FTN Motion Streetdog80 2025 Review

In just 12 years, Kiwi brand FTN Motion has gone from being an experimental prototype of a battery pack glad-wrapped to a BMX frame to developing and launching a well-thought-out two-tiered electric range to the Australian motorcycle market.

Aimed at the premium end of the urban commuter segment, the Streetdog electric motorcycle is a stylish locally built alternative that blends clever practicality with innovative simplicity. 

The Streetdog50 and the Streetdog80 are the work of a couple of young mates who studied mechanical engineering together at university. It was on a 100-day hike walking the entire length of New Zealand during a uni break when cofounders Luke Sinclair and Kendall Bristow realised not only did they want to do something meaningful in the world, but they didn’t want to wind up working for someone else.  

“We both come from pretty small towns, so [the hike] was a pretty eye-opening event,” Luke explains. “We met lots of interesting people and started to just think a bit bigger about the world and that we wanted to do something with a bit more impact.”

Named after their claimed top speeds, FTN targeted the moped category first launching the Streetdog50 in New Zealand in 2021, before following up this year with the February release of the Streetdog80. Both were launched into the Aussie market just last week and we grabbed a spin on the range-topping Streetdog80. 

At $12,390 (ride away), the Streetdog80 is at the premium end of the electric commuter segment. The 88kg (including battery) machine is propelled by a 7.5kW hub-mounted motor made by Chinese company QSMotor, which is powered by a 2.9kWh removable lithium-ion battery. It has a claimed top speed of 80km/h and a claimed ‘real-world’ range of between 80 and 85km. And while a second battery can be purchased, the Streetdog doesn’t employ a dual-battery system, meaning the units will need to be swapped out when the first battery runs flat. 

Suspension is by way of a non-adjustable 33mm telescopic fork matched to a pair of preload-adjustable rear shocks, while single-disc brakes adorn each end, a single-piston caliper grips a 220mm disc at the front, complemented by a 160mm disc and single-piston setup at the rear. WD Journey tyres comes fitted to the 18-inch wire-spoked aluminium wheels as standard, but these can be upgraded at the time of ordering, just one of a host of other customisable options. 

As well as a siren-style alarm system and a lockable rear wheel, it features a touchscreen TFT display, a keyless ignition, selectable ride modes (ride or eco) and an impressive 30-litres of lockable storage.

In the growing electric commuter segment, the Streetdog80 competes with bikes like the Super Soco TC Max, the Australian-produced Fonz NKD, and BMW CE-04. The Super Soco TC Max offers similar performance at a lower price, while the Fonz NKD is a highly customisable alternative, it uses scooter underpinnings and therefore runs much smaller wheels. The BMW CE-04 presents a premium electric scooter option with a higher price tag but greater range and power.

There’s plenty to like about the Streetdog. Firstly, it’s lightweight and narrow, perfectly fitting its design brief. Acceleration is brisk and purposeful, as you’d expect from a lightweight electric offering, yet the way the power is fed to the rear wheel is more reminiscent of a petrol-powered bike. Smooth and progressive, this is due in part to a thoughtfully programmed motor controller, but the high-quality Domino throttle tube also has a lot to do with it and a sign that cutting corners wasn’t part of the development process. 

“We’re basing ourselves at a premium price point with a premium product, so we’ve really got to get it right,” said Luke, who credits a streamlined refinement process to the tight-knit community of the New Zealand city of Wellington. 

“We were building the bikes initially in Wellington and all of our first customers were in Wellington. So, they would drop in all the time and tell us that this thing’s not working, or this thing’s broken, or this sucks. We were able to move through the iterations really fast. I think after four years, we’re already onto our third-generation product.”

There are clever little touches all over the bike; the discreet indicators, the integrated tailight, the switchblocks – which ditch convention in place of a compact, metal tactile experience – are a standout, as are the small occasional features which tell you the design team didn’t take itself too seriously. A snail representing the eco mode is a good example, as is the small sitting dog which appears on the dash when you put the Streetdog on its sidestand. And I think the way the battery forms part of the bodywork is a clever way to get the most from the sum of the bike’s parts. 

The overall execution is impressive from a small manufacturer based in one of the most geographically remote countries in the world. From the convincing retro styling to the beautifully balanced chassis and great fit and finish, it’s obvious both Luke and Kendall have a some clever heads on their 35-year-old shoulders.

An experienced rider might find the braking and suspension packaging slightly underwhelming, but both are more than capable in achieving what they need to do on a sub-90kg bike which will probably never see 100km/h. 

Shorter riders might find the reach from the front of the seat to the relatively narrow handlebars a bit of a stretch, but this does help to put some weight over the front wheel to compensate for that cavernous empty fibreglass shell forming the 30 litres of storage.

And for an inner-city commuter, the price is getting up there. The Streetdog50 starts at $11,400 (ride away), with the 80 another $990 on top of that. Both share the same chassis and running gear, but it’s the customisable nature of the range that means it wouldn’t be difficult to shell out more than $18k for what’s essentially just an electric runabout. 

There are 11 colours options (which cost between $300-$500), the option to upgrade to Kenda tyres ($250), and a black seat will set you back another $500. You’ll need to add $250 if you want the comfort package, which consists of handlebar risers and a different footpegs, and that’s before we’ve even factored in the idea of a second battery. If you tick the second -battery box at the time of ordering your Streetdog, it will cost you $1950. But if you decide you want a second battery after you’ve taken delivery of your bike, then the price of a second battery increases to $2700. Which would be hard to swallow.  

There are more than a few electric motorcycles which don’t always make a lot of practical sense; bikes which need to exist and disappear as the emerging technologies develop and change. But one of the Streetdog’s strengths is the restraint shown by Luke and Kendall in that it’s a simple, practical and usable urban runabout.

But the other point to consider is that if you’re shelling out the cash for an FTN Motion Streetdog80, you’re buying more than an electric urban runabout. You’re supporting two young entrepreneurs who are willing to do something in New Zealand that hasn’t happened since John Britten was making motorcycles in the 1990s. And all in an era where international trade is looking iffy… 

Both the Streetdog50 and the Streetdog80 can be pre-ordered via the company’s website. Production is set to kick off next month, with the first deliveries anticipated in July.

Photography by Janette Wilson

MOTOR
Type: QSMotor hub-mounted DC brushless motor
Battery: Lithium-ion 2.9kW/h battery, 72 volts, 
Charge time: 5.5h charge time (wall socket), no fast charging currently available

PERFORMANCE
Claimed maximum power: 4kW (nominal), 7.5kW (peak)
Claimed maximum torque: More than 150Nm

TRANSMISSION
Type: Single speed
Clutch: Not applicable
Final drive: Hub-mounted motor

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Mild steel, cradle type 
Front suspension: 33mm right-way-up telescopic forks, non-adjustable, 90mm travel
Rear suspension: Dual coil over oil damper rear shocks, preload adjustable, 60mm travel 
Front brakes: Single 220mm rotor, single-piston caliper
Rear brake: Single 160mm rotor, single-piston caliper
Tyres: Wire-spoked aluminium, WD Journey, 2.75-18in front, 90/90-18in (tubed type) rear

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed weight: 88kg (including battery)
Seat height: 714mm
Ground clearance: Unknown 
Wheelbase: 1370mm
Fuel capacity: Not applicable

OTHER STUFF
Price: From $12,390 (ride away)
Warranty: Two years