RYVID ANTHEM: FILLING A GAP IN THE ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE LANDSCAPE

By Michael Gougis

In a year of interesting and unique new motorcycles, the Ryvid Anthem may be one of the more significant machines available. The full-electric, full-size motorcycle is less expensive than other electric machines, has a greater range than an e-bike, and is designed to be easy to ride for those moving from powered bicycles onto motorcycles.

In other words, the Anthem may be a platform that brings new riders into the sport.

Roadracing World took the Anthem on a spin through the streets of Long Beach, California and its surrounding neighborhoods. What we found was a refined city motorcycle, easy to ride, comfortable and quick enough for urban use, with design features that make sense and functionality enough to make commuting to work on one a viable proposition.

Tech Briefing

What would a motorcycle look like if it was designed around the mission of being easy to build, easy to ride for newcomers, easy to configure, easy to maintain and use? The Ryvid Anthem starts to answer those questions.

For ease of construction, the Anthem is based on a pressed-steel backbone frame that requires no welding. Power comes from a 72-volt, air-cooled brushless direct current motor that forms the front of the swingarm. The motor is rated at 10 horsepower and peaks at 20 horsepower and 53 lbs.-ft. of torque. It drives a carbon belt with a 4.7:1 ratio to the rear wheel.

The 4.3 kWh lithium-ion battery holds 84 volts when fully charged, and the pack is mounted low on the frame. Two latches hold it in place, and one of the key features of the Anthem is that the battery can be removed quickly and easily. Undo the latches, disconnect three cables, and rotate the battery off of its support pins. It drops onto a set of wheels and a handle extends upward, allowing the battery pack to be pulled along like an airline carry-on bag. A commuter can park, detach the battery and wheel it into their place of work, where it can be recharged from zero to 100 percent before lunch.

The company says the Anthem can reach a maximum speed of 75 mph and has a maximum range of 75 miles.

The Anthem comes with two power modes, Sport and Eco. In Sport mode, battery regeneration is engaged with a switch on the left handlebar. In Eco mode, regeneration during slowing is automatic. In both modes, regeneration starts to occur once the brakes are applied.

Road-ready weight for the Anthem is 313 pounds. One of the unique features of the machine is the electrically adjustable seat–press a button, and the seat can be raised or lowered between 30 and 34 inches high. A four-piston caliper is mated to a single 320mm brake disc on the front wheel, while a twin-piston caliper grips a 220mm disc at the rear. Suspension features inverted forks adjustable for rebound and compression damping with 3.9 inches of travel and a single shock with damping and preload adjustability and 1.3 inches of travel.

The Anthem rolls on cast-aluminum five-spoke rims, 3.50 x 17 inches in the front and 4.50 x 17 in the back. Pirelli supplies the Diablo Rosso IV tires, 120/70 in the front and 160/17 in the rear.

Wheelbase is 52 inches, ground clearance is 7.5 inches, and rake and trail is 26 degrees and 152mm.

Riding Impressions

The keyless fob sits in a small compartment on the “tank” section, so once it is there, it’s a matter of pushing the power button and waiting for the machine to cycle up. Then, twist the throttle and go. There’s no clutch, no shifting. In Sport mode, acceleration is brisk; in Eco mode, it starts briskly then starts to slow. In Sport mode, it was very easy to cruise on major streets along with (and occasionally ahead of) traffic. And I quickly adapted to clutchless, shiftless riding. The grind of stop-and-go between traffic lights and stop signs is way less annoying. In its element, the Anthem performs.

Up to 60 mph or so, the bike is stable, with the weight carried very low. Steering is light, if not as precise as a sportbike, likely due to the rake, but once it was on its side, the bike carved an easy, predictable arc through a corner. Suspension is a bit rudimentary at the rear, but the front easily soaked up anything the streets of Long Beach threw at it–and having lived there for years, I can attest that those streets can be a challenge. I loved the feel of the front brake lever–it’s remarkable how direct and solid a single brake line feels.

I did approximately 20 miles on the bike, including some behavior that should destroy battery range, like doing multiple full-throttle runs uphill for photo purposes. The battery capacity started at 86 percent and was in the mid-50s when I was done. It seems as though the Anthem should be able to meet the company’s estimated range of 75 miles in urban, stop-and-go usage.

Ryvid CEO Dong Tran says the Anthem is designed to fill a gap in the electric motorcycle world. It is designed to be simple, easy to use, and it doesn’t have the sophistication of more powerful electric bikes on the market. On the other hand, it costs thousands less than most other full-size electric motorcycles. It is built in California, comes with a lifetime warranty, and acts and feels like a full-size motorcycle.

And it delivers 100 percent of the best of the electric motorcycle experience–the smoothness and the quiet. Rolling down Ocean Boulevard on a sunny October afternoon, the bike dead quiet, the sun’s warmth penetrating my jacket and the breeze flowing through my open visor, I was thinking, you know, I could get used to this …

Suggested retail price starts at $8,995.