Oru’s line of kayaks are downright amazing, allowing you to transport a proper functional watercraft in your car while taking up very little room. While their collapsible kayaks offer stability and performance comparable to more traditional variants, it’s still an entirely different design, which is why it’s practically impossible to equip an Oru kayak with any type of outboard motor. At least, that was the case before the Oru x Bixpy K-1 Outboard Kit Bundle came along.
Designed to bring motorized propulsion to the origami kayak, the kit pairs Bixpy’s popular electric outboard motor with a mounting adapter designed specifically for Oru’s line of collapsible watercrafts. That means, you’re no longer relegated to paddling the entire time you’re exploring the waters on your Oru kayak, as you can now enjoy it with an ultra-quiet motorized drive for a more relaxing time.
The Oru x Bixpy K-1 Outboard Kit Bundle includes the third-generation of the outfit’s K-1 motor, which has been used on numerous kayaks, dinghies, SUPs, and other small watercrafts throughout its five-year run in the market. A 378Wh battery is hooked up to the motor, feeding it enough power to deliver 33 pounds of thrust, which should allow it to hit speeds of up to 6.5 mph. Do note, that top speed is something this motor and battery combo achieves with a Viking ProFish kayak, so it might be able to do more with the even lighter weight of Oru’s designs (their lightest model, for instance, only weighs 18 pounds).
Up to 12 speed settings are available using the wireless remote, so you can troll at very slow speeds or glide across the water at satisfying speeds. Naturally, battery range will depend on the speed setting you’re running at, with the outfit listing a runtime of 80 minutes at the highest speed setting and up to 12 hours at the lowest.
The Oru x Bixpy K-1 Outboard Kit Bundle also includes a custom adapter designed specifically for Oru’s kayaks. This mount uses an adhesive backing to affix securely to the kayak’s base panel, all while staying in place without affecting function whether it’s folded or deployed. When you’re ready to take to the water, you simply unfold the kayak, slide the motor into the mount, and lock it in place. From there, you just hook it up to the battery, pick up the wireless controller, and get yourself moving in the water paddle-free. Both the battery pack and wireless remote are designed to float in the water, by the water, so you’ll easily be able to retrieve them if they ever fall out accidentally.
The whole thing adds just 10 pounds to the weight of the kayak, by the way, so you will still be able to paddle pretty easily if the battery dies out while you’re in the middle of the water. It also jives nicely with the lightweight, compact, and easily portable nature of Oru’s kayaks, making it a great addition to your recreational activities by the water.
The Oru x Bixpy K-1 Outboard Kit Bundle is available now, priced at $1,368.