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[Hansi]

https://sondorsx.com/

What do you think?

[Fran K]

I would like to try it out and see what no knee contact is like.

72 volt hub motor.

[caza]

I'm really happy to see Sondors go for this low-mid range price with these specs. This is a big gap in the market that needs to be filled. I think for 5k, the 4kwh battery, 14kw peak motor, 80mph top speed, are all good specs for the price. Though notably their specs page says 8kwh nominal 14.6kwh peak, should just be kw.

The design itself is pretty quirky though.

Cutout where your knees would go. For super casual city riding it's probably not a big deal, but it does immediately jump out and gives me the assumption that the designer doesn't actually ride. Notably Sondors started as a budget ebike kickstarter.

But it's also just a waste of space. Tank storage in a zero or NC700x etc is incredibly useful but the sondors decided to look futuristic instead of being functional. At least it does help keep weight down. If I owned one I'd probably add a bunch of loops to throw a cargo net on each side. Then at least you could stuff a couple small grocery bags in there.

The integrated turn signals are not street legal in the US, nor is the tail tidy. No reflectors. If the bike is to be fully street legal then this cannot be the final design.

Seat looks thin. Rides would presumably be so short that this isn't a big deal, but I'd still prefer a cushier seat.

LCD looks like it's placed way too low and facing straight up? Really wonder how readable it will be.

I like the wireless phone charger built into the tank area.

No passenger pegs.

No mention of regen of any kind.

ABS option would have been nice.

Level 2 charging with an "accessory" at a later date. No details as to what that accessory will be like or charging speeds.

I guess it's a backpack bike because it seems very that frame supports any kind of top or side cases.

Overall seems like a swing and a miss, but it's at least interesting. Sondors has delivered on their ebikes, but a moto like this is a bigger challenge. We'll see if they hit that Q4 2021 goal, but until then this is another concept accepting pre-orders.

[princec]

It looks incredible. Great price too. I see a big hole that looks ripe for battery expansion. (Riding without knees is in fact perfectly fine - just ask any scooter rider, eg, me)

Cas

[JaimeC]

I would like to try it out and see what no knee contact is like.

Ride a scooter. 

[JaimeC]

Just a thought, but it should be a nit for someone (even the OEM itself) could easily fit a removable storage compartment in that open space in the frame.  Most Maxi-scooters have bags that fits in that space so why not this?

[Richard230]

Here is a video review of the Sondors Metacycle: 

[Fran K]

I spent a while on various articles on the web and the Sondors site.

It is a $100 deposit, then monthly payments of $700, then the shipping fee which I think comes later.  So it is a pay in full perhaps before even production.

I looked at the rear suspention pretty hard.  At least with the dirt bikes when the dual shock set up was at the end the top and bottom of the shock were equal distance from the swingarm pivot.  The Ktm mono shock isn't quite that way.  This set up is the top mount way farther from the pivot than the bottom mount.  I can see it has a progressive spring but still...  Exactly how much travel the rear wheel would have at the point the rubber bumper on the shock hits and when it presumably compresses seems inconsistant looking at various pictures.  Strangely it seems better pictures released to the moto journalists than I found on their site.

Ever ride in the rain?

A hub motor and various off the shelf components might make marketing a bike like this or the BSA one discussed lately a coming theme.

Can a front vs rear weight distribution be achieved in the ideal range?

They state it is not for enthusiasts or racers or for some other description I froget.

As an aside, How do you tell if an entity such as this, one taking deposits has actually passed whatever is needed to issue a certificate of origion? 

Edit:  discussing no linkage rear suspention,  discussing certificate of origion that is for highway use Perhaps homolgomation is an applicable word.

[Rockburner]

I looked at the rear suspention pretty hard.  At least with the dirt bikes when the dual shock set up was at the end the top and bottom of the shock were equal distance from the swingarm pivot.  The Ktm mono shock isn't quite that way.  This set up is the top mount way farther from the pivot than the bottom mount.  I can see it has a progressive spring but still...  Exactly how much travel the rear wheel would have at the point the rubber bumper on the shock hits and when it presumably compresses seems inconsistant looking at various pictures.  Strangely it seems better pictures released to the moto journalists than I found on their site.

