I know many folks who dismissed Stark's initial announcement of the Varg, a 60–80 horsepower electric dirt bike intended to compete with conventional gas-powered motocross bikes, as just another ambitious EV project that would never reach the market.
Then, in 2021, the Spanish manufacturer claimed it had created the fastest and most thrilling motocross bike in the world. Years of testing, manufacturing leaps, and achieving street legality later, here we are.
And now, it has been officially announced that a supermoto version of the Varg is coming! A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) decoder for the street-legal Varg EX and Varg SM was recently released by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which all but confirmed the news.
According to our friend Dennis Chung over at Motorcycle.com, the electric supermoto might arrive as early as this year. If you're still a pessimist, here's further proof: NHTSA has also opened different files in its database of recalls, investigations, complaints, and manufacturer correspondence for the new incoming model.
We’re talking about a bike that was so good it was barred from the X-Games. But it’s not the only one – for X-games has banned all electric motorcycles from its competition.
Because of their enormous power, reduced reciprocating mass, and lighter weights, it seemed like these EV dirt bikes would revolutionize the sport and dominate the X Games. But all of that has gone crumbling down with the ban, in the interest of "maintaining a level playing field."
A street-legal hooligan variant of the motocrosser would have been pretty wild. Just imagine the power you’d have at the twist of the throttle. After all, how many proper electric supermotos have we seen in the past?
There was the 134-horsepower Axiis Liion Supermoto that never really saw the light of the day. The BRD Redshift emerged, as well as the more-renowned Zero FXE that perhaps came the closest to a street-legal supermoto in the States. Truth be told, though, the FXE was always too heavy to really qualify as a proper hooligan machine.
So, with the Stark Varg SM, we’ll likely see a big gap in the motorcycle industry being covered. But what will it possibly look like? Details are thin at the moment, apart from a few things we already know about.
The SM would be the second road-legal model in the Spanish brand's lineup, being based on the EX. This means that the same bewildering powertrain options will be offered on the SM: one with 44 kW (about 60 horsepower) that would be enough to surpass the likes of the Husqvarna FS 450 and KTM 450 SMR. The other trim will come with 60 kW (about 80 horsepower), which will enable it to compete against the Hypermotard 698 and the KTM 690 SMC R.
You'd better believe that the EV will exceed the performance of its ICE foes, thanks to its peak torque of about 700 lb-ft (949 Nm). What I'd like to learn more about is its claimed range, though.
The 7.2-kWh battery pack on the EX is good for about six hours of running time on the trails, but with SM likely spending longer time on a track at higher speeds, that range should drop considerably.
Instead of the Varg EX's 21-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels, it is likely to have 17-inch wheels. It will also probably have less travel than EX's 11.8 inches up front and 11.9 inches down back. Additionally, it ought to be constructed using the same framework, which consists of a carbon fiber subframe and a chromoly steel frame.
The Varg EX has a claimed 264-lb (120-kg) weight, and the SM will in all likelihood be lighter and lower due to the difference in wheel size and suspension. This would make it ideal for street riding, and for shorter and more inexperienced riders.
The Stark Varg EX is priced at US$12,900, and delivery to the United States is anticipated to start in June. When and at what price the SM will come remains a mystery for now. Would you consider it?
Via: Motorcycle.com