Electrification is slow to come to motorcycles, but startup Tarform is hoping it will be able to change that by making more riders interested in the possibility. It also aims to deliver freedom without an engine in a beautiful, sleek, entirely sustainable package.
Tarform is the brainchild of Taras Kravtchouk, a passionate rider and industrial design specialist. The 2 concept models of Tarform unveiled in late 2019 in Brooklyn, Café and Scrambler, were years in the making. They still need improvement and will see further developments soon, but you can already pre-order production versions of them on the official website.
Kravtchouk believes in freedom, especially in the kind of freedom experienced solely through riding. In his opinion, you can only achieve true freedom if it comes with minimal impact on the environment, but without compromise on the actual experience of riding.
Photo: Tarform
His mission was difficult one from the start: he wanted to build a bike that would pay homage to classic machines but that would be sustainable as well – and preferably include recycled materials and 3D printing. He also aimed for a bike that would be passed on from generation to generation because, in his mind, nothing is ever truly sustainable if it’s discarded after a period of use.
“We are creating products and services that do most things for us,” Kravtchouk says, as cited by the Robb Report. “Food is delivered, and self-driving cars take us to our door with the tap of an icon. In the process, I believe the human spirit becomes dormant. Motorcycle riding provides one of the most powerful human experiences. We want people to reclaim their sense of freedom.”
“At Tarform,” Kravtchouk adds, “we treasure the freedom to ride in nature and feel responsibility to build vehicles that do no harm to our environment.”
Tarform still has a long way to go in terms of delivering bikes that are fully satisfying in terms of speed and range, but it’s on the way there. For the time being, the focus was on delivering a machine that was pleasing to the eye and enjoyable, sleek, while being build in the cleanest manner possible. That entailed building a bike from scratch, with almost all components redesigned by the team.
For starters, the Café and Scrambler come with 3D-printed parts made of recycled materials. About 55 percent of the bike is 3D-printed, which allows for multiple permutations (and customization options) and drives down overall production cost and manufacturing waste. The side panels, the taillight covers and the logo are made from recycled plastic from bottles and packaging, while petroleum-based plastics and leathers are replaced with flaxseed composite, and kombucha-derived leather and pineapple-leaf fibers (on the upholstery).
Photo: Tarform
In the future, Kravtchouk estimates Tarform will incorporate AI to create a bike that’s aware of its surroundings and helps the rider better themselves. Dedicated software will inform the rider on road and weather conditions, as well as surrounding traffic, and deliver feedback on riding performance with the goal of paving the way for improvement. Haptic feedback could be incorporated into the handlebars to alert the rider of, say, incoming vehicles or if the rider is taking a curve too fast and needs to slow down.
A custom humming sound is incorporated into the motor, to make Tarform “visible” to all vehicles and pedestrians. It is widely known that electric vehicles make little sound when traveling at slower speeds, which makes them potentially dangerous to inattentive pedestrians.
Two production models will be available, each allowing several customizations. One version will be a 350-pound bike with 53 horsepower, a 95 mph top speed and a 129-mile range. The other will be 395 pounds, have 80 horsepower and 168 miles of range. On both models, charging will be 3.5 hours for 80 percent with a standard home outlet, and less than an hour for 80 percent with a fast-charger option.
Speaking with TechCrunch at the unveiling of the two concept models in Brookly, Kravtchouk addressed the issue of aiming for a longer range by putting a bigger battery on the Tarform. His take is that most riders would rather have a sleek bike that feels great, even if it comes with a shorter range, instead of a chunky, “fat” and ugly bike that can cover more miles on a single charge.
Pricing for the production models starts at $18,000, but a limited edition model, the bespoke “founder’s edition,” will be made available for $31,000 to $60,000, depending on the level of customization.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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