New Zealand electric motorcycle company Switch is seeking funding to homologate its stylish go-anywhere eSCRAMBLER and bring it to market in 2022.
Founder Matthew Waddick has already produced an electric conversion kit for a Honda Cub as part of his Shanghai Customs company and is now working on the eSCRAMBLER through Switch.
“We are going to be looking for partners and investors over the next few months for both projects Shanghai Customs and Switch,” says Matthew who says he had to “flee China” last month due to the coronavirus.
“It’s a little early yet for costing, the only thing we can say is that it will be very competitive in the pricing with the business model we are going for.
“No way we are going to price this out of the market.”
eSCRAMBLER
The minimalistic eSCRAMBLER is based on a conventional polished-aluminium, double-cradle frame with upside-down forks, monoshock and 18-inch wheels with knobby tyres for all-terrain use.
It will also feature GPS tracking, three speed modes, USB charger, cruise control, regenerative braking to recharge the battery and Spanish JJuan brakes with Bosch ABS.
eSCRAMBLER includes some tasty parts such as CNC-machine triple clamps and footpegs, leather seat, LED lighting and a digital display that looks like a mobile phone.
One of the design features is how the 50kW motor and swingarm are coaxially mounted, allowing the Gates carbonfibre belt drive to maintain proper tension.
Matthew has partnered with ex-Yamaha Advanced Labs industrial designer and former Danish Flat Track racing champion Michel Riis to design and develop the eSCRAMBLER.
They are targeting up to 150km of range, 150km/h top speed and 0–100km/h in 3.2 seconds.
Switch also plan to have a fast charging system.
Wow factor
Matthew says electric motorcycles are not new anymore.
“You can’t wow people by just being electric; you need to do better than that,” he says.
“We want people to understand this bike, see how it is all put together – to demystify electrics and especially not hide that we have a box full with cells.
“However, the design was not as easy as it looks – in fact it was incredibly difficult. Generally, making a complex product look simple is one of the hardest things to do and this is especially true with electric bikes.”
While the road-legal version will be released in 2022, they will put the bike through its paces this year on the Scandinavian flat tracking circuit.
Matthew says they already have some world champions “lining up to have a thrash”.
First released to the market in 1967, the Pursang motocross motorcycle went out of production in 1984 and quickly gained mythological status. The Spanish bike, famously ridden by Peter Fonda in Easy Rider, was revered by motocross fans across the world. However, it remained boxed in history until the EICMA Milan Motorcycle Show in 2018, when a new modern-day prototype was presented that’s both innovative and electric.
Electric vehicles for the modern market
From Telsa, to Jaguar to Honda, an increasing number of car manufacturers are launching electric and hybrid vehicles, and many older models are now incorporating electric technology. Electric bikes are keeping pace, with the NAWA Racer demonstrating the potential of this innovation in the motorcycle industry. Indeed, electric vehicle development has allowed Pursang to bring back their legendary bike with a modern twist, which would have been a hard sell without new innovations to make it relevant to a modern market.
The manufacturers are keen to maintain the essence of the original bikes and create a product with similar dynamic qualities, but they aim to use modern technology to enhance these features. The new batch of bikes will maintain the aesthetics of the original models while demonstrating the power of electric vehicle technology.
The new Pursang models
Pursang eStreet
The first 60 units of Pursang’s new bikes are expected to become available in May 2020. There will be two models on the market: the Pursang E-Street and the Pursang E-Track. The E-Street is the less powerful of the two. With an 8kW motor and two 2.4kWh batteries, its top speed is 100km/h, and the removable batteries mean that charging can take place off the bike.
Pursang eTrack
The E-Track, meanwhile, has a top speed of 120km/h and an 11kW motor. This model will need to be charged directly, as its three 2.4kWh batteries are non-removable.
Both models have tubular chromoly frames, monoshock suspension at the rear and inverted front forks, and they feature Pirelli Scorpion tyres and Morad wheels. The first run of 60 will also feature unique twists to match the Founder’s Edition bikes, including body panels of carbon fibre.
Electric scramblers
Jim Palau-Ribes, founder of Pursang and reportedly responsible for designing the new models, has said that the E-Street and the E-track are not motocross bikes, but ‘electric scramblers.’ He explained that he wanted to make enjoyable rides that wouldn’t harm the environment, fulfilling the ethos of the original brand but bringing modern sensibilities to the table.
Electric vehicles, both cars and bikes, emit less pollution than traditionally powered models, with no exhaust emissions. Studies have found that they produce half the greenhouse gas emissions of a traditionally powered model. To make the new bikes even greener, riders who use renewable energy can charge from their solar energy systems.
