As always, I´m looking through the net and social media to find new up-and-coming brands and see what they are up to. This time I got in contact with a smaller brand called Contra Moto and asked their founder, Gerry McKenna, to tell his story for you.
He started off by describing the meaning of the name CONTRA.
The name CONTRA Moto was chosen not only because of the way it reads or the sense of rebellion it implies but also because of what the word itself defines: “opposite,” “opposing,” “against,” and “contrary”. To some degree a contradiction. You may also like to read Why Paul Myers Started An E-Bike Brand Cooler King?
The idea of CONTRA MOTO:
I had the idea to create an electric motorcycle brand during the first COVID lockdown in the UK. Motorcycles felt so right at the time as they could provide freedom of movement and an escape from lockdown restrictions. I really liked what MUTT Motorcycles were doing as a brand, its market position, and its business model. I also liked their heritage of building custom bikes. So the idea seemed simple at first: do what they do with petrol bikes but with the power of electricity.
As I was building our team, TEAMCONTRA, we discovered an amazing team of classic motorcycle restorers who specialize in restoring classic Japanese bikes of the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, among other things.
We actually didn’t start with a sketch. Started with an idea to re-skin and re-engineer an imported Chinese-made electric motorcycle to create our interpretation of what an electric cafe racer could or should be. Recently revealed our first prototype, the CONTRA Moto 01, which is based on a frame and drivetrain sourced in China.
Contra Moto Use Donor Bike:
We used the donor bike as our starting point, investigating strengths and weaknesses and discarding almost everything other than the motor and headlight. The more we reworked the design, the more it became apparent that we needed a different approach.
To that end, we designed our own frame in CAD with the assistance of a motorcycle designer in Milan, and we decided to produce and build our bikes in the UK from the ground up. Our next series of prototypes are all based on our own frame design.
We are really pleased with the reaction we have received to date around the design and style of the bike. I initially thought the design would provide a love-or-hate response, what we call in the UK “a Marmite product.”
Contra Moto looked unique and had a heritage feel:
I wanted something that looked unique, had a heritage feel, and incorporated smart technology and unique design solutions for motorcycles. To date, the design has been universally well received, both in person and online. We appreciate that this may be due to the politeness of others, but the language you see in CONTRA Moto 01 will definitely be carried through into our new prototypes and on into production.
Some people have described it as a “retro-future” design or a “future-retro” design, and we feel it could look at home in a Marvel Comic from the 1960s.
We have three new prototypes in production utilizing our new frame platform. These are the production prototypes for our 125cc equivalent model and our 250cc equivalent model.
We are testing a variety of battery technologies and have recently started working with the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre at the University of Manchester to incorporate graphene into some of our future tech composites and functionality.
I have a love for classic cars of the 1970s, 80s, and 90s and was intrigued by the pioneers. Now converting classic cars to electric powertrains. I also love custom BMW R series motorcycles. So developing an electric cafe racer seemed like an exciting thing to do.
FAQS:
What is your inspiration?
I like the idea of “cut and paste.”This could be David Bowie’s lyrics, Robert Rauschenberg’s paintings, David Carson’s graphic design. When Kraftwerk-breakbeat fusion resulted in Electro breaking out of New York.
Do you create other things besides bikes?
Yes, I developed a software platform that allows users to remix media and republish it to screens, tablets, and phones anywhere in the world, provided they have an internet connection. I also create bespoke digital screen media solutions for clients. In the past, I have been creatively involved in fashion, clubs, live music events, snowsports, and freestyle events, among other things. I am mostly self-taught, and I enjoy photography and video pre- and post-production.
What’s in store for 2023?
Next year is an important year for us at Contramoto. The plan is to reveal our pre-production CONTRA prototypes in Q1. Then offer a limited series of quasi-bespoke builds to clients in parallel with setting up a production facility to support a mainstream commercial release in 2024.
Credits to give to someone else? In the world of electric motorcycles, I really like RGNT, Yanko Design, Saroléa Manx 7, DaVinci DCClassic, and Savic. I also like the new Hyundai Grandeur Concept and what @electricclassiccars have done to a Porsche 914.
What social media accounts would you like to share? @dezeen @electricmotorfeed @belgrade_socialist_modernism
