Motorcyclists tend to their vehicles more than others. Whether you rebuild a bike or throw on some aftermarket handgrips and footpegs, we all like to feel like the motorcycle is “ours”. Manufacturers frequently offer an accessories catalog to satiate that urge, but Britain’s Shed Ride is taking that practice a step further with the Shednought utility bike.
Presented as a commission-only build, the Shednought will function as the startup’s prototype for the Shed One platform. The modular system will enable customers to tailor their creations to the particular function it will serve. Users can either customize the utility bike upon ordering or make changes after purchase. The Shednought will serve as a proof of concept for the Shed One model, and the company is looking for 10 early adopters to help get the project off the ground.
The price of entry won’t be low, however. At £10,000 ($13,816 USD), customers will get to work with Shed Rides’ Design Lead Andy Trainor on a bespoke bike. No, you can’t turn a Shednought into an old British battleship, but the brand already has ideas like the ‘Low Loader’, ‘Carry All’, and ‘Gone Fishing’ on the drawing board.
"From the outset, we wanted to build a short-range utility motorcycle, with a 50mph+ top speed, that evolves the tradition of motorcyclists customising and maintaining their own motorcycles," said Trainor.
Despite the Shednought’s test bike status, it will qualify as a road-legal model. A 52v, 4kWh battery pack will feed the 5kW electric motor and result in a 55-mph top speed. The Shednought will also return a range of 50 miles and an expanded battery pack accessory can boost that number further. The bike weighs 244 pounds with the standard battery installed, but the weight increases significantly with extra power packs.
"The Shed One is the perfect commuter or utility motorbike – easily adapted to your specific personal or business purpose,” continued Trainor. “Whether you want total reliability, a transport solution that’s much kinder to the environment, or just enjoy fettling, because you can, this could well be your cup of tea."
The Shednought may be an expensive, road-going prototype, but we hope it helps Shed Rides get off the ground. There’s nothing wrong with more electric motorcycles, and more importantly, more (custom) choices on the market.
Make It Yours:
Sources: VisorDown, MCN, Shed Rides