The Ubco (Utility Bike Company) Special Edition 2X2 is a mystery machine. When the New Zealand–based company showed us its new Special Edition, our first question was, what is it? Ubco is careful and crafty in its marketing, not to call it a motor scooter, a motorcycle, or a moped.
Words and Photography by Keith Dowdle
That’s smart because, depending on where you live, it could be classified as any of those, although in most states in the U.S., it falls into the moped category since it will not exceed 30 mph. But it has no peddles and no gasoline engine, which is what most police officers will look for if you get stopped for not having a license plate on it.
In Georgia, where I live, mopeds don’t require a license plate, but the Ubco SE has a mounting point for a license plate, and it looks very much like a modern motorcycle with its LED turn signals, headlight, taillight, and brake light—along with well-designed mirrors that provide excellent visibility to the rear. To be classified as a moped in Georgia, the engine must not exceed 50cc, but it’s electric, and there’s not yet a definition for electric mopeds in Georgia, so I’m not sure how that conversation would play out if our local, very rural sheriff decided to stop me. Fortunately, I never had to deal with that during my two months of riding the SE, but it was always on my mind since Georgia law also says that operating a motor vehicle on public roads without a license plate is a “criminal offense.” Sounds serious.
Anyway, enough with all the confusion about what it is; instead, let’s focus on what it does. Ubco’s website says that “Ubco was founded on the idea of a rugged all-wheel-drive electric utility bike. We have rapidly evolved into an Electric Adventure Vehicle brand focused on making every day adventure more accessible.” The “more accessible” part means “easy enough for anyone to ride,” and that it is. No clutch, no gears, nothing but a twist throttle, and away you go. But do be careful!
You’ll notice that the name of this story is “Electric Slide,” a play on words that holds true with this spunky little two-wheel-drive machine that will quickly spin the front wheel if you’re on a slick surface. Fun if you’re expecting it, but not so fun if you’re not.
The Ubco is equipped with a 1KwH hub motor on each wheel. As a result, the bike will climb like a mountain goat, but the technique for getting up steep hills on loose terrain is very different from that of a traditional rear-wheel-drive motorcycle, and it takes some getting used to. However, once you’ve figured it out, it’s a blast to ride, and with a claimed 75-mile range from the 3.1KwH battery, you’ll have plenty of time to figure it out. I never pushed the range beyond about 50 miles because I noticed a significant reduction in power and speed after half or more of the charge was consumed. But I live in the mountains, and that surely drains the battery faster and reduces the range versus riding the unit on flat land. There are also three different ride modes, one being “Eco,” which would likely afford you a few more miles, but Eco sounds like another word for “boring” to me, so I kept it in Boost mode, which must be better, right? Even in Boost mode, I never questioned whether I would make it home, as the machine would still propel me along, just not with as much speed or power going uphill.
The easy-to-read LED dash screen provides lots of information, including motor temperature, time, power management, speed and battery charge level, so you always know how much power you have left. Charging is easy with the supplied charger that plugs into any common 120-volt outlet in your home. There’s also an app that wirelessly connects to the bike and provides the same information as the live dash. Plus, it offers many other options, like changing the ride modes and downloading firmware. The SE comes standard with a Peak Design phone mount already placed in a perfect location, making monitoring the information on the app very handy.
The Special Edition has several additional features that separate it from the other Ubco models, such as the matching 30-liter waterproof rear rack bag and the center carry-all. I especially enjoyed the center carry-all, as it was perfect for runs to the post office or carrying around chicken treats. I mentioned the Peak Design phone mount, which comes standard on the SE, as does a two-tone paint job, a sportier front fender and Giant Loop straps. Since the model we tested was a Special Edition, it was uniquely numbered and featured a special logo on the swingarm.
Special Edition or not, all the Ubco bikes come with sturdy attachment points for mounting surfboard racks, front flat racks and other cool offerings available through Ubco’s accessory catalog. In researching for this review, I also saw that many current Ubco owners make custom racks for whatever specialized activity they use their bikes for. The heavy-duty tubular frame and the sturdy mounting points lend themselves well to just about any mount you could dream up. I also found that Ubco bikes are a huge hit with over-landers and RV owners, which makes sense due to the relatively light weight of these 155-pound machines with a 330-pound carrying capacity.
Besides the front-wheel slide, my only other complaint about the Ubco 2X2 SE is that the seating position makes banging your knees on the tubular steel frame a regular and painful occurrence. I checked the Ubco website, thinking surely they make an accessory pad to cover the frame in that area, but to my surprise, no such part exists—although it absolutely should, in my opinion. Apparently, I’m the only one who’s ever had a problem with this. I’m unsure if it’s my background in riding dirt bikes, where it’s natural to squeeze the bike with your knees, or if it’s just my bony knees. Probably the latter.
Other than that, the more I rode the bike, the more I liked it. The brakes work great, the suspension is fully adjustable both front and rear, and the ease of operation makes it perfect to hop on and go with no hassle quickly. And it’s so easy to ride that everyone who visited our home during the two months I had the bike took it for a spin. And no one hit their knees on the frame. Go figure.
I used the SE mainly for work around our little family farm, with occasional runs to the corner store and post office—the bike is perfect for that. And if we were still living in Huntington Beach, California, I could see using it for runs to the beach and cruising around downtown. This eye-catching little bike would fit in perfectly in any urban setting—and it’s rugged enough for real use in more rural areas.
Ubco is all about making access to adventure easier for everyone while being responsible stewards of the environment at the same time. Their motorbikes are designed to have the lightest touch possible on our planet, and every component is designed to be recycled when the unit has reached the end of its operational life. They’re even working on alternative chemistries for their batteries, standing up for a responsible EV future. So, while the Special Edition MSRP seems high at $6999, it reflects the cost of creating environmentally responsible machines that are built to last. CN
VIDEO | UBCO 2×2 Adventure Bike Review
Ubco Special Edition 2X2 Specifications
| MSRP: | $6999 |
| Motor: | 2.1kwh or 3.1kWh |
| Max Speed: | 30 mph |
| Drivetrain: | All-wheel drive |
| Front Suspension: | Telescopic, coil spring, preload, and rebound adj. |
| Rear Suspension: | Single shock preload and rebound adj. |
| Front-Wheel Travel: | 5.1 in. |
| Rear-Wheel Travel: | 4.7 in. |
| Brakes: | Ubco Quadratic brake system, active regen, disc |
| Front Wheel: | 1.85 x 17 in., wire-spoked |
| Rear Wheel: | 2.75 x 17 in., wire-spoked |
| Weight: | 144.6 lbs. (2.1kWh power supply) / 155.6 lbs. (3.1kWh) |
| Wheelbase: | 47.8 in. |
| Seat Height: | 32 in. |
Click here to read the Ubco Special Edition 2X2 story in the Cycle News Digital Edition Magazine.
Click here for the latest Cycle News “Other” motorcycle reviews and news.
Click here for the latest Cycle NewsElectric Motorcycle News and Reviews.
Click here for the latest Cycle News Minimoto Motorcycle News and Reviews.