The new Pursang electric scramblers have been eagerly awaited since the brand first announced their development, and motorcyclists don’t have long to wait. If you want to get your hands on the special editions, however, you’ll have to make your reservation quickly.
Ducati has featured its new Scrambler 1100 Pro models at the renowned ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California, in yet another example of how the Italian company is a master in motorcycle design.
Don’t believe me? Think your Harley, BMW, MV Agusta, Yamaha or Honda is prettier?
Obviously beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
However, Ducati really does have the runs on the board in design.
Design awards
Ducati Streetfighter V4 wins most beautiful bike at EICMA
They are the most prestigious industrial design awards in the world, presented by the Chicago Athenaeum, Museum of Architecture and Design and the European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
And then there’s Massimo Tamburini’s famous 916 which many rightfully regard as the world’s most beautiful bike.
1994 Ducati 916
Ugly stick
However, Ducati doesn’t always get it right.
Remember the slab-sided Paso models from the eighties — not a good decade for fashion or design!
Revzilla said: “It looks like a 1987 Honda Hurricane smashed into a Suzuki RF900.”
Thankfully Ducati totally redeemed the Multistrada with a complete redesign in 2010 into one of the prettiest of the brutish adventure bike category.
Uglystrada
Redesigned Multistrada
Scrambler design
No matter what you think of the modern “scramblers” and whether they are true scramblers, Ducati really has scored an ace with the design.
When the Scrambler family was introduced in 2015, they immediately became the company’s top seller.
That’s not to say they are not without their design quirks.
The most obvious is the looping cables which are reminiscent of original scramblers.
Loopy cabling
When Ducati unveiled its Pro models recently the cabling had been tidied up and tucked away.
Hopefully that will flow through to the rest of the range.
And the long trailing fender has been replaced with the remote fender from the Icon.
2020 Ducati Scrambler 1100 Pro
Design master
Despite its design credentials, the object of the ArtCenter lecture by Scrambler designer Jeremy Faraud was to get the students to help design the Scrambler of the future.
Students will submit their designs to Ducati who will recruit one lucky student for an internship at the Ducati Design Centre.
Jeremy talks with ArtCenter students (Image: James Lipman / jameslipman.com)
The Pasadena event will also be followed in Bologna, where a second training and meeting event is scheduled for March, involving the most important Italian design institutes.
Tapping into millennials for design guidance is a smart move that should see Ducati sitting atop the motorcycle design throne for years to come.
Which motorcycle company do you think is the leader in design? Leave your comments below.
Ducati could be launching a Scrambler 1100 Pro and possibly a Scrambler 1100 Pro Sport in Miami on Monday (27 January 2020), judging by this video.
The video is not on the official Ducati or Scrambler Ducati YouTube channels, so we’re not sure of its veracity.
However, late last year, Ducati filed documents with the US emissions agency for a “Scrambler 1100 Pro” and “Scrambler 1100 Pro Sport” with the same 1079cc, L-twin motor with 62kW and 88Nm.
However, they did also unveil two artist impressions for a Motard 803cc version and a Desert X with Dakar Rally styling and powered by the 1100cc engine.
Scrambler Motard
Scrambler Desert X
Last week, Ducati announced its 2019 sales figures and ended with the vague announcement that they would add another Scrambler model to its fleet “in the coming months”.
That signified only one model and as much as many would like to see the Desert X, the video seems to suggest it will be the Scrambler 1100 Pro.
However, the video ends with “JUST PROs” which indicates two models.
We see one model with gold Ohlins forks as in the main photo at the top of this article and likely an Ohlins rear shock.
Ducati already has a Scrambler 1100 Sport model with Ohlins suspension.
Scrambler 1100 Sport
However, in one frame we notice a second bike which has standard black forks, so there could be two models.
We also notice early on in two other shots what appear to be hydraulic cables coming from the tops of the Ohlins forks, so it could have electronic suspension adjustment.
Meanwhile, we can see that the throttle, clutch and brake cables have been tidied up!
It is interesting that the video dwells on the gear shifter for a few seconds. Could it also have a quickshifter?
Quickshifter?
The only other changes we can see is a possible carbon-fibre front guard on the Ohlins-equipped model and double exhausts mounted high on the right rather than either side under the seat.
Ugly double “soda cans”!
Unfortunately, Ducati persist with ugly “aluminium soft drink can” mufflers, probably because most people swap them for aftermarket models such as Termignonis.
Maybe the Scrambler aficionados can spot more changes from the current Scrambler 1100s.
