Developed in collaboration between the new companies, the new e-bikes are designed to offer a premium, comfortable riding experience, while also paying a tribute to the oldest known Harley-Davidson motorcycle, also known as "Serial Number One".
Design and build quality
Let's start off with what meets the eye, and the RUSH/CTY bicycle looks clean, minimalistic, but also functional.
With very few cables, mostly the ones coming from the brakes on the handlebar that are very neatly hidden, and minimal branding on the bike, the black and gray model that I tested felt very aesthetically pleasing, without being too much "in your face", which I definitely liked.
The frame and fork of the bike are made out of aluminum that is supposed to offer "nimble, agile handling across all riding conditions", as the producer of the e-bike is boasting, but more on that in a moment.
The design also revolves around comfort, that should be offered both on city roads, but also on a rural landscape, and while I didn't test the bike off-road, I can tell you that the on-the-road experience was smooth and pleasant.
The RUSH variants of the bikes also come with racks on the front and back, meaning you can carry some luggage on these bad boys.
The handlebars, at least on the RUSH/CTY model, are a little too wide for my liking, and I wouldn't be too comfortable riding through stationary cars at a red-light, but for a normal kind of riding experience, they offer great control and are definitely good. The rubber on the end feels very grippy and I never had the feeling that my hands would slip off the bar, which gave me confidence.
The 706Wh lithium-ion battery of the RUSH/CTY (529Wh for the rest of the line-up), which should offer anywhere from 40 to 185 km in range (56 to 169 km for the rest of the models), is socketed into the lower part of the frame and can be removed for off-the-bike charging, or it can be charged while in the frame through a charging port that is located on the lower part of the frame.
For the 529Wh battery, the charging time is 4.75 hours for a complete charge, while 0-75% should take a little over 2.5 hours.
The 706Wh battery takes 6.6 hours to fully juice up and 3.5 hours to reach 75%.
The electric motor, which is essentially the heart of the bike, is a Brose S Mag one and it is mid-mounted. It produces a fairly impressive, for a bike, 90 Nm of torque, which is honestly more than enough to push the 26.7 kg RUSH/CTY plus the rider.
I'll come back to the assistance levels in a minute, but what you need to know is that if you need to get moving from a stand-still quickly, the bike can definitely propel you ahead of the traffic faster and smoother than you expect, and you won't be heard either.
Lastly on the design, you should be pleasantly surprised that all Serial 1 bikes come in different sizes, to fit as broad of an audience as possible.
MOSH/CTY, which is the cheapest version, comes in S, M, L and XL sizes, just like the RUSH/CTY model that I've tested.
RUSH/CTY STEP THRU comes in S, M and L, and the more vintage looking MOSH/TRIBUTE comes in M and L.
Specs and technical features
We'll get the specs out of the way before the riding experience, so that you can get an idea of the technologies implemented into the bike and how they actually feel when you ride it.
I already presented the battery sizes and the motor, so let's dive in a little deeper with the riding modes.
First of all, you can completely disable the assistance coming from the electric motor, although I would only recommend this if you are in a fairly good physical condition or if you are on flat ground with no wind from the front, as I found it difficult to move the bike from a stand-still with the assistance turned off, the weight being a big factor here.
Moving on, all bikes have four assistance modes:
Eco Mode offers a very subtle level of assistance and it is best suited if you want to put some effort in and get the longest possible range.
Tour Mode is what I would describe as the best balance for a pleasure ride on a calm day that takes most of the effort from your legs.
Sport mode is suited if you truly want to get some speed more quickly or climb a slight hill, while still not draining the battery too fast.
However, if you want to make sure that you can overcome any steep hill, get in front of everyone else or just feel really sporty, Boost Mode is definitely what you are looking for, since this offers the most amount of assistance, without you even having to press on the pedals. Just move them slightly and the bike will push you no matter where you want to get, just make sure that you don't need to take a steep corner.
Regardless of the level of assistance, the Brose motor will stop delivering power once you reach 25 km/h.
It is also important to know that the bike delivers the power linearly, so it won't give you a very sudden and powerful push, but rather a gentle one at first, which then gets stronger, allowing for better control and a more comfortable ride.
The Walk Assist button under the bike computer makes the bike "walk" beside you once you keep it pressed, in order to help you maneuver it easier, especially if you need to climb a hill.
The RUSH Serial 1 e-bikes equipped with an Enviolo Automatiq CVT (Constantly Variable Transmission) system come with a phone app called Enviolo Automatiq, available both on iOS and Android, which basically lets you customize how the transmission delivers the power and even run diagnostics in case you need it.
The belt drive system of the bike is also ingenious, with the Gates Carbon Drive belt being smooth, quiet and maintenance free, since it does not require any of the lubrication or the adjustment of a regular chain-drive system.
It remains to be seen how durable it is in time, but just the idea of a non-greasy chain that can potentially slip off is a very appealing one for any bike owner.
As mentioned before, the MOSH/CTY models come with a single speed system, while the RUSH/CTY models come with an Enviolo AUTOMATIQ CVT system, which is supposed to automatically adjust the gear ratio in order to ensure the best riding experience, regarding of the terrain or the speed, and just like the belt system, it is also maintenance free.
On the handlebar you will find the Brose bike computer, which has a few buttons that are fairly simple to understand.
First off, the power button located on the front allows for, obviously, turning the bike on. Once you turn it on, the Serial 1 logo on the front will also light up, letting you know that the bike is on.
