The VMoto Stash: An Electric Motorcycle With A Secret...

Remember those cute little electric scooters zipping around European cities? Yeah, the ones that look like they're about to topple over with the slightest breeze? Well, their slightly deranged older brother just showed up, and it's packing a punch. Meet the VMoto Stash – an electric motorcycle that looks like it ate a Ducati Panigale and, surprisingly enough, has the performance of a 150cc gas-powered scoot.

Now, if the looks seem a bit familiar, that's because the Stash was penned by none other than Adrian Morton. If the name rings a bell, it should. He's the Brit responsible for some truly iconic bikes, like the MV Agusta F4 and the Benelli Tornado Tre. Not exactly what you'd expect from a company that re-branded from Super Soco and was once known mainly for electric mopeds, right?

And here's where the Stash pulls an absolute ace out of its sleeve – practicality! See that sleek, pointy bit that looks like a fuel tank? It's not. It's a storage compartment! It's genuinely big enough to fit a full-face helmet. I still can't quite get over the idea of a sporty-looking electric bike with something akin to a trunk! But hey, the more I think about it, the less ridiculous it sounds. I mean, we grumbled about under-seat storage on motorcycles forever... maybe this is the future?

While it looks the business, the Stash won't exactly have your knees knocking with its power figures. Underneath that aggressive bodywork sits a motor good for about 10.7 horsepower. It's got a 'boost' mode that bumps it up to a blistering 20.1 horsepower. Not lightning, but enough to get you out of sticky traffic situations and keep up with the urban flow. Oh, and they claim it'll do about 93 miles (150km) on a charge, which is, dare I say, pretty decent for city riding.

The underpinnings of this thing seem reassuringly grown-up. You've got an inverted fork, a monoshock in the back, disc brakes front and rear, and ABS as standard. While not top-shelf components, they get the job done. Interestingly, the Stash is laid out more like a motorcycle with a centrally-mounted mid-drive motor powering the rear wheel via a chain, not a hub motor like most electric scooters. This should give it a more familiar feel for those who've spent time on bigger bikes.

Now, here's the kicker – the VMoto Stash will set you back a rather hefty £6,299 (around $8,023 USD). Yikes! To paint a picture, that's almost the same money as a new Honda CBR500R – a proper grown-up motorcycle with a reliable twin-cylinder gas engine. That's the premium you pay for going electric, it seems.

Honestly, this one's a head-scratcher. It's an electric bike for those who want more than just scooting about – a little flair, sporty looks, and even usable storage is undeniably cool. Plus, with fuel prices going bananas, maybe the idea of never paying for petrol starts to sound pretty sweet... But that price, though! I'd probably need the electric savings over a few years to justify it in my head. That, and the smugness of never having to visit a petrol station again... it's tempting! Maybe we'll see some used ones pop up at more palatable prices soon…