KIWI RIDER 01 2020 VOL2 | Page 85

NINEBOT APEX - TERRIBLE NAME, GREAT CONCEPT T he brains behind those rather dorky Segway electric mobility scooters you often see parking wardens cruising the CBD on have just unveiled an electric motorcycle – the Ninebot Apex – and damn is this thing cool! Making its official debut at the Consumer Electronics Show, the Apex is a stunning looking sportsbike in the same vein as the European Energica Ego, with hints of other more conventional superbikes in the mix. Okay, the supplied video of the bike riding doesn’t look all that impressive, but we’re going to take a leap of faith and put that down to rider and new machine. While official details in regards to the specification of the battery and power twin are thin on the ground, reports state that Segway-Ninebot is claiming a top speed of 200km/h and a 0-100 time of under 3 seconds. That’s quite impressive, especially as the only other electric motorcycle we’ve ridden, the Harley- Davidson LiveWire, does 0-100 in 3 seconds and tops out 180km/h. With that said, the Harley is an actual product people can buy (at least in the USA), whereas the Segway Apex is still a concept. Regardless, it is interesting to see more electric motorcycles being developed. With Segway also making electric dirt bikes, the company could become a global force in the e-bike game thanks to its already widespread distribution network. With the Harley-Davidson LiveWire a mind-blowing experience to ride we can’t wait to see other successful manufacturers get in on the game We’ll be keeping an eye on the NineBot Apex to see if it really can make the move from concept to reality. races and we can’t wait for it all to start.” KIWI RIDER 85