What We Like
What We Dislike
Of all the things that I've driven and ridden the past years, this one might be very near the top of the list for me as far as anticipation is concerned.
Is it a concept vehicle? No, this is a full production model, though you'd be forgiven for thinking so considering not just how futuristic it looks, but also the fact that it is visually remarkably similar to the concept vehicle that preceded it.
And yes, it also has a futuristic sci-fi name to boot - the brand new BMW CE 04, which is being officially launched in Singapore today.
Cool clean slate
Name, first. C is BMW's scooter class. E is electric, of course. And 04 is meant to indicate that this is 'equivalent' to a 400cc scooter, at least in class positioning, although it most definitely is not.
Whatever it's called, it's a fantastically futuristic-looking bike. BMW had the luxury to really experiment on a blank canvas, without the traditional mechanical restrictions of where stuff like an engine or exhaust system needs to be. The result is a bike that looks like little else on the market.
The CE 04 is so sleekly designed. It's surprisingly long (the 1,675mm wheelbase is shockingly close to a cruiser like the R 18), but the overall aesthetic is one of sleek modernity. One detail I particularly like is how the side stand tucks away flush to the body - here, it's clean lines everywhere you look.
The CE 04 looks radical and cool, and is a real conversation starter everywhere you go. It's also as feature packed as you'd expect from a premium BMW product. Pair your phone and you can have a map view for navigation displayed on the massive 10.25-inch TFT display. You can also pair your helmet headset, and control audio functionality straight from the bike.
There is underseat storage that fits a full face helmet, but you do need to find the correct angle to get it in. There's also a small compartment for your phone, with USB C charging and a fan to keep your phone cool. Overall, storage is modest. The optional side pannier would be handy.
Rocket silence
On the road, the first overwhelming impression is 'oh my god this is fast'. Because it really is. That's the power of electrification. It is easily as quick as any 600cc bike, and I reckon in real world situations it will be as quick as anything on the road this side of a Tesla. Off the line, the instant torque shoots you forward, but done so in an incredibly smooth and refined manner. That performance on tap means that you can easily escape any kind of sticky situation.
At highway speeds, the acceleration is not quite as aggressive, but it's still plenty quick. What is most impressive is the refinement. Power delivery is smooth, the suspension capably soaking up bumps on the road, and you definitely feel that you are riding an expensive bike. I also like how quiet it is. Yes, it makes a whooshing whine at speeds, but with a helmet on you won't hear very much. Ah, the beauty of electric.
And, it handles! There's a real flow to how the bike sweeps through corners. The low centre of gravity, long wheelbase and well-judged suspension means that the CE 04 handles much better than it has any right to (that seems to be BMW's secret sauce).
What will surprise you is how stable it feels at low speeds. This can be attributed to its weight, and how it is flatly distributed at the bottom of the bike. When you are lane splitting towards the traffic light, the bike exhibits little to no wobble. It's weird, at first, but then it becomes a lovely quirk of how the bike feels.
But heavy, it is. You'll notice all 231kg of it when parking. You might scoff at the inclusion of an electronic reverse gear on a scooter (this ain’t no Goldwing), but it does become necessary. It is admittedly a bit weird that you need to both press the reverse button and throttle, because at full lock it becomes a little ungainly. It really should just be a single button press.
And the main stand? Forget about it. At least for me, the bike was too heavy to attempt putting it up and risk dropping the bike (it's not mine, after all). I would completely remove it, because visually it sticks out sorely against the rest of the CE 04's sleek cool silhouette.
Take charge
The CE 04 is different from any petrol-powered bike in many ways, but there are a few key things to know (and learn).
One is the regenerative braking. The bike immediately begins to slow down when you come off the throttle (to win back some charge), and it will slow the bike to a stop. What this means is that once you get used to it and learn stopping distances (give yourself 30 minutes), you really can ride without ever using the brakes. Everything can be done with just your right hand. It's remarkable, and I love it.
A second important thing is that while the bike does emit a high-pitched whine at speeds, it is completely silent when at a crawl.
This is quite eerie at first, but more importantly pedestrians won't hear you, and thus may not even know you are there (this happened multiple times to me). So in carparks, or when you are creeping out from a minor to major road, people crossing the road will not notice you. Unless you are ready to judiciously use the (very loud) horn, you will have to practice some patience when dealing with pedestrians.
And of course, the important question of charge. Riden sensibly, a full charge should deliver about 123km of range, which should be sufficient for a few days at least (assuming you don't stay at Pasir Ris and work in Tuas). Charging the 8.9kwh battery, which is in fact one module of the multiple modules found in BMW's iX, from zero to 80% will take about 3.5 hours at a standard wall plug or AC public charging station.
Bold refinement
The CE 04 is an overwhelmingly interesting bike, partially because it forces long-time bikers to reconsider and even relearn certain habits, and rethink what a bike even is. From the way it looks to the way it functions on the road, the CE 04 is fantastically forward-looking.
And yes, full electrification for motorcycles still seem some way off. The one segment that it does make sense now is the scooter segment - short journeys, nimble in-city manoeuvrability, hop-on hop-off practicality. And the CE 04 is a terrific execution of how do so. I'm blown away by the elegance and quality with which the CE 04 tackles city streets.
It is, to me, the perfect second bike. Every biker will still have their go-to bike, be it a Multistrada, Street Glide, or S1000RR. That'll be the big boy full-fat motorcycle for trips up to Genting with friends, perhaps even into Thailand.
The CE 04 is perfect for just popping into the supermarket, getting to and back from office, short, simple trips in the city. You don't have to warm it up, you're not worried about heat build-up at red lights, you just hop on and go. It is the perfect second bike for when you don't want to think too much.
A future look
However, there are two problems with the CE 04.
The first is charging. Our local infrastructure is already a limiting factor for electric cars, and even more so for bikes. Right now, there are no dedicated bike charging lots. LTA has very recently announced plans to kickstart trials of electric bikes, so there is hope that bike charging lots may eventually materialise.
You could use the car charging lots. Charging is compatible, and they are labelled 'Electric Vehicle' lots, not 'Electric Car', so you would not technically be wrong parking there. Though whether you're thick-skinned enough to handle the inevitable backlash on Instagram (TikTok? What do people use these days?) from ticked off EV drivers, that's for you to decide.
The most realistic use case right now is to charge at home - and that means you’ll have to live in a landed property of some sort, or be very chummy with your condo MCST. It basically rules out HDB carparks, which rules out almost 80% of the population.
The second, somewhat related problem, is price. The CE 04 is undeniably premium, but it also has the price tag to match. And at $53,800 (not including the eye-watering $11k COE, though BMW is offering a $10k COE subsidy and a promo price), it is painfully expensive - much more than any 400cc bike, and as expensive as full-on touring bikes. So, it will be for the well-heeled, and unfortunately more of a toy than a practical alternative to petrol power, at least for now.
Trying to parse what exactly this CE 04 is (and who it's for) is difficult.
It is a deeply practical everyday scooter, but it's too expensive and too premium to be an everyman bike. It is a sturdy electric showcase, but limited by our current infrastructure. It is ostensibly a 400cc equivalent, but has performance to shame even 999cc bikes. It's a gloriously futuristic motorcycle, but trapped in a present (especially here in Singapore) that is just not quite ready for it.
This is a starting point, and I'm eagerly looking forward to further developments, but this definitely is the future of wheeled mobility - a concept made real for the here and now.
I am deeply enamoured by this CE 04. I can't afford it, and I don't realistically have any way of charging it, but I want it like few things I've ever reviewed.
