We’ve utterly fed up seeing the vast array of so-called ‘revolutionary’ electric motorbikes. Electric bikes that are lacklustre, unimaginative and sometimes ridiculously over-priced. Safe, boring designs that promise so much and totally fail to deliver. With so much mundanity, in what should be an exciting market, what can BMW offer us with the CE-04?
Before we get into our review of the BMW CE-04, we should point out that we’ve had very mixed experiences with electric bikes. Some have been superb - such as the Energica Ego+ RS and the Stark Varg. Some represent real innovation, but they’re not yet generally available to customers - such as the Damon HyperSport and the Triumph TE-1. Others have been nothing more than regular motorbikes with an engine transplant. One bike - the Harley-Davidson LiveWire - came with such an arrogantly over-inflated price tag that nobody was surprised when it didn’t sell. Others were so dreadful that we couldn’t even be bothered to do an article about them. Currently, within the electric market, there’s a surprisingly small number of viable bikes that are even worthy of consideration. The market is littered with small, poorly-funded start-up companies who’s dreams exceed commercial reality. When we put the market under the microscope (Moto-Kulture, April 2022 edition) we struggled to find ten electric bikes that captured our interest - five of which are not even on general release. The good news is that there’s a handful of companies that we believe will make an impact. Companies like Energica, Ducati, Damon, Triumph and, of course, BMW. So with all that in mind, lets turn our attention to BMW’s all-new, all-electric CE-04.
1. What Is The CE-04?
The CE-04 is BMW’s latest offering for the urban commuter. Its an electric bike that straddles the middle-ground between scooters and full-size motorcycles.
We have long thought that the emergence of the electric bike presents manufacturers with a unique opportunity. An opportunity to reimagine the conventional motorcycle. An opportunity for designers to dare to be different. An opportunity to throw away the rule book and bring us something fresh, modern, exciting and unexpected. We have to congratulate BMW for being one of the only companies to fully embrace these opportunities and push the boundaries of design and innovation.
The CE-04 looks completely different to everything else out there. There are elements of ‘scooter’ about it - such as the riding position and the level of practicality - but there are also plenty of aspects that make it closer to a conventional motorbike. We were immediately impressed by the looks of this thing and how unique it is.
As with all electric vehicles - cars and bikes - the big concerns for potential buyers are centred around the battery and the range. As you read this, you probably have some preconceived opinions on electric vehicles. Maybe you think they cost too much, or that they are not fast enough, or that the silent-running makes them intrinsically unsafe, or maybe you just have battery anxiety. A feeling that you could be stuck in the middle of nowhere with no means to recharge the battery. Yes, all of these are legitimate concerns and we’ll discuss all of them throughout this article.
Primarily, the CE-04 is a city bike that delivers a solution to the problem of urban mobility. BMW state that the CE-04 is easy to ride, easy to live with and, above all, its easy to own and maintain. We’ll address these claims throughout this narrative.
2. Basic Specifications
Here are the basic specifications for the BMW CE-04.
3. Pricing Information & Comparison
The up-front purchase prices for electric bikes are generally higher than that of an equivalent petrol-driver motorcycle. However, you do have to factor in the cost of ownership. This is where electric bikes have a huge advantage, as both maintenance and on-going running costs are minimal.
The CE-04 has a starting price of $16,195. It would be easy to criticize that as a rather hefty price to pay for the equivalent conventional petrol-powered scooter, but we don’t think this is a scooter. If you compare this to an electric motorcycle with similar performance - such as the ZERO FXE - then the CE-04 starts to look reasonably priced.
The ZERO FXE will cost you $16,995, but can’t compete with the much higher specification of the CE-04. But that’s not the end of the story with ZERO …
If you add the the Quick Charger ($1,141) - then the ZERO’s final price creeps up to $18,136 (before fees/taxes)! In addition, ZERO does charge extra fees to ‘unlock’ some of the bike’s functionality. Be very careful with this as the price can quickly escalate (see note below).
If we compare that with the BMW CE-04’s starting price of $16,195 (before fees/taxes), the BMW suddenly looks like a bit a bargain. However, as is always the case with BMW, be careful with the extras & options as they can get very pricey indeed.
