Canadian e-motorcycle manufacturer Beachman has introduced its all-new Aviator lineup, a retro-inspired electric café racer available in three configurations designed to appeal to riders seeking classic motorcycle styling with modern electric performance.
The new Aviator is offered as a Class 2 e-bike, a lightweight motorcycle and, later this fall, a premium 125cc-equivalent electric motorcycle. Pricing starts at $5,499 for the e-bike version and $5,999 for the light motorcycle.
Built around an all-new frame platform, the Aviator draws inspiration from the British café racers of the 1960s while incorporating practical features such as a lockable storage compartment integrated into the faux fuel tank, removable battery options, USB-C charging, remote start/stop and customizable finishes.
The Class 2 e-bike version reaches a top speed of 20 mph on-road and 35 mph off-road. Customers can choose between a 2.8-kWh removable battery with more than 55 miles of range or a 4.3-kWh battery capable of exceeding 80 miles on a charge. The lightweight motorcycle shares many features with the standard model but increases top speed to 45 mph and offers a higher payload capacity.
Beachman also previewed a flagship 125cc-equivalent electric motorcycle scheduled to arrive later this year. The model will feature a fixed 8.2-kWh battery, an 8-kW motor, an estimated top speed of approximately 60 mph, and more than 125 miles of range, making it suitable for both urban commuting and highway riding.
Across the lineup, the Aviator includes motorcycle-style safety equipment such as LED lighting, turn signals, mirrors, brake lights, and a horn. Riders can also personalize their motorcycles with multiple paint colors, leather seat upgrades, handlebars, saddlebags, and other accessories.
One of the Aviator’s most distinctive features is its approximately two-gallon lockable storage compartment built into the tank area — a space traditionally occupied by a fuel tank. Beachman says the compartment is designed to hold gloves, charging cables, groceries, or other everyday items without the need for saddlebags or a backpack.
Beachman says the Aviator is currently being built to-order as it fulfills more than 150 customer preorders before moving into full-scale production.
Stark Future capped off a busy June by rolling out a major software update for its electric motorcycle lineup while celebrating another high-profile victory on the X Games stage.
The Barcelona-based manufacturer announced that its new traction control system is now available for all Stark Varg Alpha models through a free over-the-air software update. At the same time, factory rider Patrick Evans claimed the Moto X Best Trick gold medal at X Games Sacramento 2026.
The traction control feature, one of the most requested additions from Varg owners, is compatible with the VARG MX, EX and SM Alpha models. Rather than requiring new hardware or a dealer-installed upgrade, the system is delivered remotely to motorcycles connected to the internet.
According to Stark, the software is designed to improve traction and rider confidence in low-grip conditions, including wet pavement, gravel, mud, roots and other technical terrain. Riders can independently adjust traction control settings within each power mode, allowing for varying levels of intervention depending on riding conditions and personal preference.
The feature integrates with the Varg’s existing ride customization options, including power delivery and regenerative braking settings, giving riders additional control over the motorcycle’s performance.
Over-the-air updates have become a growing trend among electric motorcycle manufacturers, enhancing vehicles with software after purchase and adding new capabilities without requiring model-year changes or dealership visits.
Key features of the new system include:
Free over-the-air delivery for Stark Varg Alpha models
Adjustable traction control intervention levels
Integration with existing ride modes
Improved grip in slippery conditions
Enhanced control on technical terrain
The announcement came just days after Stark Future celebrated another milestone at X Games Sacramento. Factory rider Patrick Evans earned the Moto X Best Trick gold medal, adding to the Best Whip title he captured aboard the Stark VARG in 2024. According to the company, Evans secured the victory with his opening run before using his second run to throw one of the biggest whips of the competition despite not being eligible to defend his Best Whip championship.
“Winning another X Games gold means everything, especially in Best Trick against this level of riders,” Evans comments. “Once I’d landed the run I wanted, I could just enjoy the moment.”
The victory gives Evans X Games gold medals in two different Moto X disciplines and continues Stark Future’s push to showcase the performance capabilities of its electric motorcycles in elite freestyle competition.
Yamaha Motor’s futuristic MOTOROiD concept has captured another major design honor, earning the Red Dot Award: Design Concept 2026.
The recognition marks Yamaha’s sixth Red Dot award in the Design Concept category and continues the success of the company’s MOTOROiD project, which explores the evolving relationship between humans and machines.
Unveiled in 2025, MOTOROiD is a proof-of-concept motorcycle designed to learn and evolve autonomously through AI-based reinforcement learning. Yamaha says the concept is intended to demonstrate a future where people and machines grow together over time, creating a deeper connection between rider and vehicle.
According to Yamaha, the project is built around three key elements: AI-driven learning capabilities, a design philosophy that embraces both success and failure as part of the growth process, and an advanced chassis engineered to enable unexpected and imaginative movement.
The company says MOTOROiD challenges traditional views of vehicle ownership by proposing that products can gain value through long-term companionship and shared experiences.
Yamaha has a long track record in the Red Dot Design Awards’ Design Concept category. Previous winners include the original MOTOROiD in 2018, YNF-01 in 2019, e-plegona in 2024, and MOTOROiD2 in 2025. Yamaha also earned an award in 2017 for the &Y01 concept, developed in collaboration with Yamaha Corporation.
The Red Dot Design Awards are among the world’s most respected design competitions, recognizing innovation across product design, branding and conceptual development.
MOTOROiD remains a concept model, and while not specifically targeted as an electric bike, we are placing it in the category anyway. Yamaha says the project serves as a platform for exploring future technologies and new possibilities for human-machine interaction.