Electric Dirt Bike Buying Guide 2022
Electric dirt bikes or e-dirt bikes are rapidly growing in popularity. We are starting to see some major dirt bike brands getting on board to produce an electric dirt bike.
You can enjoy the benefits of an electric-powered bike while still getting the thrills of off-road riding as you do on your regular gas-powered dirt bike, but without the emissions.
There are many advantages to an electric dirt bike:
- Zero emissions: A huge benefit when you consider the tightening emission laws, especially with two-stroke motorcycles.
- Less Maintenance: No more regular oil changes, engine rebuilds, and air filter cleaning.
- Less Noise: This is a huge factor when riding in forests or near other people. Many motocross tracks have closed or moved further out because of sprawling residential areas closing in on existing tracks.
- Lower Running Costs: An electric motor will not require the same level of maintenance as an internal combustion engine (ICE), and there is no fuel and oil to be purchased regularly.
- Torque: 100% of their torque is available straight off the line.
The Disadvantages:
- Purchase Price: E-bikes have been more expensive since their inception. A low-end e-bike can retail for as much as a top-end ICE bike.
- Battery life: This has always been an issue for a lot of people. A lot of the extra cost is in the battery. Buying extra batteries may not be an option for a lot of electric motorcycle buyers.
Electric Dirt Bike Buying Guide – How To Choose
Choosing the right electric dirt bike to suit your particular needs can be confusing. There are a lot of specifications to go through, and they vary wildly.
It is important to understand a few basics before choosing:
Charging Time:
The charging time is always specified with the bike and can range from about 1.3 hours for a bike like the KTM Freeride EXC up to 9.7 hours for the ZERO FX ZF7.2.
Obviously the shorter the charge time, the better. A swappable battery is a definite advantage, as it allows you to keep a fully charged battery at the ready.
This will be a common feature as electric bikes become more common in motocross, and the battery can be easily swapped out between races.
KTM has been using their ‘hot swappable’ batteries in the FREERIDE E-XC for several years now. Riders can lift the seat and swap the battery in seconds.
Range:
This is simply the distance the bike will travel on a single charge. Several factors influence this, most importantly the capacity of the battery pack.
Manufacturers specify this as an estimate in either minutes or distance traveled in km/miles. Other factors like how hard/fast you are riding, the motor size, power requirements, and the temperature you are riding in will affect this.
It is important to be aware of these estimates before you decide to buy.
Power:
The power of an electric bike varies considerably depending on the type of bike. You need to consider this based on your own previous experience with motorcycles and the type of riding you want to do.
The lightweight, almost mountain bike style e-bikes like the Bultaco Brinco R at 2 KW, the Sur-Ron X at 6 KW, and the Cake Kalk OR at 11 KW are ideal for inexperienced or lightweight riders.
If you are more experienced with gas-powered dirt bikes and used to an abundance of power, then the more powerful bikes like the ZERO FX ZF7.2 will be more suited to you.
You will still have to adjust to the instant torque, and no clutch characteristics of an electric bike though.
Seat Height:
Choosing a bike with the right seat height is crucial to your riding comfort and enjoyment, especially if you are purchasing a bike for a child.
Seat height is always listed in the specifications for the bike. The general rule is that you should be able to just touch the balls of your feet on both sides of the bike, with all of your weight on the bike.
If you can sit on the bike with both feet flat on the ground, then you are too big for the bike.
If you are looking for a bike for a growing child, you can allow a little bit for growth, like being able to touch one foot on the ground. You don’t want to be having to buy another bike in about a year because they have outgrown it.
Below is a guide to help you match seat height to your child’s age/height.
There are adjustments you can make to lower a dirt bike seat height, as outlined in this post: How To Lower a Dirt Bike Seat Height
Maximum Speed:
Maximum speed varies between models. Adult E-Dirt Bikes can have a top speed of between 34 to 84 mph (55 – 135 kph).
Kids electric dirt bikes have a lower maximum speed of between 13 to 17 mph (20 – 27 kph).
Speeds vary due to factors like rider weight, in-built speed settings, and options at purchase.
