Getting around in the city can be a pain, and we’ve seen a few potential solutions over the years. One Brooklyn-based entrepreneur thinks he’s finally nailed it with his company Pave, and its electric motorbikes.
Pave is essentially an electric version of a moped. Highly accessible, very maneuverable, and with a low top speed. It’s ideal for navigating an urban landscape while also saving a small fortune on gas, tolls, and various other transportation-related fees.
It can carry two people or a small amount of cargo. It charges in a short space of time. And it immobilizes itself should someone try to make off on it. I visited Pave’s headquarters in Brooklyn to check one out, and here’s what I found.
It’s very easy to ride one of these
If you’ve never ridden a moped or motorcycle before, the prospect may sound intimidating. However, Pave is incredibly easy to ride along on. Personally, I hadn’t sat on a bike in a few years when I tried Pave out and it was very easy to ride it proficiently. The top speed is so low you’re unlikely to get into trouble, and the vehicle itself is incredibly stable.
A number of modes are available, including “eco” mode. which will limit power but get the most out of the bike’s range, a standard mode, and a “sport” mode. If you’re in sport mode, a “boost” is also available. Obviously, pushing it harder will impact range, and you’ll see that initial 50 or so miles drop off quite quickly.
Sport mode is about as difficult as things get — the throttle will be more responsive and you’ll accelerate more aggressively. However, it’s still nothing to be worried about. The motorbike is still electronically limited to 30 mph. Boost will see you hitting the limiter very quickly, and it adds a touch of excitement to the little bike. In terms of practical use, if you need a little bit of extra pace to pull ahead then boost may help, just make sure traffic is doing about 15 mph at the time.
In terms of ride stability, I went square into several pretty significant potholes and the bike remained stable. You’ll definitely feel it if you hit a road hazard, but the bike’s suspension system does a pretty impressive job of taking the sting out of things. All in all, the small bike is limited, but it’s about as good as it can be in its category.
The 30 mph limit is there for legal reasons. It’s probably for the best that Pave is easy to ride as you can drive one without a motorcycle license — a standard driver’s license will do. The company does have a version on sale without the electronic speed cap, but that’s not street legal. Apparently it can do over 45 mph with restrictions removed.
Charging is pretty simple
Pave’s battery system is one of its best features. To start with, charging is pretty quick. “Fast charging” will see you add 80% to the battery in under 3 hours and comfortably fill it in less than the average shift at a full-time job. In terms of range, that 80% roughly translates to 40 miles, so that may be enough for a return trip on its own.
The battery is also removable, so you can bring it into the office or take it into your apartment when it needs to charge. This also opens up the possibility of interchangeable batteries, which will effectively double the bike’s range. Nico Nagel, Pave’s founder, has even worked out how the extra battery could be stored.
There’s tons of tech keeping it safe
Pave was designed for an urban environment, and big cities are the kind of places where things can disappear the second your back is turned. Not Pave though; it’s actually pretty hard to steal. The Pave+ app can track the bike, lock it, unlock it, and shut it off remotely. You can also get an alert when the bike itself is moving. So unless someone tosses it into the back of a van, you’ll probably find it where you parked it. If it does get stolen, then the tracking can help authorities get it back, and the potential thieves will find the bike pretty useless.
In less nefarious circumstances, the app can also be used to share the bike once a major update hits in 2024. So you can remotely unlock it for a friend or relative who needs emergency transportation. It also tracks various stats like speed, power usage, and potential range.
If apps aren’t your thing, the electric motorbike comes with a keycard that can be used to lock and unlock it. Pave BK (the road-legal one) is available from $6,900. A non-refundable $1,000 may be required to secure your bike. The “unlimited” but not-street-legal BKU is slightly more expensive at $7,900. You can buy the bikes directly from Pave’s website.