Ducati will add another Scrambler model to its fleet “in the coming months”, either an 803cc street motard or an 1100cc desert-racing Dakar model.
The vague announcement came in the company’s annual report on 2019 global sales which were fairly flat at 53,183, just 179 more than 2018.
There was no mention of Scrambler sales figures.
Maybe they have slipped, although Ducati boss Claudio Domenicali said as recently as last November that Scrambler is now the company’s biggest seller with more than 70,000 sales since launch in 2015.
At the end of the official press release, they say:
Last but not least, the Ducati Scrambler range – which saw the new 800 Dark presented at EICMA – will see the introduction of a new model in the coming months.
It doesn’t give much away, but we suspect it will be either the motard or Dakar model debuted at EICMA in Milan last November.
It features a matt black frame, black engine with polished fin ends, black seat with grey trim and round black mirrors.
Motard Scrambler
Claudio said at EICMA that their styling department was asked to create “something unprecedented but entirely possible”.
The results are the motard and scrambler.
The Motard will be based on the 803cc Scrambler.
“This is a bike we are working on right now,” said Claudio, so the production version can’t be far away.
Desert X Scrambler
The Desert X is based on the 1100cc Scrambler.
It celebrates the 1990 Paris-Dakar Rally victory by Italian rider Edi Orioli on the Ducati-powered Cagiva Elefant. That bike is in now in Ducati’s museum above their Bologna factory.
Dakar-winning Cagiva
“We want to build the future without forgetting the past,” Claudio said.
Interestingly, Desert X is the name of a contemporary art exhibition held in the Coachella Valley in Southern California.
While Ducati already has an 803cc Desert Sled which is more off-road capable, the Desert X will be the 1100cc equivalent.
Scrambler Ducati Desert Sled
Ducati global sales
Ducati says they sold 8304 Panigales last year, confirming its status as the “world’s best-selling superbike with a market share of 25%”.
Two new bikes introduced in 2019 – the Hypermotard 950 and Diavel 1260 – racked up sales of 4472 and 3129 respectively, doubling the overall volumes achieved in 2018 by previous versions.
The Multistrada family performed equally well, scoring a 3% increase compared with 2018 thanks also to the addition of the 950 S and a revamped 1260 Enduro. Deliveries totalled 12,160, the best sales performance since the Bologna-built bike made its debut 16 years ago.
However, statistics alone will not show the true course of motorcycle sales this past decade.
In developed countries, ageing riders are causing headaches for manufacturers as they are no longer riding or at least not buying big, expensive touring and cruising motorcycles.
Hardest hit by this trend is Harley-Davidson which had reached the top in road bike sales in Australia before sliding again.
So, like most motorcycle manufacturers, they are being forced to reinvent themselves to appeal to millennials who aren’t really interested in riding, or even owning their own vehicle.
Meanwhile, China and India have forged ahead with motorcycle and scooters sales as the wealthy middle class grows.
But in the past two years, that is also slowing down in tandem with their economies and as middle classes become rich enough to afford cars.
2 Hipsters
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, hipsters have had a big effect on the motorcycle market in the past decade.
These young urbanites have been restoring, chopping and dicing old bikes to turn them into cafe racers, street scramblers, bobbers and more. It’s given rise to the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride and events such as Hooligan Racing, Wheels and Waves, and Throttle Roll.
Sad if you like to see these bikes left in their original condition, but exciting if you like creative modifications.
Manufacturers are scrambling to follow these trends with their own versions.
Hipsters may not like motorcycles for the same reasons we do and they may not ride them as far and as hard, but at least they are keeping the industry afloat.
However, over the next decade, this trend — like all trends — may wane, which could be a big problem for our pastime.
3 New niches
In an effort to reach new customers, such as young people, hipsters and women, manufacturers have produced new models in new niches.
One of the most popular of these new niches is the modern scrambler.
Ok, they are not truly scramblers like we knew as kids, but they are light, low, agile and are bringing the fun back to motorcycling.
Just about every manufacturer now has a scrambler in its range, but the biggest hit has been the Ducati Scrambler which quickly became their top seller.
4 Adventurers
Another nice which is not new, but has exploded in the past decade is adventure riding.
One of the reasons riders are heading on to back roads, dirt tracks and forestry trails is as a result of the increasing use of speed cameras on our major roads.
Sports bike sales have declined as riders find they simply cannot use their bike’s full potential on the roads without losing their licences.
So they are heading bush and still getting their adrenalin fix.
And they’re not just buying big 1200cc behemoths; there is a growing trend toward more useable mid-sized bikes such as the new KTM 790 Adventure.