Weight:
The weight of electric dirt bikes varies greatly depending on the type of bike you are looking at.
The lightweight bikes like the Kuberg FreeRider weighing 36kg/79lbs, or the Bultaco Brinco at 39kg/86lbs would be more of a motorized mountain bike than a fully-fledged motorcycle, so are very lightweight.
When you compare them to the full-scale motorcycles like the ZERO FX ZF7.2 at 131kg/289lbs, or the KTM Freeride E-XC at 110kg/245lbs, then the weight increases dramatically. They weigh as much, if not more than an ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) bike.
It is a good idea to try out a bike before you buy it as a comparison to other bikes you have ridden.
It all depends on the type of riding you want to do, the terrain you ride, and your own bodyweight as to what is best suited to you.
Weight Limit:
Most e-bike manufacturers also specify a weight limit, which may be as low as about 70 kg (152 lbs) for an adult bike right up to about 155 kg (341 lbs) for a larger bike like the ZERO.
Advances in material technology in recent years now allow some pretty heavy loads to be placed on lightweight alloy materials, so some lightweight bikes can withstand high loads.
Look at the modern motocross bikes and the forces they withstand from massive jumps. Older bikes from decades ago would have broken in half if subjected to those loads.
Price:
Even before you start looking at the specifications of the E-bikes available, you need to consider your budget first. This will give you a range of bikes that are in your price range and eliminate those that are not, narrowing down the options, and saving you some time.
can range from about US5000 up to about US14,000 for adult bikes, and for kids’ bikes from as little as US200 up to about US1,800.
Electric Dirt Bike Batteries
Battery technology is constantly changing and improving. They are becoming lighter, smaller, and with longer ranges.
Most batteries used in electric dirt bikes are Lithium-Ion batteries. There are many different types and all have their own advantages and disadvantages.
They last longer than the old-style lead-acid batteries, but they do require specialized equipment to manage them.
Swappable batteries like used in the KTM Freeride E-XC allow riders to quickly swap the battery with a fully charged battery and get back to riding. This will be a common feature in years to come.
Electric Dirt Bikes For Kids
Razor MX650 Dirt RocketMost of the electric motorcycle manufacturers are producing bikes targeted at the kids market, so there is quite a selection to choose from.
There are a lot of advantages to choosing an electric bike for your child to learn on:
Versatile Power Delivery:
Most of the kids’ electric bikes have ‘tuneable’ power. This means that the bike can be detuned to be really mellow and easy to use when they are just starting off.
As they gain more experience and become more confident, you can simply increase the power to suit their skill level.
Environmentally Friendly:
One of the biggest advantages of electric dirt bikes is that they don’t make any noise. You can ride them almost anywhere, the local park, or any open space in your neighborhood.
You’re not going to get noise complaints from neighbors or people nearby.
The noise factor with dirt bikes has always been an issue when it comes to finding places to ride. Some electric dirt bikes are street legal, so they can also be ridden on the road, like the KTM Freeride E-XC (can be made street legal in some USA states) and the Zero FX.
Easy to maintain:
Electric dirt bikes don’t need anywhere near the same amount of maintenance as a petrol-powered dirt bike. No spark plugs, no oil changes, and engine rebuilds, no coolant, and no air filter cleaning.
There are still the basics like chain, brakes, suspension adjustments, and then you just have to make sure that the battery is charged. This is a big deciding factor for parents when considering whether to get them into dirt bikes.
Easier to ride:
No clutch or gear shifting. Great for kids just starting out. Since you don’t have gears, there is no need for a clutch.
Yamaha Electric Motocross Bike – Prototype
Yamaha Motor Europe has produced a prototype electric motocross bike in collaboration with battery system manufacturer SPIKE (now called ELEO), Dutch engineering company DOHMS Projects, and the Royal Dutch Motorcyclists Association KNMV.
The electric motor and battery system are retrofit into an existing YZ250F chassis.
The new bike will feature a swappable battery to allow riders to easily swap out the battery between races. This is a very important factor for electric dirt bikes as currently battery still life cannot match a gas-powered bike.
