Not since the 1950s has a Soriano motorcycle rolled off the line. But that’s set to change as the storied Spanish motorcycle brand is rebooted by an Italian company as an all-electric motorcycle manufacturer.
Soriano Motori’s new electric motorcycles
And as part of the re-launch, Soriano Motori is sharing the specs on its three new electric motorcycles exclusively with Electrek.
The new electric motorcycles are known as the Soriano Giaguaro, which is Italian for Jaguar.
In some ways, they stick to the classic design heritage of Soriano, such as with their aluminum girder fork suspension.
In other ways they take a steep departure from the ways of the past, replacing gas-powered engines with liquid-cooled electric motors.
The Giaguaro V1 Gara is the flagship model and features a 75 kW (100 hp) peak-rated electric motor. and a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds. That would put it on par with the Zero SR/F electric motorcycle, though a bit slower than the 3-second 0-60 mph time of the Harley-Davidson LiveWire.
The Giaguaro V1S is slightly more muted with a 72 kW (96 hp) peak-rated motor and a 0-60 mph time of 4.4 seconds.
Lastly, the Giaguaro V1R brings up the rear with a 60 kW (80 hp) peak-rated motor and a 0-60 mph time of 4.4 seconds. Still not too shabby!
The bikes certainly look like what you’d expect from an Italian sportbike company and should put Ducati to shame for dragging their own feet with regards to electric motorcycles.
As Soriano Motori Corporation’s founder Marco A. Soriano explained in a statement provided to Electrek:
“Soriano Motori Corp’s motorcycles represent the finest Italian design, image, branding, architecture and engineering, that for the first time are being applied to EV motorcycles for the next generation of riders. Owners of Soriano Motori motorcycles are assured the look, feel and lifestyle of what they love about motorcycles, fused with the intoxication of a strong and proud made in Italy brand. We bring elegance and innovation into balance to deliver something that is transcendent for the motorcycle culture.”
The bike’s girder forks aren’t the only design aspect reminiscent of early Soriano motorcycles.
They also feature another throwback design that you won’t find on many of today’s electric motorcycles: manual transmissions. All three bikes include three-speed manual gearboxes that could squeeze even more performance out of their motors, but are more likely designed to add to the sporty riding experience.
There are a few other electric motorcycle designs we’ve seen in recent years that sport manual gearboxes, such as those by KYMCO and Horwin, but very few have actually made it onto the road.
While the Soriano Giaguaros may be sporty, that doesn’t necessarily translate into long-range riding. The bikes offer options for either 15 kWh or 20 kWh battery packs, but the ranges are listed as just 120 to 160 km (75-100 miles). That’s surely enough for the track, but it remains to be seen just how far out into the Italian countryside riders can foray.
To be fair, at an efficiency of 200 Wh/mi, those range estimates are likely given at highway speeds. For comparison, a Zero SR/F is rated for a range of 132 km (88 miles) at 112 km/h (70 mph) with a 14.4 kWh battery. That translates into an efficiency that is only slightly better than that of the Soriano Giaguaro, and is another indicator that the Italians are giving us highway range ratings.
And speaking of Italian design, you didn’t expect these bikes to come cheap, did you? Soriano Motori is only producing an initial limited run of 100 motorcycles for their debut production run. That pushes the prices quite high, ranging from the “entry-level” Giaguaro V1R that starts at €25,000 up to the flagship Giaguaro V1 Gara that starts at €30,000.
What do you think of Soriano’s rebirth as an electric motorcycle company? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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