A new electric motorcycle is soon going to prowl the streets of American cities. The Maeving RM1S will be coming from Britain promising a 65 mph top speed and 80 miles of range likely for a price under $10,000. Its mix of board-tracker and café-racer styling is stunning, but what’s really neat about this motorcycle is its simplicity, where what you see is what you get.
Watching automakers carve out new designs with electric cars has been exciting, but I think what’s really awesome is seeing what motorcycle producers have been able to cook up. There have been countless electric motorcycle designs coming out in recent years and so many of them do things a bit differently. In our own coverage, we’ve written about dirt-cheap electric motorcycles for Africa, a motorcycle with a see-through hubless rear wheel, Erik Buell’s latest creation, and even Can-Am is getting back into the motorcycle game after more than 30 years.
A lot of these designs have been complex, sometimes overwrought, and arguably not always well thought out. Electric motorcycles are perfect for people who live in apartments and may not be able to charge an electric car. Some manufacturers take this into account with removable batteries or entire motorcycles that could fit in elevators. Others force you to figure something else out. The Maeving RM1S stands out for its clean, simple design.
A What, Again?
Now, Maeving isn’t exactly a household name, but it does follow in the footsteps of giants. The firm was founded in 2018 by William Stirrup, and Sebastian Inglis-Jones and the pair assembled a team of former Triumph engineers to build a high-tech electric motorcycle that doesn’t have the design often found with electric motorcycles.
The home of Maeving is Coventry in England. Maeving says its location was chosen because Coventry and the Midlands are historic places in British motorcycling. Names like BSA, Norton, Royal Enfield, and Triumph can all trace their ways back to the area. Elaborating further, Maeving says Coventry was where the UK’s first practical motorcycle was built as was the location where the first motorcycle race on a track took place. Coventry and the Midlands have served as home bases for 48 motorcycle companies spanning over a century of time.
Maeving sees itself competing with the low-cost Chinese electric motorcycles flooding both America and the UK, and it wants to win the fight with quality and engineering. So, Maeving isn’t just planting its stakes in a historic area, but scooping up British motorcycle engineers along the way, too.
The company unveiled its debut product in 2021, the Maeving RM1. Styled after vintage board trackers and café racers, the £4,995 Maeving RM1 is strictly a city machine with a top speed of 45 mph, a 5.9 HP peak (4 HP continuous) motor, and a maximum range of 80 miles. That motorcycle hit the road in 2022, now, Maeving has another offering coming, and this one is coming to America soon.
The Maeving RM1S
Will Stirrup, co-founder of Maeving, said owners and fans of the original RM1 have been begging for a motorcycle that could be used outside of a city. The RM1S is Maeving’s answer to this request.
This new motorcycle looks like the RM1, but you’re getting a little more top end speed and more than twice the power. At the heart of both of Maeving’s motorcycles is the charging system. In the RM1, you have two 2.03 kWh batteries. One battery was stored in the box just behind the front wheel and the other went into the false fuel tank.
Both batteries, consisting of Samsung 18650 cells, are removable. In fact, the only way to charge the RM1’s batteries is to remove them and charge them at home. Maeving even went the extra mile to give the battery cases a brushed metal and wood appearance so they wouldn’t mess up the aesthetics of your apartment’s interior.
The RM1S keeps this idea going but with an even better implementation. The batteries are now LG 21700 cells and are rated at 2.6 kWh for a total capacity of 5.2 kWh. These new batteries now reside in a redesigned battery box that fits both in at the same time, freeing up the false tank to be a 2.6-gallon storage compartment. Also new is how those batteries charge. The RM1S can be charged at a charging station with both batteries in the motorcycle, or you can remove the batteries and charge them at home.
Maeving says the motorcycle comes with both batteries, but you can operate the motorcycle with just one battery or have spares charging at home. That way, if you use this motorcycle for local city deliveries, you can have fresh packs waiting for you at your home base. Of course, you can expect that 80-mile range to be cut in half if you’re operating on just a single battery.
