[cycleworld.com] - Stark Varg Electric Motocross Bike First Ride

[Ninjette Newsbot]

Is Stark Future’s Varg the electric motocrosser that will change the racing world? We sent retired SX racer Blake Wharton to Spain to find out.

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Stark Future’s Varg brings the electric fight to gasoline-powered dirt bikes. (Stark Future/)There’s a new kid on the block looking to challenge for the title of fastest, cleanest, and most efficient powertrain in the motorcycling industry. The bike is already turning out a whopping 80 hp, and it is about to be unleashed on the dirt bike world. Located in Southern Europe, one of the world’s major motorcycle epicenters, with an eclectic and international group of employees and a passionate and experienced CEO, Stark Future is a company that has the makings of something great. And it’s quite possible the Varg, its brand-new purpose built motocross bike, is that something.

What It’s Like To Ride Electric

The silence of an electric motorcycle is striking if you’ve never ridden one before, but it’s not the most difficult adjustment to make. It shouldn’t take too long to acclimate in any case; it’s just ripping by different means. But the differences are there. Many of the conventional sensations associated with riding, like engine noise, vibration through the chassis, or gear changes, are simply not there. Out on the track it can feel like moving through time and space instead of fighting gravity or shoving through the atmosphere. There’s only speed and motion. The Varg is sort of like the quiet kid in class who doesn’t say much, but from his attitude and the way he moves is probably a black belt in judo. No bark, all bite.

The bike is subtly fast. Its speed sneaks up on you, and without a point of reference, like another rider, it’s easy to lose sight of how quickly you’re moving. And the Varg, in true electric-bike style, really gets moving right away. A 2022 Yamaha YZ450F was provided for comparison purposes, and riding the two back to back was illuminating. After the Varg shifted the perception of speed and acceleration, the mighty 450 felt more like a 125, and maybe even one with loose motor mounts. The gasoline-powered bike still hit harder on the top-end, but through the bottom and midrange, the Varg had a definite acceleration advantage.


Stark claims the Varg weighs in at 242 pounds. Check out the stand with built-in charger. (Stark Future/)As far as feel is concerned, the small differences are interesting but generally beneficial. The bike has a noticeably slim build, so much so that some riders might actually have trouble holding on, though this would be easily remedied with grip tape and graphics. Not having a clutch is a strange sensation, though it’s nice to have some of the strain taken off the forearms and simply focusing on grip.

Related: Stark Varg Motocrosser Tech Analysis


It’s so slim it may be hard to get a grip on the Varg for some riders. (Stark Future/)Electrics are also thought of as utterly silent, but of course no motorized vehicle is completely devoid of sound. The Varg lets you know it’s working through its quiet whine; once mobile, there’s chain chatter, the sound of suspension internals working, and of course, wind whistling in your ears. Perhaps the best part: Electric bikes could take racer trash talk to a whole new level.

Battery Capacity and Charging

It’s safe to say that capacity and charging time have been the Achilles’ heel for all e-products since the beginning, and it’s understandable that riders are wondering if the technology can go the distance. Naturally, when it comes to motocross much of this depends on the rider’s weight, size, and style, so settling on an exact number is tricky. Let’s just say that the Varg’s 6kWh battery puts more than enough sand in its hourglass for the average weekend warrior to run half a dozen laps, practice some sections that need work, give his friends a few laps on the bike, and still have enough juice to make it back to the pits.


A vet rider should be able to get a full day at the track from the 6kWh battery. Pros: One 40-minute moto is about it. (Stark Future/)Of course, racing against the world’s best in unforgiving conditions is another thing entirely, and it will be interesting to see what the Varg can do at the top levels of the sport. Development rider Sébastien Tortelli claims he can ride race speed for 45 minutes on a fully charged Varg, and Stark says a full battery offers equivalent range/speed to a full tank of gas, so do the necessary mental arithmetic to see how that fits your riding style. For the record, if we burn 1 gallon of gasoline, it is generally calculated to contain about 33.5 kWh of energy while the Varg battery is 6kWh. An internal combustion engine operates at a thermal efficiency of about 25-30 percent at best, so you end up with about 8.4-10kWh of gasoline’s power reaching the wheel. Tesla claims about 90 percent efficiency for its electric car motors so if we assume that in the Varg (and that every claimed battery kWh is available for use–many batteries’ full claimed capacity is not the actual available capacity) then the Varg has 5.4 kWh reaching the wheel. There is more math to be done here, but we’ll have Kevin Cameron do future technical calculations when we have a test bike.

