an icon from the 50's updated for a world beyond fossil fuels
cezeta is a small motorcycle manufacturer based near prague in the czech republic. affectionally nicked named 'the pig' these motorcycle where sold all over the eastern bloc durning the soviet era. fast foward to today and the latest models are fully electric, actually they are the first fully electric vehicles made in the czech republic. launched in 2017 the model 506 ticks all the boxes for a modern day commuter vehicle.
the cezeta history
the history of the cezeta can be traced back to the 50's. motorcycle racer and adventurer jaroslav frantisek koch created the first cezeta and named it the 501. until the shutdown of production in 1964 cezeta sold nearly 130,000 in total. after more than 50 years away the cezeta returned and today the factory produces around 300 per year gearing up to make more units in the future after a successful crowd funding campaign.
hand built quality
make no mistake cezeta bikes are a luxury product, priced around €10k they are by all means not a cheap investment. cezeta's are crafted in a small factory located a few hours from prague with super high quality materials all put together with passion for this historic brand. the bikes even come with up to five years warranty, a concierge and breakdown service with cover to get you a taxi home if the worst happens.
the concierge team will come and fix your bike at home wherever possible, to get you back up and running as soon as they can. this level of service is not seen in most of the motor industry. now the thing about small production is the ability to customise your bike from the colours to the accessories built into the bike you can truly make a cezeta your own.
the quality of the bike transfers into the riding. its super smooth along both small roads highways. speed comes instantly and i found myself far from the traffic after a red light. using the built-in battery supply toggle you can choose from 3 modes as this can be useful for when your in the city and have no use for high speeds. i also love the fact that the bike has regenerative braking, push the throttle forward to start the process and the bike come gently to a stop without using the brakes meanwhile topping up your battery.
design
cezeta kept with the traditions of the past. under the hood nearly everything has changed from the bike becoming fully electric to the wheels increasing in size. the shape and styling of the bike are generally untouched with a few updates like the day run led headlights. they have kept the unique selling point of this machine and that is the shape, it truly look like nothing else on the market. while riding this through the streets of prague people were surprised and delighted by the bike taking pictures at every occasion. the 506 is truly harking back to the era that so many people remember fondly when companies prioritised design over function when people looked at your vehicle with wonder and awe saying to themselves "i am going to buy one of those some day".
the styling take you back to the 50's-60's with it's curved body and use of chrome, a time when design was at the forefront of the designers thought process.
eco friendly credentials
the future of the automotive industry is electric. now, no matter how many people tell you it will never happen the majority of people would prefer to own an electric vehicle to save on gas price rises but also the planet. the movement has already stated and while its mostly been popularised by the big players like tesla, cezeta had also set a standard by only producing electric versions and no fossil fuel versions of their bikes. this is a move towards the future that most people are yearnign for. the bikes can do over 150km before they need charging and recharge in around 3 hours via a standard socket as they have the adapter based in the chassis.
now electric has such a big advantage over traditional engines as the power is direct to the wheels as soon as you turn the throttle. what also amazed me is how quite this beauty is you really cannot hear anything. no noise pollution at all.
the sum up...
if your in the market for a modern day city commuter bike that has the elegance of the past but the inners of the future then this is the bike for you. from the moment you turn the throttle a sense of excitement comes over you, your riding a piece of history. quality and craftsmanship are key to the success of this bike. we are not talking about a bike that will last for a few years this is one that you will keep in your garage to pass on to your son one day. its truly a piece of art....
i would like to thank cezeta for giving me the opportunity to take the bike around the streets of prague for the day. you can purchase your customised bike here on their official website.
