One thing has always bothered me about the bulk of electric motorcycles on the market today: they’re often oh so expensive. For example, I wrote about a crazy startup that really thinks you’ll spend $20,000 on your first motorcycle. That’s a lot for any motorcycle, but it’s especially nuts for a beginner bike.
And so, it’s refreshing to find an electric motorcycle that isn’t a big middle finger to your wallet, like the new Ryvid Outset. It hangs a tag for just $5,995 off its handlebar, and for that price you do get surprisingly useful range, and even better, it’s from a company that’s actually building bikes rather than just talking about doing it.
If Ryvid sounds familiar to you, it’s because I wrote about the company back in summer 2022 before it began production of its launch motorcycle, the Anthem. So many startup companies fail to launch and end up as another chapter in the book of vaporware. However, to Ryvid’s credit, it has been shipping motorcycles since September 2023. Apparently, Ryvid is doing well enough that it needed to move to a new production facility in San Bernardino. It also began the development of a new model. That new model was finally unveiled at the tail end of April as the Outset, an even more affordable electric motorcycle from a company with good ideas.
Before I continue, I’ll show you where the company sits now.
The Ryvid Anthem (below) is one of those electric motorcycles that stand so far out that some thought there was no way it would have entered production. The team at Ryvid engineered the Anthem to have a folded stainless steel chassis that weighs just 12 pounds.
The chassis looks like metal origami and it gives the Anthem its killer looks and light 313 weight. But that bike is more than just a frame as Ryvid saddles the motorcycle with an easily removable wheeled battery plus a unique system that allows a rider to electronically adjust their seat between 30 and 34 inches on the fly.
I may be underselling how cool that seat adjustment function is. Riders with shorter legs sometimes can’t put both feet down at a red light. Instead, they do what I do and put one foot down and have the other on the rear brake. The Ryvid Anthem’s electric seat adjustment allows you to have a tall motorcycle when you’re riding but a shorter one when you’re stopped. Harley-Davidson also has a trick seat like this with its Pan America and I hope other motorcycle manufacturers catch on.
Back when I wrote about the Anthem in 2022, Ryvid advertised a price of $7,800. It launched with a higher $8,995 price. Now, they’re $6,495. The Anthem started more expensive than promised like so many vehicles, but is now the rare exception of beating expectations. Reviews suggest the Anthem is a good ride, too, so it’s not just all show.
Now, Ryvid is coming out with its second model. It’s not as tricked out at the Anthem, but it trades techno-wizardry for an even lower price. I’m all for even cheaper ways to get on two wheels, so let’s take a look.
Right From The Outset
The Outset made its debut on April 19 at the 1 Motorcycle Show. However, Ryvid didn’t make a press release or publish any images of the motorcycle. So, if you weren’t at the 1 Motorcycle Show or didn’t follow Ryvid’s YouTube channel you had no idea the company had a new motorcycle. Ryvid has finally published press materials for this motorcycle so people like me can tell you about it!
A lot of what you’re going to see with the Outset came straight from the Anthem. That includes the folded 316 stainless steel chassis that weighs around 12 pounds and the removable 4.3 kWh lithium battery on wheels. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course. Sharing parts helps keep costs down! That chassis is riveted and fastened together without any welding. This not only looks sweet but reduces complexity. It should also make the bikes a bit more repairable.
That 65-pound battery has an integrated 3.3Kw charger, which is capable of getting the battery from dead to 80 percent in 2.3 hours. A charge to 100 percent will take you 3.25 hours. That’s on 110V. If you have access to 220V or a Level 2 public charger, times drop to 1.3 hours and 1.85 hours, respectively.
Out of the other end, you get an electric motorcycle offering up to 70 miles of range. That figure assumes you’ll be riding in a city. If you hit country backroads, the kinds with 55 mph speed limits plus, you can expect a range of around 57 miles if you include some stopping in there. If you’re riding that 55 mph constantly, you’ll drain the pack in 46 miles.
I would stay away from the interstate, but if you must, you should know you’ll be guzzling that small battery down. Range drops down to 35 miles of constant riding. If you have some stop-and-go traffic to battle, Ryvid says you should get around 48 miles on the interstate. These calculations also assume the rider weighs 150 pounds, is wearing 10 pounds of gear, and the coefficient of drag of the bike and rider equal 0.7. So, your mileage will vary.
