The Mokka Garelli KL50 electric motorcycle is one of the most honest custom electric builds to come out of Europe: a classic 1970s Garelli moped stripped back, rewired, and silently reborn in a Budapest garage. Mokka Cycles took 18 months to transform a customer-commissioned Garelli KL50 into a brushless electric runabout that hides nothing about its modern heart.
What Is the Mokka Garelli KL50?
Mokka Cycles is a Budapest-based custom motorcycle shop run by builder Arpi, who has been rebuilding and electrifying classic Garelli frames for years. The KL50 project was commissioned by a client in Zurich who had fallen in love with a vintage Garelli. Rather than disguise the electric conversion, Mokka chose to celebrate it: the motor is fitted with a laser-cut Mokka cover, the electronics are visible but neatly routed, and the handcrafted tank shell now houses the battery management electronics and wiring rather than petrol.
The two-stroke engine is gone, replaced by a 5 kW brushless DC motor that delivers instant torque with no power curve and zero noise. Sony lithium-ion batteries provide a range of roughly 40 kilometres (25 miles) per charge, with a two-hour recharge time. Every component is either new or refurbished to a standard above factory spec: Renthal handlebars, a Honda CL 250 fork, yokes and brakes, an in-house machined 80-tooth aluminium rear sprocket, and a new Nappa and Alcantara-covered seat.
Photo: Mokka Cycles & BikeShed
Why the Minimalist Approach Works
Removing the combustion engine exposes the frame and lets the Garelli's original tubular silhouette breathe. The bike becomes lightweight, compact, and whisper-quiet: everything an urban commuter should be. Where most electric conversions try to mimic the bulk of a petrol bike, the KL50 leans into the absence of mass. The result is a machine that looks like a design object as much as a motorcycle.
This is the recurring philosophy at Mokka: if the technology is beautiful, show it. The laser-cut motor cover and the clean cable routing are design choices, not afterthoughts. According to Robb Report, the KL50 is a one-of-a-kind commission and is not for sale, which only adds to its appeal as a proof of concept for what small-batch electric craftsmanship can achieve.
The Rise of Custom Electric Motorcycles
The Mokka KL50 sits within a growing movement of artisan electric motorcycle conversions that reject the binary choice between a characterless commuter EV and an expensive performance machine. Builders in Budapest, Barcelona, and beyond are proving that electric drivetrains pair naturally with vintage frames: the weight saving from removing a combustion engine compensates for the battery pack, and the instant torque of a brushless motor suits lighter, more nimble chassis far better than a revvy two-stroke ever did.
If you want to experience the same spirit in a production-ready form, TheArsenale carries a curated selection of electric motorcycles from the world's most ambitious builders. The Manx7 by TheArsenale brings electric cafe-racer DNA in a bespoke edition, the Tarform Luna delivers Scandinavian minimalism with a brushless powertrain, and the Essence E-Raw Signature strips the electric motorcycle back to its bare, expressive essentials, much like the KL50 itself.
Should You Care About Bespoke Electric Builds?
The Mokka Garelli KL50 is not a product you can order. It is an argument: that electric mobility does not have to mean anonymous, mass-produced transport. A 5 kW motor, a classic Italian frame, 18 months of craftsmanship, and the willingness to show every wire is all it takes to produce something genuinely worth talking about. The best electric motorcycles today share that honesty, whether they come from a one-man Budapest workshop or a small-batch production line.
Explore TheArsenale's full range of electric bikes and e-motorcycles to find your own version of the less-is-more philosophy.
