BMW CE 02 First Impressions: Electrified Honda Navi?

11 Sony PS5s, 9 Samsung smart TVs, 6 iPhone 16s (almost), 3 NXTGN gaming PCs, one brand-new Aprilia RS 457 or even half a Kawasaki Z900, these are the things that Rs 4.5 lakh will get you. But now BMW is asking you to put that money down for its latest electric scooter…umm bike, the CE 02. Should you though? Well, BMW graciously gave us the scooter…sorry bike, for about 7km, so here are our first impressions of the same: 

Looks Better In The Flesh

The BMW CE 02 might look a bit awkward and disproportionate in pictures but it’s a lot more cohesive in the flesh. It has a long wheelbase (it’s about on par with a KTM 390 Duke) and it has that long, low-slung look. The funky neo-retro look might be polarising but it’ll definitely grab your attention. 

 

Look closer and you’ll see that the finish levels are high too, as we’ve come to expect from BMW bikes and scooters. Small bits like the big monoshock cover, minimalistic rear end and even the empty space where a fuel tank would be, they all look very very nice. On the whole, it is a love-it-or-hate-it design but the CE 02 is definitely nicely put together. 

Goes….well 

The CE 02 has 2 riding modes: Flow and Surf and for the 3rd, quickest mode, Flash, you will have to….that’s right, pay more. It comes as a part of the Highline Package. Pay extra and you will get things like the Flash riding mode, smartphone holder, heated grips and more. 

For the entire 7km, I mainly rode in Flash and it did prove to be decently quick. Electrics make all the torque all the time and that made quick overtakes very easy too. But again, the CE 02 was fun in a way that most electrics are and nothing about its powertrain really stood out in this brief ride. 

What I did notice almost immediately was that the shock is set on the firmer side. Going over bumps that were even slightly sharp made it kick back almost immediately and while my 68kg frame is on the lighter side, I am no featherweight either. 

As for the brakes, they could’ve very well been reversed. The rear is a bit too sharp and locking up the rear tyre is too easy. In a country like ours where most people still use their rear brakes a lot, such sharp brakes without ABS at the rear can be a bit unnerving, especially in emergency braking situations. As for the front brake, it does the job but it has a slight spongy feel to it and it could’ve been a tad bit sharper.  

Talking about ergonomics, they felt fine too. Interestingly, the CE 02 has 2 sets of footpegs. BMW says the forward ones are for the Flow and Surf riding modes, when you’re taking it easy and want a feet-forward, relaxed riding posture. And then the conventional footpegs (that are under your thighs) are for the times when you are in Flash mode and want to ride sportily. While we have no issues with this concept, 4 footpegs also mean more stuff to break in case the bike tips over. And given BMW’s expensive spare parts, you might have to end up shelling out a lot of money.  

Should You Buy The BMW CE 02?

 The ride was too short for me to say anything concrete about how the CE 02 would be like to live with and if you should buy it. What I do know is that it is an extremely niche product that’ll appeal to the affluent who already have a multiple bike and car garage and now want something that 99% people out there do not have.

For the rest, put that money in a Sony PS5, Samsung Smart TV, Apple iPhone 16, NXTGN gaming PC or an Aprilia RS 457. Heck, if you want an exciting electric motorcycle, the Ultraviolette F77 Mach 2.0 will give you a lot more performance, range and features for quite a bit less. Or if you’re even smarter, a Rs 4.5 lakh mutual fund would be an excellent choice in helping you get to your superbike goal…