Another major factor of an electric dirt bike is power delivery. They have much more torque right from the outset.
“I am convinced that the electric machine we are building will soon be faster than the current generation of dirt bikes. The big advantage of an electric motor is that the torque is much higher. That gives more pulling power. You can drive a faster lap with it”, said Bas Verkaik of ELEO.
A quiet dirt bike! Electric dirt bike technology is being pushed by ever-increasing noise and emission restrictions.
As electric dirt bikes make very little noise, motocross tracks under threat of closure due to noise restrictions can remain open as noise won’t be a factor anymore.
Electric dirt bikes are also good news for trail riders who will be able to ride in areas without attracting noise complaints.
There is no word yet on when the Yamaha Electric Motocross bike will go into production. We will keep you posted.
Sur Ron Storm Bee
This aggressive-looking dirt bike made its debut at the EICMA Milan Motorcycle Show in 2019. It’s a full-sized electric motocross bike designed for both beginner and Pro riders. It is Sur Ron’s second production bike after the Light Bee X.
This bike has a serious dirt bike look about it. It is equipped with a 96V 48Ah lithium battery pack with an integrated charger and brake regen. It is not a swappable battery.
It has a 93-mile range at a speed of 31 mph. plus an additional 10 miles because of the brake regen.
The Storm Bee features a forged aluminum alloy frame which is durable and lightweight. Hydraulic disc brakes also feature ABS anti-lock braking. DVO adjustable front forks give 11.4 inches of travel, with a matching adjustable rear air shock.
A 22.5Kw motor propels the bike. It offers 520N-m (382 ft-lbs) of torque and provides awesome acceleration up to a top speed of 68mph/110 km/hr.
The charge time is 4 hours. Its weight is 260lbs/118kg and has a seat height of 36 inches/914mm, making it more suitable for taller riders.
The Sur Ron Storm Bee can be pre-ordered from the Sur Ron website as it is not yet available in the US at the time of writing. If you would like to check out one in person you can visit one of their dealers Luna Cycles in Long Beach California.
The Honda/Mugen Collaboration Prototypes
We are all familiar with Honda as one of the biggest names in the motorcycle industry.
Mugen is a Japanese motorsports company founded in 1973. They are an engine tuner and parts manufacturer that manufactures OEM parts for Honda. Mugen was co-founded by the son of Honda founder Soichiro Honda.
A few years ago, the Honda-Mugen collaboration produced two new prototype dirt bikes. The Honda CR and the Mugen E.Rex. The two bikes were almost identical except for the bodywork design.
The Honda CR took its inspiration from the CRF lineup. The Mugen took its design influence from the Shinden electric superbike which featured vortex-creating aerodynamic fairings.
The ‘ribs’ from the first E.Rex dinosaur design are still present but modernized to look more like cooling gills. It looks very striking, especially with the zigzagging side number plates.
Tech specs like battery size, motor power, and weight of the bikes are not available at this stage.
Nether Honda or Mugen are releasing updates about when the two concept bikes will be released to the public. Here’s hoping we see them in the not too distant future.
Alta Motors Redshift MXR – Sadly no longer produced
The Alta Motors Redshift was the only fully-fledged competitive electric motocross bike to be released into production. It was so good that it had even competed in the Erzberg Rodeo, one of the toughest extreme enduro events in the world.
It weighed in at a fairly hefty 117kg, was able to be recharged in 1.5 hours, and produced 50 horsepower, delivered via three different riding modes.
It was able to reach a top speed of 114 km/h, pretty impressive in the electric dirt bike world. It featured WP suspension front and rear.
The company was in financial difficulty when in 2018 Harley Davidson invested in the company to form a partnership for the development of electric motorcycles.
Harley Davidson had been struggling with electric motorcycle development even though they had recently introduced the Livewire (used by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman in the long-awaited Apple TV series ‘Long Way Up’). The partnership would be mutually beneficial to both companies.
Six months into the partnership Harley Davidson ended the deal. They had decided to build their own Research and Development center in Silicon Valley.
