VISORDOWN first reported Erik Buell’s possible switch to the electric bike arena back in April last year, when the VanguardSpark concept was announced. And now in early 2019 it looks like the final version of the bike he developed with the help of Frederic Vasseur (ex-F1 and Formula E) and F-X Terny (owner of Vanguard Motorcycles) is ready to ride.
The new machine called the flow shares many of the VanguardSpark’s details including the hub-mounted motor and side-mounted rear shock. They also seem to both share the same basic bodywork design – although it’s not clear if this is a monocoque or simply shrouding a conventional frame.
The Flow is available in 11kw (125cc comparable 15bhp) and 35kw (47hp A2 compliant) guises. The hub-mounted motor – which would normally sit around the swingarm pivot – means the bike has an internal storage compartment which boasts nearly 60 litres of storage, about the same as a large hiking rucksack.
As with any electric bike, the question that always comes up is the range, which the team claim is about 125-miles of city riding, what that equates to on the highway we can’t say. A comparable electric bike could get half that if riding on the open road or highway. Recharging will be required at one of the city centre style charge stations with no mention of home charging being made available.
The Flow is set for sale in the states with a price tag of $10,995.
Joining the Flow is an E-Bike called the Fluid, which is due to be launched later this year with a price of around $3295. The bike has two swappable batteries onboard, which helps it achieve an impressive 125-mile range. It’s claimed that the Fluid can be recharged in as little as 30-minutes. Two versions are available, a 20-mph version and a 28-mph variant.
