Jonathan Åström: Building RGNT One Motorcycle at a Time
- Buck City Biker
- 2 days ago
- 7 min read
Eight years ago, Jonathan Åström wasn't trying to build one of Europe's best-known electric motorcycle companies. He was trying to prove that electric motorcycles didn't have to look like spaceships.
Today, after surviving industry headwinds, restructuring RGNT and preparing for expansion into new markets, that original idea remains remarkably unchanged.
The motorcycles may be more refined and the company more mature, but Jonathan's philosophy is exactly the same: build motorcycles people fall in love with first, and let the electric powertrain come second.
Spend an hour with him and something quickly becomes clear. He doesn't sound like a corporate CEO. He sounds like someone who simply enjoys building motorcycles.
"Our vision has never really changed. We've always wanted to build beautiful motorcycles that just happen to be electric."
That mindset has carried RGNT through difficult years. Now, with its Street Classic platform finally complete, expansion across Europe underway, plans to enter the United States and a new motorcycle in development, the company enters perhaps its most important chapter yet.
For more RGNT news, visit our RGNT page.
For the Street Classic full spec sheet, visit our Specs Page.
Building Something People Wanted to Ride
When RGNT launched, electric motorcycles were often defined by their futuristic styling. Sharp angles, exposed frames and science-fiction aesthetics dominated the market. RGNT wanted to take a different approach.
"We've always wanted to build beautiful motorcycles that just happen to be electric. We never wanted to build an electric motorcycle first and then make it look good afterwards."
Instead, the goal was something timeless. A motorcycle that riders would choose because they loved the way it looked and felt, not simply because it happened to be electric.
That philosophy became the foundation of RGNT. The company's bikes deliberately draw inspiration from classic British roadsters, pairing traditional styling with modern electric technology. It wasn't about nostalgia for nostalgia's sake. It was about making electric motorcycles feel familiar to riders who had spent years around petrol bikes.
Learning the Hard Way
Building a motorcycle company rarely follows a straight line. Jonathan is refreshingly open about the mistakes, difficult decisions and realities of running a small manufacturer. The past eight years have delivered more than most founders bargain for.
Like many companies operating during the pandemic and the years that followed, RGNT faced supply chain disruption, rising costs and changing investor sentiment. Building motorcycles in relatively small numbers while maintaining premium quality proved significantly harder than anyone expected.
Those experiences didn't change the philosophy. If anything, they reinforced it.
"That's why we keep on doing this in Sweden, because we want to preserve the knowledge and the craftsmanship. Someone has to know it. I think that's one of the biggest hardships of building the bikes, that the competence and craftsmanship we require is very hard to find."
It's an approach that almost feels old-fashioned in today's start-up culture, but perhaps that's exactly the point.
Starting Again
The past year has marked somethign of a reset for RGNT. Following the company's restructuring, there's a renewed sense of optimism about what comes next.
Rather than pursuing growth at any cost, RGNT is focused on strengthening dealer relationships and expanding into carefully selected markets. That strategy is already taking shape.
"Nothing in the south [of Europe] yet... We try to emphasise on the larger cities where people actually commute every day. But we would like to find somewhere on the Riviera, 'cause that's where people ride the bikes a lot."
RGNT's next phase of growth is already underway. New dealer partnerships are being established across Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, with further expansion planned in France, where currently there are more RGNT motorbikes than any other location. The emphasis remains on urban markets where the bikes are most at home.
Successful expansion isn't about opening as many dealerships as possible. It's about finding partners who understand premium motorcycles and can represent the brand properly. As he puts it...
"It's really hard to sell Porsche and a Trabant at the same store. Once you sell Trabants, then you're a Trabant store."
Across the Atlantic, the United States is firmly on the roadmap. For a brand built around premium, design-led motorcycles, it's an obvious next step. But there are no illusions about the work involved in entering such a competitive market. Distributers are already in place, the next step is getting the bikes into riders garages.
A New Motorcycle Is Coming
Every motorcycle manufacturer reaches a moment when the original vision finally becomes reality. For RGNT, that moment has arrived.
"We have done this for almost eight years now... with the Street series, with the Classic, it feels like it's done. We can't improve it much more. Now it's finished."
That doesn't mean development stops. Bikes will continue to be refined. But after years of continuous evolution, RGNT's flagship has finally become the motorcycle it was meant to be.