By October 2018 Alta Motors had closed down. If you want to purchase one they are still available on the secondhand market.
Conclusion
We are seeing the dawn of a new era in dirt bike technology. Battery technology is not there yet, but get there it will.
If you need proof, you only have to look at the advances in cell phone battery technology. It wasn’t that long ago that a cell phone was the size of a brick, now look at where cell phone battery technology is.
The benefits of electric dirt bikes (or any electric vehicle for that matter) are obvious. Less noise, less maintenance, zero emissions, lower running costs.
Combine that with the superior torque and pulling power of an electric motor, and you have a competitive dirt bike that can outperform a petrol-powered bike.
Once the battery technology improves and the swappable batteries allow you to quickly fit a fully charged battery, you will see increasing numbers of electric bikes in motocross competition and all other fields of dirt bike riding.
While we all love the smell and sound of two-stroke or four-stroke engines, it doesn’t mean we have to give up on traditional internal combustion engines, but we have to look to the future.
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What are your thoughts on electric dirt bikes? Are they the way of the future?
Honda And Greenger Motors Developing CRF-E2 Electric Dirt Bike
In collaboration with Greenger Motors, Honda just has released the new Honda CRF-E2, the first electric dirt bike on the market for the Japanese brand. We are talking about electric dirt bikes for kids, which is a risky and innovative decision from the red giant that is Honda.
Electric motor vehicles are a reality in today’s market, and year after year, the development of new vehicles is mostly based on electric capacity. This is now a big part of the wide range of options in the transport market, and Honda and Greenger Motors have partnered to make riding dirtbikes a fun and thrilling experience with the introduction of CRF-E2.
The CRF-E2 Electric Dirt Bike: About Honda
For Honda, being the number one selling brand in the motorcycle industry around the world is not enough. They want to continue expanding their overall sales to every single niche among the two-wheel enthusiasts. In this case, they are approaching a market that, even though might be a Smart decision, is not common for big motor companies.
Honda produces vehicles in almost every segment, we are talking about cars, motorcycles, scooters, etc. It is also not news that Honda produces amazing dirt bikes for adults and children, but the game just got even more interesting.
Here is where Greenger enters the discussion. With their big knowledge in the electric environment and all the big industry features that Honda can put on the table, the development of the Honda CRF-E2 is without a doubt something that cannot be overlooked.
The CRF-E2 Electric Dirt Bike: About Greenger Motors
Greenger Motors is a U.S. company established in 2017, and it is focused on the development of digitally connected electric vehicle platforms for all types of vehicles, including on and off-road.
Leaving aside the fact that they produce their own motorcycles, what is important to know about this company is the big effort that they put into developing new technologies. All this development is represented in about 20 technical patents that support all of Greenger’s work and might give us a perfect idea of the bright future that this company has.
Greenger’s production is based on stable power for vehicles like batteries and generators, accessories, and software. In the company’s five years of existence, they’ve experienced significant growth, and the fact that Honda is willing to work with them in the development of a bike segment that isn’t predominantly a main FOCUS for Honda is impressive and give us an idea of how well headed all this project is.
About The CRF-E2 Electric Dirt Bike
Let’s talk about the CRF-E2. This new motorcycle has been introduced into the market by Honda, even though it is not fully produced by them. The CRF-E2 is built by Greenger Powersports, but as an officially licensed product for Honda. With a price of 2,950 in the U.S., the bike enters the competition for the best 50cc motorbike for kids.
Furthermore, the CRF-E2 electric dirtbike and its motor is an equivalent of 50cc bikes (but without the emission and noise) and it is powered by a lithium-ion battery. As with many electric vehicles, this bike has no clutch nor shifter, making it the perfect alternative for introducing a kid to the world of motorsport.
Specifications and Features of The CRF-E2 Electric Dirt Bike
The Honda CRF-E2 has a 48v-BLDC electric motor capable of delivering a maximum power of 2.5 KW. The motor has a run time of two hours when fully charged and has a maximum torque of 18.40 lb-ft.
