Ryvid Outset launched as $5,995 US-built electric motorcycle

Ryvid, the Southern California-based manufacturer of the popular Ryvid Anthem electric motorcycle, has just launched its second model based on the same platform. The new Ryvid Outset, priced at just $5,995, is set to become the most affordable highway-capable electric motorcycle in the US.

At the same time, the company announced a major price drop, lowering the Ryvid Anthem to just US $6,495 after moving into a new scaled-up production facility in San Bernadino, California.

The Anthem, which began making deliveries late last year, has largely seen use as a commuter-role motorcycle. But the new Outset is designed to offer riders more of a dual-purpose bike, expanding their commuter into a weekend off-roader as well.

As the company explained, “The scrambler-style Outset is a striking option for customers wanting an electric motorcycle for commuting and multi-road adventure. What’s more, because Outset shares a number of key components with Anthem, it opens a unique opportunity for riders to convert one into the other to suit their needs.”

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Just like the Anthem, the Outset uses a folded metal frame instead of a tubular frame, which weighs in at an ultralight 12 lb (5 kg).

The Outset also includes a similar 72V system as the Anthem, and features the same 4.3 kWh removable battery. Range is variable depending on speed and terrain, but Eco mode is said to net 70 miles (120 km) per charge. It’s a small battery, but then again it’s a small bike. This isn’t your touring bike, it’s your commuter with a side of local adventure.

But being small also has its advantages. The battery pack has an onboard charger and integrated wheels, allowing owners to drop it out of the bike and wheel it inside or up to their apartment for charging remotely. For owners with street-level charging opportunities or private garages, the battery can also be charged on the bike.

The Outset’s motor is rated at 10 hp continuous and 20 hp peak (7 and 14 kW, respectively). The motor puts out 53 ft-lb of torque (72 Nm), and provides a top speed of over 75 mph (120 km/h). That electric motor also offers two key advantages of similar class combustion engine bikes: regenerative braking and reverse gear. “Why a reverse gear?” asked the reader who has never tried to park a motorcycle on even a slight incline and then wiggle it back out.

By design, the Outset shares a significant amount of DNA with the Anthem. Other electric motorcycle makers like Zero and LiveWire also use the same platform to build multiple models, helping to reduce the cost to riders.

But the Outset still differentiates itself with more than just aesthetic changes. As the company explained, the Outset “has a 33-inch seat height but its compliant suspension and narrow cushion means it will comfortably accommodate a range of riders. Further differentiating it from Anthem, Outset gets its own headlight design, mirrors, wider handlebar, seat unit and suspension. The more upright riding position also necessitated repositioning the footpegs forward and adding a longer kickstand. By removing the Anthem’s adjustable seat mechanism and employing less body panels among a raft of changes, Ryvid has been able to offer Outset at $500 less than its flagship Anthem.”

That’s right, while the Ryvid Anthem was priced at US $8,995 until recently, the company has just dropped the price to just US $6,495. As the company’s Founder and CEO Dong Tran explained, that cost reduction is thanks to several factors. “From Ryvid’s inception, our primary goal has been to provide the most accessible light electric vehicle to a broad audience. In order to disrupt the light electric mobility sector, it was essential to not only innovate our products but also our value proposition,” said Tran. “Creating a new generation of two-wheel electric adopters meant competing effectively on the specification-versus-price ratio against both existing EVs and traditional ICE vehicles. Achieving competitive pricing would be challenging until we could execute several key post-launch initiatives.”

A new San Bernadino production facility was recently brought online to expand the company’s manufacturing capabilities. The company has since been able to increase its production rate and thus negotiate better costs from suppliers. Now, with multiple models built on the same platform, Ryvid has been able to simplify its supply chain further with as many shared components as possible.

“Our team has focused on reaching these objectives over the past two years,” Tran continued. “Their relentless efforts have reached a milestone with the Ryvid Anthem. Available now, it will sell for $6,495, setting a new benchmark as one of the world’s most affordable electric motorcycles, based on specification.”

For Anthem owners who recently purchased the bike for the higher price ahead of Ryvid’s steep price drop, the company is said to be offering financial incentives as well as the option of a steep discount on a battery-less Outset, as the owners would be able to run both bikes off of their single battery.