We liked Maeving’s eye-catching RM1 electric motorcycle when we rode it in London a while ago. It seemed to have it all; great looks, nippy acceleration, no tailpipe emissions and it was very easy to ride indeed.
There was just one problem. While the £4,995 was adept at town work, a top speed of 45mph meant that owners couldn’t venture far from central London, where speeds of 50mph or more are commonplace.
Now, some months after announcing the imminent arrival of a faster version, the RM1S, it is on sale and offers a much more practical proposition for riders who need, now and again, to venture beyond the confines of The Big Smoke.
Costing substantially more, at £7,495, the newcomer has a top speed of 70mph, opening up the possibility - with its claimed range of up to 80 miles - of a trip to, say, Brighton (if you don’t mind charging while you’re there), or a round trip from central London to Luton or Maidstone and back (if you’re not afraid of a little range anxiety....).
For the latest machine, Maeving has changed the battery layout. Whereas previously one of the two batteries was stored in the dummy ‘petrol tank’, that area is instead - usefully - freed up for a generous amount of lockable storage, with the two batteries now slung lower down in the frame. This adds the benefit of a lower centre of gravity, and the batteries can be charged (by plugging into a domestic three-pin socket) in situ or taken inside.
Peak power from the motor has gone up from around six bhp in the RM1 to 14.8 bhp in the RM1S, and while the weight of the machine has increased from 123kgs to 141kgs, it still feels lightweight and nicely balanced. In fact it’s light enough to push and shove around - for instance into a parking space or garage - with little effort.
Easy rider
Just like the RM1, the S model feels at home in the city, as befits a machine that is the equivalent of a 125cc. It is still very easy to ride, with handlebar brake levers for the front and rear brakes, effortless handling and no gear-changing as it is, in effect, an automatic. It’s low-slung too; even shorter riders should be able to get their feet flat on the floor, adding to that feeling of confidence in traffic.
The RM1S pulls away from a standstill very smartly and accelerates well, easily keeping up with London traffic. There are three riding modes - Eco, Sport and Drive - all selectable on the move with a handlebar control, with Sport feeling best (to me at least) for the cut and thrust of city riding.
Importantly - given the price tag - build quality feels high. Maeving has clearly focused on producing nicely turned-out components such as the milled footpegs, stylish analogue speedo, sleek carbon mudguards and nicely applied decals, while the paint finish - and casting of the battery casings - appear impeccable.
The brakes work very well too. The right-hand lever works conventionally on the front wheel, while the left-hand one works the rear brake, but is also linked to the front wheel. It sends 60 per cent of power to the back, the rest to the front, as with some larger motorcycles. There is, however, no antilock braking.
Interestingly, there’s no regenerative braking on the Maeving either, so it won’t charge itself up as you ride along, as is the case with some other electrically propelled bikes, and most EV cars.
Basic instinct
My main quibble was with the suspension, which feels basic when it encounters London’s patchy, broken road surfaces, delivering a jolt to the rider. On the subject of comfort, however, the riding position feels instinctively right, and reasonably spacious, belying the compact appearance of the RM1S.
On a longer run out of London - when I rode for over three hours - I found the attractive diamond-stitched solo seat too hard; it looks great but needs to be softer, which might also help with those jolts over potholes. Riders who mostly stick to city roads and shorter trips might not mind and it’s worth noting that softening up the shocks’ damping at the rear should improve matters to a degree.
So does it really do 70mph? Yes. Just. Although there’s nothing in reserve once you reach that point. On swooping A and B roads it felt perfectly capable.
I enjoyed a run out from London into Kent on the new Maeving. It handled confidently and - suspension apart - felt sufficiently refined and responsive. The smooth hub-mounted motor enabled it to keep pace with traffic out on bigger roads. This handsome, retro-styled bike always attracts attention when parked up too, a mixed blessing if you’re in a hurry.
The Facts
Maeving RM1S from £7,495
Top speed: 70 mph
Claimed range: 80 miles
Licence requirement: CBT and Provisional
Weight: 141 kgs
Claimed recharging time: from 20 - 100 per cent in four hours, 0-100 per cent six hours.
Seat height: 785 mm
Two Wheels For Life
Looking for last-minute gifts for the biker in your life? Take a look at charity ‘Two Wheels For Life’ which, for over three decades, has worked with the motorcycle community to ensure that healthcare reaches those in the poorest and most remote parts of Africa.
The official charity of MotoGP runs auctions and events with the sport’s organisers, riders and teams. Its programmes operate in four African countries; The Gambia, Nigeria, Malawi and Lesotho. Delivered by sister organisation Riders for Health (Riders), it’s all about ensuring that vital motorcycles and other vehicles run reliably day in, day out, delivering healthcare to where it’s needed most.
The projects enable health workers to reach villages to care for babies, children and the elderly, while test results can be taken to labs and returned swiftly for quick diagnosis of diseases....all by motorcycle.
So where’s Christmas come into it? The charity has a range of bike-themed gifts for sale, with proceeds keeping the charity going. You can choose from specially designed Christmas cards, MotoGP experiences, stickers, T-shirts, great woolly biking socks, scarves, hoodies and more. Find out more at shop.twowheelsforlife.org
