For many Vietnamese people, the image of Simson motorcycles may still be vivid in their memories. These are motorcycles produced by the German company Simson. However, in 2003, the company declared bankruptcy, leaving many Simson enthusiasts feeling regretful.
After 19 years, Simson motorcycles once again have the opportunity to return to the market thanks to a German startup company called Second Ride. This startup was founded by two students from the Technical University of Berlin named Carlo Schmid and Sebastian Marten. The startup has received support from many people and has achieved its goal of raising 80,000 euros in just a few hours.
To keep up with the current trend, Second Ride has converted the old Simson motorcycles into electric bikes using a conversion kit. This kit is specially designed for the Simson S 50, S 51, and KR 51/2 models produced until the 1990s in Suhl, Thuringia, Germany.
In the 1990s, the above-mentioned Simson motorcycles were very popular with sales of hundreds of thousands of units. Carlo came up with the idea of electrifying these practical motorcycles to continue serving users for many more years.
The best thing about the kit that turns Simson motorcycles into electric bikes is its compact size. Named SR23, this kit perfectly replaces the motorcycle’s engine and can be installed in just 30 minutes. The kit is directly mounted on the existing engine frame of the motorcycle.
Electric motor installed on a Simson motorcycle to replace the petrol engine
Of course, to convert the Simson motorcycles into electric bikes, other details have also been modified to ensure compatibility. Therefore, the time to convert a Simson motorcycle into an electric bike can range from several hours to half a day.
The electric motor for the Simson motorcycles is a brushless DC type, producing a maximum power of 4 horsepower under normal operating conditions, or it can be increased to 5.4 horsepower. This electric motor is powered by an LG battery pack with a capacity of only 1.9 kWh, allowing the bike to travel 31.25 miles (about 50 km) on a full charge. The battery pack is placed under the seat and insulated with a 3 cm thick foam layer.
The battery of the Simson electric bikes is placed under the seat
Except for the electric motor and battery, the Simson bikes still retain their original classic design. Therefore, if you’re not paying attention, many people may mistake these electric bikes for original gasoline-powered Simson bikes.
The Simson electric bikes still maintain the original design
Second Ride hopes to produce and test about 30 conversion kits by the end of this year. Currently, there are already over 100 people who have placed orders for the electric Simson motorcycles from this startup company.
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