Electrek.co

First ride experience on Energica’s Italian electric motorcycles: I can’t stop grinning

by Micah Toll

Earlier this year, I was invited to the Nasdaq by the electric vehicle investment company Ideanomics to get a closer look at the company’s newest acquisition: Energica’s high-power racing electric motorcycles.

The morning started by watching suited up executives (as in Brooks Brothers, not Dainese) throwing a leg over the bikes in Times Square. But the next day, it was my turn.

And while the heart of Manhattan isn’t necessarily the first place you’d think of for a high-powered motorcycle test ride, I still managed to find myself running short on throttle as we pinned it on the highways around the island.

Which highways? I have no idea. I don’t know much about NYC, and admittedly most of my knowledge of the city comes from Seinfeld. I was surprised to learn they had TVs in the cabs – those weren’t in any episode I saw.

But the lack of familiarity with my surroundings was perhaps for the best, as it meant I could focus more about the bikes than trying to recognize familiar sights.

I’m a firm believer in the ATGATT (all the gear, all the time) doctrine, even if I occasionally slip, so I slid into my Dainese armored mesh riding jacket and donned my AGV K6 helmet along with the rest of my kit for my first ever ride on an Energica – a ride that I’d been waiting years to experience.

Like a kid in a candy store, I was excited by the glorious options laid out before me. Energica didn’t disappoint, bringing one of every model (at the time, so not including the Experia unveiled two weeks ago).

The Energica Ego is the brand’s sportiest racing model, and is a bit more knees-in-the-armpits than I like to ride, so I passed over that model for now.

I only had an hour or two and wanted to spend as much time as possible on the bikes that I could actually see myself buying. Since I’m not planning on dragging knee at the nearest track, I skipped the Ego in all its glory. Watch my video for my full experience and to learn more.