5 Power wars
High-powered, low-weight sport bikes have suffered the biggest hit in the past decade.
They were simply too much to handle for some.
Now premium manufacturers are once again producing lightweight, powerful motorcycles topping 200hp.
However, they are now equipped with a host of hi-tech rider aids to keep the bikes rubber side down!
You may not like this move toward hi-tech safety aids, but they are at least ensuring there are exciting bikes to ride.
The only concern is that authorities are slowly moving toward making these aids mandatory.
6 Theft
Unfortunately, theft rates have spiralled.
Despite motorcycles becoming more hi-tech, they are still an easy target for thieves.
One of the world’s hotspots for thieves is London where bikes and scooters are stolen simply to commit other offences such as purse and phone snatchings from oblivious pedestrians and tourists.
In Australia, theft rates have escalated, rising almost 15% in the past five years.
The most startling statistic is that 96% of all motorcycles stolen are not fitted with a security device, so it is avoidable.
Bike manufacturers will also have to do more to make bikes secure or victims of motorcycle theft will simply give up and leave!
7 Electric
Almost every week a new start-up launches another electric motorcycle or scooter.
And almost every week some university or tech company announces advances in battery and electric motor technology.
Range is now no longer an issue with up to 400km of charge in the new Energica models. That’s more than most conventional motorcycles.
However, it still takes hours to fully charge from the mains or up to an hour to charge to 80% from a DC fast charger … that’s if you can find one!
And electric motorcycles can be up to double the price of a comparative traditional motorcycle.
But in the next decade we will see prices come down, faster charging batteries and more charging infrastructure support.
There may also be government intervention to entice people on to electric bikes or to ban fossil-fuel bikes.
Sweden is already planning to ban fossil-fuel vehicles by 2030.
The next decade may not another “roaring twenties” so much as a “whooshing twenties” on near-silent electric bikes.
Among the new bikes is a Scrambler Icon Dark the new entry level 803cc model. It will be €800 cheaper which should mean at least $A1000 off the current price of $A13,990.
It features a matt black frame, black engine with polished fin ends, black seat with grey trim and round black mirrors.
Claudio also presented two styling department drawings of a Motard version and a Desert X racer.
Motard Scrambler
He says their styling department was asked to create “something unprecedented but entirely possible”.
The results are these images which have been turned into concepts to be shown at EICMA motorcycle show in Milan on November 4.
The Motard will be based on the 803cc Scrambler.
“This is a bike we are working on right now,” says Claudio, so a production version can’t be far away.
Desert X Scrambler
The Desert X is based on the 1100cc Scrambler and celebrates the 1990 Paris-Dakar Rally victory by Italian rider Edi Orioli on the Ducati-powered Cagiva Elefant. That bike is in now in Ducati’s museum above their Bologna factory.
“We want to build the future without forgetting the past,” Claudio said.
Interestingly, Desert X is the name of a contemporary art exhibition held in the Coachella Valley in Southern California.
While Ducati already has an 803cc Desert Sled which is more off-road capable, the Desert X will be the 1100cc equivalent.
Claudio says Scrambler is now the company’s biggest seller with more than 70,000 sales since launch in 2015.
The production versions of these and other new Scramblers are likely to be announced this time next year.
Ducati unleashes its 2020 model line-up including the Streetfighter V4, more aerodynamic Panigale V4, Scrambler Dark, Multistrada 1260 S Grand Tour, all-red Diavel S and Panigale V2.
There was nothing new for Monster, Supersport or Hypermotard.
Despite talking about the importance of the Panigale V4 and race wins in the MotoGP, WSBK and BSB, boss Claudio Domenicali started his presentation with the launch of three e-bikes.
This stresses the future focus of the company on electric mobility.
The e-bikes are the MIG-RR limited edition on which you can have your name printed on the frame, the MIG-S mountain bike and the e-Scrambler for riding in the city.
Ducati Dark Scrambler cheapest yet
Speaking of Scramblers, which are now the company’s biggest seller with more than 70,000 sales since launch in 2015, Claudio unveiled their cheapest yet, the Scrambler Icon Dark.
IN fact, it will be €800 cheaper than the Icon on which is is based. that means it should be about $A1000 less than the current price of $A13,990 (plus on-road costs).
Like previous Ducati Dark models, it has a blacked out engine and is a cheaper model.
‘It strips away what was not necessary for the product,” Claudio says.
Yet it still features cornering ABS which was introduced last year, plus round rear mirrors and bulb blinkers.
