Super Soco TS1200R launch review

China is awash with electric motorcycle and scooter brands, with the majority focussed on the domestic market – and for good reason with such a large pool of people.

One marque, though, is thinking further afield – the Shanghai-based Super Soco. It was launched in 2015 and now exports its electric offerings to 54 countries.

Australia’s the latest destination, and we’ll be seeing a four-tiered range Down Under by the end of 2019: the faired TS, TC naked, CU-X scooter and the TS Max (a more aggressive TC offshoot).

The TS is the first – which comes with an official model designation of TS1200R. That title may conjure up thoughts of fanatical performance, but the TS is nothing of the sort – and it doesn’t set out to be.

Instead, it shares the same homologation classification as an internal combustion 50cc scooter, which means the $4990 rideaway TS can be ridden on a car licence in Queensland, Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia.

The Aussie launch for the TS was held in and around the environs of the Melbourne CBD – on a ridiculously hot day. And that’s one advantage of an electric motorcycle right there: no extra heat from internal combustion to deal with. And it’s amazing how quiet a supposedly bustling city is without the clamour of an engine!

The zig-zagging route included a stopover at AC/DC Lane and the Melbourne Star observation wheel on the western fringe of the CBD – where the TS took pride of place in one of the pods as we learnt more about the bike, its siblings, Super Soco and the electric landscape in general.

By then, we’d already ascertained what the TS offers: a super light commuter (78kg with one battery fitted) with a low seat height (770mm) and decent acceleration from the 120Nm hub-mounted Bosch motor so that filtering to the front of a queue at traffic lights didn’t leave the nerves jangling.

If you want to stay ahead of the traffic, the number two power setting is the not-negotiable minimum, as number one is too meek in terms of acceleration and top speed.

At the other end of the scale, the number three power setting offers the maximum performance hit from the twist-and-go throttle, but it only felt marginally feistier than two – and chews up the 1.56kW/h battery with way more venom. Why add to range anxiety when you don’t have to?

The power modes are adjustable on the right-hand switchblock.

You’ll get about 80km range on a single battery riding on the number two power setting – so 160km when two fully charged batteries are fitted simultaneously – but as always, distance depends on how much throttle discipline you (or don’t…) have.

Each battery weighs about 11kg (so if you have both fitted, vehicle weight is 89kg), and charging time on a standard 240V plug is about five hours, via a side-mounted port.

Urban Moto Imports, the Aussie distributor for Super Soco, says a battery has about 1000 recharging life cycles, and it costs $1000 to replace one, while the only major consumables to replace are tyres and brake pads.

Based on its ‘LA’ registration taxonomy, the top speed of the TS is about 50km/h – so smack on with what you’re allowed to do in most built-up areas around the country these days. And with instant torque, the calling card of electric vehicles, it means that 50km/h is reached without too much stress.

The first TS I rode took a while to work itself out of a slumber on a trailing throttle, but that wasn’t the case on subsequent launch units.

After two revolutions of the Melbourne Star – which took about 60 minutes – we got stuck back into it, with plenty of lane filtering and general poking and prodding in traffic – a cinch on such a narrow and light machine.

The TS rides on 17-inch rubber, so there’s plenty of stability, while the twin-piston brakes are really strong. The slim seat will test some larger derrieres, while the footrests are adjustable.

The TS has LED lighting, while the smart-looking LCD screen has all the bread-and-butter information such as battery life, speedometer and power setting. It also has a small, automated storage compartment.

The TS is available in four colours: red, white, black or orange.

The TS will shortly be joined by the belt-driven TC ($5490 rideaway), which has a mid-mounted 120Nm motor and a slightly higher battery capacity, while the TC Max is also on the way with a 100km/top speed, 170Nm of torque, a 3.2kW/h battery and combined Brembo brakes.

Price for the TC Max will obviously be commensurate with performance, range and level of spec, but in terms of finding a niche the TS is where it’s at the moment.

To put the TS' positioning into context, as an example you can buy a Lambretta 50cc scooter in Australia for $3590 (plus on-road costs), which makes $4990 rideaway for the TS seem very reasonable.

Who will buy the TS? Inner city denizens are the obvious targets, while the likes of ‘grey nomads’ may want to strap one to the storage area of a caravan. Marketing opportunities galore.

And the total kilometre damage on the TS launch? Just 22km, but more than enough to realise that Super Soco is beginning its Aussie assault in the right vein.