The creator of Langen Motorcycles, who have built possibly the sexiest two-stroke motorcycle currently on sale today, has announced that a move into four-stroke and electric technology is on the cards.

Langen Motorcycles Not Going Anywhere, Says CEO

When a company announces a new model and says that 100 will be built, it's only natural that fears grow that that will be it and no more will be heard from them, even though that new model was one of the most beautiful two-wheeled creations you have ever seen.

When Wigan, UK, company Langen revealed its cafe racer back in 2020, not only was it a serious slice of hand-built perfection, it also featured a 250cc, 75bhp v-twin two-stroke motor, something we never thought we'd see in a road bike ever again. The machine was chock full of top-shelf components, lashing of carbon fibre and, would you believe, gold-leaf in the paint job, all of which did nothing for the price tag but it seems that didn't put anyone off and production has started, with all 100 examples pre-sold.

Now, founder Chris Ratcliffe has confirmed that the company is here to stay, announcing that a four-stroke motorcycle is set to appear in the next 18 months. Not only that, but development of an electric model is already under way.

You have to love Langen's approach: "We didn’t do that much market research, we just built what we liked and seemed to have hit a good spot on the dartboard," said Ratcliffe, referring to the success of the 2-stoke cafe racer.

"The next bike will be a four-stroke and it will not be a café racer, it will be completely different," he continued. "We’re going to create something two-thirds of the weight of the competitor bike, it will probably have more power, it will have better equipment and perform better on the road and track."

That's a mouth-watering prospect, as is the thought of a Langen electric motorcycle, something the company has to look at if they are to survive the next 20 years. Like many companies, no matter how large or small, Langen is working with partners in the motorcycle and car manufacturing fields to share technology, although Langen has developed its own modular batteries.

It is exactly this that is making the switch to electric so interesting: quite apart from the major manufacturers, a multitude of unknown and start-up companies are looking to get in on the electric revolution, in the knowledge that everyone is starting from zero and that the electric motorcycle buyer of the future is not necessarily one who has had anything to do with motorcycles perviously and so has no preconceptions.

The electrification of the future might not be to everyone's taste and some would argue that it doesn't matter if they like it or not: it's going to happen. But, it can't be denied that it's going to be fascinating to see what we will be buying and riding in 20 years' time. With companies such as Langen developing bikes, the electric future certainly isn't going to be dull!