It would be true to say that I have been a late arrival into the electric motorcycle appreciation society however in recent times I have developed a growing fascination with them but more so with retro styled bikes that deliver on cool factor, style and affordable prices but still are not focussed on all out performance.
Enter Beachman from Canada whose story started in 2016 as a concept for cool branded lifestyles but really took off in 2019 when the company founders; Ben Taylor and Steve Payne met by chance in a coffee shop…to slurp coffee one presumes, but soon found themselves talking about building 50cc Cafe Racers and quickly morphing into electrified versions.
Skip forward to 2020 where Steve Payne produced an EV prototype from a modded ’79 Kwak KZ200 profoundly dubbed “Zero” utilising a hand built battery system, solid electric drivetrain with cafe racer styling.
It was this that was used as the basis to produce the ‘Founders Edition E Bike’ whilst working with a factory in China and using a 1970’s 125cc platform to mould their clay around. 30 bikes were delivered to them, which they unboxed and whilst excited by the finish…could not have expected all the bikes to sell overnight…well two weeks. That’ll be a fortnight then!
I spoke in method of rhymes and verses (by email in normal person’s speak) to co founder Ben who gave me the run down from the original Founders Edition to the Second Edition bike and finally to the 64 we today.
“The chronology is very gradual. Since we’re in the early days, every production run we change a number of parts on the bikes.
The founders edition came after almost 2 years of initial design work back and forth with our factory in China, and then the second edition was the immediate re-order of 100 bikes after the first 30 sold out overnight. We made upgrades to quality of life with things like tires and batteries, and then the 64 was the final true design that we wanted from the beginning and could finally afford to do after raising our successful indiegogo campaign. (Crowdfund)
We see ourselves in the market as the Porsche or Mustang of e-bikes. There are a hundred more practical and affordable options available, but there are none out there as cool or fun to ride as a Beachman. Our original idea was a moped with higher speed, but as 2 guys doing it all without outside investment or help, we saw how much simpler an e-bike would be so we just made an e-bike that outclassed everything else available. We will finally be releasing the moped version of the bike later this year which will have 70km/h top speed and will be certified for both Canada and the USA.
We’re hoping to sell 200 bikes this year, and begin doubling that number each year consecutively”
Now the bikes are built on a small assembly line in Toronto Canada and is proudly Canadian. These bikes do not offer big torque figures or hyper speeds to rip the clothes off your back. They offer something much more valuable! That is a sense of wonder, tranquility and fun. A throwback to yesteryear when a grazed knee did not mean calling out an ambulance nor a society wrapped in bubble wrap with the fear of offending some unknown entity attempting to climb with social importance.
This is the Beachman 64. This is classic styles for an EV world and my only regret is that this will not be sold in the UK anytime soon. So either I take a trip to Canada to ride one myself or I beg, plead and cajole until they offer to send one to me. It would be a prized possession for sure and a ride to savour!
Beachman 64 Specs
Powertrain
• 90km Range
• 32km/h Top Speed
• 72v Brushless Hub Motor (500w Limited)
• Removable 40Ah Premium Lithium-Ion Battery Can Be Charged Separately
• 120V Fast Charger, 3 Hours To 80% Charge
• 1 Year Manufacturer’s Warranty On The Drivetrain
Fundamentals
• Durable Steel Frame
• Folding Bike Pedals
• 6 feet (2M) End To End, 3 Feet (1M) High, 31 Inches (78cm) Seat Height
• 18 Inch Wheels, 3 Inch Knobby Tires
• Maximum Capacity 340lbs
• Front & Back Hydraulic Disk Brakes
• Turn Signals, Loud Horn, LED Headlight, And LED Display
• Steering Lock & Anti Theft Alarm
• Room For Two
• 30-day Warranty On All Non-Powertrain Components