Claudio also showed a future direction for Scrambler with two artist impressions for a Motard version and a Desert X with Dakar Rally styling and powered by the 1100ss engine.
While on the topic of black he also unveiled a Diavel 1260 matt black as well as an all-red 1260 S Red available from February 2020.
Multistrada 1260 S Grand Tour
One of the highlights of the Multistrada 1260 S Grand Tour, according to Claudio, is that it has an electric fuel cap with no need to use your key.
It also comes with new styling features and creature comforts for the long haul.
Claudio says that in the past 16 years they have sold more than 100,00 Multistradas.
Ducati unleashes Panigale V2
Claudio stressed the mid-weight sports bike section with the unveiling of the Panigale V2 in all red.
“You can see how lean and pure this bike is,” he says.
It features a low and short muffler, single sided swingarm and is powered by the V2 Superquadro engine with 115kW at 10,750rpm and 104Nm @ 9000rpm.
It also has the same electronics as the top Panigale, TFT colour dashboard, up and down quickshifter, engine brake control, traction control, ABS cornering control and wheelie control.
“It is the safety package that is the most developed we have in Ducati,” Claudio says.
Among the tech is “DTC Evo 2 with predictive strategy” which apparently regulates revs so you have better stability out of a corner even when aggressive on the throttle.
“It’s the perfect first track bike for young people; a springboard bike,” he says.
Panigale V4
The updated V4 is now lighter and has upgraded aerodynamics with a wider side fairing, wider front fairing, racing screen and winglets.
The result is 30kg of downforce at 270km/h on the front wheel to reduce wheelie tendency and improve high-speed stability.
Claudio then went very techno as he rambled a= on about the “science of speed”, mentioning “higher centre of gravity”, “higher chain force angle” and the “new torque correlation law”.
And hallelujah, it now has softer springs to handle bumpy roads.
Streetfighter V4 and V4S
The highlight was the Streetfighter V4 and V4S which was unleashed the same day as Kawasaki unveiled their Z H2 with 147.1kW of power.
Ducati’s Steetfighter retains the Panigale’s 208hp (155kW), but only weighs 177kg dry.
To control all that power and keep the front wheel on the ground, it has an aero package that creates 28kg of downforce at 270km/h.
They will be available from March 2020 in a “base model” at €19,990 and an S version at €22990.
Ducati’s Scrambler 1100 is expected to have another couple of variants when the company unveils its blitz of 2020 models on 23 October 2019.
The company recently filed documents with the US emission agency for a “Scrambler 1100 Pro” and “Scrambler 1100 Pro Sport”.
They will have the same 1079cc, L-twin motor with 62kW and 88Nm.
Ducati already has a Scrambler 1100 Sport model (pictured above) with Ohlins suspension.
So the “Pro” addition could be off-road models like the 803cc Scrambler Desert Sled with taller suspension and knobby tyres. It could also feature electronic suspension adjustment.
It would be an obvious move to compete with the Triumph Scrambler 1200 with 66.2kW and 110Nm.
Ducati blitz
Ducati is set for a blitz of up to seven new 2020 models and variants in October.
And last month a leaked document from the US Environmental Protection Agency listed the “Multistrada 1260 S Grand Tour” and “Scrambler Icon Dark”.
Since the Multistrada GT will be powered by the 1262cc L-Twin engine as the name suggests, maybe the Multistrada V4 is on hold for another year.
Or they may be considering running two Multi ranges with twin and four-cylinder engines.
We also expect the Grand Tour will have luggage and a bigger windscreen.
As for the 803cc Scrambler Icon Dark, it is likely to have a blackened engine and matte-black paint instead of its iconic yellow.
Whatever their model blitz in October is composed of, every model will have blind spot warning and adaptive cruise control, as they announced in April 2018.
Ducati is tipped to unveil its 2020 models on 23 October 2019 with a Streetfighter V4, Multistrada V4, Multistrada S GT and a Scrambler Icon Dark added to its ranges.
And now a leaked document from the US Environmental Protection Agency lists the “Multistrada 1260 S Grand Tour” and “Scrambler Icon Dark”.
Since the Multistrada GT will be powered by the 1262cc L-Twin engine as the name suggests, maybe the Multistrada V4 is on hold for another year.
Or they may be considering running two Multi ranges with twin and four-cylinder engines.
We also expect the Grand Tour will have luggage and a bigger windscreen.
As for the 803cc Scrambler Icon Dark, it is likely to have a blackened engine and matte-black paint instead of its iconic yellow.
Whatever they release in October, Ducati announced in April 2018 that every model in their 2020 range will have blind spot warning and adaptive cruise control.