That power system is driving a Bosch hub motor. As I said before, the RM1’s motor is good for 45 mph and has a peak output of 5.9 HP. The RM1S gets a motor good for a continuous 9.5 HP and a peak output of 14 HP. Put into ICE terms, the Maeving RM1S is able to punch out a Honda Grom’s worth of power continuously but is able to go faster. It’s unclear for how long you can get the RM1S to punch out 14 HP. Maeving also doesn’t say exactly how the batteries are cooled but says the RM1S has an improved “heat dissipation structure” so the batteries stay cooler under high loads.
The bigger batteries and the more powerful motor mean the RM1S can hit 65 mph and the motorcycle has a maximum range of 80 miles, unchanged from its predecessor. Now, those numbers do not translate to a touring machine, but it’s fast enough to go down a country road or a state highway without getting murdered by traffic. Maeving says the RM1S is still largely an urban machine, but the extra capability means you aren’t entirely stuck in your city. The company is also targeting rural riders who want enough speed to be able to ride between towns.
All of this rides on a chromoly steel cradle frame and the motorcycle features non-adjustable forks, a twin shock with preload adjustment in the rear, linked disc brakes, and a 30.9-inch seat height. Rider technology comes in the form of three riding modes that adjust throttle response. Yep, that’s it. You aren’t getting any fancy screens, traction control, ABS, or anything like that. The RM1S also weighs just 287 pounds, just 13 pounds heavier than the RM1. Sadly, we do not get any information about how much each battery weighs. Back in 2021, Maeving said that 65 percent of its parts come from the UK and the bikes are assembled there in Coventry.
Something I really like about the RM1S is the choice of colorways. You can get your RM1S false tank painted to resemble a Triumph T120 Bonneville or even a Vincent Black Shadow.
It’s Coming To America, But There’s A Catch
The Maeving RM1S is already on sale in the UK with deliveries sold out through March 2024. Apparently, Maeving has seen enough success to justify expansion into other European countries. Also on the company’s radar are the United States, Australia, and Singapore. According to the company, a United States rollout is expected very soon with the motorcycle projected to go on sale in October. United States-specific details such as price and charging will be revealed closer to go time.
Until then, we have the UK version to look at. Maeving says that you can charge both batteries from dead to full in under 4 hours, or in 2.5 hours if you’re charging from 20 percent to 80 percent. Of course, that is on a 240-volt UK electrical system, so who knows what that’ll look like on our power system.
In the UK, the Maeving RM1S starts at £7,495, or about $9,400. However, it’s unfair to compare prices in other markets as vehicles rarely cost the same in America as they do in the UK. The best competition I can think of is the BMW CE 02, and that costs the equivalent of $10,573 in the UK, but $7,599 here. I would bet on it being priced under $10,000 for sure.
Still, that’s a lot of dough for a motorcycle barely faster than a $3,599 Honda Grom. It’s a shame because I love the simplicity and I love the design. In a world where some motorcycles look like Transformers, these look like the vintage motorcycles people like to hack up in sheds. Maeving even gives you torque specs in case you want to work on your RM1S. It’s a nice departure from the norm and I hope it lands in America with an attractive enough price.
(Images: Maeving)
80 miles range is kinda sad on american roads. you can drive for about 30 minutes and then have to turn back or find a charger. It makes more sense as a “city” motorcycle or even a commuter but not that many people commute in a motorcycle. Motorcycles in the usa is all about the “open road”
I would push back on the idea that “not that many people commute in a motorcycle,” if you’ve spent time in any major metropolitan area, they’re extremely popular transportation. Especially in the sunnier parts of the country. Not to say that there aren’t a large number of long-distance riders, but the audience for this is pretty much anyone who might otherwise buy a scooter, which is a substantial market.
Nice idea with something that – from a distance – looks like it’s 75 years old.
