Kawasaki ZX-14R is a beast of a machine with the biggest 1,441cc engine of all mass production motorcycles. Due to the increasingly more strict emission regulations and the shift to smaller, more practical motorcycles, the ZX-14R is losing its market.
Still, this bike that has been in production since 2006 still has its target audience in the US. The United States are full of wide highways perfect for a sport touring machine like the ZX-14R. Also, it is probably the last frontier where the emission regulations are less strict than in the rest of the world.
What Kawasaki states as a final update to the ZX-14R, the 2021 variant of this beast will get just some cosmetic tweaks. These include two new paint schemes with red accents:
Pearl Storm Grey
Metallic Diablo Black
Still, these changes will provide a breath of fresh air to the unchanged design of the ZX-14R.
As this is fairly a cosmetic update, the ZX-14R engine will still pump out 197,2 horsepower and 112,85 lb-ft of torque. It has a six-speed gearbox as well as the same electronics. Hence, it doesn’t meet the Euro 5 emission standards.
So, if you are living in the US and like your touring machine to be extra strong and sporty, the ZX-14R is a great choice for you. It will certainly stay unique on the market due to its large engine which will translate to limited sales.
Zero Motorcycles reported that they are returning their “Cash For Carbon” program at their partnered dealerships.
This initiative is a win-win combination for Zero Motorcycles and riders who wish to transfer to the EV market. As the gas prices are more uncertain than ever, many people are looking for more fuel-efficient alternatives. Hence, this program creates an excellent opportunity for switching to a more energy-efficient option.
If you wish to participate in this program, it works in the following manner. Zero Motorcycle will increase and take into account the trade-in value of the gas-powered motorcycle. That amount will then be subtracted from the price of a 2020/2021 SR/F or SR/S motorcycles.
Zero Motorcycles will grant a $1,500 credit to stack upon the subtracted value, adding the cherry to the top. This will qualify under the 10% Federal Tax Credit in the US and the perks of any local tax initiatives.
The maximum amount that can be subtracted is $4,000 which is nice, considering that a new Zero bike costs between $10,000 and $25,000.
Sena is one of the largest innovators on the motorcycle Bluetooth communicator market, and the 10C Pro headset is the prime example of that. They have essentially made a Bluetooth headset and an action camera in one package. Sounds too good to be true? Read our Sena 10C Pro review to find out!
Sena 10C Pro Review – Features
If in a rush, check out all the most important features of the Sena 10C Pro Bluetooth headset!
Weighs 90 grams
Bluetooth headset/action camera hybrid
Bluetooth 4.0 technology
Supports up to 4 riders in the intercom group
Connection range of 1 mile (1,4 kilometers)
Advanced noise cancellation
Video recording at 1440p/30 fps and at 1080p/30 and 60 fps
3,7 MP photo quality
Continuous and time-lapse recording modes
Wide-angle lens only
Boom and wired microphone
2 hours battery life when continuously shooting photos and video
Without further ado, let’s begin our Sena 10C Pro review!
Design & Installation
The weight of the Sena 10C Pro headset is surprisingly low at 90 grams, especially when you consider that it is a Bluetooth headset and an action camera in one package. From looks alone, it looks more like a Bluetooth headset than an action camera, helping with its low-key integration with your motorcycle helmet.
We have the jog wheel and the button in the middle of it that manipulate the Bluetooth headset functionalities, such as pairing, adjusting volume, seeking FM stations, and more. Above these buttons, we can see the record button used primarily for, you guessed it, shooting photos and video!
The camera lens is quite low-key and has a plastic cover on it. You can also see a red spot on the top of the lens cap that indicated the top of the image that the camera will record.
This video explains the installation procedure of the Sena 10C Pro!
This headset comes with boom and wired microphones, and its clamping kit should suffice for most motorcycle helmets. Keep in mind that you will need to cut a bit of plastic at the cheek pad area at some helmets if you want the speaker wires to fit inside the helmet itself. Other than that, the installation is pretty straightforward.
Bluetooth Pairing
Here is a video showing how Bluetooth pairing with the Sena 10C Pro works!
