There are electric scooters and there are electric bicycles. And then there are curious inbetween beasts that seem to feature the best of both designs. The 2019 Suru Scrambler is one such curiosity, a street legal pedal-assist bicycle designed for both on- and off-road action.
Suru describes the Scrambler as a universal motorcycle. Not the kind of engine-based two-wheeler that most will associate with the word motorcycle, but a kind of modern moped – with a twist throttle for all-electric scooter mode and pedals for e-bike mode.
It's based on the same solid-looking monocoque aluminum frame as the Suru S19 launched last year, but reinforced for off-road shenanigans. The Scrambler comes with wider handlebars, 17 inch motorcycle grade knobbly tires, gold anodized reservoir shocks to the rear and a telescopic fork to the front, a pleated seat and a custom paint job.
The chain drive scooter-bike is available in two flavors, the Canadian market gets a 500 W rear hub motor while US customers will be treated to a 750 W motor. Top all-electric speed is reported to be 32 km/h (20 mph) and its 48 V, 816 Wh battery should be good for an all-electric range of up to 70 km (40 mi) on the road or 40 km in the dirt.
The Suru Scrambler is up for pre-order for CAD 3,500 for the Canadian model and US$2,700 for the US version. Suru says that the Scrambler will not be made available for sale in Europe. Production is due to kick off in February 2019, with shipping expected to start in April.
Product page: Suru Scrambler