Circulator: The retro streamliner with a big secret

There was once a time when Grand Prix racing machines were much more elegant than the aerodynamic animals that currently reside on the grid. Indeed, some of the prettiest of all GP bikes hail from the golden era of the 60s and 70s.

That’s the era that this bike maker has leaned on for inspiration, with its first big bike, called the Circulator, aping the look and style of bikes like the ludicrously complex Moto Guzzi V8 Grand Prix racer.

But instead of a bonkers V8 or screaming two-stroke engine residing beneath the fairing, power for the Circulator comes from a different era entirely. 

Yep, this is a battery-powered bike, but its maker, Compass Rose, has tried hard to hide the fact. The Korean company behind the bike has done everything it can to ensure that its battery-powered innards are as well hidden as possible, even going as far as dressing the battery of the bike, not usually one of its most attractive features, up to look like a proper little V8 engine!

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But while it may look like a GP bike, its performance specs place it nearer to commuter bike territory, with a top speed of just under 100mph. It does, though, have plenty of torque - as expected - with a claimed 250 lb ft on offer. Range, meanwhile, is claimed to be 120 miles, while it is said to be able to go from flat to full with a two-hour recharge.

In reality, though, none of that actually matters because the price for this unknown quantity from Korea is - brace yourself - $49,000. Which is around £35,500, making it a whisker cheaper than a Ducati Panigale V4 R.

So I think we’ll pass on this one.

You can check out the bike for yourself on the official website.

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