Review: Michelle Nazzari’s Fonzarelli NKD electric motorcycle feistily navigates the urban jungle
The Australian Fonzarelli NKD produces plenty of power for a small electric motorcycle.
Having the opportunity to test the Harley Davidson ‘Livewire’, on several occasions, I was a little ashamed I hadn’t ridden an Australian EV, let alone one made by a fellow female rider.
That’s why I have been out on the road testing Australia’s first locally developed electric motorcycle, the Fonzarelli ‘NKD’. It has been silently going gangbusters and now has been named 2020 Gold Winner for ‘Product Automotive and Transport’. This is the highest honour for design innovation given by Australia’s peak international design awards organisation, Good Design Australia.
The usually modest Michelle Nazzari, founder of Fonzarelli and designer of the NKD, was proud as punch stating, “In past years we’ve seen Tesla and Lexus win this category. We feel we’re in excellent company”. She is now the queen of two wheeled EV design.
I expected the NKD to be the tiniest bike I’d ever ridden. It certainly looked it in the promo video. I was flat footed. The seat is 77cm high, it was the lightest I’ve straddled at 101 kilos with the power pack included. The frame is a sleek chromoly material made in Brookvale NSW.
Bicycle riders would be familiar with this chrome alloy steel that is stronger than carbon steel. It can be used in thin wall tubing giving you a lightweight frame. Chromoly is also used for roll cages in race cars and for fuselage on small aircraft. The higher strength to weight ratio allows for a smoother, faster ride.
Nazzari and her team believe they have locally manufactured the world’s fastest, short wheelbase (183cm) motorcycle that’s in production. It certainly lives up to this claim by going from zero to 60km/h in a matter of seconds. I rode the ‘S’ model that is one step up from the base model with 8kW of power. It’s incredible value for its 100 kilometre battery range with a price tag of $9,990.
The Fonzarelli NKD comes in four powertrain configurations. The base model with a top speed of 80km is less than $8,000 plus on-road costs.
The ‘X’, the latest NKD model, has the most range of Fonzarelli’s offerings at 200 kilometres. This highly efficient mid-drive motor is a permanent magnet brushless format that produces a feisty 12kW of instantaneous power and an explosive torque of 56 Nm. In other words, the top speed for three of the four models is 100km/hr and 6000 RPM. I managed to push the ‘S’ to 102km/hr. It wasn’t overly happy about it, a little shuddery, but that’s not what this bike is about. It’s all about the urban jungle. There are three power modes: ‘Eco’ is the most efficient, ‘Street’ is happiest at 80km/h, and ‘Beast’ is full power.
But wait, there’s more. The low centre of gravity and balanced weight ratio is perfect for off-road. There’s an option for knobbies (tyres) if dirt is more your thing. The innovative NKD’s breaking ability is nuts. Not only is it regenerative, it can stop on a 5-cent piece. It feels completely over spec’d for its size, but no-one’s complaining. Single disc, hydraulic, 220mm stainless steel disc, front and rear.
The best thing about this street legal motorcycle is that you can easily take the power pack out of the bike and into your apartment to charge it overnight or leave it in the bike and plug into the wall directly. Unfortunately, the ‘X’ model battery is a little heavy for the latter option. Another novel little addition is reverse mode. I laughed at the thought, but it’s surprisingly handy. It has a simple LCD dash, electric start button and remote immobiliser. The indicator button felt a little clunky, but if that’s the worst point to pick, your doing well. It oozes personality, and its completely customisable.
One of the main questions I’m asked when discussing EVs with riders is, “don’t you feel vulnerable when people can’t hear you coming?” In my experience, the silence makes me more sensitive to what other road users are doing. Any good rider knows being aware and defensive is key to staying alive. Cars are soundproof barriers these days. The truth is, drivers are not paying attention to your engine noise with their sound systems and hands-free kits blaring away.
The only behavioural difference I’ve noticed is from pedestrians. They wander into your path obliviously. They seem to subconsciously tune in to the sound of an engine. When your vehicle is silent and small, you’re invisible. In Balmain alone, in the space of 400 metres, I almost skittled two pedestrians and a jogger with a small dog. A learner or less aware rider could get themselves into serious problems, so keep your eyes peeled in high foot traffic areas.
Alternatively, sing loudly while you ride. You may as well if you’re an NKD owner. You’ve made the shift to an environmentally friendly mobility solution and you’ve got minimal running and service costs. You’re supporting a 100 per cent Australian product that uses recyclable materials which adds up to a well thought out transportation solution.
Hopefully governments in Australia will get behind this technology, recognise the potential economic benefits and offer some greater incentives to kick the EV industry up a few thousand revs. Tax and government incentives are proving to working all over the world. On the topic of incentives, Fonzarelli has in-house finance options and their bikes are learner friendly and LAMS approved.
The NKD is a great little nugget of a bike. The great news is that it’s an exciting time for Australian made EV motorcycles. Melbourne entrepreneur Denis Savic, has build slots open to purchase his stunning café racer, the ‘Savic’ due for release in 2021.
This year the Fonz has centre stage. The NKD was so much fun, easy to throw around and it felt super safe for a small bike. It has plenty of power to get you in or out of any situation.
Price: From $7,999. Highly recommended.
Monique Lisa is a former professional motorcycle rider.
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