Maeving RM1 thoughts? (+safety gear)

[Mgwills]

Heya lads total n00b to Bikes, I've got my full license booked and I'm really interested in getting the Maeving RM1 found here - https://maeving.com/?gclid=CjwKCAjw0dKXBhBPEiwA2bmObY2avm2UyaKenjDCLCRyw1ho6QqhAACMftajf1PaN78lILqpzo6FXBoCUG4QAvD_BwE

 

I know electric bikes aren't exactly liked by bikers, for what ever reasons but this is not only super cheap but I think a great bike to cut my teeth on.

 

One of my questions is what sort of safety gear do you think is reasonable for a bike like this? 

 

Another is, are electric bikes REALLY that bad? 

 

Thanks fellas.

 

 

 

[Bender]

Same safety gear you would need for any other motorbike, probably don't need full leather race suit  

 

I think it looks OK and if you like it that's what's important, good luck on your 2wheel journey. 

 

I have no issues with electric bikes  

[bonio]

Electric bikes are great fun - often light and easy to turn, and the engines deliver loads of torque. Never heard of the brand, but I like the cafe racer look. Before I bought I'd want to check out real range (which is often very different from the range printed in the blurb), expected battery life and the cost of a new one. And check out any reviews online from current owners.

For safety gear: helmet, jacket and trousers (in cordura, kevlar or leather), leather or cordura gloves, boots with good ankle protection. Exactly what you need will depend on whether you're planning to ride in the wet and in winter, or not. Ebay is great for second everything, but get the lid new and from a shop and ask them to help you find one that fits right.

 

[MikeHorton]

I saw one a few months back seem good quality built and look the part. I think they are based in Coventry 

Edited August 11, 2022 by MikeHorton

[Old-codger]

Sorry its a NO from me it looks like something built by a blind man during lockdown. I take it from the statement designed in Britain its made overseas so good luck getting spares if you need anything. Be very careful from the look of it they have one pop up shop so when you do need backup or warranty work are they still going to be there. And in a few years time what is the secondhand value going to be like of a manufactuer no one has heard of. As for bike gear get the best you can afford. 

[manxie49]

It doesn't really matter whether anyone else likes the bike or not, the important thing is you do .... As for bike gear, pretty subjective question.  Personally if I was new to motorcycling I'd probably go into a local shop, discuss my needs with them, try the gear on, and get their advice.  A lot of it will come down to budget and also whether or not you intend to ride all year round.

Edited August 11, 2022 by manxie49

[Mgwills]

Thanks guys huge help. I've been riding bicycles for 20 odd years in London (Not a light hopper) and im super sensible on the roads driving. My wife however is totally petrified of me riding, so my thoughts are if I'm on a bike that only goes 45, I'm not doing mega distances and I'm in good gear that should chill her out a bit, I'm not whipped but I dont want her to mess her pants every time I leave.

 

Am I right in saying I need to do the A1 and A2 to get rid of the L plate? 

 

You're right on the bike, it's made in Coventry, there was another that looked OK called the super soco TC MAX but it's made in China, so I'm certainly not interested.

 

[Mgwills]

6 minutes ago, Old-codger said:

Sorry its a NO from me it looks like something built by a blind man during lockdown. I take it from the statement designed in Britain its made overseas so good luck getting spares if you need anything. Be very careful from the look of it they have one pop up shop so when you do need backup or warranty work are they still going to be there. And in a few years time what is the secondhand value going to be like of a manufactuer no one has heard of. As for bike gear get the best you can afford. 

 

This has been the feedback I've got from my father in law and his bike buddies. I understand the pov that there is risk involved but this is a British company of engineers that's maybe worthy of support, and in the end the risk is very cheap right? 

 

You guys know what you're talking about more than this little scrub, so I take that on board, I just kinda like the idea of a bike I can learn on that's got as few moving parts as humanly possible.

 

The batteries are 1k to replace, I'm unsure on company sustainability. Entering into a recession...

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cloughie24]

Clever concept, my boss was looking at one when fuel went through the roof as his commute is only a couple of miles and this would be perfect! As for protection, can't imagine you'll get your knee down on corners with this but safety first, it still goes at enough speed to cause damage so like others I'd say the same as you would for a normal bike.

 

Everyone has different tastes, it'd be very boring if we all liked the same  Choose something you like and enjoy the ride!

 

[Davidtav]

I see it can be restricted and ridden by a 16 year old. That would be a very cool bike for a 16 year old. 
 

it looks a good concept. And ideal for commuting in urban areas. And charge up at work

[Fiddlesticks]

If you want the full licence,

• CBT
• Theory
• MOD1
• MOD2

Handy flowchart here:

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-routes-to-your-motorcycle-licence

 

Personally, I'd just go for the DAS / "A" License then you're covered for everything.

 

The electric bike looks good. Not for me, but if I had a ahort city commute it might be different.

