Lifestyle

Bright spark: Super Soco TC Max reviewed


I have ridden quite a few electric bikes now and they tend to fall into one of two categories.

They are either trying to compete with higher-end sports-oriented machines or they are much smaller scooter runarounds.

Super Soco has tried something different here with its TC Max – an affordable electric bike aimed squarely at commuters and shorter-distance riders, with the looks and style of a mid-size naked, and with a hint of retro.

The first thing I am always asked about an electric bike is, “what’s the range?”, so lets get that out of the way straight off.

Fully charged, the 72-volt lithium-ion battery is good for about 60 miles of steady, around-town riding.

That is roughly halved if you were to hare around at full throttle.

Fraser rides the TC Max
Fraser rides the TC Max

Like I said, the TC Max is for shortish commutes, trips into town and the like.

It’s easy to control how much juice you’re using by selecting from three “gears” – essentially power modes.

“One”, limits top speed to 30mph, “two”, to 40mph and “three” lets you achieve the top speed of 58mph.

On board, the ride position is upright and comfortable, with a well-padded seat and a cockpit consisting of a single round clock with LCD screen

This displays speed, battery life – as both a graph and a percentage figure – range, temperature and time.

With the keyless fob in your pocket, start-up is via push-button ignition.

Select one of the power modes, twist the throttle and you’re off

Clock on the TC Max
Clock on the TC Max

Unlike many smaller electric bikes, which use a hub-mounted motor, that on the TC Max is centrally mounted in the chassis and drives the rear wheel via a toothed belt.

That helps to make the bike feel well balanced and, coupled with 35mm USD forks and a rear monshock, which is adjustable for preload, means it handles surprisingly well.

The motor’s 5kw maximum output means just under 7bhp – not much, but the bike weighs in at only around 100kg, 20kg of which is the battery.

That latter is removable and comes with a carrying handle, so you can take it indoors for charging. You can also plug in directly from the bike to a standard socket.

A full charge takes around seven hours.

What all that equates to is a running cost of just 1p per mile.

Build quality is perfectly acceptable, especially on a bike that costs just four grand.

It’s fairly basic, but lighting is LED all round and there’s an alarm, which is a nice touch – although when I accidentally set it off, it wasn’t the loudest in the world.

All in all, the TC Max is another step forward for electric motorcycles and, as it can be ridden on a CBT licence, is great for new riders.

Electric dream: TC Max
Electric dream: TC Max

The Facts

Engine: Electric (125cc equivalent)

Power: 6.7bhp

Torque: 133ft lb

Price: £3,999

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