RCR e-Bike From Onyx Motor Bikes Feeds You Motorcycle Levels of Speed and Power

If what you see before you gives off a motorcycle feel, it’s supposed to. What you’re feasting your eyes on is known as the RCR from Onyx Motor Bikes. Yes, the ones from California, U.S. of A. You’ve never heard of this team? That's a shame as they’re new to me, too. But now that we’ve discovered them, there’s not much that we want to know about them. Show me the bike!

OK, listen. Before I go on about how this is the fastest and meanest bike I've seen thus far, know that it really is closer to a motorcycle than a bicycle. Don’t believe me? Here, take the frame for instance. It's an ultra-durable steel tube chassis to make sure you have no issues with structural integrity. What, you thought steel in bicycles was dead? Think again. Carbon fiber would probably crack under the weight of these components, and aluminum would be left bent. So old-school steel it is.

As for those components I mentioned, the list is basic, with one exception; everything is big, really big. Take the motor for instance. We don’t know who the manufacturer is, but we do know that this 205-mm (9.8-in) hub motor is capable of producing a huge 5400W @ 956 RPM. Already we’re measuring output with RPMs and all that jazz, something rarely used in the e-bike world. Oh, and we’re just getting started.

Beyond the wattage, there’s horsepower. 7.24 hp is pushed out at the peak 956 RPM. Finally, a max torque of 182 Nm (134 ft-lb) is achieved. Is it just me or is that more than some cars crank out? Any idea how fast you will be going on this thing? Well, the team at Onyx tells us it tops out at 60 mph (96.5 kph). “That’s a motorcycle, Freddy!”

As for the battery, we know nothing about who could be furnishing such a monster either. After all, these sorts of stats need a huge juice box. All we know is that at a speed of 20 mph (32 kph), the RCR will keep you cruising for 75 miles (120 km).

A huge factor in all of this is the 200A Sinusoidal Mosfet controller. Everything you’ll want from the motor will run through this controller. But don’t fear, it’s a good thing, as these controllers boost motor efficiency to 99% in some cases.

Now, this sort of power needs to be stopped somehow. Luckily, the front brake is a hydraulic 220-mm (8.6-in) rotor, while the rear is a cable-driven 205-mm (8.1-in) rotor. Why cable? No idea. Maybe it’s to help you whip the back end around while you’re riding on icy roads...

The only thing left undiscussed is the suspension. The front includes a solid EBR forged aluminum fork with some unknown level of travel and bounce, while the rear includes 350-mm (13.8-in) adjustable shocks.

Honestly, I don’t even care about the who, what, when, or why when we talk RCR. Why? Because with a base price of $4,149, ‘F’ anything else on the market and just get this. There’s even a kit to give it an off-road edge, but that’ll run you extra. And keep in mind one more thing, the team can go bigger with the RCR, you just need to have the buck to get the bang.