Maeving’s RM2 electric motorcycle offers retro-inspired styling and unusually quiet operation, but ride quality and electrical annoyances keep the $10,995 machine from feeling fully sorted, according to a review of the bike. The RM2 is one of three motorcycles from the UK-based company, which was founded in 2018 and also sells the RM1S and the Blackout edition. All three share the same basic drivetrain and battery technology, with similar power output and range; the RM2 differs through a longer seat and a beefier frame that accommodates a passenger.
The RM2 carries a 15-horsepower, 193-pound-foot electric hub motor in the rear wheel. That torque figure exceeds that of the most powerful muscle motorcycles, so the bike launches reasonably well, but its modest power means acceleration falls off quickly. Maeving officially rates the RM2 at up to 70mph, yet in its most powerful mode the reviewer barely exceeded 63mph with the throttle held open. Tucking low raised that to 67mph, and 70mph arrived only on a downhill stretch; climbing back out, the bike struggled to hold 60mph with a 172-pound rider aboard. The reviewer judged that performance insufficient for comfortable two-up riding.
The hub motor layout also gives the RM2 a distinctive virtue: with no chain or belt driving the rear wheel, there is no drivetrain noise at all, leaving only wind sound. That silence exposes other problems, however. The front fender buzzed persistently over bumps, the left bar-end mirror was loose enough to seem at risk of falling off, and the nonadjustable front fork chattered over rough asphalt. Larger bumps threw the rider out of the saddle even with the $995 upgraded rear shocks fitted.
Mounting the motor in the rear wheel frees space inside the frame and helps keep weight low at 320 pounds, paired with a 30.5-inch seat height. A forward-leaning battery unit occupies the traditional engine location, and a button on the left grip opens a door revealing two removable packs. Each 2.73-kilowatt-hour pack weighs 36 pounds and has a thin plastic handle; the reviewer compared carrying one to hauling a five-gallon bucket filled three-quarters with water. The door button often needed several presses, and the bike frequently failed to recognize the door had been closed, displaying an error code until it was opened and slammed shut again.
Maeving rates the RM2 at 80 miles per charge, a figure the reviewer expects only in the default ride mode limited to 45mph; in Sport mode, the bike averaged roughly 50 miles per charge. Charging through the side connector requires the included proprietary charger, and an adapter for standard SAE J1772 connectors costs $440 without improving charging speed. An 80 percent charge takes four hours on the standard charger. What appears to be a fuel tank is actually a locking storage compartment sized for small errands.
The RM2 starts at $10,995, but the tested configuration with matte paint, upgraded suspension, and carbon fiber fenders reached $13,275. At that price, the reviewer noted, two Royal Enfield Continental GT motorcycles could be purchased. Despite the shortcomings, the reviewer found the RM2 good-looking and easy to ride, and wanted to use it for every errand that stayed off the highway and within about 25 miles of home.
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