But I dont understand that strange tube/pipe down there under the “tank”? Is is just for retro looks, or does it actually do anything?
Going with the retro theme, it would be fun with a BMW R69S looking one, with the batteries sticking out low down “boxer style” instead of the cylinders. I think it would also be great for center of gravity and handling actually.
I usually notice something to love and to hate on electric bikes and this one is no different.
The Good: Old school looks are a safe -if uninspiring- bet.The rear spoke pattern and seat are awesome.
Those middle parts are weird.Mutated Doctor Who cybermen?
Also,I get this area is always difficult but gloss black would better suit the theme.
The Bad: Hub motor! This one blows it completely.There are no excuses for such shitty engineering!
My Yamaha Nmax 155cc scooter makes 14hp and can sit on 100kph (62mph – our main (non rural) hwy speed limit) so I’d hope this could as well
Ctrl+F “Lucas”
0/0
Cowards!
I get this bike isn’t for everyone, but people shouldn’t complain too much, its new tech. it isn’t for everyone and that’s okay, it just gives you options. and honestly do we all want transformer looking electric motorcycles in the future, what this company is doing is awesome, and I’m sure with some more time and bikes under their belt, they’ll be making longer range bikes that fit what people apparently need. I think 80 miles of range is great though, especially if you ride your bike to work or something, even if work is 60 miles away, you can bring the batteries into your office to charge. you can pull out another bike for your 3000 mile trips, that just isn’t what this is made for, its like expecting to take your grom on the interstate, its not what its made for.
What new tech does it contain?
I’m constantly amazed by the negativity here. Average price of a new motorcycle near as I can tell is $10k, this is $10K, as a comparison the average price of a ICE car is $50k, and EV is $64K, so this isn’t too expensive, it’s priced exactly right. It’s also not being pumped out by Honda or some other company that produces half a million bikes per year. In addition this is at least styled really well, something a lot of people here complain about, this isn’t boring or too weird.
Does this appeal to a particular person with a particular traveling needs? Sure, but for that exact reason Honda alone makes 30+ different motorcycles/scooters, extrapolate to the big three and that’s almost 100 different two wheeled options. Well here’s another one. So congratulations on being annoyed about choices..
It’s unfair to assume consumers should accept a price bump for an EV bike that’s far less capable than most motorcycles. EV cars on the whole are at least as good as ICE cars in everything but the obvious charging stuff, and are usually faster. This, in contrast, has the performance of a $4000 ICE motorcycle with a significant cost premium and unclear serviceability. I still think it has its place, but purely as a value proposition, it’s not there.
And they are also significantly more expensive. A Nissan Leaf has real world range similar to this bike. Compared to a similarly priced Corolla, the Leaf also has paltry range.
Don’t disregard economies of scale with the manufacture of automobiles versus more niche motorcycles. And mass production of be bike brands versus more niche motorcycle brands. I think if you’re buying this, you aren’t necessarily looking for performant bang for the buck. You’re looking for something nice to look at. Hell, Harleys are still popular. IMO, I could never justify the insane brand tax of a Harley. But doesn’t mean they won’t sell or have their place.
I didn’t even want to open the Harley can of worms, but yeah, WTH? Compare the cost of materials alone and you can’t justify how a Harley sells for the same as a Ducati. I mean it’s been a while since I really looked at one, but at the time The Motor Company was still using galvanized screws.
I’m sorry, I missed the part of the article where these were being forced onto people, that makes all the difference.. You’re right, there ought to be a law against this, I say we contact the authorities and demand this company sell the bike for under $4000 even if they lose money and go out of business, because that’s the proper value proposition..
I really think you came into this conversation with an idea in your head of a person you’d like to disagree with. I agree with you that it should not be illegal for companies to make products that aren’t a good value proposition.
That’s interesting because it was you that came into my conversation, but whatever..
That’s really neat, but I cannot see paying $10k for what really amounts to a big fancy looking scooter.
Not even a scooter. This has that motor on a bicycle frame vibe.