The pricing model for electric bikes has been very heavily criticized. As with their four-wheeled cousins, electric bikes have typically been premium-priced.
Harley-Davidson took this to an astonishing extreme when they introduced the LiveWire in 2019. With a starting price of $29,999, limited battery range and long recharge times, it's hardly surprising that it was a complete sales flop. So much so in fact that it’s been hived-off as a separate company - ‘LiveWire’. Echoes of Buell anyone? However, the LiveWire One - as its now called - has been significantly reduced in price, while the battery/motor have been improved.
BUYER BEWARE!
A rather disturbing trend has also started to appear with the pricing model for electric bikes. ZERO Motorcycles now charge a fee to ‘unlock’ certain features of their bikes. Features that are already installed on the bike - such as heated grips - but you have to pay to activate them. Are we the only ones who think this is a disgraceful, money-grabbing business practice?
A business practice that does nothing other than discourage potential buyers and p*ss them off at the same time. For goodness sake ZERO, pack it in right now! Thanks to ZERO’s actions, if you are considering an electric bike, we strongly recommend that you examine the small print and look for any hidden fees.
4. The Engine & Battery
If you ever get the chance to ride an electric motorbike, the first thing that strikes you is all of that instantaneous power. In this regard the CE-04 doesn’t disappoint.
Initially, as you sit astride this totally silent machine, it can feel incredible weird. Apart from the seeing the full-colour TFT proudly displaying that its ‘Ready’, it’s hard to tell whether the CE-04 is even switched on. However, as soon as you turn the throttle you’re away.
The power output from the motor is equivalent to 42bhp, but the CE-04 is not to be underestimated. If you give it a big handful, the acceleration is impressive and more than enough to embarrass most motorists off the line. 0-50km/h comes up in a shade over two seconds and keeps pulling hard all the way to the speed-limited maximum of 120km/h (75mph). The most impressive thing of all is that there is no delay in accessing that power. You get all of it, all at once. This makes the CE-04 feel very quick indeed.
Even though 0-100km/h comes up in just 9 seconds, top speed is not what the CE-04 is all about. This is a bike that’s ideally suited for city riding and commuting. An environment where rapid acceleration at the bottom-end is absolutely key. To say that the CE-04 took us by surprise would be an understatement. It’s so easy to ride, so well balanced and delivers so much power precisely when and where you need it.
However, as you quickly get addicted to that lovely acceleration, you will notice that the battery range gets heavily impacted. If you ride the CE-04 aggressively you can easily see a 30% reduction in the claimed 130km range. We have to say that this was a little annoying. We were enjoying riding the CE-04 so much, and we would have liked to have gone for longer rides, but the limitations of the battery just simply wouldn’t permit it.
BMW have pooled their collective expertise to share their collective technology and know-how. The CE-04 is actually equipped with modified, smaller versions of the car battery that BMW uses in the iX cars. These are already proven platforms with impressive reliability.
The CE-04 comes with three switchable riding modes - Rain, Road and ECO. Our test bike was also equipped with the optional ‘Dynamic’ mode. Each mode gives a different throttle map and engine braking level. The braking level serves to regenerate energy back to the battery. ECO mode provides maximum battery regeneration and aggressive engine braking. ‘Road’ mode delivers full power acceleration but reduced battery regeneration and engine braking. We found that ‘Dynamic’ mode to be the ideal compromise.
Battery Range & Charging Times
Let’s turn our attention to the area that most riders will want to know the most about. What is the Battery Range and how long does it take to recharge?
The way that you ride the CE-04 will have a direct bearing on range you can achieve. Before you all go jumping off at the deep end, just remember that this is also true for an internal combustion engine (ICE) bike. If you thrash the knackers off an ICE, you will get less miles per gallon.
Similarly, if you belt around on the CE-04 on full power, the maximum range will reduce significantly. It’s also important to note that there’s a battery regenerative effect on the CE-04. This acts to recharge the battery slightly every time you coast or slow down.
OK, now that’s out of the way, what can you expect from the CE-04 in terms of range?
