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Damon

The movement towards electric motorcycles have some purist up in arms.

Most arguments are about the pure joy that the sound of an internal combustion engine has to offer.

While others also think that electric motorcycles look weird.

Well there are some really good looking electric motorcycles like the prototype MotoE bikes and some of the renderings we have seen from the likes of Ducati and KTM.

The latest one from Canadian electric motorcycle startup Damon Motors seems promising as well, check it out in the video below.

Damon Motors first made a name for itself with the introduction of the HyperSport two years ago, video below.

And at the recent 2022 CES electronics convention in Las Vegas, Damon Motors once again turned heads with the bike you see here – the HyperFighter.

Both the HyperSport and the HyperFighter are still in pre-production stages, but a representative from the company has confirmed that production of the HyperSport (below) will start in the first half of 2022, while the HyperFighter is set to be introduced in 2023.

Both bikes will be built in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The new HyperFighter will use the same basic underpinnings of the HyperSport but will take on a more aggressive “naked” design – something like Ducati’s Streetfighter.

Damon Motors promises the bikes will be feature packed.

For started a safety suite called CoPilot will be part of the package and utilises sensors, cameras and an AI system to alert the riders using haptic vibrations in the handlebars.

The CoPilot system will let the rider know that a car is in the blind spot or if they are following too close to a vehicle ahead.

There are also visual warnings in the form of LED lights in the dash.

Rider comfort too is a major priority for Damon Motors. The company has something called the Shift ergonomic system that allows a rider to change the position of the bike’s handlebars and footpads and others while riding is a major breakthrough for the motorcycle industry.

The Shift system can change the riding position of the HyperSport from a crouched down style road-racer to a more upright system for navigating urban traffic – all while riding.

You may think that that is not a big deal – but consider the fact that other bike makers too allow for a change in handle bar and seat position, but only with tools and when the bike is stationary.

On the Damon Motors motorcycles, these changes are done by small electric motors that change those elements on the fly.

In comparison to the HyperFighter, the moveable parts on the HyperSport include the handlebars, footpads and windscreen position all can be changed at the push of a button.

Some American journalist have tried the system and call it “both novel and effective.”

Powering the new HyperFighter is the same electric motor that powers the HyperSport, called the HyperDrive system (below).

This makes the battery a central load-bearing part of the motorcycle, making it a simple construction and saving weight at the same time.

The HyperDrive system received the Innovation Award Honoree at the 2022 CES show.

The difference between the HyperDrive set up and other electronic bikes is that the HyperDrive system uses a purpose-shaped central battery casing that surrounds the motor.

This is then attached directly to the suspension system, making this a “stressed member” of the motorcycle and sort of a spin on the monocoque frame idea.

This fresh new take on battery placement also allows Damon to load its bikes with 20kWh worth of batteries, giving the bikes longer range. In comparison, other electric motorcycle makers have battery capacities that top out at just over 16kWh.

But then again, Damon motors wants to also pack its bikes with up to 200hp, so longer range may be difficult with all that power.

The company says top speed will be over 240km/h while the 0-100km/h sprint will be seen off in under 3 seconds. All of these numbers too will suck on battery power quicker than anything else.

As for the price, Damon says that the HyperFighter will be available in three configurations.

1. Colossus is a limited 100-units only model and will feature special wheels and other premium trimming with from USD35,000 (MYR148,000 before taxes).

2. Unlimited 20 will be a trimmed down version of the Colossus and will retail for USD25,000 (RM105,000 before taxes).

3. Unlimited 15 will have a smaller 15kWh battery and 150hp and will be priced at USD19,000 (RM80,000 before taxes).

There’s no indication yet if Damon Motorcycles will be available in our part of the world anytime soon.

In a push for a sustainable future, Damon Motorcycles has unveiled its latest facility located in Surrey, British Columbia.

The new state-of-the-art 110,000sq.ft facility will be the centre of producing the all-electric range while premiering a cleaner and advanced manufacturing process.

The new facility mark another milestone for the company as it recently surpassed USD40 million orders for the award-winning Hyersport range.

The Hypersport is seen as the central pillar of Damon Motorcycles. It is the first monocoque-constructed, fully electric with a multi-variant powertrain ever produced based on the company electric powertrain, the Hyperdrive.

Damon claims the Hyperdrive deliver better speed, range and acceleration than any of the previous motor produced.

There are four Hypersport models available in the market, ranging from USD16,995 (RM71k) to USD39,995 (RM167k).

The Consumer Electronics Show 2020 (CES 2020) saw the debut of the Damon Hypersport HS, a new-generation electric superbike that’s not only powerful but packed with high-tech goodies that some riders use to dream about.

We’ve recently wrote about how Damon Motorcycles are working together with BlackBerry for their latest generation eco-friendly machines and how it can change the direction of the motorcycle industry in the future. The Hypersport HS is a prime example of what the future entails and we are completely excited about it.

Starting with its amazingly powerful powertrain, Damon stated that it has the ability to produce over 200hp with a range of around 260km when travelling at a constant about 110km/h. That distance grows further when travelling around cities and trunk roads, all thanks to its 21.5kW battery pack.

Apart from its impressive power and distance, the latest Damon Hypersport HS also comes with two super impressive features; electronically adjustable riding positions and the advanced CoPilot advanced warning system (developed by BlackBerry). One allows for supreme adjustability between sport and touring while the latter offers a buttload of sensors and cameras for an ‘enhanced situational awareness’.

A combination of 1080P cameras, radars, telematic array, and sensors allow the superbike to actively scan its surrounding areas to ensure that the rider is always aware of things around him or her. The bike will let the rider know via haptic movements on the handlebars, LED lights placed on the windshield, and a large LED screen that’s able to give a live feed of what’s going on at the back.

Interested in getting one? Damon Motorcycles will begin delivering the bikes starting 2021 with prices starting from $24,995 to $39,995 (around RM102,000 – RM164,000). There are no dealers that carry these bikes in stock because Damon is planning a very questionable ‘consumer-to-customer’ method. Will it work? Only time will tell.

BlackBerry going into electric superbike production?

Damon Motorcycles has partnered up with BlackBerry Limited to build their latest electric superbike, the Damon Hypersport Pro. The bike which will be launched this week at CES 2020 will host some pretty impressive upgrades, thanks to the software specialists over at BlackBerry. Weird? Maybe. Interesting? Definitely. (more…)

  • Damon Motorcycles seeks to design bikes to assist riders in safety aspects.

  • A prototype electric bike will be equipped with cameras, radar and sensors.

  • Riding data is uploaded to the company’s cloud and shared among all Damon riders.

Jay Giraud, co-founder of Canada-based Damon Motorcycles is a long-term rider. As with almost all veteran riders, he has had many close calls.

So, having secured USD 2.5 million in funding, Damon Motorcycles is working to developing an electric motorcycle fitted with cameras, radar and sensors. Damon hopes that the equipment provides the rider with a 360-degree view of his surroundings.

Called the Advanced Warning System for Motorcycles, it tracks direction, velocity and speed of up to 64 objects at a time. The objects include vehicles and other things in the rider’s surroundings. The information is fed to the rider to take pre-emptive measures.

Lights and feedback at the handlebars warn the rider of imminent danger. The company doesn’t stop there. Every bike shares information through the company’s cloud. The system learns from riders on intersections and situations and fed to the entire swarm.

Damon also hopes to install the system on US police motorcycles.

Other motorcycle manufacturers are working on such system. Druid Motorcycles is one, the European branch of Zontes from China. Automotive manufacturers are expected to utilize such cloud and swarm system once 5G networks are up and fully running.

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