I absolutely love moped-style electric bikes. They are just so much fun to ride! The format gives you that fun-loving motorcycle cruising feeling, yet keeps you legal as a bicycle without all the hassle of motor vehicle ownership. And rarely have I seen a moped-style electric bike capture the motorbike essence quite as well as the Biktrix Moto.
This is one seriously exciting bike to ride, combining the convenience of the bicycle world with the cruising attitude of the motorbike industry.
The Biktrix Moto also solves one of the biggest issues with electric mopeds: fitment.
Moped e-bikes are usually a one-size-fits-all affair, which is a situation that rarely holds true.
But the Biktrix Moto comes in either a medium (with 20″ wheels) or a large (with 24″ wheels).
I’m 5’7″ (170 cm) so I jumped on the medium, but taller riders will likely appreciate the larger-size option.
To get a better idea of how much fun this e-bike is, check out my review video below. Then read on for all the nitty-gritty details!
Biktrix Moto video review
Biktrix Moto tech specs
- Motor: Bafang 750W continuous hub motor (peak power not published)
- Top speed: 25 mph (40 km/h) but can be limited to Class 2 speeds
- Range: Up to 100 miles (160 km) with two batteries
- Battery: 48V 21Ah (1,008 Wh) in each battery (two possible)
- Weight: 90 lb (41 kg)
- Wheels: 20 inches with 4-inch fat tires (24 inch wheels available)
- Brakes: Tektro hydraulic disc brakes (203 mm rotors)
- Suspension: Front suspension fork
- Extras: Long bench seat and rear rack, included fenders, large 1,500 lumen LED headlight and tail/brake light, LCD display, kickstand
Roadster style, e-bike regulated
The geometry of the Biktrix Moto puts you in more of a roadster seating position. You’re laid back with your feet forward and your tush rearward. The handlebars are also so high that they are practically ape hangers, though there’s an adjustable stem to drop them a bit if you wish.
Me? I loved how high they were and it made for an awesome cruising feeling. It’s like a little motorcycle that carries all the legal advantages of an electric bicycle, namely no registration or insurance concerns.
The bike’s 750W Bafang hub motor is a name-brand piece of kit that offers plenty of acceleration. Throttle control takes you up to a solid 25 mph (40 km/h).
There’s also pedal assist, but to be honest I didn’t use it much. The bike is a single-speed and so pedaling is only really useful on the lower end. The 42T chainring is fairly small and the 22T sprocket on the rear is fairly big. That means you’re geared low, which is not great for high-speed cruising. If you’re riding slower, pedaling works fine. But I wasn’t riding slowly very often.
Then again, this isn’t really a bike that’s meant to be pedaled, and I think we can all see that. The Biktrix Moto is a moped with an emphasis on the “mo” part. If your battery ever ran out of juice, you could pedal it home. But for all intents and purposes, you’re going to be using the throttle for everyday riding on this one.
Oh, and your battery probably isn’t going to run out of juice very often. It’s huge. The 48V 21Ah battery has 1,008 Wh of capacity. That’s practically a record in terms of maximum capacity in a retail e-bike.
But it doesn’t stop there. You can add a second battery (it slides in under the seat and looks pretty decently hidden) for a total of 2,016 Wh. That’s an insane amount of battery capacity but is a welcome sight on a heavy e-bike like this that isn’t meant to be pedaled much.
Biktrix tells you that each battery gets 50 miles of range, though that’s likely measured at lower speeds. Realistically, you’re looking at somewhere around 30-35 miles of real-world range for anyone who is going to push this thing the way it deserves, or double that much if you get the second battery. That’s still some serious range for a moped.
There are other e-bikes out there that go farther, but they’re lightweight models with effective pedal assist. The Biktrix Moto is basically a motorcycle with working pedals.
And if it’s going to fulfill a motorcycle role, or at least a moped role, it better have the rest of the parts to match. Which it does.
That bench seat is comfortable. The giant headlight looks awesome. And at 1,500 lumens, it actually functions well too – it’s not just for show like some big moped headlights.
The suspension fork actually works well for such a heavy bike (just shy of 90 lb or 41 kg), and the dual piston hydraulic brakes with big ol’ 203mm rotors bring this rolling steed to a stop quickly.
You even get included fenders and a nice, beefy utility rack on the rear. I’m not quite sure how much loose cargo you can strap on that rack since it doesn’t extend very far back, but adding a motorcycle-style cargo box would be a snap.
At a price of $2,299, the Biktrix Moto isn’t cheap, but it also offers good value. Many good moped-style e-bikes start at higher prices and don’t offer batteries that are this large. Then consider that you already get your bright motor vehicle-level lights thrown in along with good fenders and a rear rack, and you’re set to start riding right out of the box. There’s no required gear that you have to spend extra cash on.
So I think Biktrix did a great job with the Moto. The fact that it comes in multiple sizes and even a handful of colors is just the cherry on top. I think the blue really pops, but the orange color is probably my second favorite. With a bike like this, standing out is half of the point.
Enough of my thoughts though – I want to hear what you think of the Biktrix Moto. Sound off in the comments section below!
Subscribe to Electrek on YouTube for exclusive videos and subscribe to the podcast.
Author: Micah Toll
Source: Electrek