All of this power routes into a swingarm-mounted 72V air-cooled brushless motor. It produces 10 HP with a peak punch of 20 HP. Torque output is 53 lb-ft and top speed is advertised to be 75 mph or better depending on rider and conditions.
At first, the Outset sounds like an Anthem with a new name, but here’s where the two machines divert. The Anthem was designed to be a pure city machine while the Outset is like many recent electric motorcycles in that it blends city performance with some off-road traits.
For starters, Ryvid got rid of the trick seat adjustment system, leaving you with a static 33-inch seat. That might be too high for many riders, but Ryvid believes the motorcycle’s narrow body will make up for it. In addition to the seat change, the Outset has a different headlight, mirrors, and wider handlebar. A highlight difference is the fully adjustable suspension, which is now two inches taller than the Anthem’s. A result of all of this is a more upright riding position than the Anthem, which also meant moving the footpegs forward and giving the Outset a longer sidestand to compensate for the taller ride. Ryvid says these changes, as well as having fewer body panels, is why the Outset has an even more affordable price than the Anthem does.
Affordable Fun
Ryvid hasn’t published ground clearance just yet, but the Anthem sits 7.5 inches off of the ground. From the sounds of the changes here, the Outset likely gives you over 9 inches of ground clearance to play with. Sadly, you don’t get any real protection for that battery, so the Outset is best for the dirt and not anything too hardcore. There are no off-road modes either, but you do get an Eco mode, a Sport mode, regenerative braking, and a handy reverse mode.
Oh, and did I say the batteries are swappable between Ryvid products? If you bought an Anthem and now want an Outset, you can just buy the “sled” and have both bikes powered by the same battery. Ryvid says the Outset begins shipping this summer, so you bet I’m going to try to ride both it and its Anthem sibling.
Really, it sounds like the Outset is most of what you get with the Anthem, but shod in Dunlop Mutant tires and able to play in the dirt after you escape the office on a Friday afternoon. The best part is still the price. $5,995 makes the Outset not just one of the more affordable electric motorcycles out there, but places it among a list of bikes you can buy without going broke. I’m always a champion of cheaper ways to go motorcycling, so I’m all for that.
I really like the removable battery, as long as it can be done quickly without tools, it’s great for folks who don’t have home charging available, you can park the bike and take the battery inside to charge from a regular outlet.
This checks every box for a sweet but practical e-moto: Just big enough for comfort, enough battery for commuting and errands, enough power for freeway jaunts, L2 charging, easily removable battery for apartment/office charging.
And what a price!
(And yes, Mister “I ride 1000 miles a day” I am already aware that this isn’t for you.)
Are the wheels smaller than normal, like 15-16″? I think it looks both squished and pregnant.
Kind of like the new Sportster S powered by a battery/motor that looks like the rotary in the Hercules/DKW W-2000. Nice that prices are coming down to reality, but for a dirt-roader I think a Surron or adding electric power to an existing mountain bike is the right choice.
driving for one hour and then needing to charge for two hours seems like a huge waste of $6,000. I’m all for EVs but at that point i would rather just use gas.
This bike is for people who will ride for an hour and then be at their destination for several. For example, commuting. It seems aimed at those considering a bike for transportation more so than a weekend toy. That’s not really a thing in the Midwest, but maybe in SoCal, where the weather is good and parking is scarce, it’ll find more buyers.
Small manufacturers are still hashing out what an electric motorcycle is supposed to be, and a what price the market will bear for various design choices. I think that in the long run, the major bike manufacturers are letting these smaller companies do their market research and analysis for them, and when the dust settles, Honda, et al will know exactly what to build and how to price it, and these small companies will mostly vanish, because they can’t be competitive with the economics of scale that Honda, etc can. It’s a smart move by the big companies.
For me, the magic number is 55. Sell me an e-motorcycle that will go 55mph for 55 miles, for $5500 – and make it comfortable for commuting – and I’m in.
I think you’re right on the money. Might end up like what is happening with EV’s though where they wait too long and get bowled over by the Chinese manufacturers
All the adventurous suburb kids in Los Angeles/Orange County/Ventura have figured out how to get their hands on grey market Surrons and Talarias. I ride mountain bikes and come across them all the time while night riding on my mountain bike.
It’s only a matter of time before those brands start building street certified stuff.
If Surron could put a plate on their Ultra or Storm Bee they’d be just about there. Or maybe the Stark Vaarg.
