Not seen these being discussed here.... http://www.ubcobikes.com/us/ Not sure if they are classified as a bicycle or a motorcycle? One pick shows a plate so I assume a motorcycle. Being a 2x2 is interesting. Probably could go just about anywhere. Not sure on specs but I have a feeling its limited as in under 60 mile range but maybe better. Selling price at $6,999 is not bad if specs can deliver. Reminds me of a motorcycle version of a Ruckus! A dealer in the area has them listed on its website but no idea if they actually have them or not!
Looks great (and definitely not a bicycle). I think integrating motors into the wheels is pretty smart, though it might make for sluggish handling.
Found some specs for it... The 2018 model is a dual sport so legal to be licensed on the road. The 2017 model is dirt only. Andrew above is correct and its classified as a motorcycle! Range is said to be 75 miles. However this can very greatly depending on actual use. Top speed is listed as 30 mph. Not fast but plenty for this bikes intended use. According to the manufacture you get more efficiency from the twin motors vs a single motor. Not heard of that but it makes sense. Weight is 168 lbs so very light. I think its cool but the top speed is severely limiting for any commute work. Not really much point ever taking it on road unless you live in a residential neighborhood with 25 to 30 mph speed limits and you want to visit the nearby park. For rugged dirt work it should work very well.
From the link you posted. "Road registerable", "30 MPH", "75 miles range", "6 hour charge time". Looks like fun around the farm, but very expensive play bike. Primitive suspension. I'll pass.
Interesting! I'd love to take one for a test ride and see what it can do. I don't need (or want) a high performance "racing dirbike" but I'd like enough power to ride it up very steep terrain. Interesting. Would be neat to see one in person.
I agree with you, given that the obvious intent of the bike is utilitarian, not performance. You'll get there, even if 'there' is up in a tree. You just won't get there quickly if the path is challenging. This is more e-Rokon than e-enduro. Years ago I sent a resume to Christini to see if they had any engineering openings. I mentioned that I have a strong background in EVs, thinking that it's only a matter of time before the military wants a very rapid, utterly silent 2x2 dirt bike, and Christini's approach is well suited to that. After a little thought I realized you could integrate the front motor into the steering head and use much of the standard Christini front drivetrain unchanged. Much cleaner packaging than the ICE version. Not only that, you would have full-time 2 wheel drive, not the only-when-the-rear-wheel-is-spinning system they have now. And rather than the fixed speed ratio that allows the front to kick in at a set amount of rear wheel overspeed (via drive sprocket ratio), you could dial in your front/rear balance on the fly. Overall a major improvement over Christini's current system. brgsprint mentioned "primitive suspension", but is it really? The oversize bicycle-like (no upper triple clamp) telescopic fork is probably plenty stout and plenty capable for the 30 mph max speed listed. The rear swingarm looks both crude with its dual direct-mount shocks and thoroughly wonkers with that strange high pivot point. But think about it for a minute - the high pivot point that would wreak havoc with a chain drive doesn't have that disadvantage here, and actually creates a very progressive rising rate with those direct-mount shocks. And when landing hard it extends the wheelbase to make your landing more stable. Simple, clever and effective is a difficult combination to pull off in engineering design. Not saying this would work out as well at higher speeds, but it's a great solution for a low-speed go-anywhere vehicle like this. I'm impressed. If I had a need for this type of vehicle I'd be dialing them up. If/when Ubco makes a higher-performance 2x2 (i.e. without hub motors) it will likely deserve our attention.
I saw one running a campground a couple of weeks ago. It looks like it would be a fun but rather expensive toy. They are pretty small.
