Don’t let the old-school aesthetics fool you–this beautiful motorcycle is thoroughly modern and headed straight for the Isle of Man TT race.
The Saroléa SP7 marks the return of a storied Belgian marque after half a century, and it’s easily the prettiest electric motorcycle we’ve seen since Electra Racing brought an electrified Norton Featherbed to the TTXGP. Despite the classic café racer styling, Saroléa has built a leading-edge machine with a carbon fiber frame and swingarm. The motor is good for 130 kilowatts–Saroléa says that translates to 180 horsepower, but our math puts it closer to 173. Whatever the figure, it’s definitely in literbike territory. Saroléa claims the bike will hit 60 mph from a standstill in 2.8 seconds; top speed is limited to 155 mph.
The bike uses an axial flux motor. Most electric motors direct the flux, or the flow of the electric field, outward through air between the moving rotor and stationary stator. The SP7’s axial flux motor sends the electric field on a parallel path, along the motor’s axle, which means the bike can use lighter and thinner “pancake rotors.” These rotors are ideal for producing power at constantly varying speeds, something vital for going fast through turns, dips, and rises along a race course.