The only mainstream coverage of Surron was from Fortnine and they’re like 99% of all e-motos I see in the real world. But all these here-today-gone-tomorrow bike brands get 99% of the coverage on the internet, it’s hilarious. Remember the Cake Kalk (stupid name, eye-rolling buzzword salad PR, seen in the real world: 0), that Maeving Cafe racer thing (seen:0), or the Metacycle (when “meta” was all the rage before AI took over)?
My vet in Colorado had a Cake. He was sheepish about the price but seemed to love it. That’s the only one I ever saw. Metacycle looked to be trash once the reviewers were getting them, and I have never heard of the Maeving I don’t think.
the bike looks pregnant
She’s about to pop put a sidecar!
Swappable you say? Any idea how much extra batteries and a standalone charger might run?
$3995. At that price I think I’d just pay a bit more for another whole motorcycle
The ability to swap it out is nice, but the real upside here is that you can park the bike and wheel the battery into whatever building you’ve arrived at to charge inside. It does sound quite nice to be able to charge by my desk at work. At that point charge time doesn’t matter, I’ll be there for 8 hours anyway.
This is an appealing price / performance ratio. We are planning to downsize to a one car family and I’ve been looking for an electric motorcycle as the 2nd vehicle for zipping around town. Want something that can easily keep up with cars up to 40 mph (so not an electric bicycle) and I haven’t been able to find anything at a reasonable price.
oh I like the idea of this.
Other outlets say the seat is very uncomfortable and the range is wildly optimistic. Other than that it’s a fine EV bike I guess. For the price I would prefer a E-bicycle for around town jaunts, and a used SV-650 for longer rides.
This is probably the most serious (consistent) editorial issue I have with The Autopian.
I love this place and value the range of perspectives we get, but the unchecked optimism starts getting into delusion sometimes. DT saying the Ocean is “not that bad,” describing several hardware and build quality issues, then trying to bundle it up with “but they can fix it OTA” rubbed me the wrong way. This motorcycle is uncritically cited as a value, and the already terrible official range numbers are worse IRL.
I read and use this site a lot to deepen and develop my perspective, but when I share articles to my two-wheel curious gf, I always plonk an asterisk on them. I’m not asking for negativity, but at least a healthy dose of realism; as journalists, be critical. Please.
There’s a lot of colorful reblogging and often not enough critical dialog
That is a fair criticism, Mechjaz! I will be sure to work on improving that.
That said, I stand by my comments on the price. The sad fact is that you’re not getting good range unless you’re spending $20,000 or more and even then it’s still not great. As I’ve written numerous times now, the $20k Zero outside of my apartment will go over 100 miles on a charge only if you avoid the highway.
Arguably, electric motorcycles currently do not make sense for most American motorcyclists. And these cheaper ones are strictly city rides. However, if you really want to ride electric, I do like the fact that there are cheaper options, even if the range isn’t good.
But I will work on illustrating downsides more often and I apologize that I hadn’t before. Cheats is right that reviewers, namely RevZilla, have said that the Anthem has a rock-hard seat and didn’t hit the advertised range. The Outset is not in production yet, but the two are similar enough that the range should be similar.
One: huge thanks for taking and addressing my feedback. I hope I gave it (mostly) well.
Two: use case and range: my gf, who knows little about bikes besides “pretty, would ride” and “not pretty, would not ride” said exactly the same thing. I was excited cause she’s 5′ even and literally could not ride at a recent MSF, so seat lowering trickery is very much up her alley. But she was like… “It seems like a slightly fast scooter in the shape of a bike? Am I missing something?” I read that $20k “beginner” bike post and your Zero review/updates. It seems to me like electric bikes have a lot to catch up to in terms of the market they’re saying they serve.
It’s baffling to me that both the metacycle and this are using crappy dirtbike seats. Surely there’s a cheap scooter seat they could have bought in bulk and repurposed. Feels like they made their decision 100% based on looks (and maybe some very marginal aerodynamic efficiencies).
You’re baffled that something on the metacycle is crappy?
With startup companies promising affordable electric motorcycles, I go by “fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, okay that time doesn’t count.”
I actually had one of the first Metacycle reservations. When they asked me to purchase the bike before I had a shipping date, I asked for my money back. They at least had the decency to proudly wave their red flags lol
Neat bike. What do you think I could get if I did sell a kidney?
Dialysis
How fast does that go?
300-400 mL per minute. A dialysis pump has a lot lower horsepower, too. Seems like a ripoff.
I like this bike and the price. I like that I could get a second battery if needed.