By Wes Siler, Hell for Leather

Another electric motorcycle startup is jumping into the e-moto arena with a pair of machines it promises will deliver the performance of a 250cc dirt bike.

The RedShift MX motocrosser and RedShift SM supermoto are the first machines from San Francisco startup BRD, a company started by, and for, guys who like to ride.

“We just want to make faster motorcycles,” says CEO Marc Fenigstein. “We’re a team of riders and racers with high-performance gas machines in the garage. We’re building the bikes we’d rather be riding.”

The BRD RedShift MX is good for 40 horsepower and weighs 240 pounds without lights, specs that put it on par with the KTM 250 SX-F. With a 5.2 kilowatt-hour battery pack, the electric motorcycle should be capable of one if not two full motos of anywhere from 10 to 20 miles apiece.

RedShift’s proprietary chassis is based on standard MX dimensions and angles. A monocoque design allows the batteries and motor to be stressed members while locating them ideally for weight distribution and packaging.

“There are decades of development in modern motocross and supermoto chassis,” says Derek Dorresteyn, company CTO. “We chose to harness the best of that while taking advantage of the torque and throttle response an electric motor delivers.”

The idea, apparently, is to give riders a familiar package even if it does plug into an electrical outlet. BRD claims the electric drivetrain delivers “more control, feedback, and confidence” compared to internal combustion.

The MX bike will be available in street-legal form and weigh 250 pounds. Setting it up for off-road use drops it to 240. The SM is a street-legal super-moto.

As for range, 5.2 kilowatt-hours is typically good for 50ish miles of commute-style riding, but BRD sees its bikes being ridden a little harder.

“We expect people to ride the snot out of these in a way that hasn’t been possible on previous electrics,” Fenigstein says. “That’s going to affect the range and we want to be careful about getting the specification right.”

BRD unveiled the SM Wednesday night in San Francisco in what was essentially a pre-production preview. More information will be released during the Esposizione Internazionale Ciclo Motociclo e Accessori, aka Milan Motorcycle Show, in November.

As for the price, it likely will be in the neighborhood of $15,000, which means you’ve gotta be a passionate early adopter to choose it over the $7,699 KTM.

Photos: BRD