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Driving report: KTM Freeride E

Off-road motorcycle with electric drive

KTM has been working on an off-road motorcycle with an electric drive for years. MOTORRAD experienced the first meters of a new two-wheeled era.

Nothing. No sound. The pressure on the “starter button” arms the battery, nothing more. 300 volts are now at the two poles of the electric motor, enough to send an average Upper Austrian cattle into the eternal hunting grounds. Or an average motorcycle mechanic. “We encapsulated the entire drive unit,” explains project manager Johannes Proschek. “Our high-voltage concept is not allowed to be tinkered with, no open cables must be accessible. But you can also go underwater with the freeride. ”Underwater? It doesn’t have to be today. Not a cloud in the sky, a lush meadow entices you to taste KTM’s Stromfloh. It should weigh an ultra-light 95 kilograms with a full tank.

D.he tentative turn on the right end of the handlebars gently sets the vehicle in motion. Nothing jerks or jerks. Pros, the KTM people. Two laps around the block harden the feeling of a really professionally made motorcycle. The power increases linearly with the power required on the twist grip, as we always want it to be with combustion engines, but rarely get. The freeride prototype shoots away with a hiss when it’s supposed to give it all. 30 HP peak power, 45 Nm torque from a standstill, the whole thing translated to 70 km / h, that’s pretty much going on.

Off to the green meadow, the neighboring farmer swells briefly, then turns back slightly irritated. Because he doesn’t hear anything either. The freeride plows through the terrain almost noiselessly, blades of grass gently kink. Farmer Alois agrees peacefully. Unimaginable if the whole thing were celebrated with a robust 450cc Enduro. At least a pitchfork in the butt, if not firearm use. No. E-bikes are considered environmental enthusiasts, KTM has recognized it and sees a great future in it. Rightly so, at least if you only start from the driving experience. The freeride delivers brilliant ride comfort, vibration-free power delivery, pressure in all situations and a mechanical grip in off-road operation that seems to be vastly superior to any combustion engine. The rear brake is operated with the left hand lever, you don’t need a clutch. Advantage in difficult terrain, you can paddle with both legs. Or finally drifting right-hand corners in style. What doesn’t work at first: letting the rear wheel spin in a controlled manner. The grip is simply too high.

How long does the fun last? "A top crosser empties them in 25 minutes, puffies in 45", said press spokesman Thomas Kuttruff. The battery is recharged in 1.5 hours, and 2.1 kilowatt hours can be stored in it. Energy recovery when braking? "Thought of that, but difficult to master in the field. The wheels shouldn’t lock unexpectedly." The 300 volt battery consists of standard laptop cells, such as those used by Tesla in the roadster. KTM assembles everything itself: battery, power electronics and DC motor. You don’t want to give away any know-how here. The first appearance is convincing. The KTM is so far the best electric motorcycle that MOTORRAD has ridden. One should be able to buy it.

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