Bykstar: Between E-Bike and Enduro - the Easy Rider from Westend

The Lightness of Being: Basis for Driving Dynamics

The fact that it gets off the blocks so quickly has to do with Kugele's guiding principle in construction: It has to be light! "Keep it simple" or "reduce to the max" was the motto during development, which started here in Munich's Westend in the business yard. For example: Why a cover for the battery. The bike consists of only 117 different components, with the shortest possible local supply chains, as Kugele proudly announces. The passionate mountain biker, enduro rider, taekwondo school operator, and industrial engineer Kugele, who was once a working student at BMW, wanted to cross the best of both worlds, bicycle and motorcycle.

Light enduros like the 125 KTM Freeride still weigh over 100 kilograms, a Govecs eSchwalbe with Bosch drive comes to 120 kilos, even pure trial machines weigh over 60 kilograms. Sports enthusiast Kugele has nothing to do with that. The Bykstar weighs just 47 kilograms, giving it a power-to-weight ratio of 3.92 kg/kW and it's really not hard for Kugele to let his e-bike "rear" for a moment, as if it were a wild Mustang.

Aluminum Frame: Milled from Solid

In addition to the motor, the CNC-milled, i.e., processed without any welding seams, highly torsion-resistant aluminum frame forms the basis for the "lightness of being" in the Bykstar. The engineer is particularly proud of it: Because the two-part, modular construction creates maximum space for a self-developed lithium-ion battery based on Sony round cells, which sits exactly in the frame triangle and has a capacity of over 2.65 kWh. That should be enough for a range of 70 to 85 kilometers, easily a commuter distance.

With fast charging within an hour or standard in two and a half hours, the easily replaceable battery is recharged. In addition to the high-performance battery, a simpler version with lower costs is also planned. Kugele has chosen the charging strategy to ensure the longest possible lifespan for the battery, so it never drops below the last ten percent, if possible. In other words, a sophisticated energy and charging management system is in place. Sustainability and efficiency are extremely important to the engineer.

There could also be an L1e version or a cargo model

The modular and patented frame design allows for easier repairs and, thanks to the rear swingarm, always the same chain tension - positively affecting wear - as well as various variations. For example, Kugele envisions a trike with a box, for cargo transport, from a single-track enduro. In any case, he has firmly planned an urban L1e variant with a 45 km/h limit and road approval as well as a cargo version, where the saddle module can be extended with a luggage carrier element. "The components change the character of the bike," Kugele advertises the adaptability of the concept.

Mix of Bike and Motorcycle Components

The bike can quickly be lugged up a staircase or around a corner, as a critical self-test reveals. The working title of his bike is "Easy." Additionally, it rides as easily as no motorcycle, but rather like a high-quality freeride mountain bike, albeit with a kind of "Bonanza" saddle. The light wheelset (front 26, rear 24") with heavy-duty spokes and studded tires, the handlebars, the 200-mm downhill fork, the central damping element (Rock Shox), or the Magura brakes, one of the few with an electronic connection due to their use in pedelecs, all come from MTB.

And Kugele needs them for his purposes. After all, the disc brakes not only stop the bike, but it also has recuperation. The trained engineer knows: coasting is the most efficient way to use energy. "One-handle driving" is thus not intended. If you want to brake, you activate the handle, and energy is won in the first stroke. However, the motor is designed for propulsion and not for a generator function, as Kugele notes. Not every good e-motor is also a good generator, he emphasizes. Therefore, recuperation only kicks in at a speed of 17 km/h.

Kugele's Dream of the "Smart Driving Machine"

Many things on this spartan-looking bike are controlled by modern electronics. Although the driving system with the neon-green monochrome and robust display in early computer style, showing essential driving data like range, charging status, and battery temperature, is completely separate from the "Smart System," as Christian Kugele emphasizes. But via CAN-Bus, the e-bike is fully networked. You could also connect a smartphone, implement a Bykstar app, or later install new software if desired. Kugele refers to the "Tesla principle" and says laconically despite all purism: "There are people who want that nowadays. Then we'll do it." For example, you could realize the range display in the manner of the Californian e-pioneer, locate the bike or integrate it into sharing systems.

Chicken-Egg Problem: Industrialization Needs Money

So, how is the "smart driving machine" supposed to become reality? Kugele sees himself in the classic "chicken-egg dilemma": Industrialization and the establishment of a distribution network require a lot of money. Naturally, he doesn't have that as a start-up. So, he's looking for a partner for the next step into series production. Because his bike is ready as he envisions it. "Investing more money doesn't make sense at this crossroads," he says. Because he doesn't know in which direction to turn the concept with a potential investor. One thing is clear:

"This is not a low-end scooter, but absolutely high-end - and it should stay that way".

Kugele has calculated that thanks to all his "reduction measures" and the modular setup, the bike should be realizable for between 7,000 and 8,000 euros. "We are at the beginning of development," says the electric enthusiast. At the end of the conversation, they want to say a quiet goodbye to Bykstar again. But Kugele has already pressed the off button. For safety. After all, it doesn't just purr but takes off like "Schmidt's cat." And hopefully, the industrialization of this exciting LEV concept from the "Easy-Rider" from Westend will follow.