One of the coolest things about the bike from a pit perspective was the fully functional charging stand that adds watt-hours as the rider rests up. As it sits on the stand with a partially depleted battery (think practice laps), the Varg can get back to 100 percent in an hour or two, depending on whether it’s on a 120V or 240V outlet (we’ll have to assume your motocross track has outlets or you brought your generator of Ford F-150 Lightning). Basically, unless you’re a young top-level athlete at the peak of your physiology, the stand will help the Varg outlast you and it may even recover more quickly. And as a bonus, it’s super cool to look at, much like everything else Stark’s put out.


Stark Future says you can use the smartphone-based display to tune the Varg to your liking, and when you’re not riding you could use it as your actual phone. (Stark Future/)There’s a smartphone-based display on your crossbar pad, which could be a game changer; it’s literally like having a smartphone and tuner at your disposal while working on the bike and a full-color display while riding. How far will it evolve? Personally, I’d like to see meditation apps and Mad Skills Motocross shredding available in the future for riders waiting in staging mentally preparing for a gate drop. Will lap times, gap between riders, and other pertinent information be made available at some point? Sky’s the limit.

A Competitive Chassis

Stark Futures chose Golf MX as the location for our first ride on the Varg, a beautiful track located in the mountains outside of Barcelona, Spain, with all the right elements for an electric motocross bike test: big elevation changes, tall trees, and a fun and natural layout. Oh, and it was recently closed due to sound pollution issues. Cleverly played, Stark.

The beginning of any successful machine starts with chassis and suspension. Stark Future did everything it could to get a leg up on the competition in this department. The beauty of being new to the market is being able to take what the current players are doing and improve upon it; that’s one of the biggest advantages of starting from the ground up. That principle is most evident in Stark’s swingarm and linkage combo, which allows the componentry to sit a bit higher, which in turn lets the bike glide freely over jagged terrain or surfaces that might halt your forward drive. This is more useful for off-road and enduro but still good for motocross when you come up short on a jump landing. Stark opted for a chromoly steel frame joined to a honeycomb-structure battery case instead of an aluminum unit for strength with flex where it’s needed. Stark claims the frame is 50 percent lighter than those of the competition.


The Varg’s linkage is tucked up high and tight, minimizing the chances of it catching terrain or obstacles. (Stark Future/)This is a smart move, as battery-powered bikes need more compliance to damp their sometimes unforgiving and overly rigid feel under large applications of throttle. This is relatively new territory for dirt bikes, seeing as there’s never been one with the ability to create so much power so quickly, but Stark’s chassis does well when driving forward under heavy acceleration.

The Varg is battle-ready with KYB suspension components and feels absolutely competitive. A 48mm fork and piggyback shock offer 310mm/12.2 inches of travel at each end. Both are fully adjustable, with the shock offering high- and low-speed compression-adjustment circuits. Stark worked with the European division of Technical Touch (KYB’s official suspension service for MXGP teams) to tune the Varg’s suspension settings.

Varg’s claimed 242-pound weight cannot be felt in the air; however, it will be noticed when not landing just right, say when coming up short or framing something. Like every other stock machine out there, aftermarket parts can work magic and keep your chiropractic bills a tad lower. It would be interesting to ride a Varg with coated A-Kit fork and factory shock. As it sits, the Varg’s suspension performance is every bit as good as a motocrosser from the ICE competition.

Ride Like the Wind

As has been repeatedly noted, electric vehicles make all their torque from zero rpm, so that’s naturally the case with the Varg’s 360V carbon fiber sleeve motor. Stark claims 80 hp and an incredible 664.5 pound-feet of torque at the rear wheel. Of course, the tunable electronics (via the smart display) keep the power usable, but that power is massive and instant. There is also a $1,000-cheaper 60 hp option when ordering.