Limited time promo from Ubco: http://www.ubcobikes.com/us/double-power-promo/ Get a second battery valued at $1999 for free if: T&C’s: Promotional period is November 12th – November 30th, 2018 Promotion is only open to US residents An UBCO 2×2 must be purchased during the promotional period in order to receive the free battery The 2×2 purchased must be a new 2018 model, and excludes ex-display or demo bikes, used stock and trade-ins Only the first 15 people to purchase during the promotional period will receive a second battery This offer is not to be used in conjunction with any other offer or promotion
More on this interesting bike - it's origins and target market, etc. https://www.revzilla.com/common-tre...1/05/2018_CT&utm_term=Common Tread | Combined
I visited the NZ UBCO factory last week and took a spin in a trail park with the firm’s CEO and his mate. Both are or were MTB racers and you can see some MTB influence in the design. I can confirm what the Demo Bike sticker says: ’I am certified to put a smile on your face’. According to the specs it puts out less power than an ICE moped (2.4kw) but has 20 more torques than a Husky 701. It won't pull like a 701 of course, but all that torque is delivered from 1 rpm onwards, so the front wheel commonly spins as you pull away on loose dirt. We set off along an overgrown MTB trail and, as you’d expect, the tiny thing is effortless to ride. No clutch or gears, quality hydraulic MTB brakes, light and low CoG and seat. Chunky and spikey footpegs. It all means you can concentrate fully on fern-dodging and where to put the front wheel. Even with my weight, the suspension felt well suited to the bike’s speed potential. I wasn’t really dressed to test it to the limits and tbh, I can’t say I noticed the 2WD. Just like pressing on air with my right foot to brake, it probably takes a while to believe and then exploit the front end’s drive. The steering had no ’weighting’ effect or sluggish handling that I could tell; if anything, quite the opposite. Partly perhaps because the trials pattern tyres were at road pressures, but they never slipped, so maybe the 2WD works unobtrusively, same as on road cars. And as you can see, the motors aren’t fazed by water crossings. Standing up was a bit of a crouch for me – the bars are way too low – but it's so light that bracing legs on the saddle (like an MTB) works well enough. Sitting down, my bare knees banged about on the frame rails. With the modest power it can only do 1:4 climbs; it doesn’t take much to find the throttle pinned, but it keeps going. And if it 'stalled', it’s dead easy to hop off and push. And no, on the road it won’t be more efficient in 1WD (like old-school 4x4s could be) - the small motors are tuned to work most efficiently together. The sort of spirited riding we were doing would give about 40 miles range which would be a pretty full day on that track. The dash info is basic but you can change or monitor various things with a smartphone and the app. This is the first road-registered model for export markets meeting many various onerous regs. They’re also planning a stripped-out field bike (like the 2015 original) and also a more sophisticated version of the current road bike with quicker charging and traction control (the technology which some say, nixed the development of 2WD on road bikes). When you think of all the mechanical or hydraulic 2WD contraptions over the years, hub motors are definitely the most elegant way of doing it. Ask Nasa. Clearly it won’t make an autonomous travel bike. But, visualising a sunshine-powered, off-road coast-to-coast of Ozzie, I asked would the necessary 400-w solar panel (about 9’ x 4’, so a trailer needed) keep it running undefinitely? No. A battery can’t be charged and discharged at the same time, but a spare battery could be charged. Broome to Adelaide at 30mph max would sure give you plenty of time to get a nice sun tan ;-) I’ve always liked the rugged functionality of cheap ag (farm) bikes, but they’re crude, 80s-tech mules. Even without the 2WD element, the UBCO is a cool-looking utility, and in the right setting is a great way of nipping around without frightening the horses. Longer version on my website later.
I came across this bike recently and loved it. I understand the Kiwi company came from the view point of manufacturing an electric ag type of bike for the mid-sized dairy farms and urban commuting. I love they made a road legal version here in the US but two things would stop me from buying one - the limited top speed to 28-30 mph and the MSRP of $6,999. To ride anywhere here outside of a large city you need to be able to do 45 mph to keep up with traffic (i.e. not dangerously slower) on the back roads. So to make this bike make sense you either need to increase the speed or understand you're taking it in the back a of a truck or trailer to get to the good stuff. Then at the cost you can still get A LOT of motorcycle for $7K - I don't think UBCO and other electric bike models are there just yet.. But in the next ten years....
