Most conversations about electric motorcycles revolve around how they stack up against their petrol-powered counterparts. But there’s really no need to pick sides. Electric and ICE bikes are going to coexist for quite some time before one takes over from the other, so we might as well enjoy them both.
?These two worlds can harmonize very well,? asserts Dominikus Braun, co-founder of Germany’s Crooked Motorcycles. Among the shop’s offerings is a made-to-order custom based on the Yamaha XS400; a minimalist scrambler with compact proportions. Now they’ve copied and pasted that design onto an electric bike, to prove that it can look just as good.

It’s an idea that Crooked’s been milling over for a while, but finding the right donor bike was key to nailing the brief. They eventually connected with the Swedish brand RGNT, whose flagship product, the ‘No.1,’ is a stylish and compact electric retro. Its 21 kW hub motor is good for 21 kW of peak power, with a top speed of 120 km/h [75 mph] and a range of 148 km [92 miles]. ?We immediately got into the same vibe, and had the same views when it came to design language,? says Dominikus. ?The reduced classic style of both companies was a great thing to have in common.?

The RGNT No.1 is rather fetching out the box, with clean lines and barely any clutter. Regardless, Crooked had an even more simplistic design in mind. Dominikus believes that ?simplicity is the key to brilliance,? but,...