One of the more flamboyant electric bikes to ever put rubber to hard ground, the new Xion CyberX aims to be more than just a brightly colored, two-wheeled wedge. It also packs an impressive list of performance specs designed to deliver thrills on and off road. Riders can accelerate up to a top speed of 50 mph in a matter of seconds or take things slow and nomadic, wandering up to 100 miles per charge. And if night should fall within those miles, the CyberX will have no problem keeping visible.
The CyberX is one among the new generation of electrified two-wheelers that defies classification. It has a pedaled drivetrain, so it's not rightfully a motorcycle, though it does ride on 17- or 18-in moto wheels. Despite having those pedals, its throttle drive, single-speed gearing, 165-lb (75 kg) steel bulk and giant bench seat all but guarantee riders won't be spending much time pedaling it – and it really doesn't look anything like a conventional bicycle, either.
"Moped" seems like it was invented just for this type of contraption, but those are generally confined to the lower-speed part of the spectrum, and the CyberX's 50-mph (80 km/h) top speed puts it above and beyond. "Electric dirt bike" seems like the closest description of how the CyberX is actually specced, but dirt bikes aren't usually street legal and Xion is positioning the CyberX as just that (though the hows and whats of that legality will vary from state to state).
We'll just have to stick with "ebike," bearing in mind that "bike" is commonly used as short form for both bicycles and motorcycles. It doesn't quite fit the usual definition of ebike, but "high-performance electric all-terrain moped" is not something we want to write out again.
Whatever you ultimately want to call it, the CyberX demands be seen and experienced. We're not sure we agree with Xion's contention that it's the most "badass"-looking ebike out there, but it is among the most noticeable bikes of any kind, owing to the available colorful LED lighting illuminating the side panels and wheels. Those brightly lit panels, held in place by the sharp-pointed diamond-shaped steel frame, ensure that the CyberX will exercise more neck muscles than leg muscles.
The CyberX isn't built solely for puttering around the city to be seen, though. It packs some serious specs, starting with a 5,000-W mid-motor drive that powers the rear wheel through a single-speed belt drive.
Interestingly, the CyberX has only two modes at the extremes. Switch on 750-W eco mode, and it'll coax up to 100 miles (161 km) out of the standard 32-Ah 72-V battery pack, assuming the rider puts some pedal power into it. Dial it up to the full 5,000 watts in sport mode and you can fire up to 50 mph after an estimated four-second 0-30 mph (50 km/h) sprint. For those who don't want to work their legs, Xion estimates a 75-mile (121-km) range cruising at 20 mph (32 km/h) with no pedaling or a 50-mile range at 50 mph.
The under-seat lithium-ion battery charges in six hours with the included 5-A charger that connects to the charging port on the side of the bike. Xion also offers an optional 10-A charger to cut that time in half.
The CyberX seats one or two people on its bench-like leather saddle, cushioning bumpy rides and big jumps with a long-travel fork and rear coil suspension. Hydraulic disc brakes bring the toothy tires to stop. An LED headlight keeps the road visible while the color-changing illuminated body and the taillight take care of keeping the bike visible to other road users.
The CyberX cockpit features a centered LCD display for battery life, speed, distance and other metrics. Since the rider's ears won't be filled with gas engine rumble, Xion also tacks on a waterproof Bluetooth speaker. Riders can dock their phone on the handlebars and tap into the big battery via the USB charging port while streaming music to the speaker.
Xion is currently running a highly successful Indiegogo campaign to raise the money it needs to launch the CyberX. It's pushed past the $1 million mark with more than three weeks left to go. Supporters will now find the CyberX for pledge levels starting at $3,699, roughly a 24 percent savings over the estimated $4,900 retail price. Xion offers three different frame sizes and a variety of colors for the acrylic side panels, powder-coated chromoly frame and seat. The laser light show-style mirrored acrylic side panels, body lighting and wheel lighting are available as add-on options, as are larger batteries and high-torque tunes.
Xion's plans call for building the CyberX bikes at its San Diego headquarters, where it will offer free pickup. US shipping costs between $200 and $350, and Xion also offers shipping options for the UK and Canada.
Source: Xion