On the back side you can find the most buttons, "plus" and "minus", which stand for the amount of assistance that you want the bike to deliver, a circle button which cycles through different information, such as speed and estimated range left, and beside it, the button which turns the headlight on or off.
The braking system, which is very important on an e-bike, consists of two, 203 mm hydraulic disk brakes, which offer great braking performance that can be smooth and can also stop you very quickly, if needed.
Riding experience
Now let's get to the most important part of any e-bike, which is the riding experience.
It doesn't really matter if your bike looks fancy or is made of quality materials if it doesn't ride properly or it doesn't offer the proper comfort, and luckily, the Serial 1 RUSH/CTY is a joy to ride.
Anything from actually pedaling, to steering and braking feels smooth, well put together and premium.
Even on the highest level of assistance, the bike felt excellent, smooth and jitter free. I was able to get at the maximum assistance speed of 25 km/h very quickly and almost without any effort at all with the bike set to "Boost" mode.
While I didn't encounter any hills during my ride, I did have some very harsh wind blowing from the front, but again, the Sport and Boost modes virtually eliminated that wind, pushing me to where I needed to go effortlessly.
Since I felt a little ambitious, I tried disabling the assistance completely, and after I've put quite a lot of effort to get the bike moving, the strong wind made me realize that I was not going to get the 26.7 kg bike very far, so I had to use at least the Eco mode in order to get moving.
Once I took off, however, I was able to keep the bike at a regular speed and even increase the tempo slightly while disabling the assistance, but riding that way still required quite a bit of effort, making the e-bike ideal if you want to get in shape, but don't want to hit the gym.
While on the move without assistance, I wanted to see how fast the bike would respond to going from the lowest, to the highest assistance level, as if I was suddenly in a rush to get somewhere. As soon as I moved from no assistance to Boost mode, the bike pushed me quickly but also smoothly to 25 km/h, which made me happy and pleased with the system's responsiveness.
The brakes also felt great, both while gently stopping or slowing down, but also in a simulated emergency brake, without feeling that I would be thrown over the handlebar, which is probably the biggest advantage of the weight of the bike.
Speaking of the weight, it is definitely something to consider, especially while taking hard corners, and I would strongly recommend either turning the assistance off completely or setting it to Eco if you want the most maneuverability.
The ride was, overall, surprisingly smooth, despite the fact that the bikes don't have any suspension systems on them, which was impressive, especially while going over bumps or potholes.
Overall, the riding experience feels like a solid A+, considering the simple design that strikes first, with great assistance from the electric motor, smooth and precise braking and a comfortable riding position and shock absorption from a suspension free e-bike.
Conclusion
Finally, I want to talk about the price, and whether I think the bikes are worth the money.
In Romania, Serial 1 e-bikes start at 19.900 RON (3.999 EUR) and can go all the way up to 31.900 RON (6.300 EUR), which is definitely a lot of money and fairly difficult to justify, considering the e-bike competition.
However, when you consider the material quality, the attention to detail and the impressive technologies that the bikes pack, they might be worth a look, if you have the money and are looking for a truly premium e-bike experience.
Also, Harley-Davidson is a brand with tradition that offers high-end products in general, and despite the bike not being 100% made by them, it is definitely inspired by them.
Serial 1 e-bikes aim to offer a hassle free, simple experience, through the Gates Carbon Drive system and the CVT transmission for the RUSH models, in a what seems like durable package that should keep up with the rider.
Serial 1 e-bikes are available for sale in the United States and in most European countries, including France, Germany, Romania and Spain, through select Harley-Davidson dealerships.
Serial 1 bikes in Romania and plans for the future of the company
As I've said before, Serial 1 e-bikes could be considered a bit pricey. But, as the representatives of the company told us, "the pedal-assisted e-bikes from Serial 1 were well received by the local community of two wheels lovers", maybe because they are a novelty for the market.
Also, the tech community seems to have some interest in the new bikes, "appreciating the clean design of the e-bikes integrating the latest IT trends, especially the app that can control the e-bike and adjust the speed, for instance."
As far as their customer base in Romania goes, the company decided not to disclose any sale numbers, but the representatives said that Romania is "just beginning when it comes to sustainable means of transport, and as the country's infrastructure develops in this regard, the Romanian market will grow considerably and we expect it to be one of the main markets in Central Europe for Serial 1 brand". The Serial 1 electric bikes are sold in Romania since 2021.
The company thinks that in Romania there are a few things that could be done in order to increase the rate of adoption for e-bikes, such as an improved infrastructure for more sustainable cities and " more flexibility for all traffic participants to have bike-friendly cities".
However, despite all this, Serial 1 thinks that the "Romanian market shows great interest in the electric urban mobility solutions and we think great products will always find their adopters."
E-bikes and bikes in general have great advantages, as the company representatives noted, some of them being the improved health of people who ride bikes constantly, avoiding traffic jams, and the fact that the bicycle is an eco-friendly means of transportation.
Moreover, "e-bikes with pedal assistance allow you to travel long distances to the destinations you want, they are always there to accompany you and make your journey smoother."
As far as further plans go, Serial 1, which is a separate company from Harley-Davidson, told us that "currently, we are strengthening our position worldwide and across Europe, continuing the expansion, our ONE-OFF bike series and actions (after MOSH/CHOPPER, MOSH/BMX - sold at a charity auction), we recently paired with Vittorio Brumotti as a global ambassador, we continue our partnership with Google for IoT (Internet of Things)."
Any thoughts?