[Davidtav]

I understand that you feel it is relatively safe if the bike only does 45mph … but if you have to ride on any 60mph roads then you would be safer on a bike that will do 60mph. In my opinion.

 

And the thing is, to the average car driver, that bike looks like it will go fast. It doesn’t look like a scooter or moped. Other road users will expect you to go faster than 40

 

Just my opinion. I do actually quite like the bike otherwise. 

[Mgwills]

Thanks boys, I'll put that down as mostly positive then haha. 

 

Thanks for the advice that was A LOT nicer than expected...

[Mgwills]

1 minute ago, Davidtav said:

I understand that you feel it is relatively safe if the bike only does 45mph … but if you have to ride on any 60mph roads then you would be safer on a bike that will do 60mph. In my opinion.

 

And the thing is, to the average car driver, that bike looks like it will go fast. It doesn’t look like a scooter or moped. Other road users will expect you to go faster than 40

 

Just my opinion. I do actually quite like the bike otherwise. 

Yeah this was one of my main concerns.

 

 My father in law said as a biker you need to be able to command the road, and in what is essentially a scooter I'd get pissed off drivers on a 60mph section. 

 

My main use for this is nipping around town, going to the gym and the odd 20mile drive to a mate where there is a very short 60 road with loads of roads I can pull into if I'm under pressure.

 

 

 

 

 

[Davidtav]

One other practical point. Bike is very cool looking. And there is some storage space where the petrol tank would be. But how would you commute to work with say a laptop?  You might get fed up with having to use a rucksack. 

[Fiddlesticks]

4 minutes ago, Davidtav said:

One other practical point. Bike is very cool looking. And there is some storage space where the petrol tank would be. But how would you commute to work with say a laptop?  You might get fed up with having to use a rucksack. 

That's a fair point. I've been commuting 45 miles each way with a rucksack. It's certainly doable, but I have succumbed to a top box.

[bonio]

32 minutes ago, Davidtav said:

I understand that you feel it is relatively safe if the bike only does 45mph … but if you have to ride on any 60mph roads then you would be safer on a bike that will do 60mph. In my opinion.

A good point. It was this thought - and a change in my commute that meant using an NSL dual carriageway - that made me give up my electric scoot and get a full licence. (For some reason it never crossed my mind to get a decent 125 )

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

I was expecting to hate it but it has the Bobber look and I quite like it. My only gripe would be the 45 mph limit which means I wouldn't use it outside of town riding. On a NSL road you're going to get problems. 

 

Riding gear is the same as a petrol bike. Decent boots, gloves, trousers, jacket and helmet. 

[onesea]

I like the idea of an electric bike however, I don’t feel they are there yet.

45mpg maybe 80 mile range, £4500-£5500

 

Comparing with a 125 cc:

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/new-bikes/2021-honda-cb125f/

some where between 140-180 MPG

£3000 on the road serviceable localy.

 

They are the same weight give or take I know which I would go with.  

You could probably convince your misses £1500 is a fair amount of money saved or Life insurance, depending which she prefares.

 

Mine settled for a will in her favour

 

 

 

 

[MikeHorton]

I'm with @onesea with the not quite there bit but I guess it depends on ur wallet ur needs and desires. I'm a big fan of the latest Honda cb125f super frugal at 180mpg but the instant torque of an electric bike is great. 

[Bender]

I could go for that if it did 65, just as a town bike. 

[Davidtav]

This looks a really good alternative. Good for 80mph. Don’t think it’s available in the UK though

 

https://www.visordown.com/news/new-bikes/sondors-metacycle-another-new-electric-motorcycle-market

[MikeHorton]

Here's a review 

 

Autocar: Maeving RM1 electric motorbike review.
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/move-electric/maeving-rm1-electric-motorbike-review

[Davidtav]

On an incidental note, I think Maeving is an unusual name for a motorbike manufacturer. I immediately assumed it was Chinese. However it is actually designed and built in the UK … so I would have used a very British sounding name. 
 

My career was in Sales & Marketing before I retired. So I maybe know a thing or two about this. 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

1 hour ago, Davidtav said:

On an incidental note, I think Maeving is an unusual name for a motorbike manufacturer. I immediately assumed it was Chinese. However it is actually designed and built in the UK … so I would have used a very British sounding name. 
 

My career was in Sales & Marketing before I retired. So I maybe know a thing or two about this. 

Years ago my cousin was involved in a product to monitor fridge and freezer temperatures in shops. New regs required them to be checked several times a day but the current fridges/freezers didn't have that capacity so it meant someone physically recording the temperatures for every unit.

 

New fridges have it built in to meet the regs.

 

To bridge the gap they developed a device that monitored the temperatures and stored the readings. Once a day the temperatures for every minute was then transmitted to a base unit. It was just what the market needed and they were expecting to sell loads.

 

But hardly any sold. Then they were advised to change the name of their company to something that sounded Japanese. Within a week they had done over a million in business.