I rode the new Flying Flea C6: Here’s the honest truth about Royal Enfield’s first electric motorcycle

first electric motorcycle isn’t just a new product, it’s a complete rethink of what an RE can be. The is bold, unconventional and clearly aimed at urban riders who want something different.

After spending time with it, here’s the honest truth.

There are no welds anywhere. Everything is bolted. The forged aluminium exoskeleton frame holds the battery, motor and electronics together while keeping things light and strong. It looks industrial, but in a very premium way. Let me assure you that the images that you would see online do not do justice to the motorcycle.

Details stand out everywhere. The magnesium finned battery casing, the girder front suspension, the round headlamp and indicators, and the seamless tail light all come together beautifully. The level of finish is easily among the best we’ve seen from Royal Enfield.

Even the removable rear seat and subframe, with magnetised bolts, shows how deeply thought out this motorcycle is.

It is easy, flickable and incredibly manageable in traffic. The 19-inch wheels with slim tyres roll effortlessly, making it feel efficient and agile at the same time.

The riding triangle is also more flexible than expected. You can adjust the footpegs forward, which makes it easier for shorter riders to confidently put their feet down.

That said, the seat is on the stiffer side, and you will notice it on longer rides.

You get a 3.5-inch circular touchscreen TFT running FleaWare, an Android-based system that supports phone connectivity, passcode unlock and more.

The feature list is extensive:

Cruise control from 10 kmph

Hill hold assist

Lean-sensitive ABS and traction control

Wireless charging

Illuminated switches

7 years of software updates

There’s also a bi-directional crawl mode and a system that adjusts torque based on rider weight and incline, which genuinely helps in tight situations.

You get 15 kW of peak power, 8 kW continuous and 60 Nm of torque. It is quick off the line, hitting 0 to 60 kmph in around 3.7 seconds, and it will go up to about 115 kmph.

But here’s the honest bit.

Once you are moving, the throttle feels smooth and predictable. But right off the line, the initial on-off throttle transition can feel slightly jerky. It’s not a deal breaker, but it is noticeable.

The good thing is, this feels like something that can be fixed with software updates. The bike we rode was also a pre-production unit, so there is room for improvement.

The Flying Flea C6 gets a 3.91 kWh battery with a 2.2 kW onboard charger.

Charging from 20 to 80 per cent takes about 65 minutes, and you gain roughly 1 km of range per minute.

You also get three charging modes, rapid, standard and trickle, depending on how quickly you want to top up.

Add features like crawl mode, centre stand and potential onboard charger storage, and it is clear this bike has been designed for everyday usability.

As standard, the bike will come with a 5 metre cable. Customers will be able to purchase a 2 metre and a 10 metre cable as well, which will be sold as accessories. As of now, there is no place to store the cable on the bike; RE is working on an accessory which will store the charger near the battery pack.

City mode feels lively and predictable, while Rain mode softens everything for safety. Highway mode smoothens the throttle and removes regen for longer rides.

Sport mode sharpens performance, and Custom lets you unlock full performance and tweak multiple parameters so you can make your own combination.

It is one of the few bikes where the riding modes genuinely change the experience.

But it is also not trying to be.

This is Royal Enfield experimenting, pushing boundaries and creating something completely new. There are no direct rivals right now, which makes it even more interesting.

Yes, there are a few rough edges. But what you get is a motorcycle that feels fresh, innovative and genuinely different.

And that alone makes the Flying Flea C6 one of the most important Royal Enfields in recent times.

Source