Sena 10C Pro motorcycle Bluetooth headset is powered by Bluetooth 4.1, offering a fairly stable connection to various Bluetooth-powered devices. Connecting it to your phone is effortless, even more so if you use the proprietary Sena app. When you connect it to your phone, you can access the phone playlist, use GPS instructions, talk to your contacts, and more.
Now, when it comes to pairing this Bluetooth headset with other headsets, it fares the best when pairing it with the rest of the Sena family. Whether you use the 20S or 30K headsets, the audio quality and signal will stay stable until you don’t go above the recommended connection range.
When it comes to universal intercom pairing, we ran into some problems when pairing with non-Sena devices. In most cases, it’s a hit or miss. Sometimes you may connect easily to different types of Bluetooth headsets, and the second time you may have some issues with that.
Still, we must say that we are impressed with Sena, as they put in an action camera in a Bluetooth headset and didn’t destroy the Bluetooth and intercom functionalities.
Connection Range
Sena claims that their 10C Pro headset has a maximum intercom range of 1 mile (1,4 kilometers). Their claims are true, but keep in mind that certain disturbances such as other vehicles, buildings, lush forests, and steep hills may disrupt this signal.
Not to forget, the 10C Pro Bluetooth headset works with four other riders. So, you can talk with four riders in one intercom group simultaneously, which is fairly useful. You can definitely use this Bluetooth headset/action camera hybrid for group rides too!
Video Quality & Performance
A video showcasing the recording capabilities of the Sena 10C Pro.
When it comes to video quality, Sena 10C Pro can shoot in the following resolutions:
1440p at 30 fps
1080p at 30 and 60 fps
The performance is on point; the video won’t be choppy as there is no visible compression at play here. Also, the video stabilization works quite well.
We want to point out that you won’t be able to take photos or record videos until you don’t install a MicroSD card inside the headset itself. There is no internal memory whatsoever, and Sena sadly doesn’t include a memory card in the package. Keep in mind that the maximum storage capacity is 64 GB.
By default, the camera of the Sena 10C Pro has a fish-eye field of view (135-degree field of view). This can be both good or bad, depending on how you shoot videos. Sadly, there is no way to change the field of view, a feature most modern action cameras have.
But, if you want to use the 10C Pro as a dashcam, the fish-eye field of view really comes in handy. You can use this to your advantage in Continuous Loop mode.
Also, you can record videos in a time-lapse mode, which will snap a photo every second or every 10 seconds, producing a fast-forward video effect. The wide-angle field of view is also quite beneficial for this setting.
Photo Quality
The Sena 10C Pro leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to taking photos, whether it’s the low quality of the 3.7 MP photos or the distorted look in all the images due to the wide-angle lens effect. Taking photos is certainly the weakest area of this Bluetooth headset/action camera hybrid.
When taking photos with the 10C Pro, most of the photos will have an unrealistic distance represented. For example, most subjects in the photos you take with the 10C Pro will look two times farther away than what they really are.
User Interface & Control
First of all, we recommend you download the Sena Camera App to control the camera features properly. You can download it for Android and iOS.
With this app, you can download low-quality variants of videos and photos you shot to your mobile device. But more importantly, you can see what you are recording via the screen of your smartphone.
Once you connect the application to your smartphone, the video/photo shooting screen looks very similar to your smartphone camera user interface. You have a large red button for recording, you can toggle between photo and video shooting, and you can change the resolution and framerate of the video to be recorded. Of course, you can access the gallery via the app too.
Keep in mind that there will be a small delay with what you see on the smartphone screen, but that is quite normal. No app of such type is perfect when it comes to flawless connectivity and input delay.
Sound Quality
Now, the sound quality of the 10C Pro speakers leaves something to be desired on the bass and overall clarity front. While the sound quality is okay when riding below 70 mph (113 km/h), the speaker sound will get completely drowned out by external noise above such speed.
But, this problem has more to do with the overall sound isolation of the helmet. If you have a motorcycle helmet that isolates wind noise quite well, you can hear clear sound via the speakers up to 90 mph of speed (145 km/h).