This electric bike is mainly built in aluminum, with a weight of 105 lbs. It has all the features of a top Honda motorcycle, like hydraulic disc brakes in front and rear, adjustable brake levers, adjustable seat height, and a maximum output of 3.4 HP.
The fact that the CRF-E2 is electric gives users a lot of security, which is really important because of its market target. Be reminded that this cute piece of engineering is meant for children, but you are going to have so much fun too.
One of the most important features is that it has an interchangeable battery. This is an easy solution as the small size of the bikes in this category wouldn’t allow for big batteries in the chassis, as it’ll reduce the bike’s autonomy, resulting in performance dips.
Generally, batteries need to be fully charged to release their full power, but with interchangeable batteries, the problem is easily avoided. Having a pair of spare batteries is enough to ensure high performance on a long ride or a full day on the track.
The CRF-E2 Electric Dirt Bike: What’s The Bottom Line
The CRF-E2 has a perfect balance between efficiency, comfort, security, and durability, making it the perfect option to introduce kids from a young age into the motorcycle world. The bike offers really high performance and with all the benefits that an electric motor can offer.
Also, an important feature that can put the CRF-E2 ahead of its competitors such as the KTM SX-E5, or the Husqvarna EE-5 is that for a bike that is about 2,000 cheaper, it offers two levels of power and a lot of more customizable characteristics to adjust every CRF-E2 to the needs of every kid.
Is Honda going to expand this idea to full-size motorbikes? They should, having electric options in a market that has remained largely unchanged in the last years can be a decisive point in choosing Honda.
Honda The Power of Dreams
Honda launched the world’s first commercially available electric motorcycle in 1994, and has been the world leader in electric motorcycles ever since. In recent years, Honda has been addressing the issues of electric motorcycles, such as cruising range and charging time, with the Mobile Power Pack, a replaceable battery, and aims to expand this technology to business-use electric motorcycles by 2021 to further popularize electric motorcycles.
1.Aiming for the Spread of Electric Motorcycles
Honda has set the goals of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and zero fatalities in traffic accidents and is working to achieve these goals.
We have positioned the electrification of motorcycles as one of our efforts to achieve our goal of becoming carbon neutral. We have been working on electric motorcycles since the development of the CUV-ES, the world’s first electric motorcycle that was put on the market in 1994, and in 2018, we announced the PCX ELECTRIC as an electric motorcycle for Japan and other ASEAN countries.
Since there are four challenges to the widespread adoption of electric motorcycles: cruising range, charging time, battery performance, and cost, we have continued to work on solutions to these issues. The PCX ELECTRIC announced in 2018 showed one way to solve the challenges of electric motorcycles by using the replaceable Honda Mobile Power Pack as a power source.
2.Electrification of Motorcycles for Business Use
We want to make electric motorcycles with excellent environmental performance more accessible to more customers. With this in mind, we are developing the Honda e:Business Bike series to provide easy-to-use business bikes that maximize the advantages of EVs to support a variety of business situations.
We are developing the BENLY e: a two-wheeled and compact motorcycle with a high load capacity that enables it to perform a variety of pickup and delivery tasks; the GYRO e: a three-wheeled motorcycle with a large, low-floor cargo bed that does not swing and is suitable for delivering heavy or bulky cargo; and the GYRO CANOPY e: a three-wheeled motorcycle with a roof and a swinging cargo bed that is suitable for lightweight loading and food delivery.
Compared to personal use, where the destination is unspecified, in business use, the Honda Mobile Power Pack can operate on a regular route and distance, and return to the store for recharging and battery replacement, thus maximizing the effectiveness of the Honda Mobile Power Pack, which can replace the power source.
The Best Electric Dirt Bikes of 2023
Remarkably, only one of them went for the Dirt-E joke.
The motoring world is going electric. And it’s not just fancy, 1,000-horsepower, six-figure electric trucks. Electric motorcycle options have been increasing over the past few years. And even the relatively humble and underpowered dirt bike segment now offers a proliferation of emissions-free options — and we’re here to help you separate the battery-powered wheat from the chaff.
Why You Should Get an Electric Dirt Bike
Helps Save the Planet: Smaller motorcycles are far from the most fuel-thirsty vehicles. But electric dirt bikes still reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and every little bit helps.
