Maeving RM-1: In charge of the city

The best-looking electric bike yet takes the city by storm

-  Mikko Nieminen

Every now and again you ride a bike that takes you by surprise. For me, the Maeving RM-1 was one of them. Pre-ride, I thought that I pretty much had it figured out: another 125cc-equivalent electric bike that will eventually turn out to be a bit of a toy without much consideration for what a motorcycle should be like, only what constitutes urban mobility.

I was wrong.

The Maeving is a thoroughly pleasant bike to ride, with quality components, and plenty of thought put into making it ride well, not just to get you from A to B. But let's start from the beginning...

Mae-what?

If you haven't heard from Maeving, that's because the company has only been in public existence for a few months, and at the moment it offers only one model, the RM-1.

What you should know about Maeving is that the bike is designed and built in England, making it a home-grown brand.

The RM-1 is an all-electric motorcycle designed purely for city riding, with classic styling and modern power delivery. It's aimed at e-bike commuters as much as those wanting to ride motorcycles, and it blurs the lines between bicycles and motorcycles. In cities like London, where we tested it, it makes perfect sense. It's ideal for carving through busy streets of the city, but it's not a do-it-all bike. Take it out of the city, and you will soon start to find its limitations.

Big questions

We had a full day to ride the bike around central London, and I was amazed by how much attention the bike got from the crowds. Pedestrians, cyclists, and bikers looked and pointed. Cabbies and bus drivers hung out of their windows to get a better look. All of them wanted to know three things: How fast does it go? How far does it go? How much does it cost?