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FTN Motion Streetdog: Style Over Speed, Substance Over Stats

Paul Roberts
Sep 17
3 min read

In metropolitan hubs teeming with machines, the Streetdog brings a touch of soul to the streets. Not built to scorch highways or traverse mountains, it’s crafted for people who care how they arrive on urban short hauls, where looks, practicality, and design pull more weight than top speed or maximum torque. This is where the team at FTN Motion is staking a claim.

The Backstory

FTN Motion was founded in 2020 in Hamilton, New Zealand, by a small group of engineers who didn’t want to build another throwaway scooter. They wanted electric two-wheelers with soul, the kind of bikes you’d park outside a café and actually feel good about. What started as garage-built prototypes has grown into a production line, but the bikes still feel built rather than churned out.

What the Streetdog Is (and Isn’t)

There's two trims — the 50 and the 80 — named after their respective top speeds. That alone tells you FTN isn’t hiding what these bikes are. They’re not for the autobahn, not for interstate blasts, and definitely not for touring. They’re built for city streets, suburban runs, and short-range hauls with design and practicality at the forefront.

The real hook is the styling. It might not be everyone's cup of tea—let's face it, nothing is—but instead of the generic step-through profile that dominates the segment, the Streetdog borrows café-racer lines, spoked wheels, and a steel frame. The seat height is just over 700 mm, making it approachable without killing proportions. It looks like a motorcycle, wrapped in Italian livery, not an appliance, and that’s exactly the gap FTN is trying to fill.

Built-In Storage That Isn’t an Afterthought

Storage rarely steals the spotlight, but instead of strapping a top-box onto your pillion saddle, FTN built 30 litres of lockable space below the “tank” area. It’s enough for a backpack, shopping, or more than a couple of wine bottles — the kind of everyday practicality that many small electrics forget. Because it’s part of the design, it doesn’t wreck the bike’s proportions. It’s utility without the bulky scooter look.

Battery Back Up

The batteries are removable, and that storage space isn't just for the groceries. If you want more range, you can easily slot another pack in there. This means charging at home or office is easy, but here’s the catch: the packs don’t run in parallel. You’re not riding with both connected at once — you have to physically swap them. It’s not difficult, but it does mean pulling over, lifting the seat, and changing them out. For city commuting that’s fine, but on longer trips, it’s a pain-point compared to dual batteries that drain together. And at about 15 kg each, you’ll know you’re carrying one on tight curves or lugging it up a flight of stairs.

Still, the flexibility matters. For urban riders who value range more than outright speed, a swappable pack keeps the Streetdog practical in ways many fixed-battery electrics just aren't.

The Specs That Count

Streetdog50: 3 kW nominal / 5 kW peak, ~50 km/h top speed (~31mph)
Streetdog80: 7.5 kW peak, ~80 km/h top speed (~50mph)
Battery: Removable 2.9 kWh lithium-ion (~15 kg), ~5.5 hr charge from wall socket
Range50: 80–100 km (50-62 miles)
Range80: 60–80 km (37-50 miles), or up to 140–180 km with a second battery
Weight: 85–88 kg including battery
Seat height: 714 mm
Storage: ~30 L lockable under “tank” compartment
Other: Disc brakes front/rear, regen braking, LED lighting, ride modes

Why We Care

The Streetdog aims at riders who want something light and stylish for the day-to-day. Removable batteries mean you can charge in an apartment or office, integrated storage makes it genuinely useful, and the design means you’re riding a bike that turns heads, not just another delivery scooter blending into traffic.

Price and Availability

Unfortunately, this individuality doesn’t come cheap. In New Zealand, the Streetdog50 sells for around NZD 12,000, with the 80 landing at NZD 14,500. In Australia, prices are AUD 11,260 and AUD 12,950 ride-away.

Outside those markets? Official sales aren’t confirmed yet. Riders in Europe, the UK, the US, and India would be looking at import hassles until FTN secures approvals. But we'll keep an eye on it for you.

The Takeaway

The Streetdog isn’t trying to play in the spec-sheet arms race. It’s offering something else: a café-styled electric commuter with storage, removable batteries, and actual personality. Not the fastest. Definitely not the cheapest. But possibly the most interesting thing you can ride under 80 km/h.

Ride safe, folks.