Pardon me for going on about electric once more, but here’s one we should really give another shout. The Energica Ego is a fab electric bike.
Although it’s been around for about 3-years, the sparky machine is a fine contender for this, as-yet unexploited Oscar.
The distributor network in the UK is held together by just one Italian dealership; Moto Corsa in Gillingham, Dorset (No, not Kent, before you head saaaff-east) which has looked into this interesting future.
An impressive pedigree
Birthed in Modena, Italy (massive cred) by CRP Group, suppliers to F1 motorsports and aerospace industries, the bike is an excellent contender for best electric sports bike.
At first glance it sits comfortably with its petrol peers in some well-crafted bodywork that wraps around a Ducati-style triangulated frame.
This is no styling exercise, a very competent team of experts put their brains together to make sure this bike delivers the bacon as well as the looks.
Check out this list of components which make up its impressive physique. Brembo brakes, Marchesini forged aluminium wheels, Pirelli Diablo Rosso II tyres, Ohlin rear springs and Marzocchi forks, an alloy box swing arm and a sturdy but lightweight steel frame… Nothing to be shy about here.
Instant power
To Although the Ego is full of battery it’s no slouch either. The electric heart of the beast is a synchronous permanent magnet oil-cooled motor with 136bhp on tap, along with an instant torque figure of 195Nm (almost 50% more than the Ducati 1199 Panigale R).
It accelerates to 60 mph Starship Enterprise time of just 3 seconds – accompanied by a screaming whine from its straight-cut final gears and with no gear changes to worry about and constant peak torque, the speed-limited 150 mph turns up faster than you can whistle Yankee-doodle-dandy.
Muscle comes in heavy helpings
The only negative of course is the battery, as there’s quite a bit of it – sorely needed for the range which is around the 130-mile mark if you take it easy.
Obviously night-time riding shaves a bit off that as does hammering it down the fast lane where 70-80 miles or so is more probable. But the riding style switch can be flipped into four different regeneration modes to top up those cells.
However, recharge time is a sparky half an hour for an 85% top-up, plenty of time for burger and chips and a quick stretch.
What’s it like on the road?
You do have to plan a little as doing dot-to-dot with the recharge points in the more remote parts of the country may limit your exploration of the more twisty roads – like Scotland and Wales.
Charge points are spreading quickly so this may be irrelevant soon.
Some comment that the bike handles like the muscle bikes of the 80s, but feelings of mass soon disappear as you move to the open road.
Long sweeping bends suit this bike to a tee and the lack of gearchanges make it easy for you to pick a good line and power it through, especially in the wet when you don’t have to worry about that powerband kicking the arse out. Nice and smooth, dial in what you want.
Shoehorning into parking spaces though is a breeze as the bike can be shunted back and forth at a snick of a switch; best thing ever, especially if you’re trying to park on a hill.
Good looks from Italy come as standard
Catch me if you can
With that extra weight up front you’ll also find that everything stays glued down even when you wind-on the power – reassuring for those who are not so confident with wheelies on those perky 4-strokes.
And if you’re being taunted at the lights, fear not, there’s precious little of the 4-wheel variety that could even see your number plate after 20 or 30 yards.
Yep, we like it. This is a bit of the future that’s arrived at the party early, setting the bar high for the dancing that follows. 3-years in and this bike is holding its own, so it’s just the price tag that probably holds back your wallet.
Pros and cons
Granted its price tag’s a bit on the sharp side at £25k but you do get a £1500 kickback for just being green plus, don’t forget the recharge costs next to nowt saving you up to £5k over 3 years and servicing should be almost negligible.
Prices may come down (see Tesla) and the battery packs will get tweaked for more range and recharge-cycles as the tech improves, making this bike a better long-term investment.
As traditional fuel creeps up in price you may find the electric tipping-point arrives much sooner than the suits predicted. I suspect that Energica may have taken the lead in more ways than one.