The brainchild of a Swedish Stefan Ytterborn, “Cake” is a new player in the electric transportation business that intends “to speed up the journey towards a zero-emission society, while enhancing excitement and fun.” And their very first step is this limited edition Kalk electric off-roader that blurs the line between mountain bikes and motorcycles.

Jumping into the category of light electric off-road motorbikes, the Kalk is the first one of a number of models to come and is walking the path that will change the future of riding. The focus here has been off-road performance and innovation in terms of weight and simplicity of riding on the Cake.

2018 Cake Kalk

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2018 Cake Kalk
  • Engine/Motor: Electric motor
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

STYLING

First, the name. ‘Kalk’ is obviously a weird name. But it means something in Swedish though – ‘lime’. It looks like a concept model since it is technically not legal to go on the roads. It gets no headlights, indicators nor any side mirrors or a number plate bracket. These machines are strictly made to tread 50 miles on the off-beaten tracks in a full charge of the batteries under its belly.

Since this motorcycle is set up by guys who initially built motorcycles for passion, every single element you see on this machine is bespoke made and developed from scratch to support the intended level of quality and durability. With the first impressions so good, my guess is that Cake has indeed burnt the midnight oil here.

Made entirely out of lightweight carbon-fiber, the Kalk ends up weighing around a 150 pounds, making it the lightest motorcycle in its class. There is nothing to talk about the bodywork here since there isn’t one. The frame doubles up as the body and includes exquisite elements made up of an array of CNC-machined alloy parts.

The designing of the sizing, geometry, and engineering of axles, hubs, rims, and suspension were designed in-house and customized by CAKE themselves. The bike is built like an MTB downhill mountain biking reinforced with triple chambers, welded, and anodized in 6061 aircraft aluminum.

Both the hubs are CNC machined from 7075 aircraft aluminum and stainless steel SKF cartridge bearings. Even the stem is machined using the same technique and is made to fit the unique CAKE/Öhlins triple clamp. The 220mm rotors are made of laser-cut stainless steel, all of which gives the KALK an industrial design that is all about being sharp and functional.

Overall Dimension

Make Model

2018 Cake Kalk

KTM Freeride E-XC Enduro

Alta Redshift MXR

Length

n/a

n/a

n/a

Width

n/a

n/a

n/a

Height

n/a

n/a

n/a

Wheelbase

n/a

55.8 in

58.56 in

Seat height

n/a

35.8 in

37.5 in

Wet weight

154 lb

244 lb

259 lb


POWERTRAIN

Ditching the combustion engine to an electric drivetrain is a choice that is being considered by all major manufacturers, and a practice followed by all small players in the motorcycle world for the obvious reason. For Cake, this choice was a no-brainer. Being able to reduce the weight drastically by just this one choice would help the Kalk with snappy and lively rides, as well as inviting anybody despite physical condition to comfortably handle the bike.

Maxing at 50 mph, the 2.6 kWh lithium-ion battery pack pumps out a maximum of 20 hp and 30 lb-ft of max torque at zero rpm. Which is not a lot considering other electric enduro motorcycles coming into the scene but get this, the Kalk weighs in just at 154 lbs. That is lighter than any enduro motorcycle currently on the market.

An industrial standard 15kW IPM motor (interior permanent magnet) was customized in Europe specifically to run on the Kalk and is powered by a 51.8 Volt, 50Ah battery with an in-house designed engine mapping for a dynamic performance. The single-pivot direct drive system reduces the number of heavy and moving parts making it simple to operate and maintain.

The lithium-ion pack will hold enough juice to give the rider up to 50 miles of range or 2-3 hours free riding/enduro. In full throttle attack mode at the track, the Kalk will run out after 45-60 minutes. Adjustable motor braking and re-generation tech help you go a little more the distance.

Without the hassle of clutching and changing gears, the bike will be a breeze to ride and learn, and together with the absence of noise, makes the Kalk a righteous tool to go explore the woods maintaining the respect the surroundings deserve.

