It’s not often you see a radically new take on the concept of two wheels, but Naxeon have done just that and for around seven grand too. Even just taking a look at it, you know it’s something different.

Wherever I rode it, heads were turning and people were asking questions. It really does get a lot of attention, and for good reason.

But it begs the question, is this really the future of two wheels?

Now, we can’t review this bike without first talking about the way it looks. Marmite is perhaps the best way to describe it; some love it, while others maybe not so much.

With what I would describe as sci-fi styling and futuristic looks, the Naxeon really does look like something from the future and, undeniably, for better or for worse, totally stands out from the crowd.

Coming in four colourways (but only two currently available in the UK), those being Accona Grey (our model seen here) and Stromboli Black, and both coming with corresponding flashes of bright yellow, Naxeon really are targeting that sci-fi futuristic appearance and are doing it with the planet in mind too.

With a varying mix of pre-consumer recycled aluminium and plastic alongside 100% bio-based material for the soft coating, this bike not only looks different but is doing different too.

Onto the big bit, and arguably, one of the most important aspects of electric vehicles as a whole. Their range and ability to recharge in a timely manner. What good is an electric vehicle that takes forever to charge and doesn’t get you anywhere when it is actually charged?

Featuring a range of up to 111 miles, the Naxeon should be good for most commutes without needing to top up throughout the day. This is handy when considering the battery isn’t removable like some other electric bikes. On topic of this, if you have a flat or limited access for charging at home, the Naxeon may not be the best option for you.

It is also worth considering that this city-based range can reduce to about 65 miles on faster country roads or about 45 miles if you stick to dual carriageways (or motorways if you're on an A1, A2, or full A motorcycle licence).

When you do need to charge, though, it will get from 0 to 100% in 3.5 hours, thanks to type 2 charging, giving the flexibility of public charging when out and about or at home before the next day. This is really nice to see on a bike of this price and is typically only seen on more expensive electrics.

Given that the Naxeon is CBT or A1 licence compatible with a rated power of a little over 10hp and a peak power of 14hp, this may initially not seem like much on paper. However, with its boost mode giving a temporary increase in power (and displayed by some small red moving arrows), the Naxeon will get up to 72mph, or if you’re in town or the city, 2.8 seconds to 30mph.

Out on the road, this proved more than just a gimmick or a novelty, and I actually found it more of a safety feature. You don’t always need that little extra boost, but when you’re merging into a faster lane of traffic, pulling out of a difficult junction or overtaking slower-moving traffic, it really helps and just provides that extra level of reassurance.

The Naxeon always felt punchy and not like a 125cc petrol equivalent, even when the temporary boost mode was off, too. Albeit, it was primarily set in its ‘Zigzag’ mode (sport to you and me), and of course, being electric, it has instant torque and a much smoother power delivery, but it still doesn’t feel like a bike of its power or licensing category; in fact, it feels quicker, but not quite fast.

It’s also all well and good having a bit of electric punch behind you, but it’s no good if you can’t stop it, and here we have a rather impressive four-piston radial calliper paired with a 250mm disc up front, combined with a twin-piston calliper and 220mm disc at the rear with dual-channel ABS to finish it off. That’s pretty impressive for a bike that’s 125cc equivalent, don’t forget.

 

Out on the road, this gave a lot of feedback once I got used to the scooter-style lever configuration (and remembering there was no clutch!), with a lot of bite and instant stopping power regardless of speed.

Around those rather large brakes, we have 17-inch wheels front and rear with a relatively wide (for a 125cc equivalent) 140mm and 110mm tyre setup, helping to give the Naxeon impressive handling on faster roads and a real feel of encouragement, albeit with slightly unsettled suspension.

This doesn’t mean to say the suspension is bad; however, perhaps it is just a bit more suited to city or town riding, which is where I found it to be smoothest and most at home.

At the front, we have quadrilateral girder forks with adjustable preload paired with a single rear monoshock, and again, with adjustable preload. Overall, the suspension worked well, and it was somewhat of a novelty to see the girder forks in action on bumpier roads, but as mentioned, I did find they felt rather unsettled on twistier A-roads, but maybe that’s just more because of the potholed Norfolk tarmac!

It is worth noting, though, that even with this in mind, the Naxeon was a blast and great fun punching out of a bend. The handling is confidence-inspiring, and its low 137kg weight helps it along nicely. This is light even for a petrol 125, let alone considering that this is electric with a battery, motor, and stacks of tech!

As expected for a bike of this calibre, we have LED lighting all around with sequential indicators, except we also get handlebar-mounted ring lights for its park mode & blind spot assist functionalities.

This is only scratching the surface of the Naxeon, though. As mentioned, it comes with blind spot assist, this is aided by a 120-degree sensor hidden inside the tail light and displayed by amber ring lights on either side of the bars.

This is in addition to cruise control and HD cameras front and rear with a variety of functions, such as dashcams, highlight captures, and a reversing camera – yes, this has a reverse mode with a camera!

On top of this there is more. We also have a sensor in the seat to enable ‘snail mode’, ensuring the bike doesn’t fly away from you when moving it off the seat if you accidentally twist the throttle; a tyre pressure monitoring system; a traction control system; automatic headlights; GPS tracking; an alarm with lights and horn activation; and an electronic steering lock engaged either via the app or with the NFC card that Naxeon supplies to round off the list – And even then, I think I’ve probably missed something!