Still, it’s good to see that Sena has advanced noise cancellation at play with these speakers, a feature that lowers down background noise when listening to music or talking to someone.
When it comes to microphone sound quality, the 10C Pro’s external microphone fares pretty well. That’s mostly due to the integration of adjustable levels, with levels indicating how much ambient noise gets picked up and recorded on the video. The most important thing is that the recording audio isn’t choppy.
Voice Control
As with most other Sena headsets, the 10C Pro offers a voice control system that you can utilize to performs headset actions. With this particular headset, the main addition is that you can actually perform action camera operations with your voice, keeping you more focused on the road in front of you.
Additional Features
Here are some of the additional features of the Sena 10C Pro Bluetooth headset/action camera hybrid.
FM Radio
This is quite an unmissable additional feature for most Bluetooth headsets, whether you decide to use it or not—nothing too groundbreaking here. Maybe the only thing worth noting is the ability to save up to 10 radio stations.
Durability
Sena has paid extra care to make the 10C Pro headset more durable against the elements as it has an action camera onboard. It’s not waterproof but highly water-resistant. Some people managed to ride with it in torrential rainstorms end have no issues with the headset itself.
In a nutshell, you shouldn’t be afraid of rain when riding with the Sena 10C Pro Bluetooth headset.
Still, we have to mention one gripe we have with the overall durability, and it applies to the action camera part. The lens cover design of the Sena 10C Pro is quite shoddy. It’s a small plastic cover held onto the lens by nothing other than the pressure behind the lens. This can make the scenario of losing this plastic cover quite realistic in 99% of cases.
Battery Life
The Lithium-Polymer battery that the 10C Pro headset comes with has a surprisingly long single charge, considering it’s basically a Bluetooth headset and an action camera in one package.
Once you endure its 3,5-hour charge time, you can expect 2 hours of continuous shooting and 17 hours of talking time. The 10C Pro will go into sleep mode after 5 minutes of camera use to save battery life. You can turn this option in the settings, though.
We certainly have no complaints regarding battery life. The charge time is bearable as the battery has more capacity than your usual Bluetooth comm device.
Price
As we are closing in on the Sena 10C Pro review, we still need to see its pricing. It comes at a fairly reasonable price point of $349/€287/£280. It’s a great price point, considering that you get a decent quality action camera and a good Bluetooth headset in one package.
Now that we are at the end of our Sena 10C Pro review, what is our final verdict?
First of all, this is a great buy for all you hobbyist motovloggers out there who want to stay connected with your group of riders at the same time. You will save money and time if you decide to buy an action camera, but still, the camera features aren’t better than most other action cameras. But, if you want to change angles and record at 4K, you will need to buy a separate action camera.
As a Bluetooth headset, the 10C Pro works quite well with its large intercom range, easy pairing with Sena devices, and support for up to 4 riders in one intercom session. While it isn’t better than Sena 30K or Sena 50S when it comes to intercom or sound quality, the 10C Pro is still a decent pick, especially if you want the best of the worlds of video recording and Bluetooth communication.
Hyped for some new Triumph motorcycles? Well, Triumph has officially unveiled the 2022 update for the Speed Twin yesterday! Its main update is Euro 5 compliance, but there is a slew of updates we will break down.
First of all, the engine – it’s taken from the Bonneville. It is a 1,200cc twin engine that produces 98,6 horsepower (at 7,250 rpm) and 82,6 lb-ft of torque at 4,250 rpm. Triumph states that they tweaked the engine a bit to provide more power and torque in the mid-range. They also claim the recommended service interval for the engine is set at every 16,000 kilometers (or 10,000 miles).
Along with the updated engine, Triumph has also played around with handling for this updated Speed Twin. First, we have a 43mm USD Marzocchi front fork with 120mm of travel. On the other hand, the twin rear shock features adjustable preload and provides 120mm of travel. The wheels are extra lightweight, 17 inches in diameter, and wrapped in dope Metzeler Racetec RR tires.
