Horwin debuts two new electric motorcycles, one with a 5-speed gearbox

Horwin has a couple of new electric motorcycles that it will be debuting at the 2019 EICMA Milan Motorcycle Show, though it’s already showing off the goods now. The upcoming CR6 and CR6 PRO are intended to serve as middleweight electric motorcycles designed for commuters.

While the Austrian-based electric motorcycle distributor has mostly sold imported models until now, the new bikes are being pitched as European-centric models designed for the local market.

Horwin’s new CR6 and CR6 Pro are a pair of electric motorcycles that offer something of a modern take on the classic cafe racer styling.

Horwin CR6 and CR6 Pro electric motorcycles

The bikes are actually quite similar, except that the CR6 Pro includes a 5-speed manual gearbox that seems to match that nostalgic cafe racer feel.

Despite both bikes fitting into the 125 cc class of motorbikes, the CR6 will have a slower top speed of just 95 km/h (59 mph). The CR6 Pro will be a bit sportier with a top speed of up to 105 km/h (65 mph).

While those speeds might make short highway jaunts achievable, the moderate speed levels mean that the Horwin CR6 and CR6 Pro will be best suited for combined urban/suburban commuting.

The CR6’s acceleration of 0-60 km/h (37 mph) in 6 seconds (or 5 seconds for the CR6 Pro) should be plenty for urban riding, even if it won’t be the most thrilling performance anyone has ever seen on an electric motorcycle. But perhaps flying through the gears will make up for the mid-tier acceleration and help add back a bit of excitement.

A peak power of 7.2 kW (CR6) and 11 kW (CR6 Pro) from the chain-driving mid-mounted electric motor should still be sufficient for the small bikes, and the lower top speed helps eke out more range from the non-removable 4 kWh Panasonic battery pack.

While Horwin hasn’t stated a range for the bikes when traveling at higher speeds, the CR6 is rated for 150 km (93 mi) of range at city speeds of around 45 km/h (28 mph). The CR6 Pro gets a tad lower range estimate of 135 km (84 mi) at that speed.

Other features include a combined hydraulic braking system with a 240 mm front rotor and 180 mm rear rotor. LED lighting comes standard and the instrument cluster seems to be a hybrid analog/digital design.

While Horwin’s site says the bikes are already available for purchase at prices of €5,890 and €6,990 for the CR6 and CR6 Pro (including EU VAT), the bike’s won’t officially debut until the EICMA Milan Motorcycle Show in about 3 weeks.

Electrek’s Take

I like the styling. It reminds me a bit of some of the (apparently now-defunct) Fly Free electric motorcycle designs. While we seem to have a pile of electric sportbikes on the way, there aren’t that many cafe racers yet, so I find it to be a welcome addition to the market.

The battery size does stump me a bit though. It’s just large enough to not be conveniently removable, yet is small enough to offer limited range at higher speeds. The Vespa Elettrica also gets by with a 4 kWh non-removable battery, but that EV has been neutered down to a top speed of just 50 km/h (31 mph) – a speed that is now being easily surpassed by a number of electric bicycles.

Otherwise, I rather like the bikes. Tacita seems to be doing well with its own manual gearbox on electric bikes, so I’d sure be interested in trying out the CR6 Pro. Plus the addition of a tachometer on an e-bike is a rather funny sight, you have to admit.

The biggest complaint I think I’d have here is the price. We’re talking around US $6,500 for the CR6 and US $7,700 for the CR6 Pro. For that money, I can almost get a Zero FXS ZF3.6 – a bike that goes faster and offers a larger dealer network. If a company expects me to forgo an established brand like Zero, they’ve got to offer quite a deal. At this price, I’d rather hold out for the upcoming Sur Ron Storm Bee electric motorcycle, which is likely to cost less yet outperform these Horwin offerings.

But I guess if your supreme goal is a retro design and a 5-speed gearbox, you don’t have a lot of choices yet. So this could still be a decent option to meet your needs.

What do you think? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments below!