Cleveland CycleWerks electric Falcon is all red white and blue

Cleveland CycleWerks launches American-made Falcon electric motorcycle

Cleveland CycleWerks — the Ohio-based outfit previously known for selling familiar, retro Chinese motorcycles with Asian parts — recently revealed its Falcon electric motorcycle in two versions. The new bikes are designed in Ohio and now being built in the US, with many suppliers located in Cleveland, according to Electrek. The Falcon 01 is the cheaper of the two and claims a top speed of 105 km/h. Meanwhile, the premium Falcon BLK claims a top speed exceeding 137 km/h. Both street-legal electric bikes are now available for preordering.

Shared equipment of both electric Falcons include the robot bent, hand TIG-welded frame with a two-piece bottom bracket to accommodate different footpeg positions and even pedals. Each bike comes with non-adjustable inverted forks (120 mm of travel), a centrally-mounted rear piggyback shock (100 mm of travel). 200 mm front and rear rotors, and CARD dual-piston brakes on both ends. The 17-inch wheels are wrapped in Michelin Pilot Street tires and the Falon has a low seat height of 762 mm and carrying capacity of 170 kg. There’s Bluetooth connectivity, and mobile devices can be used as an optional screen.

The Cleveland CycleWerks Falcon 01 and BLK utilize hot-swappable “Angry Pixy Power” packs of Samsung INR18650-35E 3500mAh, 8A, lithium-ion batteries with a robust battery management system (BMS) and Controller Area Network (CAN) communication. The tame 01 comes with one pack while the more-powerful BLK comes with two; either setup takes 1.5 hours to fully charge with a waterproof IP65 charger (110V/240V, 7A standard, 12A optional). While the two clutchless, chain-driven e-bikes get Radial Flux IPM motors with different specs, they share the same 300 Amp, three-phase AC controller with regenerative deceleration. A choice of three modes limit sustained speed to either 32 km/h, 43.5 km/h, or 104 km/h.

The Falcon 01 costs $8,000. It’s lighter by 11kg but less powerful, offering 750 W to 1500 W of governed peak power and a top speed of 104 km/h. However, as an e-bike, top speed is limited to 32 km/h. As an e-moped, it’s limited to 43.5 km/h. Without such regulations, like off-road for instance, you can ride the Falcon 01 up to 104 km/h. The Falcon 01 comes with only one battery pack and claims a range of 128.7 km with eco mode on and 80 km without.

The Falcon BLK is priced way more at $15,000. It’s heavier than the Falcon 01 since it gets two battery packs, increasing claimed eco range to 257 km and regular range to 160 km. As a full-on electric motorcycle, its Radial Flux IPM motor can unleash 13kW of power, with an output of 17.7 PS and 39 Nm of torque at the shaft. Cleveland CycleWerks claims the Falcon BLK’s top speed can exceed 137 km/h, and its Angry Pixy electronic boost lasts up to 20 seconds. As the snazzier option, the Cleveland CycleWerks Falcon BLK comes with design accents like LumiLor electroluminescent paint and exclusive wheel covers.

While the pricing of the Cleveland CycleWerks Falcons may not add up that well with the specs, especially against competition, the neo-retro motorcycles are still pretty nifty and good-looking. They’re additions to the industry-wide development trend toward two-wheeled electrification, within the growing niche of neo-retros (like Fly Free Smart Motorcycles, Switch Motorcycles, etc.) that combine classic design cues with current EV technology.