26 “We have sensors on the bike that know the lean angle, and that’s already all built into the harness. That, for us, is just developing the software that will get distributed later on and it can be downloadable for anyone, anywhere. There’ll be an app that comes out that works with the controller to make it increasingly intelligent.” The controller is also programmed to enable the motor to run backwards, meaning that unlike any petrol bike, this machine actually has a reverse gear. “That’s a free feature that when we launched felt like a no-brainer,” says Tran. “People just didn’t do it on electric motorbikes before we did, but they do now! “Initially, everyone thought it was a bit weird. Why would a bike need to go in reverse? Then they worked it out; when they’re parked on a slope and can’t push the bike out. People love it. You wouldn’t stick a reverse gear on a normal petrol bike because it just adds more complexity and weight, but for us, with electric, it is just a bit of software!” The bike also employs an intelligent regenerative braking system which, although far less powerful than it would be on a car because of the reduced tyre surface area, is so effective that the pads that are used in the traditional braking system that sits alongside do not have to be changed for the entire life of the bike. The system uses careful automatic software management to avoid the bike skidding out, particularly in the rain, and Tran says: “Technically, you could manage with just the regen brakes. We still fit standard brakes because of the regulations but, essentially, we never have to use the rear brake because the regen does most of the work. “We have two modes. First, when you let off the throttle, it kicks on a small amount of regen to slow you down. You can feel it a little bit, but it’s not going to stop you. Then, we have a stronger regen as a trigger on the left-hand side. Instead of having a rear brake handle, like you typically would, you pull the trigger to do more regen and come to a stop.” Removable battery design The battery fitted to Ryvid bikes is designed to be fully removable. Constructed as a single unit, it can be unlocked, tilted down and pulled out at ground level without having to take the full weight of the battery and without having to use any tools at all. Putting it back in requires a simple tilt, after which it latches back into place. According to Tran, these simple procedures can be performed in as little as 15 seconds, giving the bike complete hot-swap capabilities. However, with a full charge from zero taking as little as 90 minutes on a standard connection, and a second battery costing just shy of $4,000, it seems unlikely that most owners would bother buying a second unit just to save charging time. Tran acknowledges that is the case – aside from a few of the company’s current fleet users such as the police, government agencies and riding schools – but it turns out that it is only one of the reasons the battery Dossier | Ryvid May/June 2025 | E-Mobility Engineering Riders can remove the battery and walk it with them wherever they go
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