I’d take the Grom for $3599 and spend the rest of $7400 on gas, that should be enough for the next 200k miles on the Grom.
I don’t think I will ride that much in my entire lifetime.
Electric motorcycles still don’t make much sense to me.
Shit, if you want full motorcycle performance, get a V-Star 250, save $5k. If you want cool looks and scooter+ performance, a SuperCub will save you like $6k. If want to spend closer to $10k, you get way way better performance and can also the classic look. For about $10k, you’ve got so so so many bikes to choose from. Speed Twin, Bonneville, Scrambler Icon, Bolt, XSR900, XSR700, Rebel, Shadow, CB650R, CB500F, SCL500, whatever Vulcan/Eliminator, W800, Z650RS, whatever Royal Enfield is selling, Moto Guzzi V7, and on and on and on….
Wow, an electric motorcycle that just looks like a normal motorcycle and not a piece of rejected, rough draft concept art for Tron. Novel idea, would like to see it applied to cars
Most if all of these startup electric motorcycle brands are gonna be 100% vaporware. They are good at marketing to media outlets but even in SoCal they are nonexistant. On top of that these vintage nostalgia-for-a-time-I-never-lived-in hipsteresque bikes are 10 years too late anyway.
The best selling electric motorcycle that I literally see on a weekly basis is a Surron. Despite being weird grey markets, not strictly being legal, and having a wonky distribution network they are 99% of all eMotos I see. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an official article about one until FortNine posted a video.
It’s crazy seeing what motorcycle media covers and what real people are riding
Jokes about English electrics aside, I welcome this new bike because it will be QUIET.
It’ll just be a matter of time before someone figures out how to mod the conduit to make noise.
Cards in the spokes will fix the quiet part.
Well yeah, because of said electrics. They’re real quiet when they don’t go 😉
It’s pretty, sure, but to me it’s that you can tell this frame/suspension is built to a budget.
Sure, you’re not carving mountains, but I would hope it’s got enough rigidity to rail around a roundabout (if it’s indeed build for 65mph) without feeling like a wet noodle.
(and they picked Coventry because Midlands is where nearly all industry is already located in England, so your expertise is available)
I really like the look of this! It would be amusing if they could route that ~2″-diameter conduit (?) out the front and then bring it back along the side so it looks like a scrambler high-pipe exhaust. 🙂 (I know they can’t as that would increase the risk of damage, but it would look good.)
Normally I am not a fan of the modern take on the nothing-behind-the-solo-seat look, but the Maeving pulls it off nicely. It also has a full rear fender, so the necessary functionality is there as well, and the spoke wheels look great.
However, there is a drawback to that frame: there is no place to mount panniers. For someone who has this as an only vehicle, some cargo capacity would be really handy; the faux-tank won’t hold a lot of groceries.
I think the other specs (speed, HP, range, etc.) are just fine for a city bike, and I really like the option to pull the batteries and charge them indoors.
I thought the exact same thing about the conduit, or even old watercooled piping.
On the lack of storage, I’m thinking that they want to limit it to solo riding, I think that explains the frame ending right after the seat, which resulted in the odd swingarm/shock arrangement.
That’s a good point. I was reading some state motorcycle safety inspection regulations a while ago, and the gist [of the one section] was that if there is any conceivable way to put a passenger on the back, there must be footpegs/footrests available for that passenger.
The Maeving design appears to fall outside that category. 🙂
I really hate how the swingarm points up. I vaguely remember Wes Siler writing about how terrible that was on a Sportster, but I can’t find the article anywhere. RIP hellforleathermagazine.
It is odd, however, I wonder if it’s because of how the rear shocks mount to the top of the seat rather than more upright, like under the passenger seat. The effective rate of rise will be more pronounced, it’s possible they tuned the shocks to account for it.
