It’s a surprise to no one that electric motorcycles are here, and they’re here to stay. Apart from reshaping the urban mobility landscape, it turns out that electric motorbikes are really good for off-road use, too. For one thing, they have lots of torque. On top of that, they’re silent, so they don’t rattle residential areas. They’re also less likely to start fires as there are no flames shooting out the exhaust to worry about.
Recent years have brought forth quite a wide selection of off-road-focused electric motorcycles, and at this year’s EICMA, Chinese manufacturer QJ Motor released not one, but two electric off-roaders. Both of these bikes are lightweight off-road specific bikes that are meant to offer an engaging ride on off-road terrain. The first of which is the oddly named OWO, an electric dirtbike that clearly takes inspiration from gasoline-powered enduro machines. It boasts angular bodywork and clean lines all wrapped up in a colorway that will have you second-guessing if what you’re looking at is a Husqvarna.
On the performance side of the spectrum, the QJ Motor OWO is equipped with a mid-mounted permanent magnet synchronous motor. It dishes out five kilowatts of power, or about 6.7 horsepower, making it equivalent in performance to a small 50cc off-roader. It’s important to note, however, that electric motors have instantaneous torque available from the instant you twist the throttle, so my guess is that the OWO will feel much more powerful than the spec sheet suggests. Indeed, QJ Motor says that it has a top speed of 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour).
As for the battery, it’s equipped with a 72-volt, 60-ampere-hour battery pack that should provide several hours of off-road fun. Up front, the bike is suspended by an inverted front fork, while at the back, a monoshock with preload adjustability handles suspension duties. The bike rolls on a traditional enduro setup with a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheel combo. It also comes to a stop with front and rear disc brakes. Seat height measures in at a rather approachable 895 millimeters (35.2 inches), while a respectable ground clearance of 566mm (22.2 inches) is provided. Overall, the OWO tips the scales at a fairly lightweight 135 kilograms (297 pounds).
Meanwhile, for those looking for a much less serious machine for some off-road fun, QJ Motor has also introduced the Q2. Similar in ethos to the likes of the Cake Kalk, the Q2 is a cross between a dirtbike and mountain bike in that it features geometry much more similar to that of its pedal-powered counterparts. Mounted in the middle of the frame is an air-cooled electric motor with 3,000 watts (about four ponies). According to QJ Motor, the bike has a top speed of 45 kilometers per hour (28 miles per hour), so yes, it performs more like an e-bike than an outright electric motorbike.
A 60-volt, 32-ampere-hour battery pack supplies the juice to the motor, promising a range of about 120 kilometers (75 miles) on a single charge. As for the components, the bike rolls in 19-inch wheels front and rear, and is equipped with a standard telescopic fork up front and a linkage-type monoshock at the rear. Stopping power comes from a set of hydraulic disc brakes, while a more approachable seat height of 815mm (32 inches) means that this thing can easily be ridden by shorter folks. Best of all, it tips the scales at just 66 kilograms (146 pounds).
