Press release | Denver, January 25, 2018 – CAKE, manufacturer of lightweight electric off-road performance motorcycles, today announced pre-order is now available for its first model, KALK. An all-electric high-performance off-road motorcycle designed for exploration and discovery, the KALK allows riders to travel as far as 50 miles, and as fast as 50 miles per hour, with the single charge of its battery. An evolution of light electric motorcycles previously customized by small builders, the KALK is engineered from scratch to give riders unprecedented reliability and durability, industry-leading performance and exceptional safety.
CAKE launches light, silent and clean electric off-road motorbikes emitting zero emissions, lightweight and silent, the CAKE KALK encourages exploring the outback with responsibility and respect.
”With a clear mission to contribute speeding up the transition towards a zero emission society, CAKE aims to turn the motorized two-wheeled future upside down,” said Stefan Ytterborn, founder and CEO of CAKE. “Light, silent and clean electric off-road motorbikes will make the era of noise, disturbance, pollution and complexity a thing of the past. The category will evolve into an independent pursuit, offering action and magic in combination with responsibility and respect towards people and planet.”
”As CAKE’s first model, the KALK is strongly influenced by downhill and enduro mountain bikes, in feel and handling, and its design takes into account the two sports’ geometry, suspension, components and handling. Its development also merges expertise from the off-road motorcycling industry and electric engineering. With the progressive span of an electric motor, the KALK has no gears and requires no clutching, offering uncompromising performance. The motorcycle weighs just under 150 pounds, compared to 250 pounds of a typical off-road, supporting a snappy and lively ride. With three different riding modes, the KALK invites anybody, no matter experience, gender or age, to experience its excitement.
Each component of the KALK had to be developed from scratch to support the category, since mountainbike parts are too weak and available motorbike parts too heavy. Every part of the KALK, including rolling chassis – frame, cockpit, wheels and tires – components, suspension and drive train, was engineered, designed and manufactured for optimal performance. The name KALK was derived directly from kalksten, limestone being the bedrock of the island of Gotland, CAKE’s test grounds in Sweden. The bright white limestone CAKE has used for its test track, developing the KALK, is ideal for building jumps, curves, banks and rollers. The KALK costs $14,000 USD. It is now available for pre-order on ridecake.com and requires a deposit of $1,000 USD. Following its debut in Denver, KALK will head to Munich, to be featured at ISPO on January 28, 2018.
Specifications*
The CAKE KALK bike, built for light off-road performance, uses an industrial standard IPM motor, customized for CAKE and made in Europe. It´s a 15 kW mid motor, powered by a 51.8 Volt, 50Ah battery for torque and range, conducted by specifically developed and tuned software, for the controller and dynamic performance. With the intention of simplicity, promoting easiness in terms of riding as well as maintenance, it´s a light bike weighing in at sub 70 kilos, using a single pivot direct drive, reducing the number of heavy and moving parts. The suspension is specifically developed, by Öhlins supporting the category of hi performance at minimum weight. Nothing has been left aside and every part including axles, hubs, cockpit, sprockets and even the tires (to minimize wear and footprint of trails being used), have been explicitly designed and engineered for the ultimate experience.
The light and snappy ride, with it´s focus on off and on trail riding, in the outback, means that its main character is about torque and acceleration, while providing a quiet gliding and surfy experience.
Thanks to it´s digital pre setting it´ll let anyone fly at their own level.
- Weight: sub 70 kilos
- Top speed: 80 Km/h
- Nm: 42 on motor shaft
- Range: up to 80km
- IPM motor with direct drive
- Kw: 15 peak, converted to hp: 16hp
- Lithium Ion battery pack, at 2.6 Kw/h
- The controller services 3 riding modes
- Adjustable motor braking
Motor
– IPM
– 15kW peak/9kW continuous
– 42Nm peak torque
– 3000 rpm
Battery
– 18650 lithium cells
– 51.8 Volt
– 50Ah
– 2.6kWh
Controller
– Configured for 3 ride moods
– Tunable motor braking and re-gen
– Future up date ready
Frame
6061 aluminium, extruded, CNC jointed and welded.
Body
Carbon fiber
Swing arm
6061 aluminium extruded tube profile with linkage.
Suspension
Front
The upside down fork is air/oil sprung and features 38mm stanchion tubes for extra rigidity and strength, with 204mm travel, specially developed by Öhlins. It is adjustable for high-speed compression, low-speed compression and low-speed rebound.
Rear
Öhlins TTX dampening technology, Nitrogen pressurized bladder reservoir system, 3-level high speed and 16 click low speed compression and 7 low speed rebound
adjustment. Linkage.
Brakes
Motorcycle standard, four pistons calipers, alloy levers and 220mm/3.2mm stainless steel rotors.
Cockpit
Handlebar
Aerospace grade 7050 aluminium, 800mm wide, 20 mm rise, 31.8mm.
Stem
Aerospace grade 7075 aluminium stem with integrated dashboard.
Headset
Hope
Seat
Developed by Reconsider.
Wheels and tires
– Enlarged 25 mm axles
– Aerospace grade 7075 Power hubs™
– 24 inch/50 mm 6061 alloy, triple chamber rims.
– 24 inch specially developed tires for durability and minimum trail wear.
All fenders and side plates made of carbon fibres.
All bearings throughout the bike are SKF´s.
*Note that all specs are subject to changes
Stefan Ytterborn
CEO and Founder of CAKE
Stefan Ytterborn is a Swedish-born visionary and entrepreneur. With a background in design management and manufacturing, Ytterborn has worked for globally recognized brandsincluding IKEA, Ericsson, Saaband Absolut Vodka.His design initiatives have resulted in more than 3,000 products introduced to the consumer market, and have been recognized with more than 150 design and innovation awards.
In 2005, Ytterborn founded POC, a leading sports equipment company with an emphasis on of protective gear and helmets for cycling and snow sports. Under Ytterborn’s direction, POC became a front runner in the conversation around gravity sports and concussions, spearheading technology focused on safety. With Ytterborn’s eye for aesthetics and focus on protection, POC helmets and equipment received numerous worldwide safety and design awards. In 2016, Ytterborn followed his personal calling to improve the environment and founded CAKE, a company whose mission is to speed up the transition to a zero emission society by way of developing a silent, light and clean electric off-road motorbike that emitting zero fumes and no noise. In January 2018, CAKE launched its first model, KALK, named after kalksten,or limestone, from the island of Gotland, CAKE’s test grounds in Sweden. Ytterborn currently lives in Stockholm.