Essay – Energica EsseEsse 9+ RS – electric toy

Unknown to many, famous to others, this is how Energica enters our market. Motorsport enthusiasts, especially those who follow the MotoGP World Championship, know that Energica was the brand that started the MotoE championship, being the only manufacturer in it until last season. A few months ago, we were at the brand’s presentation in our market by Moteo Portugal, and this month we finally managed to test one of the models from the Italian brand. With electric motorcycles playing an increasingly important role in the two-wheeler market, we no longer have only battery-powered motorcycles serving the purpose of utility bikes. An example of this is the Energica EsseEsse 9, which may be the “basic” model of the Italian brand, but still impresses with the performance it offers and all the technology that equips it. BEWARE, IT BITESElectric motorcycles are synonymous with immediate power delivery, and when we talk about a brand that supplied motorcycles for the world championship, we expect nothing less than a well-capable bike in terms of motorization. And that’s exactly what we find in this motorcycle. The base version can achieve, according to the brand, a time of 3 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h; the version we tested, the EsseEsse9 + RS, can do the same in 2.8 seconds. A nearly marginal gain, but for the more vain, it can be important. Still, what we can take from this is that the bike is indeed very quick to accelerate, despite its 260 kg. It is also very fast to reach the maximum speed, limited to 200 km/h, which translated to 207 km/h on the panel, revealing the 80 kWh that Energica announces, as well as the 207 Nm of torque. Adding to all of this are four very different driving modes (Eco, Standard, Wet, and Sport), allowing us to extract the full potential of the motor in various situations. Eco and Wet are indeed for a more relaxed driving experience, with the throttle becoming gentler and less responsive, unlike Standard and Sport mode, where the EsseEsse9+ RS justifies all the electronic aids it possesses. In these aids, we have four different regeneration modes (Low, Medium, High, and Off), which will also be useful in various situations. We can even use this regeneration to help us use the brakes less, even in a more focused driving style, as in Medium and High modes, the engine brake is quite strong.

WEIGHT THAT IS NOTICEABLE

As you may have noticed from everything written above, this Energica has an engine to spare, as they say in slang. It is therefore important to have a chassis at the same level as the engine, so that we can explore it to its full potential. Looking at the technical data sheet, we immediately find a small problem, which is the weight. And no matter how well disguised by the low center of gravity and good distribution of it, we will always notice in the mass transitions that we are dealing with over 250 kg. Still, the EsseEsse9+ RS proved to be very responsive on twisty roads, with good sensations in the front of the bike, as well as in the rear, all on good pavement. When we start to encounter some bumps or roads in worse conditions, some limitations of the Bitubo monoshock also start to come into play. Above all, we feel that it is a matter of mass, meaning that the shock absorber cannot handle such a large oscillating mass well, making the bike somewhat unstable and causing us to lose some of the good sensations. The front, on the other hand, showed good behavior, even in extreme situations and on bad pavement, being equipped with a Marzocchi suspension, which equipped this bike with a fully adjustable 43 mm suspension. Where the suspension set really stands out is at a leisurely pace, absorbing irregularities in the pavement very well, along with a very comfortable seat, making weekend rides very enjoyable. In terms of braking, there is little to criticize, as the bike comes equipped with a double 330 mm floating disc from Brembo and a single 240 mm disc, also from Brembo, at the rear. All of this, with the help of a good engine brake, stops the EsseEsse9+ RS safely in any situation.

NECESSARY TECHNOLOGIES

After the engine and chassis, we have to talk about the inevitable electronics that make possible the harmony of all components. More than in a combustion motorcycle with this power, Energica makes all its energy available immediately, so it is essential that the aids work correctly and are actually a real help in riding this motorcycle. And that’s what happens. We have already talked about the driving and regeneration modes, but there is more. The 4.3″ TFT panel incorporates – in addition to what has already been mentioned – 6 traction control modes, which perhaps more than in any other motorcycle, are fundamental here. It is true that we risked turning off this aid, but the front wheel always asked to lift off the asphalt and the rear always protested a bit, so we found the best balance in modes 2 and 3, since we realized they are helping our riding without being too limiting.

The truth is that until we lowered to level 4, it seemed like the system wasn’t even kicking in, but the more we disabled this help, we realized that we could exit the curves faster and manipulate the driving a little better to our liking, of course if the right wrist already has some experience. If not, we would recommend always riding with traction control at level 4 or higher, so as not to have any unpleasant surprises. In the chapter of the necessary, there is also the reverse gear, which proved to be quite useful considering the weight of the bike and the low steering lock. This mode is accompanied by a “Slow Speed” mode for forward, which Energica calls “Park Assist”. To finish the more tech side of this bike, it is worth mentioning that it already supports fast charging, which translates, according to the brand, into replenishing 6.69 km of range every minute, making it possible to reach over 100 km of range in less than 20 minutes.

THE BEST Engine, brakes, electronics, comfort   TO IMPROVE Weight, rear shock absorber, TFT

CHANGE OF MINDSET

This Energica EsseEsse9+ RS is actually a good motorcycle. It has its limitations, yes, notably the weight, which then has consequences on its handling and the ability of some components to deal with it, but all of this is something that can be improved relatively easily. We are talking about a motorcycle that easily – and yes, very easily – covers more than 200 km without having to worry about range, if we don’t have a right wrist that always makes us ride at speeds beyond legal limits. We also can’t expect to be the kings of the traffic lights, because there we probably won’t even get 100 km of range. However, it is important to consider that we are talking about a motorcycle that costs 29 thousand euros, which for many will certainly be a limiting factor. It is an expensive “toy” and those who are considering buying it already have a changed mindset on how to use a motorcycle like this.

ENERGICA EsseEsse 9+ RS

HSM MOTOR, liquid-cooled, 300V

POWER 80 kW (109 hp)

TORQUE 207 Nm

GEARBOX n.d

FRAME tubular steel trellis

RANGE 256 km (combined)

FRONT SUSPENSION fully adjustable 43 mm Marzocchi inverted telescopic fork, 110 mm travel

REAR SUSPENSION Bitubo mono-shock, adjustable in extension, 165 mm

FRONT BRAKE double 330 mm disc, 4-piston Brembo calipers

REAR BRAKE 240 mm disc, 2-piston Brembo caliper

FRONT TIRE 120/70 ZR17

REAR TIRE 180/55 ZR17

WHEELBASE 1,465 mm

SEAT HEIGHT 790 mm

WEIGHT 260 kg

MSRP (from) €29,076