Čezeta 506 electric scooter

9th March 2017

Limited edition | Regenerative braking | Retro

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Čezeta is pronounced chair-zett-ah. Manufactured by Česká Zbrojovka Strakonice, or CZ (a company with a history that in some respects parallels BSA's), Čezeta scooters were manufactured between 1957 and 1964 and were the darlings of their age. Futuristic, unique, sophisticated, iconic and stylish, the first model was the 502; a 175cc air-cooled two-stroke available with a kickstarter, or a dynastarter (electric). The final model of that era was the 503, a similar looking machine but now with a 200cc air-cooled two-stroke motor.

Now fast forward to 2013 when the prototype Type 506 was launched. Visually it was essentially the same machine as the originals, but what made this retro re-launch all the more interesting was that it was now electric. That project has finally made it to full, albeit limited, production, and it marks the 60th anniversary of these scooters.

Between March 1st 2017 and 31st March 2018, just 600 of these pretty Slavic velocipedes will be made, with test rides beginning in May 2017. And if you want to try one for size and fit, you'll need to mosey on across Europe to Prague.

The company is offering the new bikes in a wide range of configurations with features such as regenerative braking, an adaptive headlight, a Bluetooth connection, two-tone paint, a public charging lead, a windshield and (Mitas) whitewall tyres. Moreover, for £750 they'll deliver the 506 direct to your door and will handle all the registration issues on your behalf. And if something goes "fizz" or "bang", a home repair service is optional.

A 2-year warranty is also part of the purchase deal, or you can pay another £750 for a 5-year guarantee. And the battery can be bought outright, or leased and therefore upgraded as and when new tech arrives on the scene.

The anchors are disc front and rear, and the scooter is equipped with a stand-operated parking brake. The front fork is leading-link, and all the hydraulic dampers are adjustable.

The weight, with battery, is 137kg to 147kg (301lbs to 323lbs) depending on which model is specified. Performance, meanwhile, is a claimed 53mph to 75mph, also depending on the model choice. Naturally, acceleration is very brisk. Charging takes up to 3 hours.

The pricing structure is confusing. We've seen one model posted at £6,600, and another at £8,200. Then again, the firm is also posting £11,420 excluding VAT. We're presuming that the price differences reflect extras and service charges. But if you're seriously interested, you can contact the company direct.

Back in the 1950s and 1960s, these bikes enjoyed a colourful cinematic history, and we've little doubt a few more will find their way onto the silver screen. Overall, we think this is a pretty cool looking battery bike, and the appeal is obvious. Performance, while not scintillating, is no doubt fine for cruising the street markets of, say, Prague, Paris, Milan or London. But the uncompromising pricing is certainly going to propel this scooter into richer hands than ours.

www.cezeta.co.uk

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