We rode the CE-04 in a variety of conditions to assess the range for ourselves.
• Constant Highway Speed - At a constant speed of 100km/h on the highway we managed to cover 87km before we had to find a recharging point. At the point we pulled off the highway, the battery was at 9% remaining charge and indicated we had 19km of range left.
• Urban Riding - Next, we rode the CE-04 in and around the Toronto area. There was plenty of stop/start traffic, mixed with the occasion stint on a highway. In these conditions we managed to do 121km at a combined average speed of 41km/h. At the point we stopped to recharge, the battery was at 6% remaining charge with 12km of range left.
Please be aware that this is far from a scientific test and just what we experienced. However, these figures are entirely consistent with BMW’s claims for the CE-04. Therefore, on a full charge of the 8.9 kWh battery, you can expect to do around 130km of mixed riding.
To recharge the battery you simply use the power cable provided and plug it in to a regular household socket. Our test bike came with the standard charger, but you can upgrade to the optional Quick Charger. Using the standard charger, 0-100% charging time is 4 hours and 20 minutes, or 1 hour and 40 minutes with the Quick Charger.
It’s worth noting that when the CE-04 is recharging, the power cable automatically locks in place. In order to disconnect it, you have to switch the bike on. This is a nice feature that prevents anyone from running off with your power cable. The CE-04 is also compatible with the public charging stations. These are typically Rapid Chargers and you can expect a 20% - 80% recharge to take just 45 minutes. Just enough time to pop into the shops, get what you need and return to the bike.
5. Suspension, Brakes & Handling
In the areas of suspension, brakes and handling the CE-04 was surprisingly well endowed. This was unexpected as most people will categorize the CE-04 as a scooter - which, by the way, its not.
The brakes are very good indeed. Up front there’s double disc brake 265 mm (4 piston fixed calliper), while the rear brake is a single disc brake 265 mm (1 piston floating calliper). If anything, there’s more braking power here than you’ll ever need. But we’d rather have that than not enough.
We shouldn’t really admit this but, when we first hopped on the CE-04, we did have a bit of an issue. Because there are two levers - one for the front brake and one for the rear - we actually got a bit confused. We thought the left lever was a c l u t c h a n d a s w e headed off, we pulled it in sharply to change gear. OOOPS! The bike came to a very abrupt s t o p a n d w e s l i d forward dramatically on the seat. Needless to say, we didn’t make that stupid mistake again.
The suspension is also excellent. At the front there’s single-bridge telescopic forks with 100 mm spring travel. The rear is a single-sided swing arm/directly hinged suspension strut with 92 mm spring travel. All said, very comfortable and very smooth.
The way the CE-04 handled was yet another surprise. When you look at the bike for the first time it’s very long. The wheelbase is 1,675mm which, for comparison purposes, is 161mm longer than BMW’s heavyweight adventure bike - the R1250GS. With dimensions like that you’d expect that the CE-04 would have compromised handling. But it doesn’t. Even though it is long and low, the CE-04 carries most of its 230kg weight way down low. This makes it super-nibble and it can really be thrown around. At slow speeds it is incredible stable and easy to manoeuvre. In short, perfect for riding in heavy traffic. All said, the CE-04 is unbelievably easy to ride.
6. Comfort & Ergonomics
The seat on the CE-04 is a long, bench-like affair. It doesn’t look like it would be comfortable, but it’s not that bad. If you don’t like the standard seat, there are several others to choose from.
The seating position is very good while offering plenty of flexibility. You can place your feet in a variety of different positions - from ‘mid’ to ‘stretched out’ or anything in between. Most of the time we rode the CE-04 with our legs stretched out in a forward position, which was super-comfortable. This riding position is something that will really appeal to riders of big, American cruisers - if they’re capable of parking their fragile egos and getting their heads around the total lack of noise that is.
Speaking of noise, there isn’t any. The CE-04 whispers along silently and the only thing you hear is the wind and road noise. This was almost tranquil and we got used to it very quickly. It actually adds to the character of this bike and there’s an almost zen-like quality to the riding experience. Try it for yourselves, you’ll probably really like it.