Shrugs. Seems like a weird way to inhibit suspension travel.
mugatu voice: My god, it’s beautiful
Everything on the bike is just so well done. All the components are just so, the contrast of the front/rear spoke patterns is great. Were I to have the use for something like this, I’d snap it up in a heartbeat. Not a rational decision, but with something this pretty I don’t feel the need to be rational. It’s probably destined to failure with the 65MPH top end, but for someone looking for a commuting machine, $10k is acceptable and 65 is all I should do anyways. Besides, how often can you buy something so gorgeous for so little? Keep it up Mercedes, you are a good bad influence. One of these days you’re going to get me to buy something equal parts silly and awesome, and I’m here for it!
I feel like no one is selling an electric motorcycle for under $15k(-ish) that isn’t basically just a DIY kit with good pinstriping. This does not change that
The removable battery pack looks suspiciously like a Gogoro-network battery. If Maeving plans to sell these bikes in India, that’s probably not a coincidence.
For the US, without a motorcycle battery-swapping network, I don’t see this selling broadly. Being able to carry the battery from the street to your apartment or office would be nice for New York, but I don’t think that’s a huge market.
People think they need 100+ MPH vehicles, but in reality seldom drive anywhere near that fast. I ride motorcycles with sidecars, which prefer speeds under 65 MPH as the steering pull to the right gets pretty tiring and the air-cooled engines cook their oil at faster speeds. 60-65 MPH is fast enough for 2 lanes, and on 4 lane roads which have faster limits the left lane is available for those wanting to go faster.
Love the design. I do believe it needs a stronger motor.
The simple truth about the American market is that 65 MPH is nowhere near enough for $10k. This will fail quickly if they don’t figure that out even more quickly.
I wouldn’t go near even a major backroad without at least 75 MPH capability, and a highway without being able to do 85 MPH.
I have a motorcycle that tops out at 65 MPH. It never leaves the city surface streets.
I totally agree about the price. $10k is a lot, especially for the company’s mission of beating Chinese electric motorcycles.
As for the speed, eh. Maybe rural Illinois and Wisconsin are different than where you are, but I find 65 mph more than fine for country roads. I’ve done an entire Gambler 500 on a 150cc Honda scooter that barely hit 63 mph. Never touched a highway and for the most part, bombed down country roads going ~60 mph. 75 mph would get you in trouble with the small town cops out here, anyway. 🙂
See I live in a part of Virginia where I rarely get on highways, my speeds very rarely exceed 50 in town, so the 65 is plenty for me. My concern is the range. If I am going out on a cruise then I am going to be pushing it hard (especially with the crazy low power on this) and then that range drops from 80 to probably 50 or less, and I want to be able to be out for a few hours, this won’t do that unless I have charging stops along the way which I never used to do. I would also like to see a 2 up seat vs the little bobber seat so I can drag my wife along.
Same boat (same state, even). But the two-lane to get home has a limit of 55, and a lot of cars are going over that. I think short bursts of 65 mph is too slow for me.
Haha nice. Yeah my commute the highest limit I see is 45, and often can’t even get up to that. There are plenty of 55 roads around, but I think as long as it gets to the 65 reasonably quick that it would suffice for me, but I would rather get a Royal Enfield 650 or a used Triumph T120 and save a couple thousand.
Bingo. You’d need a real electric boner (there has to be a word for this!) to justify the cost over anything on the used market.
I think electric boner is the best possible word for it haha. I can see something like this for a friend of mine who has like 4-10 bikes at any given time, and she would likely be interested even at the $10k, but for me where I don’t have any at the moment, and do not see myself ever having more than one, this will not be it.
I am kinda fond of B.O.B. Battery operated Boner.
dildo
this is what I was not saying.
Lightning Rod
Ditto, although I think mine is technically limited to 62. And in practice that top speed (factoring in my un-aerodynamic shape and hilly terrain) means the realistic top usable speed is about 45. Sure, it’ll go faster down a hill or if I want to look silly and tuck on a bike not designed for it, but I avoid roads with speed limits over 45.