We received to experience a pre-production mannequin of a hanging new e-bike/e-moped, the Owlet One, with a number of energy in a small bundle.
We first met Owlet at Electrify Expo in Lengthy Seaside, CA, the place we solely had a pair minutes on its bike. However because the firm is headquartered close by in Los Angeles, they emailed us asking if we’d like an extended check experience, and delivered a motorcycle to us for to spend just a few hours on this time.
Simply to set the stage for this experience: Owlet is a brand new model, making ready to ship its first bike. So to begin off, we rode a prototype, not the completed model. This implies it could include completely different options, and we’re not fully positive when it would ship, both.
The very first thing to note concerning the Owlet One is its design, which definitely stands out instantly. The bike is manufactured from aviation-grade aluminum, although continues to be fairly hefty, tipping the scales at 84 lbs (nevertheless it felt even heavier in our fingers).
On prime of Owlet’s hanging design, the bike can be considerably of a novel form and measurement. Regardless of providing a format that appears just like an e-bike at first look, it rides extra like a small moped. This truly places its 84lb weight into a special perspective – somewhat than being heavy for a motorcycle, it may be considered mild for a moped.
However images can’t encapsulate every little thing concerning the design of the Owlet, as a result of it has one completely distinctive characteristic: an adjustable wheelbase.
This may be finished by one particular person in underneath a minute, although requires a socket wrench and a small quantity of elbow grease.
In follow, I discovered that the adjustable wheelbase in all probability received’t come up a lot for using functions. The longest wheelbase (or near it) was essentially the most comfy and steady to me, and shorter wheelbases had been a bit extra of a novelty, particularly on this highly effective bike which might get a bit of squirrelly on the shorter settings.
One other subject is that it adjustments the angle of the kickstand, which implies you may’t actually use the kickstand outdoors of a slim wheelbase vary. The ultimate bike will supposedly have a special kickstand design, however it will probably be a problem no matter the way it’s redesigned.
Nevertheless it was good for making the bike sufficiently small to suit into locations you may not usually have the ability to match a moped-style bike. Between its slim handlebars and shrunk all the way down to its smallest 44-inch-long setting, it match into the again of each a Tesla Mannequin Y and an Audi A3 wagon (each with seats down), however not fairly right into a Mannequin 3 – which I’ve match a number of normal-sized bikes into the again of, although with the entrance wheel eliminated. Although its hefty weight does imply it may be awkward to raise the bike in there within the first place.
And it’s received extra energy than you’d anticipate out of most e-bikes too. With a 750W motor (3000W peak), there’s loads of stand up and go, and many to maintain you going at the same time as you attain nearer to its 30mph prime velocity. This prime velocity might be lowered by way of the bike’s laptop, to suit your native rules.
Talking of rules, the bike is formally categorized as a motorized scooter, somewhat than an precise e-bike, because it doesn’t have pedals. It’s in an identical class to electrical kick scooters, so you should have any class of driver’s license to experience it, although it may be used both on or off public roads (however test your space’s rules for sidewalk use, helmet necessities, and so forth).
The throttle we examined was a thumb throttle, although we might have most well-liked a twist throttle. The thumb throttle is simply too twitchy, and on a motorcycle with such peaky acceleration, it may get jumpy. This was very true with shorter wheelbase settings. Owlet says there might be an choice for a twist throttle when the bike ships, however we’d additionally prefer to see the software program reasonable acceleration on the very low finish even with the thumb throttle.
And the bike is totally throttle-driven – there are not any pedals, solely pegs. Owlet plans to supply an choice for pegs hooked up to the entrance to permit a special, extra laid-back seating place.
I examined the bike with just a few equipment I had laying round, however due to the Owlet’s distinctive design, not all of them would match (the handlebar cupholder seen in a few of my photographs doesn’t include the bike, for instance, which has no bottle cage mount). You’ll in all probability desire a backpack for those who’re planning to hold issues on this bike, somewhat than saddlebags or the like.
Owlet says the bike’s 1500Wh battery (made with 2170-format cells) can take you round 40-60 miles, and comes with a 350W charger for a ~5 hour cost. Primarily based on our check experience, we predict this vary is cheap or even perhaps conservative – however I’m additionally a fairly light-weight rider at 155lbs, and at all times do not forget that e-bike ranges fluctuate broadly relying on terrain and rider.
The seat has a really cool look to it and is comfy to take a seat on, partially attributable to built-in seat suspension. The entrance fork additionally has 3.5 inches of suspension journey. I’d have favored for each suspensions to be a bit of looser, however that’s once more probably attributable to my comparatively mild weight.
All of this comes with a caveat: we rode a prototype right here, not a remaining bike. So the bike was lacking some remaining options, some options weren’t working (just like the headlight), and so forth. Owlet says that particularly the LCD and foot stands might be modified, however we think about different tweaks are doable (we hope one of many LCD adjustments makes it simpler to learn with polarized sun shades – it was a bit powerful, which is true of many, however not all, bike laptop screens).
Owlet additionally has plans for a future bike, the Owlet 2, which is extra solidly within the moped class, with a much less wild design and better vary and prime velocity. Owlet shared an early prototype truth sheet with us, however given the One is already a little bit of a methods out from supply, don’t maintain your breath for the two but.
Briefly, the Owlet is a enjoyable, quirky experience with a really design-forward ethos. In the event you’re searching for a motorcycle that doesn’t seem like every other, it could possibly be value trying into. Although it’s undoubtedly on the unorthodox facet and it’s important to be keen to simply accept its eccentricities when in comparison with extra standard two-wheeled gadgets.
The corporate is taking $50 refundable deposits for its bike, which it has stated it desires to ship round March – nevertheless it additionally says that it’s ready for a minimal batch amount of preorders first, and that shipments would take 3-6 months after that, so we think about March could possibly be optimistic. If you wish to get in line, you may reserve one right here.
The bike will value $3,995, although early reservers can get it for $2,995, together with an engraved serial quantity and a 1 12 months guarantee/service bundle. Owlet desires to have service areas round LA and probably one in New York, to start with. It would distribute the bikes by delivery them on to prospects.
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