A Closer Look At The Upcoming Stark Varg Electric Dirt Bike

The Stark Varg will obliterate any ICE competition in the dirt

The automotive industry as a whole is shifting fast toward full electrification even faster than originally anticipated. Since motorcycles represent a very small percentage of greenhouse gases emissions by comparison, and are also an affordable way for people moving about not only in the US but several other countries around the world, government, and environmental agencies seem to have adopted a more lenient standing when it comes to motorcycle manufacturers. In any case, sooner or later the electric bug is going to come knocking and the internal combustion engine (ICE) age for motorcycles will come to an end.

Much like what happened with cars, the advent of the electric vehicle allowed new motorcycle companies to rise and take innovative approaches and rethink their design architecture from the ground up, without the common restraints imposed by an ICE vehicle. Some startup EV motorcycle manufacturers have already begun coming out of the shadows and presenting very interesting electric motorcycles to the industry. Much like what has been going on with electric cars, it is better to embrace these changes and look for the positive aspects that EVs bring to the table, especially when it comes to beloved two-wheeled vehicles. And in most markets, there will likely always be that odd ICE trim running on synthetic fuel for the purists anyway.

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In comes unassumingly and unexpectedly, a beast of an electric dirt bike by Stark Future, a company founded by Swedes, and located in Barcelona, Spain. Some three years ago, the founders of Stark Future set out with a bold goal in mind. They wanted to build a dirt bike that would outperform every other ICE dirt bike from any legacy manufacturer. The result was the creation of the Stark Varg. Stark in Swedish means Strong and Varg means Wolf. A production model is available and deliveries of the first units are already under way.

After handing the bike over to professional riders for exhaustive testing on dirt tracks, and gathering their feedback to improve the bike even further, Stark Future is now certain they have achieved their ambitious goal, and are now inviting its future customers to either confirm or deny their claim. From its technical specs to what has been shown in action, the Stark Varg is, for the lack of a better expression, a genuine track monster. For starters, the Stark Varg is no heavier than any usual 450cc four-stroke ICE dirt bike. It weighs 260 pounds fully charged and is ready to ride long enough at full power to comfortably complete a full motocross gran pix or up to 6 hours of riding. Charging time can take between one and two hours.

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The motor on the Varg outputs a maximum of 80 horsepower on the Alpha trim, which is well over the run-of-the-mill 450cc four-stroke dirt bike, and the rear wheel torque is a staggering 692 pound-feet. The standard trim makes 60 horsepower, which is still ahead of most ICE competitors. And when it comes to electric motors, the maximum torque is always available on tap, so 60 ponies on an electric bike make it faster out the gate than any regular dirt bike with similar horsepower.

Now, a four-stroke engine, which is the most common type found on dirt bikes (as opposed to a two-stroke) has one power stroke, followed by an exhaust stroke, intake stroke, compression, and then another power stroke. This means the single-cylinder 450cc dirt bikes deliver their power to the ground over long intervals. That's the reason why these engines are usually referred to as thumpers.

To further illustrate this with a more practical example, imagine a full rotation of the rear wheel, which takes a whole 360 degrees. On a single-cylinder four-stroke motorcycle, power is delivered with each "thump," or power stroke, to the rear wheel during only one-quarter of those 360 degrees which is 25 percent of the time. With an electric motor, the power delivery is uninterrupted and provides an even better feeling of control, so those knobby tires will be working overtime transferring power to the ground.

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The fact of the matter is the Stark Varg flies on the dirt track, often quite literally, and with a starting MSRP of $12,900 for the 60-horsepower standard model along with its class-leading performance, it doesn't seem to be too expensive. As a reference, the very competent Yamaha YZ450F has an MSRP of $9,899. If the customer opts for the 80-horsepower Alpha trim, then the MSRP goes up by one thousand, reaching $13,900.

Technology is state-of-the-art and the Stark Varg features more than 100 ride modes customizable with an Android Stark app which allows the rider to adjust the power delivery curve, engine braking, and traction control, among other facets of the bike's behavior. Stark Future claims its priority is to offer a superior product in every aspect, and this technology, performance and build quality come hand-in-hand to deliver the full package. Stark Future also claims many of its test riders claim the Stark Varg feels incredibly light and easier to handle than any other equivalent dirt bike. If that's indeed the case, legacy dirt-bike manufacturers should be very worried right about now.

A car and motorcycle enthusiast, Bruno enjoys writing about and following up on what's happening in the industry. He's easy and friendly. Known to drop the bass on occasion.