Despite a number of electric motorcycles already available in many Western countries, the uptake of electric motorcycles is not as strong as some commentators had hoped. However this is not the case in all markets.
Electric scooters in China have exploded in popularity, yet it seems that in countries like Australia, Europe and North America there is still hesitation surrounding the electric motorcycle.
If the reason behind the shortage of love for electric motorcycles is due to a lack of brand recognition, then perhaps American company Roehr Motors has found a golden chalice of sorts - simply take an existing, reliable and recognisable motorcycle and retrofit it with an electric powertrain.
The motorcycle in question is the Hyosung GT650R, which has been gutted, and it's V-twin innards replaced with an electric power plant. The Roehr eSuperSport is only available in the USA for the time being, priced at a not insignificant $17,995, but the bike's vital statistics make for interesting reading.
Roehr is touting the eSuperSport as the best performance e-bike available to the public, outputting 50kW (67hp) of power via its AC induction motor and a very impressive 108Nm of torque. The latter figure would no doubt give the bike a huge amount of pull, and Roehr claims a top speed of around 160km/h.
Started in 2008 by Walter Roehrich, Roehr Motorcycles LLC is a niche player in the US market, but the eSuperSport is the company's third model (after the eSuperBike and 1250sc) suggesting that business is at least steady.
The most asked question when it comes to electric bikes is range - how far can a rider get before he has to recharge the battery? In the case of the Roehr eSuperSport, it's around 120km, which is slightly above the average for modern day e-bikes.
Fitted with a lithium 'LiFePO4' battery pack that has a 7.7kWh capacity, the eSuperSport can be fully recharged in a maximum of seven hours.
Based on a Hyosung 650cc sports bike, this particular electric motorcycle features 41mm upside down forks with adjustable rebound and compression damping, while the rear single shock has adjustable preload damping.
When it came down to it, would you be more likely to consider an electric motorcycle built from scratch like the Zero DS, or something like the Roehr eSuperSport, a modern day motorcycle retrofitted with an electric heart? Let us know in the comments below...
ROEHR eSUPERSPORT SPECS
Motor
Type: AC Induction
Power: 50Kw (67Hp) peak
Torque: 80 lb/ft
Battery
Type: LiFePO4 high discharge cylindrical cell
Voltage/Ah: 96V (nominal) / 80Ah
Amperage: 650 amps (peak)
Capacity: 7.7 Kwh
Charging: 1000 watt on-board
Recharge time: 7 hours
Management: LVC, HVC, shunt balancing
Performance
Top speed: 160+ km/h
Average range: 120km
Chassis
Frame: Twin oval tube steel beam frame
Front suspension: 41mm inverted, adjustable rebound and compression dampening
Rear suspension: Single shock with rising rate linkage, adjustable for preload.
Front brakes: Twin 300mm discs with four-piston calipers
Rear brakes: Single disc with two-piston caliper
Tyres front/rear: 120/60-17, 160/60-17 Bridgestone
MSRP
$17,995
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