Craig Bramscher founded and sold a dot-com, DreamMedia, in the 1990s before launching Brammo in 2001. He toyed with building an electric sports car before settling on his modest motorbike. Bramscher admits the Enertia isn't likely to appeal to your average biker; it's aimed instead at women and city dwellers.
Rather than sell through dealerships, which Bramscher says can be intimidating for nonriders, he struck a deal with Best Buy. The electronics retailer, which participated in a $10 million investment round in Brammo last year, will carry the Enertia in stores starting this summer. Best Buy's Geek Squad will handle maintenance. Take away the tires and brakes, and the bike "looks like a big server," says Bramscher. "This is consumer electronics that you ride."