Braking on the 2022 Speed Twin is enabled by the 320mm front twin discs and 220mm rear discs.
Now, let’s talk about the included technologies. The 2022 Triumph Speed Twin will feature:
ABS
Toggleable traction control
LED lighting
Road, Rain, and Off-Road riding modes
Torque-assist clutch
USB charging socket under the seat
Immobilizer
We dig the styling of the updated Speed Twin. Three color variants are available:
Red Hopper
Matt Storm Grey
Jet Black
The 2022 Triumph Speed Twin will be priced at $12,500/€10,232/£8,820. Prices will be different at each dealership, so make sure to inquire at your nearest Triumph dealership for all the things you need to know further.
The brand-new 2021 Suzuki Hayabusa launched on April 26th and sold out in just 3 days. Its sales are breaking records, and good news is that Suzuki Motorcycle India will issue a second batch of 2021 Hayabusa bikes later this year.
Let’s recap why this new iteration of the legendary “Busa” is so popular these days. First of all, it got a complete overhaul, with a leaner and lighter build, as well as engine tweaks that reduced the power for just 5 horsepower to preserve the top speed of 186 mph (299 km/h).
The 2021 Hayabusa also features the new Suzuki Intelligent Ride System (SIRS) that introduces a few riding enhancements, such as:
Power Mode
Traction Control
Engine Brake Control
Bi-Directional Quick Shift System
Anti-Lift Control
Why did Suzuki bother to make this overhaul? It’s mostly due to the increasingly strict emission standards set in the UK and other specific European countries. You see, the 2020 Hayabusa with its 1,340cc engine that produces 188 horsepower at 9,700 rpm didn’t comply with Euro 4 and Euro 5 emission standards.
Suzuki actually first planned to rebuild the Hayabusa from the ground-up, without sacrificing comfort and power to chase the maximum energy efficiency. Complications due to COVID-19 arose, and Suzuki was forced to work with an older chassis where they fit all the mentioned features to comply with increasingly strict emission standards.
Fast forward to the topic at hand! Suzuki will reportedly open the bookings for the second batch of 2021 Hayabusas in July or August. The pricing will stay the same at $12,400/€10,128/£8,753.
Two years after Yamaha revealed their E01 concept scooter at the Tokyo Motor Show, the production variant is near to launch. Based on the details we’ve been able to scrap from Yamaha’s patent applications, the E01 electric scooter is set to be a promising electric model.
First of all, Yamaha is trying to bring five distinct innovative features, focusing on getting the battery power benefits while avoiding the usual electric bike faults. Also, Yamaha will retain the E01 concept name, as Yamaha has filed a trademark for it.
The overall styling of the production E01 electric scooter will be strikingly similar to the concept itself. Main differences arise in some toned-down design choices, mainly around the seat.
For instance, the production variant will have plastic panels around a lift-up seat, with pillion grips integrated into the body. The concept variant, on the other hand, had cloth-style seat material, which is now scrapped.
Based on the engineering patents, Yamaha has paid extra care to maximize space under the seat. The electric engine is located above and behind the front sprocket, and the whole mounting mechanism is designed to free room under the seat.
Other electronic parts are mounted inline in front of the motor and transmission. There is the speed controller, battery pack, and other electronic parts.
The battery on the E01 is placed in a plastic case and bolted into the tubular steel frame. As the control circuits are located in the same case, the scooter’s front is narrower than the rear.
Because of these design choices, Yamaha E01 electric scooter isn’t a genuine step-through scooter, but at least that means you will have much more storage space, which is a problem with scooters nowadays.
We are certainly looking forward to seeing how the E01 scooter looks and feels in motion!
Sena is known to push boundaries when it comes to improving motorcycle Bluetooth headset technologies. With the introduction of the Sena 50 lineup of headsets (including 50R and 50S), they’ve introduced the Mesh 2.0 technology. This technology does wonders when it comes to stability and range of group intercom. In our Sena 50S review, find out what other technologies does this excellent headset feature and if it’s worth its premium price tag!