Most road motorcycles, even those without a linkage, don't have an equal distance from the swingarm pivot to both ends of the shock, I didn't see anything to worry about.

Ever ride in the rain?

Yeah - that's going to be an issue...... (without some reworking)

A hub motor and various off the shelf components might make marketing a bike like this or the BSA one discussed lately a coming theme.

I like the idea that you can replace the motor and the battery easily as technology improves their efficiencies: however - you'll need the manufacturers to actually offer those uprated elements, which will rely on them selling lot hotcakes.

[caza]

Sondors has a good track record with their ebikes, but wanting $700/mo for a pre-order before production has started or they've even gotten DOT approval is a huge red flag.

A deposit to hold your place in line is standard practice, a payment plan for a non-existent bike sounds like a scam.

[Crissa]

Yeah.  I thought that went without saying.  Monthlies without a delivery is not good.

-Crissa

[Oldun]

Sorry, but any company that reproduces the Reliant Robin's layout in their lineup - even in mirror-image - cannot expect to be taken seriously by the AngloSaxon consumer. Just sayin'...

[Crissa]

Sorry, but any company that reproduces the Reliant Robin's layout in their lineup - even in mirror-image -

If you think that a three-wheeler with two up front is remotely similar to a three wheeler with two in back, well... One drives like a sports car, the other... doesn't.  At all.

-Crissa

[JaimeC]

Sorry, but any company that reproduces the Reliant Robin's layout in their lineup - even in mirror-image -

If you think that a three-wheeler with two up front is remotely similar to a three wheeler with two in back, well... One drives like a sports car, the other... doesn't.  At all.

-Crissa

Millions of people who drive Spyders, Rykers, T-Rexes and Slingshots would agree with that statement. 

[wavelet]

A modest-power commuting-centered motorcycle seems to be a good thing, esp. at a decent price.

In (at least most of) the US this would require a full motorcycle license, right? The power/speed limits for mopeds are apparently way lower.
A couple of comments about the (partial) specs:
-- Curb weight of 200lbs / 91kg sounds low for something that's supposed to withstand 130mph; I'd expect more like 140-150kg. Unless it were made of titanium 
-- No mention of payload
-- 8kW motor . 14.5 KW sounds a bit high for peak, unless it's for a few seconds.
-- 80 mph sounds optimistic for a 8kW motor, esp. with no provision for aero. I'd believe 60-65, which is enough for most commuting use.
-- Ditto 80mi range implies 50Wh/mile; even at low speeds, that sounds  too low compared to typical e-motorcycle values, unless it's at 25mph; it's much closer to the 10-20 Wh/mi that e-bicycles get.

The power rating means it's rideable in the EU on an A1 license, which is significant -- that can be obtained at age 16, and it's also easier to get than an A2 let alone a full A license.

As to the design:
-- That hole is begging for a rainproof plastic compartment, but even if they intended to make it an extra-cost option (e.g., available in multiple color choices) puzzlingly, there's no sign of mounting points.
-- The seat does not at all look ergonomic -- far too thin.
-- I don't see any turn signals in front; rear lights are Liliputian
-- No provision for saddlebags and/or a place to mount a tailbag (essentially a general-purpose rear carrier).
That's the clearest indication the designer doesn't ride -- s/he followed the silly "chopped rear end" fashion.

As to no provision for a passenger, that's not surprising -- it's far too small a frame & motor for that. A Honda Grom (curb weight 229lbs) has a 309lbs payload, whereas an average US adult is 198lbs... You couldn't carry two adults+protective gear anyway.

(I actually don't think most motorcycles should be allowed to carry passengers -- they're not really designed for it & it affects their handling too much, and even in those models that are designed for it, I'd make it a required to have a special license with extra training)