Lightning’s ‘Strike’ Electric Motorcycle Is Unveiled With Impressive Specs

Lightning Motorcycle is based in San Jose, California and to some of you who know your electric bikes, the name might ring a bell thanks to the LS-218, which has been dubbed the world’s fastest electric motorcycle with a top speed of 218mph (351kmh).

While the LS-218’s younger and recently unveiled sibling is not as fast, it does pack in a punch in more ways than one.

The Strike’s body was designed by using extensive wind tunnel testing, which resulted in, Lightning claims, the most aerodynamically efficient electric motorcycle currently available on the market. According to the company, the Strike has a 30% reduction in aerodynamic drag at 112 km/h (70 mph).

Design-wise, the bike, while it gets inspiration from the LS-218, looks a bit tamer in comparison, having left behind a part of the LS-218’s aggressive geometry.

The motorcycle comes in three variants: the Strike Standard, Strike Mid Range and the Strike Carbon Edition but all three of them use the same liquid-cooled, AC induction motor.

The Strike Standard has a motor rated at 67kW (90hp) with 245Nm (180lb-ft) worth of torque and a top speed of 135mph (217kmh). The bike has a 10kWh battery that allows around 113-161 km (70-100 mi) of range and the battery can be charged in about 2 to 3 hours at a J1772 Level 2 public charging station.

It costs $12,998 but the price will go up by $1,500 if the riders choose to upgrade the onboard charger from 3.3kW to 6.6kW.

The Strike Mid Range comes with a price tag of $16,998 and has a 15kWh battery which kicks the range up to 169-241 km (105-150 mi) but also prolongs the charging time. But that’s unless the rider decides to spend that extra cash and pay for a 6.6kW charger option, which should bring charging time down to around 3 hours.

Finally, the Strike Carbon Edition, by far the star of the show, costs $19,998 and for all that money, the riders will get a 20 kWh battery, high-end braking and suspension components as well as a carbon fiber body.

The battery has a 241-322 km (150-200 mi) range and the bike comes with the 6.6 kW charger option as a standard, alongside native support for Level 3 DC fast charging. That means that the bike will charge in around 35 minutes or be ready for 100+ miles of riding in just 20.

Lightning Motorcycle will most likely release the Strike model in July 2019 in the U.S but it’s expected the company will announce its plans for an international release later this year.

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