With a year-end surprise to close in 2024, the oft-acclaimed ONYX maker has announced its comeback after closing operations earlier this year. The company's comeback begins with the release of 100 limited edition electric mopeds.
ONYX Motorbikes first hit the scene in 2018, when founder and moped builder Tim Seward launched the company to bring his custom electric moped designs to life. The company expanded its manufacturing base in the US and introduced more models, but that growth came at a cost.
After Seward sold the company in 2019 to his friend James Khatiblou, who became the new CEO, Khatiblou led ONYX through several rollercoaster years of both boom and bust. But the US-based company's production proved too expensive, and bringing in new investors caused doubts and stress that reportedly destroyed Khatiblou's life, leading to the 37-year-old's sudden death from a pulmonary embolism in late 2023.
An ongoing battle broke out between the company's creditors and investors over the ownership of ONYX assets, leading to the brand effectively shutting down operations earlier this year. But that wouldn't be the last chapter in the ONYX story, at least if the original founder of the brand, Tim Seward, had anything to say about it. Now, Seward announces the relaunch of ONYX.
The launch started last week with the listing of 100 ONYX RCR LTD bikes, a limited edition version of the electric brand's famous moped. “With only 100 units of the ONYX RCR LTD available, each bike comes with an upgraded 45ah battery and is uniquely numbered with a holographic authenticity sticker, making it a true collector's item for those who crave both performance and style,” the company explained. Regular production RCRs are expected to follow the limited edition bikes this coming Spring.
The US $4,299 ONYX RCR LTD is built on a metal chassis with a locking wooden battery cover and a set of both brushed aluminum panels and black side panels. Each moped is specified with holographic stickers identifying its unique numbered status as part of the 100 LTD bikes.
The bike comes with a rear engine with more than 15 kW and 7.2 kW power, or enough to blast it up to 30 mph (48 km/h) in four seconds and reach a speed of 55. + mph (88+ km/h) in Sport Mode. The other two modes Eco and Normal have lower speed limits of 20 mph (32 km/h) and 40 mph (64 km/h), respectively.
The RCR LTD is powered by a 3,240 Wh battery with a Bluetooth-enabled BMS that allows remote monitoring from the rider's smartphone.
The battery offers a range of up to 120 miles (200 km) in Eco mode, although riders should expect a fraction of that when cruising at high speeds.
And of course, in true ONYX fashion, the RCR LTD still includes pedals that work, although riding a 150+ lb bike is not for the faint of heart. With an Eco mode that supposedly limits the motor's power to 750W and a 20 mph electronic speed limiter, the pedals seem like a Hail Mary to keep this thing classified as a Class 2 electric bike in its lowest power mode. Whether it flies probably depends on your local laws, but most of ONYX's advertising refers to “off-road” performance, implying that this is well outside the realm of a typical e-bike. Previous ONYX RCRs have included a VIN plate in hopes that riders can register and mark their moped as a motorcycle, although several parts of the bike do not appear to meet DOT regulations for that category. Suffice it to say that the RCR remains the best in the two-wheel world, retaining the classic moped requirements (namely motor and pins) yet existing in a regulatory gray area that ebbs and flows depending on the local laws of each state.
Electrek's Take
This is really exciting news. I believe I was one of the first to cover ONYX's Kickstarter back in 2018, covering the garage startup turned moped manufacturer and helping take it to the world stage, and it's been fun watching the company grow over the years.
My first bike review got over half a million views and helped cement for me how fun electric mopeds like these can be.
But watching ONYX slow down and the tragic death of the company's CEO, followed by a year of legal battles, has been a sad process for any fan of the company. So the relaunch of the product is welcome news.
That said, there are still some unfinished legal battles raging in the background as ONYX's former creditors continue to take it out, and we're still waiting to hear how that will affect the brand's future. But fingers are crossed that ONYX will stick to the landing and bounce back out with a new wave of momentum and amazing electric mopeds.
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