Passenger accommodation is very good. That long low seat offers plenty of room. However, there are no passenger grab-rails or a backrest. You can easily fit a backrest to the CE-04, which is something we would do if we rode two-up frequently.
To compliment the seating position, the reach to the handlebars is spot on. If you are riding in cooler conditions we would recommend the heated grips and possibly the heated seat option as well.
Weather protection for the lower part of your body is excellent but we would definitely fit the optional tall windscreen for even greater comfort.
The CE-04 has a simply wonderful storage compartment directly under the seat. This is very large and can even fit most helmets. It’s tied into the keyless ignition system so, when you park up, the storage compartment locks itself.
If we turn our attention to the front of the bike, there’s a compartment for your smartphone just below the TFT dash. Unlike some other BMWs that we reviewed recently, this compartment fits most smartphones without you having to remove the phone’s case. It also has wireless charging and a fan to keep your phone cool, plus this compartment locks when the bike is switched off - all of which are fantastic features. You can integrate the phone’s connectivity through the bike’s TFT for media playback and navigation. More on that shortly.
Design Language
The BMW CE-04 is a cross between a scooter and a motorbike. When designing the CE-04, BMW created a new type of two-wheeled architecture that gives the bike its unique and futuristic appearance. It’s long, low and sleek. Whilst this is an entirely subjective view, we really like the design language of the CE-04.
There are currently two colour schemes available. The first is Light White and the second is Avantgarde in Imperial blue metallic.
We really liked the single-sided swing arm and how this leaves the whole of the right side of the rear wheel exposed.
The front-end looks great in the way the headlight integrates so well into the sleek design. The CE-04 is very much of a statement bike and it certainly managed to capture no end of admiring glances and complimentary remarks. Overall, in the looks department, it’s a big thumbs up to BMW.
7. Technology & Equipment
The CE-04 is absolutely loaded with tech. The level of standard equipment is impressive. There’s ABS, Traction Control, Full LED lights, Riding Modes (including ECO and Dynamic), keyless ignition, storage compartment (underneath the seat), 10.25-inch TFT, Bluetooth connectivity, Navigation (via the BMW connected app) and so the list goes on.
Rather than go through a definitive list of all the tech, we’ll focus on a few areas that we really liked.
The CE-04 has a reverse gear. Yes you read that correctly … Reverse Gear. This is a superb feature that makes manoeuvring the bike a complete breeze. You simply press and hold a button on the left handlebar and turn the throttle to go backwards.
Next, when you park up and put the side-stand down this locks the bike in position. In effect this acts like a parking brake. This is a really neat feature and ensures that the bike is nice and stable even if you park on a slight incline. There’s also a centre-stand. This is especially useful when it comes to cleaning the bike or parking it in the garage.
We really like the fact that the CE-04 comes with belt drive. This is a great option as it fits in perfectly with the virtually maintenance-free aspect of owning an electric bike.
Then we come to the controls and the dash. The CE-04 has the same 10.25-inch TFT that’s used across a number of BMW’s bikes these days - including the R-18, the K1600, the R1250GS and the R1250RT. The menu-driven system and the simple-to-use ‘toggle wheel’ control are brilliant. We’ve said this many times already but BMW produces some of the best TFTs in the industry. On the CE-04, the TFT is glorious. You can customize the display to suit your needs. With the integrated bluetooth you can connect your smartphone for media playback, communications and navigation. The TFT also provides you with excellent feedback on battery power, range and speed.
A word about the navigation. As with the other BMWs, if you want navigation to display on the TFT you have to use BMW’s connect smartphone app. While this all works perfectly well, we would much prefer an industry-standard navigation system rather than a bespoke BMW one. OK, that’s just us being overly-critical but we think its annoying. All we want is the ability to display something simple like Google Maps on the screen. Mind you, quite a few other manufacturers so the same thing.
The final feature that we believe is worth mentioning is the battery regeneration. By riding the bike in ‘ECO’ mode you get maximum battery regeneration every time you coast or brake. This extends the bike’s range quite considerably, making it ideal for town riding when there’s a lot of stop/starts.