For anyone building something new, reaching that point is a milestone. It means engineering resources can begin shifting towards what's next. And yes, there is something next.
During our interview, Jonathan revealed to Buck City Biker that RGNT will unveil the new Scrambler in late August or early September. Described as "the Turbo with all the goodies from the Street Classic," it will join the Classic to form RGNT's new Street platform.
Production of the Street Classic is scheduled to begin in Q4, with the Scrambler following in Q1 2027. Published specifications suggest the Scrambler will feature a taller 740 mm seat height, 30 mm higher than the Street Classic, and an 18-inch front wheel, giving it a subtly different riding position and character.
For some companies, a finished product marks the end of a project. For RGNT, it looks more like the beginning of the next one.
Turbo Championship: Racing for Better Road Bikes
The Turbo Championship is RGNT's one-make electric racing series, created to push its motorcycles far beyond the demands of everyday road riding. It was never intended to be about collecting trophies. It was built to create better motorcycles.
On paper, electric racing might appear to be little more than marketing. In reality, every race weekend generates data, while every component pushed to its limits teaches engineers something they can bring back to production motorcycles.
"We had zero DNFs... We had people that crashed and had to stop, but we had zero stops because of the engine malfunction or something like this."
Its value extends well beyond the race circuit and the lessons aren't measured solely in lap times. They're measured in better cooling, improved software, stronger components and more refined riding experiences.
With the series paused for 2026 and 2027, RGNT's engineers are developing a new race-spec suspension package with Italian specialist Bitubo. The upgraded forks and rear shock are being designed for the championship's return in 2028. The resulting upgrade will be available as a premium option for road-going motorcycles, ensuring lessons from the track continue to find their way onto the street.
Looking Beyond Electric Versus Petrol
Electric motorcycles may become the everyday choice, but that doesn't mean petrol bikes are going away.
"Electric bikes are gonna become the natural way to transport yourself to work, and then you're still gonna have the petrol bikes as you have a horse today. Like a nice thing. It's something that you build, and you spend a lot of money on it...petrol bikes will become horses"
It's a familiar analogy. People still ride horses despite cars existing for more than a century. In this vision of the future, petrol motorcycles will follow a similar path, becoming something riders own because they enjoy them, not because they rely on them for everyday transport.
Rather than declaring one technology the winner, he sees both coexisting for different purposes. Electric motorcycles become the daily commuter. Petrol bikes become the weekend indulgence.
That outlook probably explains why so many traditional motorcyclists are willing to give RGNT a chance. There's no evangelising. Just an appreciation for motorcycles in all their forms.
Life Beyond Motorcycles
Away from motorcycles, Jonathan's ambitions are surprisingly simple. One day, he'd like to own a farm. Growing food. Working with his hands. Building something tangible. It's a grounded ambition.
"That's my end game, that I'm gonna become a farmer in maybe five, ten years. Just sell bikes and grow some crops."
In an industry often dominated by funding rounds, market share and technological disruption, he keeps returning to the same themes: craftsmanship, quality and creating something real.
Whether it's motorcycles or farming, the motivation never really changes. It's about building something with your own hands. That's probably why RGNT has always felt different. It wasn't born from a market analysis or a boardroom strategy. It grew from a simple desire to build a motorcycle he'd genuinely want to ride.
The BCB Take
There are plenty of founders who deliver polished presentations, quote market forecasts and promise they're about to change the world. Jonathan Åström isn't one of them.
Instead, he speaks openly about setbacks, admits when things have been difficult and remains surprisingly humble about what lies ahead.
None of that guarantees success. RGNT still faces the same challenges confronting every independent motorcycle manufacturer. Competition is fierce, the market continues to evolve and expanding internationally is never straightforward.
Looking back, Jonathan doesn't pretend he got everything right. In fact, one of the most revealing moments of our conversation came when he reflected on what eight years had taught him.
"...if I had all the lessons that I have today... I would probably have done it a lot differently... Either you have to go really big... or you have to go super niche... Like we do now, super slow and a small market."
One thing is clear. RGNT wasn't built to chase trends or headlines. It was built by someone who simply wanted to make a motorcycle he'd be proud of. Whether that ultimately makes RGNT one of Europe's biggest electric motorcycle brands remains to be seen. But it does make it one of the most authentic.
Ride safe, folks.
Visit the RGNT Motorcycles website.
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