There are always a few surprises at the EICMA motorcycle show. This year, one of the biggest was the launch of this radical electric bike from the carbon wheel specialists BST—otherwise known as Blackstone Tek.
BST are at the high-tech end of the wheel market, but even so, an electric motorcycle is a huge leap for the South African company. And to help them make that leap, they’ve partnered with South African-born designer Pierre Terblanche—the man behind the Ducati Supermono, the 749 and 999, the SportClassic and the Hypermotard.
Terblanche says, and this is a direct quote, “This is the best work I’ve ever done.” And that is one hell of a statement from someone who was responsible for styling many of the best Ducatis of recent years. So let’s take a closer look at the HyperTek.
The driving force behind the HyperTEK is the founder of BST, Gary Turner—who has successfully raced a SuperMono. So this probably played a role in his choice of designer.
You only get one chance to make a first impression with a motorcycle, which happens when you pull the covers off. And the styling of the HyperTEK is certainly show stopping. Agreed, beauty is in the eye of the beholder—and whilst we wouldn’t call the Terblanche creation beautiful, it is spectacular.
As befits a bike as radical as this, the details are amazing. For example, there is no dash, but rather a head-up display X1 helmet made by Crosshelmet.
Power comes from a DHX Hawk electric motor, which is good for 80 kW and a monstrous 120 Nm of instantaneous torque. The electronics allow clutch slip and wheelies—presumably at will—and you also get cruise control and a hill-hold feature. There’s a 30-minute quick charge facility and we’re told that range is around 300 kilometers.
Needless to say, given what BST do best, the HyperTEK also features dollops of carbon fiber everywhere. This keeps weight down to 205 kilos (450 pounds), an unusually low figure for an electric bike.
The monocoque frame is carbon fiber, and so are the fork tubes. The forks have an integrated structure, with the down tubes and triple clamps in one piece
It’s an extremely ambitious project, but on the other hand, BST is a company with an extremely solid reputation.
They plan to start production in around 18 months, and prospective owners (‘custodians’ in BST speak) will have to cough up $80,000 to park one of these unique rides in their garage.
That is a huge amount of ammo to part with for a bike which, at this stage, probably raises more questions than answers. Having said that, the HyperTEK is not a mass-produced piece, but a bespoke vehicle with a seriously futuristic bent aimed at the well heeled few.
There is a market for machines in this price range—as Confederate and MV Agusta have proved, along with a multitude of race-ready superbikes from the likes of BMW, with its HP4 Race. And even the Kawasaki Ninja H2R is $55,000.
Let’s see where this all goes……
BST HyperTek product site | Facebook | Instagram
Adapted with permission from an article by Dave Cilliers in ZA Bikers.
