a patent for a sidestand charger that looks like it belongs to an electric motorcycle, lending more weight to an electric future.
These patent applications seem to give a clear indication of BMW’s electrification plans.
However, BMW Motorrad boss Markus Schramm recently told US website Cycle World they would not have an electric motorcycle for at least another five years.
“In the urban environment, it is possible that there will be an electric BMW motorcycle in five years. In the touring, off-road, and sport segments, I am not sure that we will see them,” he is quoted as saying.
The Bavarian company already has an electric scooter, the C-Evolution.
BMW C evolution electric scooter
But these latest patent filings seem to show plans for an electric motorcycle, at least for the urban environment.
The sidestand charger system involves the stand slotting into a “puck” which is plugged into the AC mains.
It’s simply another way of connecting to a charger.
It would probably only be of use in your home as we cannot see this sort of infrastructure being rolled out in public places.
In 2017, BMW Group Australia boss Marc Werner said Australia needed tax incentives, import subsidies and/or charging infrastructure, but we don’t think he had a sidestand charger in mind at the time.
The only advantage we can see of a sidestand charger is that it might save you a couple of seconds where you would normally plug in the bike’s onboard charger.
However, the filing is important as it is another example of BMW getting serious about electric motorcycles.