There is a lot on this bike, and it’s a wonder how they’ve packed so much in, especially taking into account its premium feel and build quality. Everything on the Naxeon appears to be well finished and with some real thought, too.

Controlling all of this tech and equipment is a 7-inch TFT touchscreen with navigation, ride data, camera displays and of course, all your ride settings, and there are loads of them.

Effectively, whatever is on this bike in terms of tech or equipment, you’ll find a setting for it in the dash, whether that’s traction, the seat sensor, ABS, lighting… the list goes on. It’s snappy too, which is nice to see. I expected some sort of lag, but being powered by Android software, Naxeon has obviously put some thought into the user experience side of things too.

It’s also connected with NFC, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS, and 4G, enabling tracking for security, app control, and even updating its software wirelessly. It even allows for charge port opening via the app, too!

The only downside to the display was the small buttons, making use with gloves difficult at times, and could maybe be addressed in a future update. I also found it was positioned a bit too far towards the rider, meaning I kept having to look down instead of it being in my eye line when out on the road.

Now, of course, comfort is a subjective topic. For example, I tend not to get on well with sports bikes because of my neck and wrists, but the Naxeon sits fairly upright with a very slight focus towards the bars; it’s what I would describe as neutral. My knees weren’t particularly bent, and overall, it wasn’t uncomfortable as far as riding position goes.

I say this because the actual seat comfort itself was just not there. While it is an approachable 800mm height, it is missing a pillion option, and I found it particularly hard and lacking in cushioning too. It also raised a reasonably significant issue as well.

The sensors in the seat that engage and disengage ‘snail mode’ failed on several occasions, with one instance when I was attempting to enter a busy roundabout with traffic behind me, and the bike thought I was off the saddle, therefore causing the bike to limit itself to only a few mph, or walking pace.

However, we have been reliably informed that both of these issues have been addressed on newer models with more sensors in the seat covering a larger area and with more padding too, so at least we know that Naxeon is willing to address issues! It’s nice to see and builds up confidence in the company, for sure.

Regarding storage on the Naxeon I AM Pro, simply put – there is none. Well, internally anyway. You may have noticed in the photos that on each side of the seat are some rather nicely designed panniers. This is currently the only storage option on the Naxeon, and they come as an official extra for £250 with the mounting racks.

Given that the Naxeon is just so different, it’s hard to compare it to other offerings on the market, except for two.

With a reasonably similar ‘futuristic’ style, the BMW CE 02 might be on your radar. It has a similar power output and a similar weight, although it differs elsewhere.

On the BMW, you will only find 14” wheels front and rear versus the 17” wheels on the Naxeon and a 2-piston caliper opposing a 4-piston on the Naxeon up front.

While its quicker charge time of 2 hours 40 minutes with standard charging only may initially seem attractive, this is because of a smaller battery leading to half of the estimated range of the Naxeon at only 58 miles.

The BMW also only tops out at 59mph whereas the Naxeon can reach 72mph, it does come with some nice upside-down forks, though. The BMW CE 02 will set you back £1200 more than the Naxeon too, at a price of £8,450.

If you’re a fan of British, then another option for you could be the Maeving RM1S. A Coventry built electric that takes more of a retro approach to the futuristic sci-fi vibe of the Naxeon.

With a similar continuous power output and a similar weight, the Maeving could be for you, especially considering it’s only £270 more at £7,495. Differing on the Maeving are 19” wheels front and rear opposing the 17” wheels on the Naxeon, a more retro-inspired split analogue/LCD dash versus a 7-inch TFT, and conventional forks versus the rather oddball girder setup on the Naxeon.

Brakes aren’t too dissimilar, coming equipped with a 3-piston caliper instead of the 4-piston setup up front, and one of the main things to bear in mind is the extended charge time of 6 hours. It will also top out at a similar 70mph, too.

Whilst the Naxeon does only take 3.5 hours thanks to type-2, you are restricted to it being in-built, whereas on the Maeving you get two removable batteries. Great if you work in an office or somewhere that can facilitate a top-up throughout the day.

So, what are my final thoughts on the Naxeon I AM Pro? Overall, for the price, it really offers something different. There aren’t many bikes on the market with this much kit and priced this competitively either, especially with the initial impressions of build quality.

It’s also nice to see that Naxeon are willing to address issues that customers are finding so openly and honestly and are also doing something about it too. They even made a whole YouTube video discussing it if you were interested in seeing their response to riders issues, for example.

The boost mode worked well and enabled some punch when pulling out of a difficult junction or overtaking, and I liked how much the rider can configure exactly how they want their bike. This proved handy when we had issues with the seat sensor.

Overall, from initial impressions, the Naxeon I AM Pro seems a solid bike. It looks great, in my opinion, and offers a lot of tech and quality for what is essentially not a lot of money for an electric motorcycle. It obviously doesn't come without its quirks or issues, but then again, what bike is perfect?

Is this the future of motorcycling? I’m still a petrolhead, so I’ll always prefer that, but I can definitely see how this would fit into the future, for sure.

Thanks to Artisan Electric for giving us the Naxeon I AM Pro for review.

If you’re thinking of getting your hands on the Naxeon and need somewhere to insure it, or already have your own and need motorcycle or scooter insurance, head to Lexham to get a quote direct!