Electrify Expo NYC 2023: The E-Bike, E-Moped, and E-Moto Vibes That Had Me Rethinking My Next Ride
August 24, 2023
Electrify Expo in New York is the kind of place that makes you feel like the EV world is moving faster than most people realize. It’s not just polished OEM displays and perfect product photos—this is where you see what riders actually want, what they’re building, and where the whole e-bike / e-moped / e-moto culture is heading.
Walking the massive exhibit space, what hit me immediately was the variety. One minute I’m looking at commuter-friendly setups, the next I’m staring at wild, stretched, fully-modded machines that look like they belong in a race paddock.
The energy: creators, builders, and real riding culture
Events like this don’t feel like a normal trade show. The crowd is part gearhead, part daily commuter, part adrenaline-chaser—plus a whole ecosystem of creators and influencers who actually ride.
I bumped into Shreddie McSkate and John Angel, and it made total sense why people gravitate toward them: they’re deep in the lifestyle and they’re paying attention to the details that matter in the real world—how these things feel, how people mod them, and what kinds of riding communities are forming around them.
The bikes that had everyone circling back
A lot of the conversation on the floor revolved around a few specific brands and categories—especially that blurred line between “e-bike” and “light e-moto.”
Cake, RIVD, and a Lanmoto bike were getting the kind of attention that says, “Yeah, this is what people are curious about next.” Not just because of specs on a sign, but because the design language and stance of these rides makes you want to throw a leg over them.
It also wasn’t lost on me how much the market is splitting into distinct lanes:
E-bikes that still look and feel like bikes (but faster and more capable)
E-mopeds that are all about comfort and passenger-ready practicality
E-motos where the whole point is torque, aggression, and dirt-bike energy
Where the show-off builds stole the spotlight
Some of the most memorable moments weren’t about stock bikes at all—they were the modded builds.
This is the part of Electrify that really feels like the future happening in real time. People are stretching frames, swapping components, going for custom paint, and building machines that look nothing like what they started as.
A few themes kept showing up:
Big power builds that clearly prioritize speed and acceleration
Custom paint and finish work (including some seriously eye-catching flakes and color-shift looks)
Bigger battery setups and “how is this even packaged like that?” solutions
The constant experimentation with stance, wheels, and overall ride posture
It’s also the part of the show that makes you respect how quickly the community learns. Someone tries a build style, the next rider iterates on it, and suddenly you’ve got a “trend” that didn’t come from a marketing meeting—it came from riders.
Ultra Bee curiosity and the e-moto pull
One bike that drew a ton of curiosity was the Surron Ultra Bee. Seeing it up close, it’s easy to understand the appeal even if you’re not there to memorize numbers. The whole package looks more substantial than what many people think of as a typical lightweight e-moto.
Even just standing near it, the proportions communicate: this is aimed at riders who want more of that dirt-bike feel.
And that’s the bigger takeaway I had walking the expo—more riders are hungry for that “e-moto” category. Not everyone wants a bicycle with assist. Plenty of people want something that feels purpose-built for ripping around.
The community side: rides, meetups, and racing creeping in
What I love about New York is that the riding culture is always just one step away from the event itself. The conversations quickly drift from “what’s on display” to “where are we riding after?”
There was a lot of excitement around organized rides and the idea of racing becoming a bigger part of future Electrify weekends. It makes sense: once you have enough capable machines and enough motivated riders, competition and meetup culture naturally follow.
What We Like
The variety is real: e-bikes, e-mopeds, and e-motos all in one place
Modded builds are a reminder that riders drive innovation as much as brands do
Big community energy—creators, riders, and companies actually mixing together
The shift toward lightweight e-motos feels undeniable and exciting
Things To Consider
A lot of the most exciting machines are heavily modded, which can set unrealistic expectations for “out of the box” performance
The e-bike vs e-moto line can get blurry fast—know your local rules and what you actually want to use the ride for
Some builds prioritize speed and spectacle over practical daily ride comfort
Final Thoughts
Electrify Expo NYC left me thinking less about “what’s the best spec sheet” and more about what kind of riding life I want next.
The biggest impression wasn’t a single product—it was the momentum. The e-bike space is maturing, the e-moped space is finding its groove, and the e-moto space is pulling in riders who want something that feels raw and fun. If you’re even slightly interested in EV two-wheel life, this kind of event makes the whole thing feel more tangible—and way more social.
We’re going to keep chasing the gear and the experiences that genuinely fit how people ride day to day, not just what looks good on paper.
Links
Shreddie McSkate: https://www.instagram.com/shreddiemcskate/
John Angel: https://www.instagram.com/johnangelnyc/
Talaria XXX: https://lunacycle.com/XXX/
Surron Ultra Bee: https://chargedcycleworks.com/products/surron-ultra-bee-what-we-know-so-far
Bell Super 3R MIPS Bike Helmet: https://amzn.to/3TJ1vTR
Fox Racing Bike Gloves: https://amzn.to/40P5SyQ
Hafny Handlebar Bike Mirror: https://amzn.to/3FVubmN
Veeape Electric Air Pump: https://amzn.to/3LPLTf9
Denlix Military Sling Bag: https://amzn.to/3LTKN2c
Lamicall Bike Phone Mount: https://amzn.to/3LXmD6O
Onvian Wireless Bike Alarm: https://amzn.to/42KUgyE
RunPlayBack Merch: http://shop.runplayback.com/