Last year, Spanish motorcycle marque Bultaco rose from the ashes to present an all-new motorcyc ... er ... electric mountain bike. The 2,000-watt/37mph (60 km/h) Brinco bike wasn't exactly the kind of "moto-bike" we imagine Bultaco fans were waiting for, but it was a pretty sweet ride in its own right. Bultaco still isn't ready to announce a legit production electric motorcycle like the Rapitan, but it's moving one step closer, bringing the Brinco off the dirt and onto the street.
Brinco calls them "moto-bikes" and some might call them electric bikes, but the new Brincos are designed to meet moped regulations. Powered by a brushless rear hub motor, each of the three new Brinco models (the R-E, the C and the S) is being built in "45" and "25" specs, both designed to meet specific regulations within the European Union. The 45 spec is a general moped, offering speeds up to 45 km/h (28 mph), and the 25 spec has a 25 km/h (15.5 mph) to meet the stipulations of select countries.
The street models join the original non-street-certified Brinco, now called the Brinco R, which is limited to off-road/private riding. Like the R, each of the four models features a 2,000-watt brushless rear hub motor, nine speeds and overdrive, and a 1.3-kWh lithium-ion battery pack.
The 45 spec models offer three modes (Sport, Tour and Eco) and the 25 models offer two (Tour and Eco), which use different amounts of battery power for a total range between 50 and 100 km (31 and 62 miles) A digital display provides bike information and connects via Bluetooth to a mobile device and Brinco's app. The bikes also include a keyless NFC start system.
In addition to having their top speeds dialed back from the 37 mph (60 km/h) of the Brinco R, the Brinco R-E, C and S all feature the equipment necessary to be street-legal. This package includes a rear-view mirror, rear mudguard with license plate mount, 750-lumen LED headlight with daytime running lamps and automatic day/night sensor, LED taillight and brake light, reflectors, side kickstand and horn. That equipment adds just over 7 lb (3.2 kg) of weight, making the listed weight of each street-ready model 42.26 kg/93 lb (versus 39 kg/86 lb of the Brinco R).
The Brinco R-E is the performance flagship of Bultaco's street lineup. It is essentially the Brinco R with the added equipment and lower top speed necessary for street legality. It's designed to be ridden on- or off-road and shares the R's 180-mm (7-in) front and 217-mm (8.5-in) rear suspension travel figures, the most in the lineup. It also has the same 1,200-mm (47-in) wheelbase and 760-mm (30-in) sport handlebars.
The Brinco C is a laid-back "comfort" tourer aimed at all-rider accessibility in the city, country and off-road. It still has some off-road equipment, such as the 24-in rims and tires, but is designed more for on-road riding. Its sport seat sits 50 mm (2 in) lower than the R/R-E and its "comfort" suspension offers 150 mm (5.9 in) of travel in front and back. The ergonomic touring handlebars are 10 mm wider for a more comfortable grip.
Nicknamed an "urbanite" by Bultaco, the Brinco S is designed for "street" riding through urban spaces. It is set up for a comfy on-road ride and features a comfort seat in place of the sport seat on the other models. It loses the off-road rim/tire setup in favor of smooth, skinnier street tires secured to 24-in touring rims. Like the Brinco C, it has 770-mm (30.3-in) touring handlebars and a 1,189-mm (46.8-in) wheelbase.
All three new Brinco models are available for reservation now with a €600 deposit. Bultaco does not list pricing and did not respond to our pricing inquiry. Even the email we received after signing up for more info via the reservations page lacked pricing. We do know that the Brinco R was priced at €4,800 (approx. US$5,425) in Spain when it was introduced last year.
Bultaco has been expanding its distribution network, both inside Spain and in countries like the UK, France, Portugal, the Benelux, Scandinavia, Romania, and South America. It will launch its first London dealership next month.
Source: Bultaco
Update: Bultaco contacted us after publishing with current pricing information:
Brinco R: €4,280.99
Brinco R-E and C: €4,793.39
Brinco S: €4,917.36
All are retail prices before VAT, registration, insurance, etc.
