emopeds like the Ubco 2x2?

[cerebrix]

I love the idea of "adventure bikes". Honestly I would just buy an adventure motorcycle but looking at motorcycle insurance as a new rider in New Mexico right now made me decide against the entire idea. Thought I would try a Honda Navi as my first "real" entry level bike only to find out I'd have to pay 1500 a year in insurance alone. No thanks. Funny part is, mopeds are covered by a regular non motorcycle drivers license and I don't need to register it or carry motorcycle insurance. So emoped it is.

So again, right off, seems like the Ubco is pretty much exactly what I'm looking for but of course, I want to comparison shop to see what else is out there that's like it.

Can you guys throw some alternative links at me for similar emopeds?

Thanks.

 

["A"]

I've looked at the Ubco 2x2 e-moped in the past, the lack of pedals & alternative drivetrain just doesn't make sense to me.
Also starting at $4k, the price tag is rather high, I guess it's the regen system that cost more.

UBCO 2X2 Electric Motorcycles | First Look Review | Rider Magazine

The 2021 UBCO 2X2 Adventure Bike (starts at $6,999) and 2X2 Work Bike (starts at $6,499) are 2WD all-electric utility bikes.

ridermagazine.com

It seem to pack all the weight near the wheel axle level, which is great for stability on & off pavement.
I'm not sure how well the suspensions work for off-road riding, but 2wd certainly help its capabilities.

I'm waiting for my AliEx, 2x1000W hub motor, triple battery (total 70Ah) e-moped to arrive from China any day, at 1/2 the price and similar battery range.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805327323549.html

 

[cerebrix]

how much weight can that thing carry? Nice looking bike.

 

["A"]

how much weight can that thing carry? Nice looking bike.

Shown in the webpage weight as as 50 kg., doesn't show the cargo carrying capacity, but you can contact the seller through the webpage.

 

["A"]

Another 2WD e-moped with triple battery option.. or you can go with mid-drive motor; just way more $$.

Flash

Specs FLASH FLASH AWD & FLASH LITE MOTOR: 52V1000W Truckrun Mid Drive Motor with 220N.m Torque 52V1500W Dual 750W Motor with 184 N.m Torque 52V750W rear motor with 92N.m Torque FRAME: Aluminum alloy 6061 20inch Aluminum alloy 6061 20inch SUSPENSION: Full-Suspension Hard Tail SHOCK: KZ-209...

eunorau-ebike.com

 

[cerebrix]

I'm getting the impression you and I have different definitions of what an emoped is. Before we go any further here.

what do you define as an e-moped?

 

["A"]

I'm getting the impression you and I have different definitions of what an emoped is. Before we go any further here.

what do you define as an e-moped?

eMoped Thread

In the absence of a subforum to discuss this fast-growing segment, I'm creating this thread. I find eMopeds fascinating. There aren't as many of them out yet as what we traditionally think of as an eBike, but they seem to be growing fast. Here are some discussion points: The have the ABILITY...

ebikesforum.com

 

[cerebrix]

ok sounds like we do have the same definition of moped, but it was my bad for not over emphasizing the "adventure bike" part.

So like, bikes known as "enduros". Off road bikes that are designed to handle street, dirt, and cargo equally.

So less cafe racer, and more like the ubco or honestly, the wired freedom.

 

[cerebrix]

or a sur ron with turn signals, pedals, and a max speed of 30 mph.

Here in New Mexico, anything that classifies as a moped doesn't legally need to be registered, or insured.

Which is funny because were one of only 2 states in the country to kick the ebike classification law down to municipalities.

So as it stands right now in NM. As of July 1st, Class 1 can be anywhere, class 2 and 3 can be nowhere but the bike lane UNLESS a municipality allows it. Currently Albuquerque is scrambling to get an emergency measure out the door before July 1 to cover Class 2 ebikes with a willingness to even allow class 3 on multi use paths by just not worrying about class at all and managing it via speed limits.

However, ebikes that do anything between 28-30 are classified by mopeds which is legally an extremely narrow window for an electric vehicle to be in.

What sucks for me as an activist is our legislative sessions only do non budget measures every other session so the law we have now, is likely the law we'll have to deal with here until 2025

 

["A"]

Seem like legislative is cracking down in NM; maybe a while before law enforcement take action though.

