FTN Motion StreetdogXR review: Scooter-like practicality with retro café racer charm

Perhaps I’m pigeonholing the StreetdogXR unfairly, but as a scooter rider I think it’s the perfect non scooter: it has great storage, enough range to be a great little runabout, it’s nimble, it has a relaxed upright seated position and its compact form makes it a doddle to park; so all the things a scooter is, without being a scooter. 

Of course you might be someone who’s always fantasised about riding a motorcycle, in which case this is a perfect beginner’s bike at only 88kg, making it very easy to handle, especially for a woman, and the fact that it’s electric means no pesky gears or foot brake to conquer. All in all, it has the convenience and ease of a scooter, in a retro inspired café racer package.

If you’ve not heard of FTN Motion they were founded in Wellington, New Zealand in 2017 by engineers Luke Sinclair and Kendall Bristow. In 2021 they launched the first 100 “Founder’s Series” bikes and between 2022 and 2024 developed the Streetdog.

As operations expanded, they moved to Hamilton where they hand assemble each bike. They entered the Australian market in 2025 with the Streetdog50 and Streetdog80 and now, after rider feedback, have launched the StreetdogXR. 

The first noticeable difference is a more upright seated position. The 635mm low slung handlebars of the Streetdog80 have been replaced by a higher riding 815mm chunkier handlebar. This makes riding more comfortable and adds to an overall feeling of increased stability.

However the wider handlebars do compromise its compactness and elegance, making it less easy to fit into narrow parking spots and potentially more difficult to lane split. Perhaps FTN are accommodating more male riders, as this appears to be their main demographic.

This could also explain the higher ground clearance and improved suspension; a taller and heavier rider will definitely feel more comfortable on the XR than the 80.

Another noticeable improvement is the switching, especially the indicator toggle. This was a gripe on the original 80, the switch was too flimsy and difficult to turn off, especially with gloves. As a “patch” FTN sent out a more robust screw on cover for initial Streetdog80 customers, which is testament to a company willing to listen and sort issues.

The redesigned XR indicator is chunkier and easy to turn off, the mirrors are a  much better quality, and the excellent 2.1-inch LCD touchscreen remains unchanged. The overall effect is a more ergonomic ride and durable switches. 

You still have the added convenience of an NFC key fob and the in-screen PIN code if you want to leave your keys at home, plus excellent features like an alarm, rear wheel lock and a USB charging port.

These elevate the bike to another level as some scooters and motorcycles lack these features. FTN have also moved away from a gloss black frame to a harder wearing Mannix matte black powder-coated frame.

Perhaps an app would be an added bonus in the future; being able to check battery status or be alerted to your bike being tampered with or knocked over would be a great potential addition.

The Streetdogs aren’t pretending to be anything but a commuter bike for urban riders. The XR has the same 2.9 kWh 72V lithium-ion battery as the Streetdog80, and real-world range is between 60 – 80km depending on weather, terrain, ride mode (Eco/Ride) and tyres. 

In terms of charging you have two options; you can remove the battery by its handle and charge it in your home, but it is a hefty 17kg, and potentially a little heavy for some riders or you can leave it in the bike, lift the seat, disconnect the cable and plug the charger in. 

This is one of the few things that lets the bike down. To charge the battery while it remains in the bike, you’re unable to close the seat, this seems like an awkward design flaw, and having to disconnect the battery with every charge is both fiddly and cumbersome.

I’d love to see a socket added to the outside wall of the battery so it can be charged more simply without having to disconnect it, or better still, the option of a Type 2 socket (like the Fonz scooters or Savic motorcycle) which would allow owners to charge more easily, especially outside.

Many buyers might not have a garage, but they could feasibly charge in a front yard or under a carport, so being able to charge in any weather would make for a more practical charging experience and would mean owners could use public AC chargers as well.

I’d personally sacrifice a removeable battery for a Type 2 charge port. In its current iteration, it’s an impractical charging set up for a chunk of potential buyers.

For an additional cost FTN also offer the option of an extra battery expanding the range from 80km to 140km, however this does mean losing the excellent 30 litres of storage in “tank” area. You could keep a second battery on hand for a simple battery swap, but that’s a big chunk of cash and it’s still unnecessarily fiddly.

 In its single battery configuration, 0-100% is estimated to take five and a half hours, so perhaps a faster charging option would be another great upgrade.  

In terms of storage it’s nice to see FTN add a lining to the storage compartment inner walls, this adds to the feeling of a more finished, mature bike. You can see as a company they’re learning and improving what was already an excellent product. They’re listening.

Like the Streetdog80 the XR still has excellent handling and fantastic regenerative braking. Powered by a 4 kW nominal motor with a peak output of 7.5 kW, it’s not going to break any records, but its excellent instant torque means it will quickly reach its top speed of 85kph.

It still has its famous smoothness over potholes and feels beautifully balanced. It’s just a lovely thing and a pleasure to ride, especially as you’re able to hear everything around you. Loud pipes don’t save lives; they just annoy everyone in the immediate vicinity. You can fight me on that.

As a special launch offer the StreetdogXR starts from $9,990 ride away in two fixed configurations: The Scrambler: a tougher look with dual sport tyres in Desert Camel or The Street: a more refined, sleek style with road tyres in Gunmetal Grey.

Some of the custom upgrades are also currently discounted; a standard base colour upgrade is $500 (save up to $900), a stripe colour upgrade is $300, a custom colour upgrade is $1900 (save $1000) and as part of the launch pricing an extra battery is currently $1500 instead of the usual $2500.

Bikes can be configured and ordered online with a $500 refundable deposit and once the initial run is exhausted, pricing will return to the original structured customisable pricing. So if you’re keen, now’s the time to join the waitlist. They also have some new and used inventory on their website, certainly worth checking out if you prefer the Streetdog80.

I had The Scrambler XR on loan, but if I was buying this bike, I’d personally opt for The Street for the road tyres. Despite the chunkier more aggressive look, I found the dual sport tyres felt less planted in the wet, so unless you’re planning on going off road, it’s something to consider when configuring your order. 

In Sydney, test rides are available at Ben Buckler Boards in Marrickville, and in Melbourne at The Commons in Collingwood.

So if you want an electric two-wheeler but aren’t a fan of the scooter “look”, this might just be the perfect bike for you. Its fully customisable body colours and stripes mean you can own something truly unique.

Make no mistake, these bikes are head turners by design, their retro flair will catch your eye, but what really holds your gaze is their silence. It surprises and delights you, and that’s nothing but a good thing.

Sarah Aubrey

Sarah Aubrey is one of Australia’s most respected electrification advocates.  She is a pure force of nature when it comes to sharing and simplifying the facts about accessible, clean energy and electric cars.