Compromise? What compromise? At Real Motors they've decided there is no necessary collision between analogue and electric. The lush cafe racer you see here is not only battery powered but chain driven. It's also aimed squarely at those who might otherwise be considering a high-end supersport bike such as a Kawasaki Ninja or Ducati Panigale. Can it possibly approach those stellar heights? Don't bet against it.
Behind this American project is a team of self-declared "visionaries from diverse backgrounds, including automotive, consumer electronics, and vehicle design expertise" whose Project Ares is "a testament to the company’s philosophy that a motorcycle should be an icon that reflects one’s persona, and be an extension to one’s body". Low and purposeful, with a full competition style fairing and cafe racer seat and stance, there's no arguing Project Ares looks the part. This is no grown-up e-bike, but a serious motorcycling contender.
Electric Analogue
Architecture is described as "electric analogue" just to set the tone. An electric drivetrain produces the equivalent of 100 bhp driving a weight of 220 kg courtesy generous use of aluminium in the build. Real Motors suggest that's equivalent to the output of a 700 cc to 900 cc internal combustion engine powered machine. Top speed is a tasty 120 mph. Range is impressive enough with Project Ares claimed to be good for 100 miles, or more than enough for your eerily noiseless early morning blast across the countryside. Just beep the horn to let the wildlife know you're on the way.
The street version of the Ares charges from empty to full in around half an hour, so perfect for that coffee stop. More eye-catching is the track-focused iteration which takes just half that. Acceleration figures aren't listed, but given the instantly-there power that electric propulsion offers, it's going to be impressive. Conventional bikes watch out.
Clean Lines
But it's that style that's going to be draw the attention when you power down the bike to charge it up. Aggressive single light to the front, bold fork covers declaring the Ares name, a suggestion of fuel tank blending with the saddle and the horizontal light unit to the tail. Minimalist design extends to the single screen readout with switchable display. Mechanicals have the right sort of provenance: with suspension and swingarm said to be sourced from Austrian off road megastars KTM. You're not going to be uncomfortable.
Given the edgy cafe racer design, eclectic origins and electric power of this design, you might expect a needlessly high pricetag. And sure, there are much cheaper electric motorcycles on the market, but they're not going to have the style and technical interest of Project Ares. Real Motors are - as they emphasise - engineers not some private equity company looking to make a fast buck. To reserve yours, give them a call, analogue if you prefer, and have around £15,000 handy.