Less Maintenance: Electric motors require far fewer moving parts. That means more time riding and less time (and money) replacing parts. You also don’t need to buy things like oil.
Less Noise: Electric dirt bikes do make some noise, but they make less than internal-combustion dirt bikes — noise that can diminish the enjoyment of being in nature for riders and those nearby.
Accessible to New Riders: Like electric cars, electric dirt bikes do not need a manual transmission. This may disappoint some riders looking for a traditional feel. But it’s also way easier to manage while off-road.
Torque: Electric dirt bikes tend to have a lot of torque, and it comes on instantly. This helps them accelerate rapidly and feel quick in everyday riding.
What to Look For
Street Legality: Like combustion dirt bikes, many of them will not be street-legal. And you may live in a municipality that will confiscate and crush them if you try to use them for that — electric or not. There are dual-sport electric dirt bikes (lighter than adventure motorcycles), which can also be used as commuter bikes. But make sure you clarify that before buying.
Battery Range: Range is a significant drawback to any electric vehicle. You want to ensure you have enough range to do the amount of riding you’re planning. expensive electric dirt bikes will have range that can exceed what most drives can handle physically. But that may be costly.
Battery Charging: A nother important factor beyond range is how long it takes to charge the battery. Shorter is better. Manufacturers may offer accessories that improve charging speed. Some dirt bikes can instantly swap in a newly charged battery and return to the trail.
How We Tested
Gear Patrol writers and editors are continually testing the best electric dirt bikes on a variety of terrains to update this guide looking at features like comfort, ease of use and riding characteristics. Our testers have spent time riding the Zero XF and the Cake Kalk INK so far; however, we’ll be updating this guide as we continue to test more models.
Zero’s FX isn’t a one-trick pony; it’s good at a little bit of everything. It’s fast but torque-heavy up front. For comparison, it’s nimble but still about 50 pounds heavier than KTM’s 350EXC-F. And it’s quiet, which anyone who’s ridden a dual sport before knows has distinct advantages and downsides. (Upsides include not disturbing nature as you ride through and saving your eardrums; cons include being unable to announce yourself to other riders on the trail or cars on the street.)
The FX’s ride is very smooth — from city streets to rutted-out trails and even completely off-road in the ungroomed wild. The tires grip well on city streets, even after a light rain. The FX can reach a top speed of 85, but I rarely found myself pushing it above 65 — this is a great cruising bike built for the trails as much as it is for the road. The acceleration feels torque-y until you get the hang of the feeling; I’d recommend starting in Eco until you get a feel for how the bike handles, experienced rider or not.
The profile is lean and mean, just as advertised. Your tester is 5’4” and weigh 110 pounds, and she could handle and maneuver this bike with relative ease, although she did make sure to get comfortable on the bike on uncrowded trails before taking it to the streets. Zero says the charging time is 1.3 hours, but I found it to be much longer than that. the bike was delivered to me with an 80 percent charge, and it took more than two hours to get it full. The range is 91 miles which is a solid day’s ride, but unless you have the means to give the bike a good overnight charge, you’ll be SOL the next day. And that 91-mile range is in the city — if you’re riding on the highway at 70 mph without starting and stopping, it drops to 39 miles per charge.
We’ve been fans of Swedish manufacturer Cake — and Stefan Ytterborn’s helmet/eyewear/apparel brand, POC — for years. Founded in 2016, Cake has consistently put out smooth, innovative electric bikes that offer both gorgeous looks and purpose-built function.
The Kalk class of offroaders, however, is much more about play than work. The street-legal Kalk INK picks up quick thanks to 252Nm of electric torque, while reliable suspension (200mm of travel) and beefy dual-sport motorcycle tires help you keep the shiny side up from the road to the trails.
- Removable battery charges from 0 to 80 percent in two hours, 0 to 100 percent in three
- Three ride modes and three braking modes adapt to your style and environment
- Not exactly the cushiest seat on the planet (or this page)
- You must come to a full stop to adjust ride and braking modes