Engine Specification

Make Model

2018 Cake Kalk

KTM Freeride E-XC Enduro

Alta Redshift MXR

Motor type

IPM

Permanent magnet synchronous motor in a disc armature design

High Speed PMAC

Motor Capacity

15kW peak/9kW continuous

18kW peak/9kW continuous

n/a

Output

20 hp

24.5 hp @ 4500 rpm

50 hp

Torque

30 lb-ft

31 lb-ft

42 lb-ft

Battery type

Lithium-ion

Lithium-ion KTM PowerPack

Waterproof Li-Ion

Battery capacity

51.8 Volt, 50 Ah, 2.6 kWh

260 – 300 V, 3.9 kWh

5.8kWh

Range

50 miles, 45 min – 3 hours

80 min

n/a


RIDE AND HANDLING

The minimalistic body and frame are designed in-house from scratch and helps the weight loss program with aerospace grade aluminum and carbon fiber materials at the helm. The narrow seats are custom designed by ‘Reconsider’ with the carbon fiber fender keeping things clean at the rear. The aluminum frame is CNC jointed and welded and has numerous patents pending.

The bike is so light, it is a breeze to tame it in the outbacks and the trails, and providing a smooth riding experience are the Ohlins setup. Adjustable USD 38mm stanchion tubes at the front, and TTX shocks at the rear with full adjustability. 24”aluminum hubs get laced with steel spokes with the rim wrapped with specially developed tires for durability and minimum trail wear.

You get three riding modes (Discover, Explore and Excite) which are tuneable for motor braking and regeneration of power back to the battery by converting the heat energy during braking to electric. Talking of which, the four pistons calipers clutched onto 220mm stainless steel rotors does the job of getting this lightweight bike to a halt efficiently.

With its focus on off and trail riding, in the outback, the digital pre-setting will let anyone fly at their own level with torque and acceleration being the main characters in all stages. Club it with the 150-pound mass, throwing it around will be the new definition of fun for the Kalk.

Chassis Specifications

Make Model

2018 Cake Kalk

KTM Freeride E-XC Enduro

Alta Redshift MXR

Frame

6061 aluminum, extruded, CNC jointed and welded

Perimeter steel-aluminum composite High-strength polyamide, ABS plastic

Forged & Welded Aluminum

Suspension / Front

38mm Ohlins stanchion upside-down fork is air/oil sprung with 204mm travel. Adjustable for high-speed compression, low-speed compression, and low-speed rebound.

WP USD 43 mm

WP AER Fully Adjustable

Suspension / Rear

Öhlins TTX dampening technology, Nitrogen pressurized bladder reservoir system, 3-level high speed and 16 click low-speed compression and 7 low-speed rebound adjustment. Linkage.

WP PDS shock absorber

WP 2018 Alta Spec

Brakes / Front

Motorcycle standard, four pistons calipers, alloy levers and 220mm/3.2mm stainless steel rotors

Formula disc brakes 260 mm

Brembo Two Piston 260mm Rotor

Brakes / Rear

Motorcycle standard, four pistons calipers, alloy levers and 220mm/3.2mm stainless steel rotors

Formula disc brakes 230 mm

Brembo Single Piston 220mm Rotor

Tyres / Front

Bespoke 50 R24

2.75 R21

Dunlop Geomax MX3S R21

Tyres / Rear

Bespoke 50 R24

120/90 R18

Dunlop Geomax MX3S R19


PRICE

Cake will be making a limited run of just 50 units of the Kalk and are available for pre-order on making a deposit of €1,000 ($1,250), and the bike will cost an eye-watering €14,000 ($17,500). That is a steep price tag for a bike that has so less to give, especially compared to the competition that has been spewing in the industry off-late.

The Kalk will be limited to just 50 units and will be available later this year (post mid-June). We have no word on how many will make it across the pond to US soil. The KALK model is the first among a number of models to come.

