The Gowow Ori Electric Dirt Bike Takes The CAKE

A fairly new entry into the electric dirt bike market appears to have taken a page right out of CAKE’s design book, as the Gowow Ori looks mighty similar to the Kalk. Granted, there are probably only so many ways to build an electric motorbike (or an e-bike), but it’s one of those things that kind of make you go hmmm… That said, the Kalk and the Ori must be different enough that CAKE isn’t pursuing legal remedies (that we know of), and the Ori could end up being a decent option for an entry-level e-dirt bike.

The Ori is billed as being a lightweight (160 lb / 73 kg) aluminum-framed bike with “ergonomic triangle parameters from repeated off-road trials,” dual suspension (210mm of travel in front and rear), and a motor capable of putting out 9kW of power (peak) and delivering 420Nm of torque at the wheel. Its top speed (electronically limited, most likely) is stated as 100 km/h (62 mph), and its 72V 2.8kWh lithium battery pack (“Speedy as Meteor-power System”) is said to provide a range of up to 100 km, depending on the speed and conditions. Recharge time is stated as 3.5 hours at 220V.

According to the Gowow website, the Ori’s MSRP is $6500, but I was able to find a couple of US distributors who had the Ori for sale at $5499, so if you’re in the US and curious enough to want to test drive one, you have at least a few options.

I was curious about the company behind the Ori, and on a Japanese distributor’s site I was able to learn that Gowow is a new brand from an existing Chinese company, MODE, which has been making electric hoists since 2007. It certainly seems to be an interesting angle for the parent company, but with the electric mobility market as hot as it is, it’s not surprising.