What’s based on one of the world’s most powerful electric bikes, but has bodywork straight from Mad Max?
The answer is, this custom motorcycle from Apache Customs and Energica (officially titled the Apache Customs X Energica Midnight Runner).
It’s an interesting look at the future. We’ve seen plenty of high-end electric bikes with funky bodywork, but those have mostly been attempts to create unusual factory bikes.
Instead, this machine is actually a customization of the Energica Eva. It’s an adaptation of a factory bike by a custom company, no different than getting Jesse James to bob an old Panhead, or getting Deus Ex to do a brat job on an SR400.
But for now, don’t expect to see anyone but high-end custom shops building these machines. Given the high price of electric motorcycles at this point, the grassroots custom scene can’t afford to build battery-powered choppers or cafe racers in their backyard. By the time these bikes have been around as long as the current crop of low-price UJMs, their batteries will possibly have deteriorated to the point of impracticality.
So, what we’re seeing now is likely the future of custom bikes. We won’t see much change for many years, as gasoline-powered bikes are here for a long time to come. But as the internal combustion engine is eventually phased out, the days of hacking and welding a bobber together in your garage are quite possibly going to be gone forever, replaced by big-monied customers hiring high-end designers to put together battery-powered machines.
There are several photos of the bike below, if you want to see more; it’s certainly a polarizing design. Brake calipers are Brembo units (radially-mounted), and the tires are Pirelli Diablos.
GALLERY
Check out all the pics that go with this story!
It’s ugly as hell and I bet the price tag is even worse.
I think the future is electric (and it doesn’t have to be ugly at all). I will go for it both for car and bike when the range becomes acceptable. Just like for CDs and paper books I will sort of miss the old days but there is no turning back.
However I suppose there will still be room for the combustion engine in the vintage/custom stuff. It’s going to be interesting to follow what happens there, how much resistance there will be?
Dramatic music? Check.
Close up shots of hand labour? Check.
Shots of a bike weaving on the road? Check.
Camera shots of deep thinking “designers”? Check.
“OK,Jed, we’re ready to introduce our home-built motorsicle.”
I’m a big fan of electric bikes but the fairing and tail looks so hideous on this thing!
When they finish it get back to me.
At first look it sort of reminds of the 70’s era Dunstall or Rickman kits but with an electric motor instead of one of the popular Japanese 4’s of the time.
Yeah, I like it, but it’s narrrsty looking.