The Aviator is more about having fun than getting to point B on timeBeachman

$6,000 electric café racer adds 60s vibes to leisurely weekend riding

by · New Atlas

We're coming up on a year since Canadian upstart Beachman unveiled its beautiful '64 electric motorcycle, which was dripping in retro style. It's now set to launch the Aviator, a similar café racer with its own subtle design flair and essential quality-of-life upgrades.

If this is the first time you're seeing a Beachman, let me catch you up. The company specializes in light, stylish, electric two-wheelers meant for laid-back riding and made in North America.

You can get the Aviator in any of three configurations, depending on the classification that's suitable for where you intend to ride it.

You can get the Aviator in three different speed configurations, and a range of beautiful retro colorwaysBeachman

The 'ebike' version tops out at 20 mph (32 km/h) on-road and 35 mph (56 km/h) off-road. The Light Motorcycle can hit 45 mph (72 km/h) and accommodate up to 350 lb (158 kg), making it a better choice for riding with a passenger. There will also be a 125cc-equivalent electric motorcycle with enough power to hit 60 mph (96 km/h) and 125-mile range (202 km) this [Northern Hemisphere] fall.

The Aviator features a classic café racer design, with a retro round headlight, clip-on handlebars set low, a leather bench seat, and a minimalist tubular frame bringing everything together.

The fuel tank is actually a two-liter storage box – and a lid for the removable battery beneathBeachman

The mid-size frame and 'fuel' tank are newly designed for this model; the latter is actually a two-liter lockable storage box that can hold your gloves and charging cable.

The bike also features a built-in USB-C charging port to top off your phone or GPS unit, a motion alarm system to prevent theft, and a remote start function that doesn't require you to turn the key.

This bike looks every bit the part of a 60s cafe racer, right down to its analog clocksBeachman

I'll admit that I had a hard time telling the Aviator apart from the '64 at first glance. But a closer look revealed the Aviator's dual analog gauges for speed and range crowning the headlight, a streamlined rear end that surrounds the leather seat, and a battery box that's tightly integrated into the frame for increased rigidity. It's a more evolved expression of what the brand is going for than the first model.

You can get the Aviator with removable 2.8-kWh or 4.3-kWh batteries, which can net you 55 miles (88.5 km) or 80 miles (128 km) respectively on both the ebike and light motorcycle configs. They'll come in a range of colors, and Beachman will offer all kinds of customization options, including seat upgrades, handlebar grips, and saddlebags.

The Aviator's design is more refined than the '64, with a clean tail endBeachman

That's not a lot of power on tap, but the Aviator more than makes up for it in personality. This is ideal for taking the scenic route: I'm already dreaming of riding one around a little island with nowhere to be at any particular time.

The Beachman Aviator Kickstarter Video

The Aviator ebike starts at US$5,499, and the light motorcycle comes in at $5,999. It doesn't have a web page yet, but you can see the bike in action in the video above from Beachman's Kickstarter campaign for this model, which pulled in nearly $300,000 in funding. If you're keen to get one soonish, drop Beachman an email. The company is already hard at work assembling early orders, and hopes to begin shipping the first batch out in a few months.

Source: Beachman Bikes