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Tuesday 22 August 2023

Vanderhall

Vanderhall 'Balboa'


Utah based Vanderhall Motor Works has been making three-wheeled roadsters that sit somewhere between cars and motorcycles since 2016. The company recently added a modular electric powertrain to use in its three-wheeled Santarosa and expanded into four-wheelers with the Brawley electric off-roader. 



Now the company has its eye on more markets - showing sketches of a variety of machines including a speedboat, a tracked vehicle and its first two-wheeled motorcycle.

Called 'Balboa', the motorcycle is another electric offering, and while Vanderhall hasn't released any technical details, it is likely to use a variation of the company's existing electric powertrain. At the moment, the Santarosa uses a twin-motor version with 132 kW, and the Brawley has a quad-motor setup with up to 297 kW. 

For the 'Balboa', it would make sense to use a single motor, which would be likely to make around 75 kW and 150 Nm of torque if it's based on the same components used in the existing three and four-wheeled models. 

The 'Balboa' design has a cafĂ© racer look, with a single-sided swingarm and wire wheels, and the lack of visible chain or belt drive suggests there's a shaft inside the swingarm taking power to the rear wheel. 

However, the bike's dimensions are surprisingly large, with a 1,664 mm/65.5 inch wheelbase that puts it on a par with the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy.

There's no indication yet as to when the concept sketches are likely to evolve into a real-world motorcycle, but an exotic, electric two-wheeler would sit well with Vanderhall's existing range and the high-end leisure market that the company calls home.