Spy Photos: Brammo Empulse R

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Brammo-Empulse-R

They fixed the tail! One of legendary auto spy photographer Brenda Priddy’s minions managed to snap a couple photos of the Brammo Empulse R as it appears to be undergoing a commercial shoot. The photos, available on AutoMedia, reveal a bike that’s predictably similar to the concept version from two years ago, just here with the tiniest of tiny tail pieces, upright flat bars, a bellypan, and yes Virginia, pillion pegs. The Empulse R is expected to be the first electric motorcycle capable of exceeding both 100mph and 100 miles in range.

Looking at this photo of the Brammo Empulse concept next to the new production model, the few changes they made are immediately obvious. With the aid of Harry “Brammofan” Mallin, we put together this list:

- The shock is now virtually horizontal.
- The “tank” transitions from organic curves to angular edges.
- Battery covers are now silver instead of yellow.
- The old Daytona front end is swapped for similarly functional USD forks/radial calipers.
- Sexy clip-ons are replaced with functional flat bars.
- The tail/plate hanger/light is actually nice to look at now.
- Pillion pegs!
- A larger belly pan now incorporates the radiator.
- a conventional hugger replaces the whacky rear-mount item.

  • http://www.TroyRank.com Troy R

    OMG that thing is properly sex.

  • Your_Mom

    Very nice. Except for price, this is a winner.

  • Dylan

    That plate hanger is god-awful but the aftermarket will surely fix that. Otherwise its gorgeous. Definitely the only electric bike on my radar at the moment.

  • http://respectthetrade.tumblr.com/ KR Tong

    I wasnt one of the haters of the old bodywork, but this looks great. Placement of the rear shock looks a lot better too.

  • http://www.brammofan.com Brammofan

    Many changes from the prototype, but all for the good, as far as I’m concerned.

  • Roman

    I like that they put a proper handlebar on it. Naked bikes with clip-ons from the factory are kinda pointless.

  • BrammoBrian

    Well… that kind of spoils the surprise…

    • JRl

      C’est la vie. Congrats though, it looks fantastic. I’m looking forward to seeing it in person next week!

    • jp182

      i agree with JR, sometimes a leak can spread further than a proper PR release.

  • http://www.muthalovin.com the_doctor

    Yes, this is good stuff.

  • T Diver

    Was this at the snake on Sunday?

    • GoFasterPB

      I saw them on Mulholland closer to Las Virgenes, but there was a ponytailed female riding. Not sure if this is from the same shoot.

      • Sean Smith

        That’s Steve Atlas, factory brammo racer riding in downtown for the commercial shoot last weekend.

  • aristurtle

    It looks chunkier now, in a bad way. I’m not liking that belly pan or whatever it is.

    • Gene

      “a useless and ugly conventional hugger replaces the functional and nicer-looking rear-mount item”

      FTFY. What is up with crappy huggers these days, that don’t even cover half the tire?

      • Campisi

        They do a decent enough job of keeping road spray off of the monoshock and all of the other mechanical bits in front of the rear tire. The mandated rear fender/license plate thing and the tail section both do the job of keeping spray off of the rider, making the hugger the only real fender-like item the rear wheel really needs.

  • http://www.twowheelsplus.com/ Anders

    Hmm .. overall it looks more sharper and contemporary, but that belly pan looks like an afterthought.

  • http://twitter.com/metabomber Jesse

    Don’t be surprised if that tail isn’t the production piece. Looks like it may have been built to specifically support that camera rig.

    Liking what I’m seeing, though.

    • DavidMG

      The camera isn’t rigged to the bike, it’s probably rigged to a car following the bike. Like this: http://youtu.be/CpmDPJdD40o

      • GoFasterPB

        Yup. Thought the same thing as Jesse at first glance, but they were definitely using a blacked out ML with a jib over the weekend. Camera is just tucked behind the bike in this pic.

