We’ve enthused about electric motorcycles before, but the new Hypersport from Damon Motorcycles unveiled at CES last week has us reaching for the leathers even more enthusiastically than usual. A feature called Shift toggles the riding position of the all-electric two-wheeler with a button press from an upright, commuter-friendly one, to a racing-ready, bent-over sport mode. And onboard smarts make for a safer ride, too.
Pressing the Shift button adjusts the windshield, handlebars, seat and footpegs without the rider needing to stop or dismount. Which means switching between highway riding and stop-start traffic should be a breeze, and you should reach your destination with fewer cricks in the back. You’re going to be pleased about the sport mode, though, because though it's comfortable in traffic, the Hypersport is made for speed.
Respectable range and rapid takeoff —
The Hypersport will do over 200 miles of mixed city and highway use to a charge and 200 HP means it will catapult you from 0-60 MPH in under three seconds. A feature called CoPilot, meanwhile, uses a pair of 1080p cameras (one upfront, one rear-facing) and AI to monitor the Hypersport’s surroundings and alert you to potential hazards via haptic feedback from the handlebars and LEDs on the windshield. There's also a 6-inch LED display between the handlebars in lieu of rearview mirrors that can also display speed, battery and navigation overlays.
There’s a special edition, too —
Damon Motorcycles is offering the Hypersport in two models, the $25,000 HS and the $40,000 Premier. What does the extra $15k get you? Öhlins suspension, Brembo brakes, but most importantly, bragging rights: the company is limiting production of the Hypersport Premier to 25 units.
If you want either edition you can reserve one over here. The HS requires a deposit of $100, the Premier $1,000 — both of which are refundable if you have a change of heart, financial fortunes, or simply want something with four wheels and room for the family.
