The electric motorcycle market is growing at a blistering pace, especially in Europe, where the market is accelerated by two main factors. On the one hand, government incentives for manufacturers and consumers going electric sweeten the deal. On the other hand, the beginner market is the perfect proving ground for new electric motorcycle tech.
Take, for example, the new SR8 electric sportbike from French brand Rider. A premium spinoff brand of electric two-wheeler distributor Go2roues, Rider has beginner riders in its crosshairs with the SR8, which is a 125cc equivalent machine. However, its price tag is anything but beginner-friendly. At 9,249 Euros, which translates to about $9,988 USD, the SR8 is anything but cheap, and you could go out and get yourself quite a high-end gasoline powered machine for that chunk of change. Nevertheless, according to Rider, this is the price to pay for an electric sportbike of this caliber. So, what do you get in exchange for your money?
Well, as for performance, it really isn’t much. As mentioned, it’s a 125cc equivalent sportbike, so it can’t make more than 15 horsepower, according to rules and regulations pertaining to beginner motorcycles. In reality, the SR8’s electric motor churns out a maximum output of 11 kilowatts, which is around 14.7 horsepower. It’ll surely feel much faster than a gas-powered machine, as it has all its torque on tap—103.6 lb-ft—the moment you twist your wrist. According to Rider, the SR8 has a top speed of 93 miles per hour.
As for the battery, the SR8 is packing a 7.2 kilowatt-hour battery pack with a rather lackluster claimed range figure of 75 miles. Indeed, if you’re spirited with the throttle, don’t expect to get anywhere close to that number. Even worse, it doesn’t feature any groundbreaking fast-charging tech, with a charge time of five-and-a-half hours in public charging stations, or 10 hours on a standard household socket.
