Every so often, a solution arrives at exactly the right time. Long-distance overland travelers have for decades sought an answer to the problem of lightweight, portable mobility. A bicycle strapped to the back of a rig makes perfect sense until you need to get somewhere quickly. A gasoline-powered motorcycle mounted far behind the rear axle is often not worth the weight and trauma to the suspension. If only there were a compromise? Well, there is. And it is quite beautiful in a Swedish multi-award-winning, minimalist, industrial rock kind of way.
“Built with a purpose to inspire people to contribute to speeding up the journey towards a zero-emission society by combining excitement and responsibility, the all-electric high-performance motorbike brand is designed for exploration and discovery. First launched in January 2018 at the Outdoor Retailer Show in Denver, the first model—the Kalk—was recognized as ‘Best in Show’ by several outdoor industry publications and has received numerous accolades since. Cake has shipped hundreds of bikes to customers and is in the process of accepting pre-orders for the street-legal Kalk&.” –Cake Website.
The power to weight ratio of the Kalk& is, well, electrifying. And with 280 Newton meters on the rear wheel, a top speed of 56 mph, and a range of up to three hours, this street legal, lightweight bike will happily transport you from camp to store for a grocery run or take you on a blast along a trail.
The suspension set up of Öhlins premium air fork and linkage mounted rear shock ensures a smooth ride. And with 204 millimeters travel, the Öhlins advanced three-stage air spring is fully adjustable and offers a range of performance from trail to daily commute.
The custom-designed 19-inch motorcycle rims and dual-sport motorcycle tires are designed to meet the demands of riding on paved urban roads as well as trails.
The Kalk& offers three ride modes: Explore, Excite, and Excel. Explore is the ultimate mode during exploration. It has a limited top speed of 28 mph with a three- to four-hour battery range. Excite mode is for enduro or active trail riding, offering a one- to two-hour riding time. With a top speed of 44 mph and good acceleration, this mode is perfect for enduro riding out in the woods. Excel mode delivers maximum torque and speed with no restrictions when it comes to performance, perfect when you need all power available. Riding time is, however, limited to one hour.
The bike does not run on traditional gearing. Thanks to the high rpm and progressive span of the electric motor, throttling and braking offer a seamless progression of acceleration and stopping power. The removable lithium battery charges quickly from a standard power outlet (or a power bank such as a Lithium Cube) and provides best-in-class power density and state-of-the-art motor control algorithms.
The Kalk& is, admittedly, not the most practical bike on offer from the Swedish company, Cake. The Ösa+ is clearly the more superior electric utility machine.
Ösa+ is also known as the Swiss Army knife on wheels as the design features a large gray bar extending underneath the seat. This “unibar” together with a clamp-on system enables users to attach baskets, bags, tools, and more to create over 1,000 different possible configurations.
The powerful battery with multiple outlets, meaning the Ösa doubles as a power station on wheels, enabling the rider to be completely independent off-the-grid until it is time to charge again.
As with the Kalk&, the Ösa+ boasts some impressive numbers and can achieve 56 mph while weighing in at just less than 200 pounds, including the 10 Kilowatt (13,5 hp) lithium battery for a maximum range of 52 miles of mixed city riding. Yes, the Ösa+ is street legal.
The clean and efficient motorcycle with off-road capabilities derives from the diversity of work and differentiated needs. Therefore, the powerful battery has multiple outlets. It is easily removable and can be charged when installed on the bike or separately.
The Ösa+ features three different ride modes for extended range, balanced performance, or maximum power, and each mode represents relevant attributes in terms of top speed, acceleration, and torque. First is Ride mode 1, which has the best range as it has been optimized for city riding with a limited top speed of 28 mph. Ride mode 2 has a top speed of 44 mph, and to conserve more energy, it has slightly slower acceleration. Ride mode 3 is the most powerful mode and has a top speed of around 56 mph which depletes the battery more rapidly than the other ride modes. The Ösa+ also features robust suspension and dual-sport motorcycle tires.
The connectivity module is preinstalled on all the Ösa bikes from August 2021. All the initial Cake connect features are made available through the mobile app providing you with connectivity features in order to add an extra layer of functionality to your Cake bike.
The new Kalk& bike costs $14,000, while Ösa+ is a more affordable $9,500.
For further information, visit www.ridecake.com
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