Johammer J1 electric motorcycle breaks conventions with its design and range

This is not your ordinary motorcycle. It doesn’t even look like a typical motorcycle. After all, this is an electric motorcycle or e-bike and it came all the way from Austria – the Johammer J1.

Available in two versions, the Johammer J1 is the creation of Austrian engineer Johann Hammerschmidt. One of the first things you would notice about the Johammer J1 is its unconventional and eccentric design, courtesy of designers Leonie Lawniczak and Jean-Marie Lawniczak. If you happen to see the Johammer J1 on the road, you might think that it is running backwards. But it is not. It just looks like it.

Of course, there are reasons why the body looks like a pincer arm of a crab. First it is because enclosed within its plastic body are the e-bike’s battery and the electric motor that powers the rear wheel – securing them from the elements. Second, the body was so designed to ensure an ideal center of gravity (pegged at around 350 mm), thereby allowing for a more secure feeling and a more comfortable ride. Third, this body surely attracts attention because of its innovative and unconventional looks.

Johammer didn’t place the electric motor and the battery anywhere inside the plastic body. The 8.3/12.7 kWh Lithium ion battery pack is located centrally between the front and rear wheels, just below the rider. It is housed in a torsion-resistant aluminum main frame that also houses the horizontal shock absorbers. The electric motor – a 16-kW DC-excited synchronous motor with single-stage transmission -- and controller are mounted on the rear wheel, as connected to the main frame and the shock absorber by a single-arm cast aluminum rear fork – with progressive rear control. The front wheel – placed outside the body – is connected to the main frame and the shock absorber by a twin-arm box-section front fork, with any change in direction implemented through a hub center steering. The Johammer J1 features handlebars and footrests that are adjustable.

Interestingly, the Johammer J1 features no central instrument panel and comes with a tube-like road lighting system. If you want to take a look at your speed, revolution or other info, just glance at the dash displays integrated into the rear-view mirrors.

Two versions are available: J1.150 and J1.200. The Johammer J1.150 and J1.200 offer range of 150 km and 200 km, respectively. Both offer a top speed – albeit electronically governed – of 120 km/h (75 mph). Both models have dimensions of 2,200 mm in length and 1,200 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 1,455 mm. The Johammer J1 has a lean angle of 43 degrees. In case you’re interested, the J1.150 has a price of €22,900 ($23,900), while the J1.200 has a price tag of €24,900 ($25,990).