Electric Euro Cycles We Can't Have #3: OtoCycle

Today's post takes us to Barcelona, Spain (and a lot of other places). [This one is for Flattracker 23.]

 

Otocycles Site (Be sure to click the logo when you get there.)

 

OtoCycles is a Spanish e-bike company that produces four models of hand-built e-bikes. They all look like some type of vintage motorcycle - a boardtrack racer, a bobber, a café racer, and a minibike. Prices start around 3000 Euros (about $3500), but that doesn't matter over here because they (so far) have no North American dealers.

Love the OtoK and (especially) the RaceR, not so much on the CrosS and the OtoR

 

Specs for the RaceR (Very similar to the other three)

 

One thing with OtoCycle that will appeal to nuestros norteAmericanos is the available option to purchase bigger motors and bigger battery packs. I weigh about 250 and I really feel sorry for any 250-watt bike that gets suckered into hauling my cuerpo gordo around.

 

The big appeal of the Otocycles for me lies in the past. One of my favorite vintage cycle brands is the made-in-Spain Bultaco. They also have one of the coolest logos ever:

 

Thumbs up - let's ride!

 

Many moons ago I was fortunate enough to spend a weekend riding a Bultaco Alpina all over the area around Cloudcroft, New Mexico. While the controls were all backwards for me, the rides were nothing but thumbs up! Since then I have wanted a Bultaco, and my first choice would be the Tralla.

Does anyone see a resemblance?

 

The Oto RaceR looks a whole lot like the Tralla of my dreams - but it does not run on gasoline - a true thumbs up!

 

So, check them out, drool a bit, and know that they are not available on this side of the Atlantic.

 

But wait - you know I would not leave you hanging. Here are some similar bikes that are available over here. They're (mostly) out of the Mesquite Hugger price range, but they're sure fun to look at!

 

Stuff you can have here in the States:

 

Vintage Electric Bikes

Hand-built, fast, beautiful, expensive (4 models - made in California)

 

Ariel E-Bikes

 4 models (one cargo bike!) neat options, very reasonably priced

Ariel was formerly a prestigious British motorcycle builder.

 

Italjet North America

Three models hand-built in Italy, not cheap -  great attention to detail

Italjet evolved from a prestigious Italian motorcycle and scooter builder.

Juicer Bikes

Three models (plus custom build options) hand-built in SoCal, very expensive!

 

And for those of you who want a nice cruiser bike down closer to the Mesquite Hugger budget...

 

The Juiced OceanCurrent $1299 shipped!

 

May you find eco-friendly wheels that fit your budget, your body, y tu moda!

 

PS. For those of you who want an electric Bultaco that doesn't look like a vintage Bultaco...

 

Bultaco Moto-Brinco

But would you ride it? (an E-Bike question)

GAS2 is one of my favorite blogs lately. The writing is often of a higher (or at least more enjoyable) caliber, and if you like green-ness and wheels, it's not a bad place to hang out. Lately, they have featured some gorgeous electric bicycles. They all have that board-tracker/retro chopper look to them and they truly are works of art. Here are three for your perusal/ogling:

Otocycles

Derringer

Icon E-Flyer

At $3000-$5000 each, one could still make an argument for their economic viability in the same way that I have seen many people convince or try to convince their spouses that a motorcycle made financial sense. See Dear, at 40mpg this $16,000 Harley will save us lots of money! And when you factor in virtually no fuel costs, no insurance payments, no registration, and no parking fees, an-e-bike does make a lot of sense.

But, do these bikes make any sense? Will they be comfortable to ride? Will you worry all day about your $5k baby disappearing from the bike rack? And will it be rough on you when some dork on a $600 diy e-bike goes flying by you?

Just as a reference point, our good friends Keith and Melissa recently put together a nice little e-bike that has the same capabilities as the Otocycle. They invested less than $300 in that bike and had the full installation accomplished in just a few hours. They bought the bike from a Craigslist ad and the conversion kit from this company:

Green Bike Kit

And Melissa looks stylish and has a smile on her face when she rides the beast!



So, would you spend the money for one of those three up top? Would you build your own for a tenth of the price? Or would you not do either?

 May you enjoy your commute with an EV grin!!!

Added bonus for those of you who don't mind spending the money but want performance rather than image:

Stealth Electric Bike