Fat bicycle, or minimalist motorcycle? Seems like Super73 wants to have it both ways, and that’s just fine by us. Last weekend, the maker of minibike-style electrics unveiled the R-Series—its new flagship line of electric motorbikes for 2020, which at first glance, definitely looks more moto than pedal-powered. But take a closer look down below, and you’ll see Super73’s most powerful and technologically advanced drive system yet, which features multi-class ride modes—a boon for those of us who like the best of both worlds.
Related: The Chopper 73, Part 1
The R-Series bikes are designed from the ground up and come programmed with a Class 2 riding mode, which allows throttle operation as well as pedal-assist riding up to 20 mph. You know what that means, right? Bike paths here we come—no license, insurance, or spandex required!
You can also access three other riding modes if you want even more flexibility, says Super73. Say you live in a somber, humorless place where throttle-powered electric bicycles aren’t kosher; well, you can get by on the R-Series using just pedal assist with the throttle deactivated in Class 1 and Class 3 modes (Class 1 up to 20 mph and Class 3 up to 28 mph). There’s also an “Unlimited” mode which opens up 2,000 more watts of power via throttle, letting you wick it up to 28 mph. Super73 says that’s just for riding off public roads and on private property, but, hey now, hallelujah! (As a side note, it’s a fair bet these are the bikes that’ll be used in future Super Hooligan Super73 ebike class races, which means we’ll probably be seeing much higher speeds.)
The power behind all that throttling is a beefy 960 watt-hour battery (Super73 says it’s the largest in its segment). Most ebikes use a 400–700 watt-hour battery, but because the R-Series has the largest type in its segment, it gets an estimated 40-plus miles of range at 20 mph if you’re lazy and using just the throttle, or 75-plus miles of range using the Eco pedal-assist mode if you’re feeling a bit more spunky. No pain, no gain, right?
The foundation of the new R bikes is an aircraft-grade aluminum-alloy frame and swingarm fitted with adjustable front and rear suspension. The premium RX model sports an inverted coil spring fork with air assist, and a rear piggyback coilover monoshock, with preload, compression, and rebound adjustments. The top-line RX model also adds premium LED front lighting, an integrated brake light, horn, full fender set, premium paint, and a high-performance Tektro brake system with four-piston calipers and 203/180mm rotors (28 percent thicker than standard bicycle brake rotors). And let’s not forget about those new, badass-looking all-terrain Super73 BDGR tires, which measure a whopping 5 inches wide, and blend motorcycle and bicycle tire construction methods. They sport a tread pattern designed to improve traction and increase stability for both on-road and light-duty off-road stints.
Of course, all the new Super73s also get an electronics suite to pair with your smartphone through a new mobile app so the R-Series can receive over-the-air updates. Owners can also get an optional IoT module to access other cool features like remote anti-theft security, geolocation tracking, and crash detection. The Super73 R-Series is available in two trims; the base R model, for $2,995, and the premium RX model with an MSRP of $3,495. Preorders begin January 25, 2020, with discounted pricing through February 28, 2020.
For more info, visit super73.com.