Luckily for me, I have private trail access to protected open space, permanent farm lands and national park just 1/2 mile from my driveway.
The property & business development is prohibited since the area has a nuclear power plant.
My house if within the "zone of vaporization" if the plant ever goes up in flames.
A benefit is that I rarely experience power outage; even when I do, likely to be the first to get power restored.
Other than that, I get plenty of open space that I get to ride off-road vehicles on the surrounding trails.

When I was younger, I used to ride 250, 450 & 650cc dirt bikes, just from my driveway;
plenty of trails along the river to explore and hills to climb along the powerlines.

Nowadays, I ride e-MTB or e-moped on the same trails, at much lower speed & taking much less risks.
Local law enforcement don't really patrol or enforce the trail laws, since most people that use these trails are locals, private farmers with their farming ATVs, dirt bikes, etc.. 20+ years now, never an incident that law enforcement had to get involved for trail usage.

 

[cerebrix]

I wouldn't say cracking down persay. If anything, I think we may end up by 2025 having the most sensible ebike laws in the country. I was impressed by a few things in the last transportation committee meeting for the city of abq that I sat in on. Really impressed.

1) "people for bikes" had not 1, but 2 lobbyists in the meeting giving powerpoint presentations.
2) more than 1 committee member talked to police ahead of time to ask them "can you tell a class 1, from a class 2, from a class 3 ebike by looking at it ride by? (both said the cops laughed at them and said hell no)
3) more than one said ultimately they thought the class system was dumb since it's impossible to enforce and we should just use a "personal electric vehicle" law that allows everything from escooters, to ebikes on the trails and just using speed limits and speed guns to enforce it.

The more I think about it, the more I think that's the best way to handle this long term.

 

["A"]

Dual motor, Triple battery e-moped got delivered.. It's a beast trying to get it out of the box.

 

[cerebrix]

I want so desperately to like that bike. But 2k miles on my radcity 5 plus (which is great, underrated, and fantastic) has taught me in ABQ NM I NEED full suspension. we don't have cracks on our streets and multi use trails, we have what I like to call "micro ditches". Way too big to be just called a crack. Like long, narrow pot holes and hitting those at 24 mph on a hard tail SUUUUUUUCKS.

 

["A"]

I hear you about having decent suspension, luckily I don't do much off-road riding in these e-mopeds.
Additionally, the 20x4" tire can run at low tire pressure that can soak up enough bumps for pavement riding.
For me, these cheap e-mopeds are decent for carrying extra weight on mostly pavement riding, hardpack dirt trail is probably the most off-road I would take these on.
I rotate through these cheap e-mopeds & ebike just about every year. Get decent value when I sell these e-mopeds to delivery people in NYC metro.
I've only turned on the e-moped so far and rode it shortly up & down my driveway.
I notice the significant motor noise level from the dual motor.
This e-moped can only be turned on when the top (fuel tank shaped) battery is mounted, which makes the e-moped feel top heavy, not ideal for off-road riding. Overall stance feels very much like one of my motorcycles while sitting on it.
I'm in the process of rerouting some of the cables & wiring, hence the loose cable under the top tube.
Likely, I will cut down the steer tube on the fork when I finalize the stem & handlebar positions.

 

[biknut]

I wouldn't say cracking down persay. If anything, I think we may end up by 2025 having the most sensible ebike laws in the country. I was impressed by a few things in the last transportation committee meeting for the city of abq that I sat in on. Really impressed.

1) "people for bikes" had not 1, but 2 lobbyists in the meeting giving powerpoint presentations.
2) more than 1 committee member talked to police ahead of time to ask them "can you tell a class 1, from a class 2, from a class 3 ebike by looking at it ride by? (both said the cops laughed at them and said hell no)
3) more than one said ultimately they thought the class system was dumb since it's impossible to enforce and we should just use a "personal electric vehicle" law that allows everything from escooters, to ebikes on the trails and just using speed limits and speed guns to enforce it.

The more I think about it, the more I think that's the best way to handle this long term.

I totally agree with the cops. Speed limit is the only way for enforcement, because any eBike can be programed for any power level. My 4500w Stealth came from the factory limited to 750w. If I ride it in unlimited mode at low speeds it's impossible to tell what mode I'm riding in.