Make Model

2018 Cake Kalk

KTM Freeride E-XC Enduro

Alta Redshift MXR

MSRP

$ 17,500

n/a

$ 11,995


COMPETITON

2018 KTM Freeride E-XC Enduro

With electric bikes starting to become en vogue these days, KTM was the first major league player offering one that provides new off-road motorcycle fun in one small package. This 2018 Freeride E-XC Enduro machine is KTM’s entry into a long-term commitment to e-mobility that boasts around 50% more energy onboard than the previous one.

The re-designed composite frame carries an all-new 18KW electric motor that acts as a supporting element to give the bike the right amount of stiffness and stability throughout the mountain course. The dust and waterproof designs make it maintenance-free, and the water-cooled casing makes it possible to operate even at high temperatures.

The electric motor itself is powered by the next-gen KTM Powerpack which hosts 360 lithium-ion cells that provide 50% more capacity of 3.9 kWh, enough for up to one and a half hours of pure riding fun. The bike also comes with three different riding modes: Economy, Enduro and Cross. Additionally, the 2018 model will also have energy regeneration by recuperating decelerating energy while braking back to the battery pack, extending the range significantly. The new battery will provide 70 % of its initial capacity even after 700 charge cycles.

All of this is handled by the high-powered Engine Control Unit (ECU) which is water cooled for instant usable power in all riding conditions. The rider is made aware of the bike’s operating conditions at all time with the easy-to-read display that provides speed, battery charge status, and power mode on the fly. Suspension duties are handled by new WP Xplor 43 upside-down fork system with enhanced sensitivity, and a new WP PDS Xplor shock absorber with improved progression and adjustment options.

Alta Redshift MXR

Alta was the first player offering one that provides off-road electric motorcycle fun in one small package. The 2018 Redshift MXR Motocross model ups the ante in all departments and adds a significant change with its electronics package and battery-motor combo. It boasts of more power, less weight, better recharge times, and better heat management to keep the competition in check.

It is designed to compete with any modern 350cc gasoline powered enduro motorcycle and is equipped with a 50 hp motor having 147 lb-ft of peak torque at zero rpm (a bump from the 42 hp and 120 lb-ft torque in the MX). The bike receives an upgraded R5.8 Battery Pack that delivers full-power range at cooler operating temperatures. The 14,000 high rev electric motor is, according to the company, “pound for pound one of the most powerful in motorsports”.

The suspension setup on the MXR also sees an upgrade with the WP 4CS being swapped with the higher spec WP AER suspension giving the bike significant weight savings and infinite tunability. The rear shock also gets upgraded with improved valves and linkage. Bembo braking units remain the same. The 21” and 19” Warp 9 Elite wheels get new rubber in the form of Dunlop Geomaxes.

On the battery spec, the MXR will now include two off-board charging setup (2.7kW or 3.3kW) that will give a full charge in just 1.5 hours compared to the 2 hours in the MX model. The ECU can be tuned with four maps, just like before, including Eco, Sport, Performance, and Overclocked.

Coming to the pricing of the 2018 MXR Motocross, the tag reads $11,995 MSRP. This is $1,500 more than the MX model.

VERDICT

Cake’s Kalk is the machine we believe that will revolutionize the electric enduro/dirt motorcycles with an agile, lightweight and noise-free motorcycle that broke the mold in the way enduro riding is being enjoyed these days. Perfect for the young riders who are just breaking into the enduro scene.

The Kalk requires no air filters, oil changes, or top end rebuilds, so you can spend less time wrenching on your bike and more time riding. While providing a quiet gliding and surfy experience, the Kalk gives every amateur an opportunity to get their feet dirty. Throttling and braking are all one needs here to go exploring the wild.

Further developing their product strategies, Cake entered into a partnership with Swedish all-green electricity provider Utellus to create solar charging environment specifically to charge their range of electric motorcycles. The firm is now looking at alternatives to develop new charging methods to protect the environment further, to produce electric power without the negative carbon footprint of coal powered electric production or the likes. Enter solar charging.