Sena 50S Review – Features
In a rush? Check out all the main features of the Sena 50S motorcycle Bluetooth headset:
Weighs 64 grams
Shark fin antenna that provides a more stable signal
Uses Bluetooth 5.0 and Mesh 2.0 technology
Public Mesh Mode for connecting to an unlimited number of riders (can talk to 6 simultaneously)
Without further ado, let’s continue with our Sena 50S review!
Design & Installation
Sena 50S is quite a low-profile Bluetooth headset, weighing only 64 grams. It features a larger chassis and the already classic jog dial feature clearly inspired by the 20S and 30K headsets. As it has an apparent lack of buttons compared to the Sena 50R model, the 50S excels when it comes to gloved hand usage. This is an intelligent approach that contributes to the overall safety on the road factor.
Now, the jog dial mainly serves as a way to adjust the volume. It is a bit clunky, as it required you to turn the dial behind to increase the volume and turn it forward to decrease it. With a bit of practice, it becomes a habit, though.
Other than the jog dial, there are three additional buttons. The Mesh Intercom Button is located on the top segment of the headset, just behind the Mesh antenna, and it toggles the Mesh mode. Then, the Phone button on the right side of the headset serves for Phone pairing. Finally, the Ambient button is on the bottom of the headset, which triggers the Ambient Sound mode.
Other than the buttons, there is the USB-C port, 2,5mm aux input, and a 3,5mm headphone socket.
The Sena 50S headset comes packaged with HD audio speakers that greatly enhance the overall audio experience.
Here is a useful video showing how to install the Sena 50S Bluetooth headset!
You can install the 50S either by clamping it to the lower-left jawline part of the helmet or sticking it with an adhesive mount. It is more complicated to clamp than competitive Bluetooth headsets due to the two small screws on the clamp.
Once you install it on the motorcycle helmet, you can attach a wired microphone or two boom microphone variants.
Overall, the design of the 50S is nothing groundbreaking, clearly resembling its older siblings. But, you know how they say, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”
Bluetooth Pairing
Here is how phone pairing with Sena 50S works!
As the Sena 50S utilizes Bluetooth 5.0 technology, it provides a much clearer connection with Bluetooth-enabled devices, including smartphones, GPS devices, and other motorcycle Bluetooth headsets.
Bluetooth pairing with a smartphone is quite simple with the 50S. When the 50S headset is turned off, press and hold the jog dial and Phone buttons together for three seconds. You will notice the red and blue flashes, as well as the “Phone Pairing” announcement. Next, you have to put your smartphone in Bluetooth pairing mode and find the Sena 50S in the menu.
Alternatively, if the Sena 50S headset is turned on, hold the Phone button for five seconds and follow the procedure above to connect to your smartphone.
Now, let’s discuss Bluetooth intercom pairing. Keep in mind that the 50S supports three other Bluetooth headsets when in Bluetooth intercom mode. To enter the pairing mode, press and hold the jog dial for five seconds. You will hear the “Intercom Pairing” announcement and see alternating red flashes. Once you pair with another Bluetooth headset, the blue LED light will flash as a confirmation.
One gripe we have with the Sena 50S is that it’s a hit-and-miss scenario when it comes to connecting with non-Sena Bluetooth headsets.
Connection Range
As we continue our Sena 50S review, let’s talk about the connection range. First of all, let’s talk about the Bluetooth intercom range.
The Bluetooth intercom provides more sound clarity than Mesh and a maximum range of 1,2 miles (2 kilometers) between riders. Yet, the main downside of the Bluetooth intercom with the Sena 50S is that it supports only four riders in one intercom session.
Pull up the antenna on the top of the 50S and press the MIB button, which will welcome you to the Mesh 2.0 intercom functionality. This technology is one of the main selling points of newer, premium Sena headsets, and we can see why.
First of all, the default Mesh mode is the Open mode, which supports virtually a limitless number of riders. There is also a Group mode, where you can set a group of a maximum of 24 people. Still, you can talk with six users simultaneously if you utilize the Mesh 2.0 mode.
