In 1894, German engineers Heinrich and Wilhelm Hidebrand gave the world its first production internal combustion powered motorcycle, the Hildebrand & Wolfmüller Motorrad.
The contraption used a bike frame and twin cylinder, water-cooled engine to zip along at the unheard speed of about 28 MPH. The motorcycle was born and manufacturers like Indian and Yale and Bridgestone soon popularized the new convenience all over the world.
Fast forward 106 years to a workshop in Los Angels where David Lance Twomy has been inspired to combine the best of old school motorbikes and cutting edge electric bicycle technology.
The result? The retro cool Juicer, which combines the classic looks of an antique motorbike of yesteryear and today’s 48-volt, lithium ion powered propulsion to create a stunning (and pretty darn fast) electric bike.
Juicer’s flagship model is the 48 volt “Racer.” The hand-built bike features a Manta (Etek type) brushed DC motor powered by a striking cobalt blue Safer Chemistry lithium-ion battery. It’s the battery that visually signals the bike’s thoroughly modern powertrain.
It’s also those batteries which supply a coy nod to the old V-Twin machines of old. But looks aside, that powertrain is able to generate speeds of 46 MPH (unassisted), and boasts a range of about 13 miles at 20 MPH.
To further keep with the bike’s retro aesthetic, Juicer chose to use dials and gauges for the battery controller rather than the more modern LED readout. And while the Juicer may look exotic, the company says that upkeep is a fairly simple.
“Apart from the metalwork we do in-house,” the company explains, “there are no exotic parts in a Juicer emotorbicycle. All the rest of the components are readily available off-the-shelf which ensures that your Juicer will remain roadworthy mile after mile, year after year.”
The company plans to have the Juicer e-bikes available at the Hollywood Electrics dealership, however no pricing or availability information is available.
