Bicycles

Dual-battery, AWD trail monster rides the line between ebike and moped

Dual-battery, AWD trail monster rides the line between ebike and moped
The boundary pushing X-Trail Pro can ride with the front hub only, or rear only, or both together
The boundary pushing X-Trail Pro can ride with the front hub only, or rear only, or both together
View 4 Images
The boundary pushing X-Trail Pro can ride with the front hub only, or rear only, or both together
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The boundary pushing X-Trail Pro can ride with the front hub only, or rear only, or both together
The X-Trail Pro is pitched as a street-legal ride, but with 1,750 watts of motor power on tap it will spend much of its life tearing up the dirt
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The X-Trail Pro is pitched as a street-legal ride, but with 1,750 watts of motor power on tap it will spend much of its life tearing up the dirt
The X-Trail Pro rolls on 4inch fat tires, and benefits from full suspension
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The X-Trail Pro rolls on 4inch fat tires, and benefits from full suspension
The low-step frame is able to accommodate a wide range of rider heights - from 4ft11 to 6ft5
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The low-step frame is able to accommodate a wide range of rider heights - from 4ft11 to 6ft5
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Ebike startup Bandit recently opened its first direct-to-consumer bricks-and-mortar store in Santa Monica, California, and is celebrating with the launch of a long-range, dual-motor, full-suspension beast called the X-Trail Pro.

Described as a street-legal ebike – though its top pedal-assist and throttle speeds exceed the limits for Class 1/2 and 3, so some paperwork will likely be needed before hitting the road – the Bandit X-Trail Pro would be more accurately dubbed an electric moped and is obviously geared towards off-road thrill seeking – the clue is in the name.

The overpowering fun starts with a 750-W front-hub motor combined with a 1,000-W rear hub for a top speed of 42 mph (67.5 km/h). It rocks a cadence sensor with seven levels of pedal-assist, which isn't as responsive as the torque sensor but if you need a push from the motor, a twist throttle has been included for e-moto-like acceleration to 38 mph. And there's a 7-speed Shimano Altus gearset for more flexible ride options.

There's a 960-Wh battery to the front and a second 720-Wh battery under the seat, both removable for charging indoors. Bandit reckons that the X-Trail Pro has rolled for more than 120 miles (190+ km) per charge in testing.

The X-Trail Pro is pitched as a street-legal ride, but with 1,750 watts of motor power on tap it will spend much of its life tearing up the dirt
The X-Trail Pro is pitched as a street-legal ride, but with 1,750 watts of motor power on tap it will spend much of its life tearing up the dirt

The ebike/moped is built around a 6061 aluminum alloy frame with a low step-over height to support rider heights from 4.9 to 6.5 ft (1.5 - 2 m). It soaks up uneven terrain courtesy of 20-inch wheels with 4-inch puncture-resistant CST fat tires, dual-coil squish to the rear and a suspension fork up front, and stops with the help of Nutt four-piston hydraulic disc brakes with 180-mm rotors.

There's a waterproof moto-styled LED headlight and rear lighting with integrated turn signaling, a moped-style nylon padded seat, and a sporty BMX-like handlebar with a color LCD display in the middle that allows for switching between front-wheel drive, rear only or both. Riders can unlock the X-Trail Pro using a digital passcode or NFC card, and a companion app is incoming for custom tweaking plus subscription-based GPS tracking and anti-theft chops.

Bandit has launched a pre-order funding campaign on Indiegogo, where perks start at US$1,999. The usual crowdfunding cautions apply but if all goes to plan, shipping is estimated to start in September. The video below has more.

Riders looking for something less monstrous, and cheaper, might want to check out the Engwe M20 moto-inspired ebike or Aventon's Sinch 2 step-through folder.

Update June 27: The company has confirmed that a speed limiter is in place for Class 3 street riding, and riders can disable this for off-roading.

Introducing Bandit X-Trail Pro - The World's Fastest Street Legal eBike

Source: Bandit

View gallery - 4 images
4 comments
4 comments
Altema22
Interesting bike, but they will need to change the name. Bandit is legally trademarked to Spark CycleWorks, and the real Bandit has been on the market for years.
Uncle Anonymous
The fact that this ebike can do 42 MPH isn't that big a deal. I'm sure there is some sort of provision to limit the speed and power of this ebike. As for me, I like the design of this ebike and the fact that it has all-wheel drive. If I didn't already own an off-road capable ebike, I would seriously consider buying one of these.
cacarr
The Ariel Rider Grizzly has dual 1000W motors, dual 52V batteries (totalling 35Ah) -- compared to this bike's 48V batteries -- and it doesn't go over 40. Neither will this bike.


Chunk Applegrabber
I, for one, am entranced by the impending spectacle of new riders, on 20" wheels, hitting ruts off-road at 40 MPH.