The maximum range of the whole Mesh network is 5 miles (8 kilometers), and around 0,6 miles (1 km) between each individual rider in the Mesh network. Even though it provides a smaller range between riders than the Bluetooth mode, the Mesh 2.0 offers some much-needed benefits.
What makes the Mesh 2.0 much better than Bluetooth 5.0 regarding intercom function is that it won’t break the intercom session if one rider gets out of range. Once that rider gets into range again, he will be automatically reconnected. For instance, if that happens on the Bluetooth network, the whole intercom session would shut down, requiring you to stop and re-establish the connection.
If you prefer to ride in larger groups, the Sena 50S motorcycle Bluetooth headset is an ideal choice, thanks to the Mesh 2.0 implementation.
Sound Quality
The Sena 50S Bluetooth headset features the new HD audio speakers. These are 40mm wide and provide excellent deep bass and treble performance. Still, you may notice some audio distortions the more you increase the sound volume.
Want to adjust the bass or treble of these speakers? You can do so via the Audio Equalizer settings in the Sena 50 Utility App.
If you compare these speakers to the 45mm JBL speakers from Cardo, you will notice that JBL speakers have better deep tunes and generally fewer distortions at high volumes. Still, Sena has provided a significant upgrade compared to their old speakers.
One handy feature we love about the Sena 50S is the Ambient mode. Just press the Ambient button on the bottom of the headset twice, and the speakers will let in the sound from outside the helmet. This is very handy when you need to ask for directions on the road, talk to someone at the red light or petrol stations.
Voice Control
Here is how the voice commands with the 50S work!
As other modern Sena devices, the Sena 50S offers voice command functionality that supports eight languages:
English
French
German
Italian
Spanish
Chinese
Japanese
Russian
There are tons of voice commands available, definitely more than found on Cardo headsets. Maybe that’s the main reason why the feedback on the voice commands isn’t the best. Sometimes, the 50S may struggle to register the voice commands on the first try, so you might try yelling a bit louder.
On a positive note, we love that you can use your smartphone assistant with the voice command function of the Sena 50S. Not a lot of motorcycle Bluetooth headsets can do that.
Additional Features
Here are some extra features of the Sena 50S Bluetooth headset:
FM Radio
This is a fairly standard feature with most Bluetooth headsets nowadays. You can control it either with the jog dial or with voice commands. Also, there are ten radio station presets available for you to access and modify.
Sena 50 Utility App
As with all other Sena Bluetooth headsets, there is extensive firmware and app support. The Sena 50 Utility App provides access to features such as:
Sena is known for the lack of IP waterproof ratings for its Bluetooth headsets. It is no different with the 50S either.
While Sena claims this headset is water-resistant, it won’t fare well when riding at high speeds in heavy rain. It may randomly stop working when in such conditions, and that’s a bummer when you consider the premium pricing of this Bluetooth headset.
We expect Sena to optimize their Bluetooth headsets for harsh weather in the future and chase that IP waterproof rating. Not all riders have the luxury of stable weather conditions, after all.
Battery Life
In this part of our Sena 50S review, let’s find out more about its battery life!
When it comes to battery life, the Sena 50S does well but not perfect. It provides nine hours of talk time in Mesh mode and 14 hours of talk time in Bluetooth mode. If you combine this with listening to music, the average single charge will last you for at least 10 hours.
The charge time is just one hour, thanks to the USB-C fast charging.
Price
As an evolution of the flagship line of Sena’s Bluetooth headsets, the Sena 50S headset sits at $288/€235/£203 for the single pack and $441/€360/£312 for the dual pack. It’s not that much more expensive than the Sena 30K, and it provides a bit more quality for your money.
As we finish up our Sena 50S review, what is our final verdict on this premium Bluetooth headset?
First of all, it is the go-to Bluetooth headset if you are riding in large groups due to the Mesh 2.0 integration. It provides a fantastic intercom range, and the reconnect feature is just too good to throw away. Also, the design of the headset itself is pretty simple and functional, even for gloved hands.
We don’t like how the 50S is unfriendly to non-Sena Bluetooth headsets regarding the connectivity, and the voice commands could use some work at recognizing the right commands. Also, they really should chase that waterproofing rating.