 

[biknut]

I'm getting the impression you and I have different definitions of what an emoped is. Before we go any further here.

what do you define as an e-moped?

There isn't really an official universal definition of an eMoped, but imo it's generally speaking a electric bicycle with a low bench style seat that's fast enough to ride in traffic, and tends to make old geezer eBike riders hair catch fire.

 

[cerebrix]

I totally agree with the cops. Speed limit is the only way for enforcement, because any eBike can be programed for any power level. My 4500w Stealth came from the factory limited to 750w. If I ride it in unlimited mode at low speeds it's impossible to tell what mode I'm riding in.

yeah the dangerous part about that in New Mexico is our class law and how it went down. We're 1 of only 2 states that classified ebikes in kind of a rough way and allowed the municipalities to make their own laws IF they want to.

SECTION 7. A new section of the Motor Vehicle Code,
Section 66-3-709 NMSA 1978, is enacted to read:
"66-3-709. OPERATION OF ELECTRIC-ASSISTED BICYCLES.--
A. A person may ride a class 1 electric-assisted
bicycle on a bicycle or pedestrian path where bicycles are
authorized to travel; provided that a political subdivision
of the state may prohibit the operation of a class 1
electric-assisted bicycle on a bicycle or pedestrian path
within its jurisdiction.
B. A person shall not ride a class 2 or class 3
electric-assisted bicycle on a bicycle or pedestrian path
unless:
(1) the path is within a street or highway;
(2) a political subdivision of the state
permits the operation of a class 2 or class 3 electric-
assisted bicycle on a path under its jurisdiction.

also, they are really sticking to the whole 750 watt thing.

"66-1-4.5. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Motor Vehicle
Code:
A. "electric-assisted bicycle" means a vehicle
having two or three wheels, fully operable pedals and an
electric motor. Electric-assisted bicycles are classified as
follows:
(1) "class 1 electric-assisted bicycle" means an electric-assisted bicycle equipped with a motor not exceeding seven hundred fifty watts of power that provides assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of twenty miles per hour;

(2) "class 2 electric-assisted bicycle"
means an electric-assisted bicycle equipped with a motor not
exceeding seven hundred fifty watts of power that provides
assistance regardless of whether the rider is pedaling but
ceases to provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed
of twenty miles per hour; and
(3) "class 3 electric-assisted bicycle"
means an electric-assisted bicycle equipped with a motor not
exceeding seven hundred fifty watts of power that provides
assistance only when the rider is pedaling and that ceases to
provide assistance when the bicycle reaches a speed of
twenty-eight miles per hour;

This law goes into effect July 1st, 2023. Currently, the Albuquerque transportation committee (whos meeting i sat in on, and commented on) is really pushing to allow class 2 with a throttle on the paths for now as they have to get the city council to push hard to get something passed before July 1. There were no public comments against it, in fact, exclusively and only comments that supported it. City council has said they will push to pass whatever the committee recommends which was for now, just allowing class 2.

With that said, this is the law we are stuck with until at least 2025 as our legislature isn't really a paid position and only meets once a year. they don't do non budget measures every year so since we already had our session for this year, budget measures only next year. Hence the wait for 2025.

 

[Anton]

I saw some of these UBCO 2x2's on an island that I visited a few weeks ago. They must be a reliable bike as they were being hired out to tourists to get around the island. Seems like you can register them for road use in Australia, and I'm assuming no motorcycle licence is required.

It looked like they went alright too. Some of the roads on the island were very steep, and they had no problems navigating the island.

 

[DieselTech]

I saw some of these UBCO 2x2's on an island that I visited a few weeks ago. They must be a reliable bike as they were being hired out to tourists to get around the island. Seems like you can register them for road use in Australia, and I'm assuming no motorcycle licence is required.

It looked like they went alright too. Some of the roads on the island were very steep, and they had no problems navigating the island.

View attachment 12195

I like to own 1 of them, but I cant afford one yet. Yeah I read a lot of articles where that is the bike of choice for remote areas, along with a solar charger, for the guys that go out in the boonies.

Look at the cooling fins on them hub motors. Must have some serious regen braking features.