  • http://lightsoutknivesout.tumblr.com/ Scott Pargett

    Here’s the moment where a manufacture can begin the race to offer a fender eliminator/integrated tail light package.

  • Felix

    Is it just me or is the front wheel a bit small?

  • Aaron

    That does look good.

  • Coreyvwc

    As a stand alone the bike looks really good, fantastic improvement with the tail. Although the super upright riding position makes the bike+rider combo look pretty damn nerdy, but that’s how I feel about every bike with ergonomics as such…

    • BigRooster

      So you think Street/Speed Triple, MG Griso, Aprilia Shiver, and Duc Monster are all nerdy?

      • Coreyvwc

        I ride a monster, with clipons. It’s all about what’s aesthetically pleasing to the individual. What looks funny to me may look completely awesome to you.

        • doublet

          I read a good quote the other day, from someone’s grandfather: “a man on a galloping horse would not stop to look at it”

  • Andrew

    A) I want one a lot, and can’t wait to see this technology evolve (quite rapidly, I’m assuming).
    B) Previously, the frame and battery pack underside had a nice parallel, while the tank formed an interesting counterbulb to the tiny but angular belly pan. Now that the battery pack is the same color as the frame, and the belly pan and tank are more semicircular, the bike looks really front heavy, with the whole front looking like a large, vertical pill. A bit weird. I feel like removing the belly pan should solve my issue with it.

  • smoke4ndmears

    That’s one hell of a way to mount a GoPro.

  • robotribe

    I may be in the minority in that I dig all the changes from the shock forward. I wasn’t in love with the aforementioned “whale tale” on the prototype, but to me, it looks like they cut a little too much off the back now. It seemed better balanced visually with the old tail.

    Still, I want one.

  • 10/10ths

    I liked the styling of the prototype better. The prototype looked like an electric, first generation, Ducati Monster.

    This production version looks like an upsized Enertia.

    Keep the new tank and tail, but gimme back the frame with lattice work around the battery pack for that trellis look.

    Curious to see real world performance.

    • protomech

      I kind of agree about the upsized Enertia. It’s a little longer and a little less tall than the Enertia, but the chin fairing does it no favors, I think.

      Still.. considering the battery pack and the beefy onboard charger, I guess that’s the sacrifice made.

      Performance should be very good. We shall see.

  • Chris F

    Why do they have to use that awful MT headlight? looks amateur.

  • matt

    riding position and rough shape looks like a monster, proven winner out there in city driving for sure.
    Looks like it’s got a little pot belly. Maybe a flatter belly pan shape could help? Eager to try one out. Looking forward to the track prepped version (RR?)

    • Corey

      Ha, when I looked at it, I instantly thought SEAHORSE because of that belly pan. Either way, much improved overall and excited to see it closer to being in the hands of customers.

  • longtravel

    So I was pretty vocal ragging on the tail before but obviously they heard they grumbles way before me and had this sexy little thing cooked up.

    I really like the sliver of a tail because it completely eliminates any notion of an exhaust on the bike which gives it just a little more of an electric feel. Thumbs up from this guy.

  • craha

    I really feel that the proto looked better. This doesn’t look as “strong”. Swing arm doesn’t help. I’m disappointed but still interested.

  • Miles Prower [690 Duke, MTS 1200]

    That belly pan / fairing looks like it’s vectoring air for a sizable set of cooling fins for the radiator and/or the brushless ESC.

    The prototype looks like it has much smaller fins on what I’m assuming is the ESC under its battery pack. If my assumption is correct, the production version has a reshaped heatsink for the ESC with closer-to-vertical fins inside the “mouth” of that lower fairing.

    I have a few RC vehicles equipped with ESCs with heatsinks that get hot enough to burn you.

  • doublet

    It looks cheaper, and pregnant. Just a candid first impression..

  • rndholesqpeg

    I knew they wouldn’t ship with a set of Traxxion AK-20′s or Ak-Gas’s cartridges but having them in the prototype gave me some hope that we might see an amazing suspension from the factory.