Still, Sena 50S is an excellent upgrade over the Sena 30K and 20S Evo headsets and is a worthy addition to their lineup.
The much-hyped new arrival to the Harley family is becoming one of the best-sellers for the American brand, based on its initial reception in the US. Deliveries for this touring motorcycle (a first for Harley!) started at the beginning of May, and the dealers received units toward the end of the month.
According to the dealerships in the US, the Pan America provides tons of value with its starting price of $17,000/€13,943/£11,980, which is a competitive price compared to other ADV machines on the market.
Some dealerships have already ran out of Pan America bikes due to highly ecstatic demand for this bike. Most of them require deposits for more bikes and create waiting lists to manage the sales of this bike.
People sure do love this bike, and the overwhelmingly positive response is great news for the US-based company! Even the Indian market is receiving the Pan America units for sale.
Well, we can’t blame the people for loving this bike, as it provides some cool specs and features! First of all, it’s the most capable Harley bike for different road types. Its 1,252cc V-twin engine produces 150 horsepower and 83 lb-ft of torque. It features fuel injection, its engine is liquid-cooled, and it features variable valve timing.
The modern engine is complemented by electronic driver aid systems, a functional TFT display, heated grips, and a tire pressure monitoring system. It is certainly one of the best modern ADVs on the market, and we are eager to see how will it perform in the following months to come!
Over the past years, Europe has been taking increasingly drastic measures to cut down on the emissions in its countries. The low-emission rates are gaining much popularity recently, and the whole continent is on a streak to lower the emissions significantly by 2035!
For instance, the UK is pretty used to this new system, as they comply with new emission standards by retiring older bikes that don’t meet the proper requirements. The UK has a pretty crafty system to differentiate motorcycle models in different Euro emission standards:
Euro-2 emission bikes – made from 2005
Euro-3 emission bikes – made from 2008
Euro-4 emission bikes – made from 2017
Other countries are seeing less drastic and more gradual transformation toward a low-emission future.
In Barcelona, Spain, the local authorities have introduced a Low Emissions Zone that doesn’t let in select types of vehicles:
gas-powered cars made before 2006
diesel-powered vehicles made before 2000
motorcycles made before 2003
London is an example of a more drastic approach to cut down on emissions. Throughout England are the Low Emission Zones similar to Barcelona’s, but in London, there is an Ultra-Low Emission Zone, where only Euro-3 compliant vehicles can be driven.
A day pass costing £12,50/€14,55/$17,66 and a warning to stay in the zone within a set time limit has been introduced for those that can’t comply with this restriction. Somewhat similar to parking tickets. Also, if someone gets caught without a day pass, and doesn’t drive a Euro-3 compliant vehicle, a draconic fine of £1,000/€1,164/$1,413 will be imposed.
Other European countries working on cutting the emissions are:
Italy – imposing a ban on two-stroke engines
France – the goal to have only Euro-4 compliant vehicles by 2025
the Netherlands – aim to ban all vehicles powered by gas and diesel by 2030
The change is coming sooner than we expected. We hope that by 2035, electric vehicles will be friendly for each pocket, as they are currently costly.
After BMW revealed the concept in November 2020 for this particular electric scooter, a few spy shots have emerged on “decoches blogspot” a few days ago. These shots essentially confirm that the BMW CE 04 will closely follow along with the concept.
Based on these spy shots, we can see that the CE 04 electric scooter will retain the wide front dominated by V-shaped headlights. It has a flat profile from the front to back that pronounces the battery rather than hiding it. A curious design choice, indeed.
Also, we can see that it will have a squat feet forward seating position, which may attract regular motorcycle riders. It surely looks that this scooter will try to aim at a wider audience.
Another spy shot shows a digital dashboard that will be implemented with the CE 04. It looks lovely, to say at least.
For the time being, these are all the shots we have of the CE 04 electric scooter. Remember, this is the second electric scooter from BMW, the first being the BMW C Evolution Plus. See the Evolution Plus in action down below.
