With the launch of the
The tail is original too, and apparently ergonomic. Its general side view is like an XR750 dirt tracker, the most successful American racing motorcycle of all time, an excellent theme to start with. But here too the design is short of convincing. Compared to the short, vertically stacked, boxy tank, the tail looks like it came from a different bike. The bid for originality in the back end disappears with the anonymous upside down half moon brake light seen on millions of machines since the first BMW F650 in 1993.
Finally, several of the details need further integration. The knee pads are random enough that they appear to act like covers, as though hiding something. Whether they are or not as important as why they look like flat plates in an area so critical to man-machine interaction. They, like most of the plastics lack a strong 3 dimensionality, almost as though the whole machine was designed in strict side views or by a CAD jockey with limited time or resources.
Although I am mildly flattered that Brammo chose the MT-03 headlight for this first prototype, I do hope that the final production unit carries with it some of the mechanical purity of the frame/battery/propulsion unit, perhaps using the triangular battery supports as inspiration for the headlight brackets.
The Great
If it appears that I am overly critical, it should be noted that it is because the total effort the Empulse represents is so great, so unexpected and so far above the electric motorcycle pack that it really needs only another 10% to be considered on par with the major OEMs. This little company has now demonstrated its ability to manufacture and survive. If it can deliver the Empulse as promised, with some further refinement, then Brammo will have punched well and truly far above its weight.
Michael Uhlarik is the designer of the Yamaha MT-03 and 2003 Yamaha M1 and works as an industry consultant.
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