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We heard a rumor that Roehr was teaming up with Hyosung to build an electric streetbike, and low and behold a press release in our inbox today confirmed the news, as the 2011 Roehr eSuperSport is a spitting image of the Korean company’s Hyosung GT650R..except you know, with batteries, electric motors, and a slightly higher price tag. That’s of course because the new Roehr eSuperSport is essentially an electric conversion of the Korean bike.

Announcing a “closer relationship” with Hyosung (the company then states “Roehr Motorcycles LLC does not express or imply any affiliation with Hyosung Motors USA”), Roehr has taken its electric drive system, and placed it in the GT650R rolling chassis to create a 67hp, 100+ mph electric street bike. Though you might scoff at the conversion bike premise, our favorite part about the bike is the $17,995 price tag, which isn’t terribly expensive for a a machine that should go about 75 miles or so on a charge.

Since we broke the news on the pricing and technical specs on Roehr’s electric motorcycles, we’ve been patiently waiting for a glimpse at the machine(s). Built around a Hyosung chassis, all three Roehrs feature AC induction motor technology, with the eSupersport using a single-motor setup, while the eSuperbike and eSuperbike RR feature twin-motors.

The amount of LiFePo4 battery power on-board varies across the models, which will affect range; but since bigger is better, we expect the 7.7 kWh, 135+ MPH, twin-motor Roehr eSuperbikeRR to pique your interest the most. Check after the jump for a full model breakdown, along with more photos.

Roehr Motorcycles has released more information and a few teaser photos of its electric motorcycle platform. Coming in three flavors: eSupersport, eSuperbike, and eSuperbike RR, Roehr hopes to raise the performance peg on entry level electric motorcycles, and also provide a competitive/afforable electric race bike.

All threee Roehr electric motorcycles feature an AC induction motor, with the Roehr eSuperbike models featuring twin AC induction motors. Battery capacity also makes a jump at the eSuperbike level, with the two superbikes making 9.6 kWh. Pricing is expected to start at just under $17,000 for the eSupersport, and the eSuperbike and eSuperbike RR costing $27,595 and $34,495 respectively, which is pretty close to our initial pricing information back in January. More photos and technical specs after the jump.

UPDATE: Roehr has released more technical spec’s and preliminary pricing on the Roehr eSupersport and Roehr eSuperbike models.

After yesterday’s announcement about the Roehr electric motorcycles, the eSuperbike and eSupersport, many were left wanting for more information about Roehr’s latest development. While we’ve been assured by Walter Roehrich that photos and details will be coming soon, that didn’t stop us from diving into some dumpsters, interrogating some witnesses, and charging $4.50 in late fees at the local library.

The end result? We can confidently say that the Roehr eSuperbike and eSupersport will cost $30,000 & $15,000 respectively.

Roeher Motorcycles, maker of the 180hp supercharged 1250sc, has announced that they will be entering into the electric motorcycle scene with two bike offerings. The American sportbike manufacturer has also announced its intent to go racing with a company backed racing effort in the upcoming 2010 US TTXGP series. Roehr will also supply their eSuperbikes race prepped to teams wishing to race in either the TTXGP series or the FIM’s e-Power Championship.

We once got an email from Walter Roehr that started with the phrase: “From your least favorite motorcycle manufacturer” and the proceeded with an appropriate press release format. While it may not have been true at the time of its utterance, with the untimely demise of Buell, Roehr may now find itself as A&R’s resident whipping boy. And while we may not be great fans of the 1250sc (we’d still like to swing a leg over one Walter), we’d certainly like the bike a whole lot more if $25,000 were lopped off the price tag, and that’s exactly what we have here in this story.

Roehr Motorcycles has finally gotten the green light from the EPA that the 1250sc meets federal admissions standards; and thus, can start delivery of pre-orders to waiting customers. Thanks to the 10th Amendment and vision of clear skies over Los Angeles, Roehr will still have to complete CARB certification in order to sell to customers here in the Golden State.

The New York Times ran a great article this week about the challenges facing Harley-Davidson, both from the current economic depression, and more generally as the quintessential Harley rider gets older in age.

In summation, Harley-Davidson dealers around the US and overseas are seeing sales drop dramatically as people scale back their expensive purchases, and as the access to credit becomes increasingly difficult.

There’s no real surprise there, and any hardcore fan will be quick to tell you that Harley will be back on top once this financial turmoil is over. However, looking farther down the road at Harley-Davidson’s long-term business position, there is additional trouble brewing as well.

Baby boomers account for the majority of Harley sales, and they are getting older. The NY times ends there with its commentary, but we think there’s more to the story on Harley-Davidson and the American bike market in general. 

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It looks like manufacturer, Roehr Motorcycles, has recently announced the opening of their new Santa Monica, California sales office. The new office is located on the beach in Santa Monica, CA in the heart of the Southern California motorcycle scene, making this the first business decision Roehr has gotten right since borrowing heavily from Italian motorcycle designs and a GM/Ford business model. Well done boys.

The Roehr 1250sc will be available in Santa Monica for private demo’s beginning in April.

Source: Roehr Motocycles via 2 Wheel Tuesday

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UPDATE: By now you have surely heard of the Roehr 1250sc. The American made superbike that has a supercharged Harley-Davidson VROD motor at its heart, which makes 180hp. This 432lbs (dry) MV Agusta look-a-like will be sure to turn heads down at the local bike night, especially when you’ve paid out the nearly $50,000 price tag (before taxes and licensing). The regulation friendly bike will meet all CARB and EPA  requirements, and will be DOT certified for sale in all 50 states. The 1250sc will be available for delivery starting March 2009.

Enough of that, here’s how the press release should read:

If you like bikes that take their styling queues from the early 2000’s, make the same amount of power as bikes in their class without forced induction, and still costs 67% more than a Ducati 1098R, then this is the bike for you. In which case, the option to purchase the bike through eBay will be especially appealing (I couldn’t make this up if I wanted to). The Roehr 1250sc is representative of everything that is truly American, at least all of the negative stereotypes that people often label upon the American auto industry.

While as much as we’d like to see a great American made motorcycle, it looks like Roehr hasn’t learned from the lessons of Ford, GM, and Chrysler. Bigger does not mean better, and there is a replacement for displacement: It’s called ingenuity.