Instant and massive torque. (Stark Future/)The track was a bit drier than ideal, but there were no issues putting the bike where it should be. The rear tire can break loose at almost any time if there’s overzealous throttle application, but it’s nice to have that power available when pivoting and driving out of corners Tokyo Drift style. Some riders will want to take a bit of weight off the front of the bike and put some more on the rear, which will help to reduce the chance of losing traction midcorner or while exiting a turn.

That omnipresent power delivery also comes into play when the Varg gets up in the air. Most riders have experienced that feeling in the pit of the stomach when coming off the face of a jump wrong and feeling the front start to drop. The Varg is a big help here; simply twisting the throttle significantly increases the leverage of the rear tire, thanks to instant throttle response and torque production, and raises the front end easier than a gas-powered bike. This bike changes the entire dynamic of jumping.


Steady throttle input with momentum is the best approach to jumping the Varg. (Stark Future/)In fact, it can be surprising how fast things can change on takeoff, say the last 3–5 feet before a jump. A mere centimeter more throttle twist can result in many more feet covered, and in fact it was easy to overjump in the early laps. Jumping this electric motocrosser is all about momentum carried up to and off the takeoff and less of increasing power off the lip. It took a bit of getting used to the Varg’s surprising nimbleness and how easy it is to throw around. Still, by day’s end, it became second nature.

Natural Habitat

The Varg is fully capable of taking on an array of different terrain, but it’s safe to say that the bike’s current preferred habitat is a track with a harder base, some moisture in the ground, a flowing and open layout with a mix of switchbacks and berms, mid to short straights, and big soaring jumps. It would be great to see what this thing can do in Arenacross and Supercross, and really interesting to see how well it works in more unfavorable conditions at such tracks as the notoriously slick and hard Washougal, or brutal, deep, and unforgiving Lommel world MX track in Belgium.

Aesthetics and Design

Stark Future did not cut corners in the developmental stage; it’s evident that the company is well aware of the importance of looks when introducing a totally new product in a new market. There’s also no room to compromise on performance in an industry that’s competitive largely because it’s so new, one in which every manufacturer fights year in and year out to be first and best. The Varg stands a good chance in the dirt bike arena; it’s well thought out and meticulously constructed, with a purposeful, streamlined, efficient engine shape that emphasizes the design’s commitment to minimizing excess bulk and mass.

Summary

There’s little doubt that electric bikes will get there eventually, especially as the world continues on the path to widespread electrification. While the Varg feels competition ready as it is, it will take hard-fought development for the technology to achieve full domination over factory fire-breathers at the professional level. After all, between technical finesse and fitness, motocross is quite possibly the world’s most challenging sport, not just for the athletes but for the equipment as well.


The Varg is competition ready at the local and amateur level; it may take a bit longer to be able to compete with gasoline-fueled factory racebikes. (Stark Future/)Overall, the current level of achievement at Stark Future is extremely impressive. Certainly it will be great to have another motocross variant in the mix at the races, especially one that’s such a technological departure from the norm. No matter your personal preference, it’s obvious that having more manufacturers involved in racing is a good thing. Other manufacturers will, of course, have their own responses to the challenge of electric motorcycles. But with more than 9,000 units preordered, there’s certainly a share in the future for Stark.

Stark Varg Specifications

MSRP:$13,900 (as tested)Motor:Carbon fiber housing 360VBattery Capacity:6kWhCharger:3.3kW, 16 amp, 120/240VClaimed Charge Time:151 min. @ 120V; 82 min. @ 240VFinal Drive:ChainClaimed Horsepower:80 hp (as tested)Claimed Torque:664.5 lb.-ft. @ 14,200 rpmFrame:Chromoly steelFront Suspension:48mm KYB USD fork, fully adjustable; 12.2 in. travelRear Suspension:KYB monoshock w/ linkage, fully adjustable; 12.2 in. travelFront Brake:Brembo 2-piston caliper, 260mm Galfer discRear Brake:Brembo 1-piston caliper, 220mm Galfer discTires, Front/Rear:Pirelli Scorpion MX32; 80/100-21 / 110/90-19Rake/Trail:26.5°/ N/AWheelbase:58.5 in.Ground Clearance:14.8 in.Seat Height:37.3 in.Claimed Weight:242 lb.Contact:starkfuture.com