The regeneration feature is a very effective braking system too. This means you can ride the bike using this ECO mode without having to use the brakes. Every time you roll-off the throttle, the CE-04 senses that you are slowing down and activates the brake lights. Nice touch BMW.
8. Likes & Dislikes
Here’s our list of likes and dislikes of the BMW CE-04.
Top 10 Things We Like:
1. Handling, Performance and Power - The CE-04 may only have 42bhp, but it feels like it has a lot more. We really liked the immediate access to all of that power and the way it was delivered. The CE-04 is beautifully balanced, fast, handles very well and its so much fun to ride.
2. Build Quality & Specification - Just like every BMW, the build quality (and the fit/finish) is exemplary. It's also very well equipped - both in terms of overall specification and technology.
3. Reverse Gear - The addition of the Reverse Gear is wonderful. It makes the CE-04 to easy to manoeuvre in tight spots.
4. Parking ‘Brake’ - When you put the CE-04 on its side-stand it acts like a parking brake. We thought this was ingenious and demonstrates BMW’s attention to detail.
5. Under-seat Storage - The large storage compartment under the seat was really useful. It’s even big enough for most full-face helmets. During the test, we used it to store the battery charging cable, our rain gear and camera equipment.
6. Recharging - We got very used to the convenience of recharging the CE-04 overnight. We didn’t have to visit a gas station and we were ready to go every morning.
7. 10.25-inch TFT - We’ve said this many times, but BMW’s TFT displays are some of the best in the business. This huge screen presents so much information and it's so easy to use.
8. Belt drive - The CE-04’s maintenance-free, belt drive is perfect for an electric bike. It seamlessly delivered the power to the rear wheel.
9. Smartphone storage - The dedicated compartment for your smartphone is excellent. It has a fan to ensure the phone doesn’t overheat and it locks automatically when you park the bike.
10. Design Language - We really like the looks of the CE-04. It’s fresh, modern and unique.
Top 5 Things We Don’t Like:
1. Battery Range - No prizes for guessing that this would be on the list of what we didn’t like. We think the battery range needs to be far better. But this is a bike for city riding and commuting so it's adequate for that application. It’s also on a par (if not slightly better) than other electric bikes.
2. Low windscreen - Our test bike had the small front screen. This offers no real wind protection and we would definitely spec the tall windscreen option.
3. Seat - The long bench seat was OK for short/medium journeys, but after sitting on it for an hour or so it can get uncomfortable. However, BMW has some optional seats to choose from so that could solve the ‘derriere discomfort.’ We would also like to have a backrest for a passenger.
4. BMW Navigation App - We keep saying this, but why do some manufacturers insist on having a bespoke navigation system? Just use an industry standard like Apple CarPlay, Garmin or Google Maps please. We don’t want the aggravation of having to install yet another app on a smartphone, just so we can display the navigation on that glorious TFT.
5. Price - While the CE-04 is competitively-priced - for an electric bike - it’s still an expensive urban commuter. It’s twice the purchase price of most small-engined scooters - such as the Suzuki Bergman 400 or the Yamaha XMAX 300. OK, the running costs for the BMW will be negligible, but that’s still a big price premium for going green.
9. SUMMARY
The BMW CE-04 is a huge step forward for the world of electric motorcycles. BMW have cleverly designed a great-looking machine that’s equipped with plenty of practical technology and a great many innovative features. The result is a bike that’s really easy and fun to ride. We really like the overall design and the fact that it looks like nothing else on the road. We feel that the CE-04 will sell very well in most of the key global markets.
Our only real criticism with the CE-04 is the battery range. At around 130km, this does impose some limitations. For example, this is definitely not a bike for that long-haul road trip. However, in urban environments the CE-04 is just perfect. Short runs around the city, and the daily commute, are where the CE-04 will be most ideally suited.
We also got very used to the convenience of recharging the battery overnight, in readiness for the next day. We would have liked to have a longer battery range, but that is perhaps coming in the very near future. Right now, the range is good but not excellent. All in all, the CE-04 is a superb bike that will have enormous appeal to riders of all ages.
We recommend that you get in touch with the local BMW dealer and organize a test ride. You may well be surprised as to just how good this thing is.
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