this old school stripped-down chopper is actually electric

in a minimalist world, where flawless surfaces flatter the eye, wannabe choppers’ ricky de haas opts for lines and surfaces that bear a clear indication of their craftsmanship. this emphasis of texture is the alibi for his hard-work on his newest bike, the AISi9Mg.
all images courtesy of wannabe chopper

the bike appears to lack essentials; there’s no noticeable connection to the gearbox; it’s lightweight enough for him to hold off the ground with ease. it looks unfinished; the bobber shouldn’t work, and yet, as the throttle turns, so does the rear wheel: electric drive. the old school, hand-cast bike, has a direct drive electric motor connected to the hub of its back wheel.

for wannabe choppers’ AISi9Mg, a direct drive electric motor was one of a few possibilities. this approach doesn’t rely on charging stations; instead, it relies on the hope of a more sensible future, one with highly efficient, replaceable battery units. given technology’s rate of change, ricky de haas doesn’t believe this near-future is inconceivable. he could have easily used a combustion engine on the bike, but playing with old and new techniques was important to ricky. for him, the AISi9Mg is a way of acknowledging what once was, while driving toward the future.