The SONDORS Metacycle is slated to become the first low-cost highway-capable electric motorcycle released in the US. We’re still a few months out from the initial fall 2021 deliveries, but now Electrek has learned of several new updates that will be available once the bike is released later this year.

The SONDORS Metacycle sent shockwaves through the electric motorcycle industry when it was unveiled earlier this year.

Sporting a top speed of 80 mph (130 km/h) and a maximum range of 80 miles (130 km), the Metacycle is priced at an affordable US$5,000.

While we already answered most of the major questions surrounding the new electric motorcycle in an interview with the company, we’re now getting word of three new major updates to the design.

The new features include improvements to the seat, a faster charger and the inclusion of passenger footpegs.

The novel design of the bike proved controversial upon its release, with many riders fawning over it while still others questioned how comfortable the seat could be.

The company has now improved the seat to make it thicker and more comfortable.

As SONDORS explained:

“In response to customer feedback and the direct input of our test riders, we have updated the Metacycle seat with significantly more padding, while maintaining the sleek form and shape of the original design.”

The seat is now 65 mm thick (over 2.5 inches) and produced from multiple layers of variable density foam.

The bike’s compact charger also received an upgrade. Now the new charger will be rated for a maximum of 15A or 1.2kW.

Powered from a standard US wall outlet, it will completely charge the Metacycle’s 4 kWh battery in four hours, or provide an 80% charge in around 2 hours.

The seven-pound charger is also fairly compact at 200 x 100 x 75 mm (8 x 4 x 3 inches). That’s a bit smaller than the charger for my NIU NGT electric scooter.

The last major update concerns one of the most requested features of the bike: passenger footpegs.

A new upgrade kit will be available that allows Metacycle owners to add footrests for a passenger with a simple bolt-on assembly.

The rider’s footpegs are removed and the passenger footpegs are installed at the same point. The rider’s footpegs are then bolted back on.

The design prevents the passenger’s footpegs from being mounted on the rear swingarm and helps keep the ride comfortable for both the main rider and his or her pillion.

The SONDORS Metacycle electric motorcycle has seen feverish demand, largely thanks to its low entry price and novel design.

The cast aluminum frame is visually striking and offers customization options based on the frame’s negative space.

That front cavity will come with accessory options that include a storage box, larger auxiliary battery or faster Level 2 charger for public charging stations.

While the Metacycle was originally slated for production and delivery in Q4 of this year, SONDORS is actually running ahead of schedule and announced that the first bikes would be available in Q3.

The company is still taking pre-orders now.

You can learn more about the bike on the SONDORS site here.

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