It’s been just over a year since the Damon Hypersport electric sportsbike burst onto the scene and whipped up an eco-storm with its promise of zero exhaust emission, high-performance riding dripping in some rather ingenious innovations.
Boasting a claim of 200hp and a 200mph top speed, the Hypersport ticks some impressive performance boxes, while features includes 360-degree ‘Co-pilot’ radar detection - tech the company was developing originally before deciding to go ahead and build its own motorcycles around it - plus adjustable pegs, windscreen and seat to adapt ergonomics depends on whether you’re pootling around or opening the throttle.
Now the Canadian tech firm-turned-motorcycle manufacturer has given us an update with some welcome news, first being that the Hypersport is still very much on its way despite COVID-19 doing its bit to stutter progress.
For now the biggest challenge is ensuring the machine can ensure its high-power battery can meet safety and spec requirements.
While that’s been going on though, Damon have returned to the drawing board to devise a way of bringing the Hypersport to the masses given the flagship - as impressive as it is - was forecast to be coming in at $40,000 (£31,000) as a price tag.
The result is the unveiling of two new base models - the SE and the SX - which have slashed the price down to $16,995 (£12,995 approx) and $19,995 (£15,250) respectively.
This has been achieved with the use of smaller batteries with the SE getting an 11kW battery putting out 100hp, featuring a 108 mile range and a 120mph top speed, while charging times will take longer from a level two charger.
The Damon Hypersport SX packs 150mph, 150 miles of range and 150hp from its 15kW battery. As a comparison, the top of the range HS reaches the figures quoted at the top of the article with a 20kW battery.
Both trim levels, however, retain the Co-Pilot and Shift ergonomic innovations.
Will the Damon Hypersport become the Tesla of motorcycles?
We’ve been told a few times recently that we give too much space on Visordown for electric motorcycles (we’d counter there are a plethora of non-electric stories on the website for your perusal if you so wish) but of those the Damon Hypersport is perhaps the one that piques our interest the most.
Until it hits the road we won’t know for sure if it comes good on those 200mph performance figure claims, but even if it doesn’t quite touch the double ton in practice, just think what acceleration it will be able to achieve with that linear torque regardless.
What’s interesting about the Damon Hypersport is how well rounded it already appears to be, proving quick, more stylish than a first attempt at a superbike would have you believe and already boasting technology big manufacturers are still grappling with.
The only major gripe from the outset was the price, but even that has been addressed with these cost cuts, which have slashed the tag down by more than 50%.
We won’t use the Tesla word too much, not least because the Hypersport will be fairly exclusive given the company’s size, butsave for the Harley-Davidson LiveWire, you’d be hard pressed to find another electric motorcycle generating quite as much of a buzz.
