Blurring the lines between mountain bikes and motorcycles, the Kalk series of machines from the Swiss made “Cake” intends “to speed up the journey towards a zero-emission society while enhancing excitement and fun.” They are walking the path that will change the future of riding with the focus on off-road performance and innovation in terms of weight and simplicity of riding.

Their newest entry is the Kalk INK. It takes on the KALK OR with the same powerful drivetrain with slightly heavier and stable wheels and a simplified and sturdier suspension derived from motocross machines. This is a black rendition of the KALK OR as a casual offroader for a thrilling backcountry exploration.

STYLING

CAKE’s newest electric product is the ‘Cake KALK INK,’ a name that played my tongue a bit. Just like the rest of its stablemates, 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 of 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.

The minimal bodywork is composed of black injection molded polycarbonate and ABS plastic – the “INK” referring to this dark theme. The frame doubles up as the body and includes exquisite elements made up of an array of CNC-machined alloy parts. The narrow seats are custom designed by ‘Reconsider’ with the carbon fiber fender keeping things clean at the rear.

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 aircraft-grade 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 triple clamp. The 220mm rotors are made of laser-cut stainless steel, all of which give the KALK an industrial design that is all about being sharp and functional.

Overall Dimension

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 apparent 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.

Making use of the same drivetrain like the rest of the KALK sibling, this INK maxes 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 (permanent interior 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 at speeds of 45 mph. In full-throttle attack mode at the track, the Kalk will run out after 45-60 minutes. Adjustable three-mode motor braking and regeneration tech help you go a little more the distance. Charging times range from 1.5 to 2.5 hours.

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 INK a righteous tool to explore the woods maintaining the respect the surroundings deserve.

Engine Specification

RIDE AND HANDLING

Just like the KALK OR, 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 is the new MX setup. Adjustable USD spring forks replace the Ohlins of the OR, and directly mounted shocks replacing the TTX shocks at the rear make this a more robust and straightforward unit. 24” aluminum hubs of the OR are now replaced with 19 inchers and are still laced with steel spokes, with the rim wrapped with specially developed tires for durability and minimum trail wear.

You get three riding modes (Explore, Excite and Excel), 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

PRICE

Cake will be making a limited run of just 50 units of the Kalk INK and are available for pre-order on making a deposit of $ 200, and the bike will cost $ 9,500. Almost half of the other two KALK siblings.

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 times 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.

VERDICT

Cake’s Kalk is the machine we believe 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 INK 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 INK gives every amateur an opportunity to get their feet dirty. Throttling and braking are all one needs here to go exploring the wild.

And compared to its previous KALK models, this INK is a more affordable option with a less fancy suspension setup and smaller wheels.

Further developing their product strategies, Cake entered into a partnership with Swedish all-green electricity provider Utellus to create a 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.