wheelmen, saddle up

It seems to me that using 6061 aluminum plate is a genius design decision for the Comoto by Hirsch design. Being primarily a bolt-together affair it should translate well to scalability of manufacturing, allowing for economical low production runs.

It looks mean too... if a bike don't look tough, what's the point? This one's got looks. It's just ASKING for a badass paint job. I'm thinking Metalflake with a naked Aztec princess on an alter on the side panels.

At 118 pounds total weight and a 40MPH+ top speed, it is essentially a fast bike with no cranks. Municipalities will have to get on track with defining new categories of rules governing the many different types of electric motorcycles and bicycle-hybrids. Are they bicycles? Are they motorcycles? Is the defining factor weight or speed?

The "New Normal" points to a flood in the market of 3rd-gen cheap knockoffs of e-bikes and e-motos in a few years. At least that's what I'm hoping for: a two-wheel electrified bike renaissance not unlike the original "wheelman" bicycle phenomena of the 1880s.

And for those who say that a no-crank bike is for the lazy and weak... you obviously have never jumped a full sized motorcycle up or down a curb or ridden a dirt bike down a flight of concrete steps. Moto-ing is hard work.

I'd like to try some of these under-200-pound machines on the streets (and sidewalks and concrete steps) of NYC.

via gizmag