Motorcycles

Kalashnikov continues to diversify with electric, all-terrain military/police motorcycles

Kalashnikov continues to diversify with electric, all-terrain military/police motorcycles
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: basic and utilitarian design, not unlike the AK-47 itself
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: basic and utilitarian design, not unlike the AK-47 itself
View 27 Images
Inside the Kalashnikov factory: a pile of rear wheel hubs
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Inside the Kalashnikov factory: a pile of rear wheel hubs
Inside the Kalashnikov factory: sorry guys, Austria has that colour locked up
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Inside the Kalashnikov factory: sorry guys, Austria has that colour locked up
Inside the Kalashnikov factory: military versions of the electric motorcycle
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Inside the Kalashnikov factory: military versions of the electric motorcycle
Inside the Kalashnikov factory: simple tube frame chassis
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Inside the Kalashnikov factory: simple tube frame chassis
Inside the Kalashnikov factory: electric motorcycles under construction
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Inside the Kalashnikov factory: electric motorcycles under construction
Inside the Kalashnikov factory: the company seems set up for small scale production
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Inside the Kalashnikov factory: the company seems set up for small scale production
Inside the Kalashnikov factory: military versions of the electric off-road motorcycle
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Inside the Kalashnikov factory: military versions of the electric off-road motorcycle
Inside the Kalashnikov factory: brake disc shields should help with the rough stuff
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Inside the Kalashnikov factory: brake disc shields should help with the rough stuff
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: 15-kilowatt electric motor
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Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: 15-kilowatt electric motor
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: police version
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Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: police version
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: complete with siren
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Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: complete with siren
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: analogue speedo, LCD dash
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Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: analogue speedo, LCD dash
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: not much to look at
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Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: not much to look at
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: seat looks comfy
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Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: seat looks comfy
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: crash bars and panniers
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Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: crash bars and panniers
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: spoked rear hub
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Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: spoked rear hub
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: lights and sirens
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Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: lights and sirens
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: dash looks pretty bomb-proof
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Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: dash looks pretty bomb-proof
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: basic headlight with protector
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Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: basic headlight with protector
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: 50 will go into service as the Moscow police prepare to deal with the 2018 World Cup
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Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: 50 will go into service as the Moscow police prepare to deal with the 2018 World Cup
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: curious double-shock arrangement at the rear?
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Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: curious double-shock arrangement at the rear?
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: bars and cheap mirrors
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Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: bars and cheap mirrors
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: panniers
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Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: panniers
Chunky handlebar padding should save a few police teeth from all those motocross jump landings.
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Chunky handlebar padding should save a few police teeth from all those motocross jump landings.
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: basic and utilitarian, not unlike the AK47 itself
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Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: basic and utilitarian, not unlike the AK47 itself
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: basic and utilitarian design, not unlike the AK-47 itself
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Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: basic and utilitarian design, not unlike the AK-47 itself
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: 150km range for the police version, 100km for the army ones
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Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: 150km range for the police version, 100km for the army ones
View gallery - 27 images

Forever synonymous with the extraordinary AK-47 assault rifle and a range of other guns, Russian company Kalashnikov has been branching out in all sorts of interesting directions of late, from powerboats to UAVs, to anti-UAV weapons, to scary autonomous gun turrets and even a multirotor hoverbike.

Now, it appears electric all-terrain motorcycles are on the cards, with a pair of chunky, utilitarian designs targeted at police and military use.

Inside the Kalashnikov factory: military versions of the electric motorcycle
Inside the Kalashnikov factory: military versions of the electric motorcycle

They're simple machines; maximum power is 15 kW (20.1 horsepower) from a single speed chain drive motor. Range is either 100 or 150 kilometers (62 or 93 mi), depending on specification. There's an analogue speedo, an LCD dash, a thick, padded double seat, some hard and soft luggage options and crash bars.

Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: analogue speedo, LCD dash
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: analogue speedo, LCD dash

That's about it. Nothing too exciting, apart from an odd-looking double shock arrangement in the back. Not sure why you'd do that, but I'm sure they've got their reasons.

Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: curious double-shock arrangement at the rear?
Kalashnikov electric motorcycle: curious double-shock arrangement at the rear?

It seems the first action they'll see will be 50 units delivered for the Moscow police to run about on during the 2018 soccer World Cup. From there they'll transition to "mass events such as bicycle parades and marathons, as well as in park and nature protection zones."

Early photos from inside the factory would suggest Kalashnikov is ready for small scale production at this point. Check out the gallery for plenty more photos.

Source: Kalashnikov

View gallery - 27 images
4 comments
4 comments
Penguin
Simple is the way to go, maybe the saddle bags could hold more batteries? And the dual rear shocks are probably for stability.
ljaques
Those should fit both military and police niches well, but they would make the perfect SHTF bike, too, for shelter-in-place users. I like the plain look, and they're obviously built around the Kalashnikov concepts of practicality and usability. Kudos, sirs. The Zero FX has 27hp and hits 0-100kph in 4.3 seconds, so these shouldn't be too slow. The smaller motor sips electrons better. ME WANT! I wonder how much they'll sell for and if they can be imported to the States...
PaleDale
More companies need to do this, a simple no frills electric bike would be more popular than the expensive offering by Zero and other companies that seem to think you need to something special to sell an electric bike. For me electric IS the selling point, I don't care about the features and to an extent the looks.
possum1
Twin rear shocks, why not? Boris had two shocks on the spares shelf, it fits Kalashnikov's KISS principle. Way cheaper than a single Ohlins !
Great for Police use in town, no so good for military use as you are anchored to a noisy generator to re-charge in the field, unless you can quick charge off a handy T-90, or slip in an exchange battery pack.
Re-generative hubs on the next model please. And, some stories on the vehicles in the background.