The Cheapest Electric Motorcycle Available In 2025

The electric revolution was supposed to be upon us by now. But a combination of mismanagement and a prohibitive cost barrier has certainly hampered development. As emerging electric motorcycle manufacturers seem determined to develop powerful, world-beating superbikes, the key market continues to be overlooked. That shows, too, as outside the not-so-legal scooters, there are only a few budget-friendly electric motorcycle options.

It might seem painfully obvious, but electric motorcycles and scooters really can solve the urban mobility issues that currently plague all the biggest cities around the world. We desperately need more affordable electric motorcycles, particularly like the Ryvid in context here. It's a small dual-sport-type example that looks ready to take on the urban jungle.

All the information you see here has been sourced directly from Ryvid. Whereas, the opinions are our own.

Two high-profile electric motorcycle companies recently went bankrupt.

There are most certainly cheaper scooters, e-bikes, and dirt bikes (Zero also just launched a couple of attractively priced electric dirt bikes) that you can order from Amazon. None of which are street-legal, or highway-capable. The US-made Ryvid, on the other hand, most certainly is. Unfortunately, the reality of this end of the market is that profit margins are pretty small, and pretty much everyone who has promised to deliver something in this sub-$10k space has fallen flat on their faces. The recent demise of Sondors only serves to underscore that fact.

So currently, there are only three other similarly priced electric motorcycles. The first of which, and arguably the most interesting, is the BMW CE 02. It offers similar specs for just $100 more and is made by an established motorcycle manufacturer. For the same price as the CE 02, you can also opt for the green Kawasaki Z e-1. But, even though it is also highway legal, it, along with the Ninja sports bike sibling, can only barely get up to 60 mph compared to the Ryvid's 75 mph.

Suffice to say, we are not exactly spoiled for choice in the urban commuter department. In truth, these bikes are all facing stiff competition from ICE scooters like the Honda Navi – yes, it is a scooter – as well as several other affordable ICE commuters. Yes, electric bikes make more sense in an urban environment, but they simply need to be cheaper. As an example, a full-sized Honda CB300R is over $2,000 cheaper than the Ryvid shown here.

At this low end of the electric motorcycle market, we have to accept that any company wanting to compete needs to cut costs in certain areas. To its credit, Ryvid offers an attractive scrambler design that looks modern, yet purposeful. It also looks like a motorcycle, and not like a glorified bicycle. Moving on, when looking at small commuters, horsepower is not usually a big factor, so the fact that it only makes 10 horsepower is of little importance.

The fact that it can offer up to double that in short bursts is meaningful, however. So you will have a little extra go when you need to make an overtake on the road. It also makes heaps of electric torque (over 50 pound-feet) comparable to middleweight sports bikes. All this to say that it is fun when you want it to be, but also very efficient when you need it to be.

Wrapping this in an off-road-friendly package is also right on trend as so many buyers gravitate toward adventure bikes. Or multipurpose vehicles today. The build quality also looks up to par and an innovative battery release mechanism makes removing it and charging at home significantly easier.

Motor

Air-cooled brushless DC motor

Battery Capacity

4.3kWh

Max Power

20 HP (peak)

Max Torque

53 LB-FT

Transmission

Automatic (direct drive)

Want to save 1000s of dollars while riding? You're in luck because EVs promise just that!

It is important to address the elephant in the room right away. 75 miles of “perfect world” range is far from ideal. You will actually get a similar range from one of those aforementioned Amazon specials, add to the fact that it will drop to around 50 miles if your commute includes extended highway runs. This is a huge step in the right direction, and at the $6k launch price, it was honestly priced really well.

Since then, the price has swelled to $7.5k, and it now competes with bikes made by established motorcycle manufacturers in the form of BMW and Kawasaki. While it differentiates itself sufficiently to make it relevant right now, we can’t help but feel that it is a lot for what is ultimately a very simple little bike. Realistically speaking, you can’t just completely rule out every ICE bike on the market.

​​​​​​​No matter what they say about this being one of the most cost-effective electric motorcycles on the market, there are just so many better options in this price range that will all be better commuters and are all more powerful. The Outset is well put together, and Ryvid certainly doesn’t seem like a fly-by-night operation. But, if the company is serious about achieving its goal of providing affordable transport, it needs to be more accessible.

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