Moto-inspired ebike brings pure and simple enjoyment.

By Morgan Gales, motorcyclecruiser.com

Over the last few years, we’ve been seeing Super73 at all manner of custom motorcycle shows and moto events. From the One Moto Show in Portland, Oregon, to just about every Super Hooligan race, the Super73 crew has been there giving demo rides and running some manner of short, fun race that just about anybody can join in on. I’ve been there, I have raced them, it has been wildly fun. But each experience, though all positive, only lasted a short while. So now we’ve taken one of the company’s S2 models for a few weeks in Los Angeles to see what it’s like to live with and use daily.

Super73 has three series of electric motorbikes, as it calls them. The fully rigid Z series is the most affordable model. The S series is slightly larger with a headlight and front suspension. And the newest, the R series, has full suspension, using the same battery and motor that we see here in the S2. They are all singlespeed bikes with large multiuse tires and they are all quickly visibly identifiable as Super73s.

What Is the Super73 S2?

The Super73 S2 is a singlespeed, BMX- and moto-inspired “sport-cruiser style” ebike. It’s driven by a brushless rear hub motor with a 2,000W maximum output, powered by a 960Wh battery. It’s small, but ergonomics are versatile and, in this case, simplicity is a strength.

The S2′s toptube-mounted battery and long, flat seat give it more of an electric motorbike feel than most of the ebikes we test here. In that sense, it lends itself more to throttle use than assisted pedaling. The company claims it is able to operate in Class 1, 2, 3, or unlimited modes, but finding your way into those modes is a bit trickier than just selecting “Class 1” on the small digital gauge.

Navigating the small, three-button menu system is easy, but fitting into a specific class of ebike is a hoop that you have to jump through on your own, since there is no preprogrammed mode. Power output is adjustable from 0 to +4, as is pedal assist, and I found no way to disable the throttle aside from just not using it. So if you’re out riding bike trails, be aware of the current local ebike laws and make sure you have the bike settings adjusted accordingly.

How Does the Super73 S2 Ride?

Top speed is one of the S2′s strengths, more so than acceleration, but luckily you have pedals to help. While climbing a steep hill and accelerating from a stop with throttle alone, I would crawl at 6 to 8 mph. But if I pedaled as I took off, I could cruise up the whole hill at a brisk 28 mph.

The range of the S2 is another one of its strong points. Some negative past experiences have left me with some serious range anxiety, so as I was testing this bike I slowly ventured farther and farther from home, until I eventually found myself more than 10 miles away grinning like an idiot, hopping off of curbs as I made my way to my favorite birria spot in North Hollywood. I noticed a slight decline in power output as the battery wanes, but nothing major until you’re in the last few miles.

Don’t expect to run the battery all the way to zero. I would recommend charging it before you reach the last 5 miles of range, as power output drops off pretty dramatically at that point. The gauge estimates 35 miles of range from a full charge, which I would say is only slightly generous. I would expect at least 20 miles on “unlimited” power with heavy throttle use and close to 30 in Class 2 mode.

With a claimed weight of 73 pounds, including the 10-pound battery, this bike isn’t exactly the lightest in our test fleet, but as this is more of a throttling machine than a pedaling one, that isn’t as much of a factor as for other bikes until the battery power drops. The battery does quickly detach with a key, so living in an apartment with a shared garage, I was able to lock the bike up and carry the battery inside to be charged, which was very convenient. With the 3-amp battery charger, a full charge was reached in about six hours.

Super73 claims the S2 has a weight limit of 325 pounds, but myself weighing 180 pounds, I found the limits of the suspension quite quickly. The fork is adjustable for rebound, compression, and preload, but I could not find a balance I was really happy with. Soft enough to not rattle my fillings out over rough terrain and I was bottoming out the suspension; stiff enough to not bottom out and…you guessed it, a very bumpy ride. The fork also has lockout if you want to just give up on the suspension and go full rigid.

Brakes are Tektro hydraulic two-piston calipers with 180-millimeter rotors. They work well, allowing for relatively precise application, though the front suspension does tend to show its weakness as that front brake is applied.

Like the rest of the Super73 lineup, the S2 rolls on large all-terrain tires. They grip well and feel planted on and off the road, but they were a bit noisy on pavement. The tires are manufactured by Vee Rubber for Super73, are 20 inches front and rear, and, like most things on the bike, have branding all over them.

The branding all over the bike could be seen as excessive as it’s, well, pretty much everywhere. Printed on the side and cut out of the steel of the frame, on the tire sidewalls and stamped into the tire tread, hub, fork, seat, stem, headset top cap, battery—it’s a lot. But to be honest, I didn’t even really notice until someone else pointed it out (of course, after they did, I couldn’t unsee it). But the brand is cool, which is probably why I didn’t notice. I don’t mind seeing the brand’s logo because… I like it. I could see how it might be annoying down the line if I wanted to customize it and make it my own, but most of the branding is superficial and can be easily removed or painted over if that’s what you’re after.

On two separate occasions during my test, I was approached by people who had their own Super73 models on order (they have been back-ordered for quite some time). There are local Facebook groups all over the world connecting riders and helping them organize group rides. I can think of no ebike company that has done a better job of creating a culture and community around their product, which just adds another uniquely fun element to ownership. If you’re buying a bike to meet people, I can’t recommend the S2 highly enough.

How Much Does the S2 cost?

At full price, the S2 will run you $2,695, though I have never seen it listed at full price, even on Super73′s website. Listed at what the company is calling “Back-Order Pricing,” the bike is currently available online at $2,445, despite the fact that two of three colorways are in stock now. More and updated information is available through super73.com.

Editor’s note: This story first appeared on CycleVolta.com