Posts
12
Joined
1/11/2022
Location
Burbank, CA, USA
Edited Date/Time
2/5/2022 2:58pm
Here is a DirtRider article on the KTM Electric race bike that DirtFirstRacing has been developing for the last year. This is a production Freeride EXC that has been set up for 12-16yr olds. So far the best result has been 3rd overall Supermini at a Glen Helen SwapMoto race last month. With all the hype and speculation going on currently with the Stark Varg announcement, if anyone has any questions about what it is actually like racing an electric bike in SoCal MX and NHHA races, feel free to ask.
https://www.dirtrider.com/story/racing/2021-off-road-racebikes-andy-lag…
https://www.dirtrider.com/story/racing/2021-off-road-racebikes-andy-lag…
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Saw that article last week, Dirt First. Super cool build! I'd been wondering if anyone had attempted to race the Freeride E since it is about the size of a Supermini already. The weight is obviously a factor, but it looks competitive and you've proven that.
How long are the motos you're doing in the GH series?
We ran 5 lap motos on the GH main track, and got 2 motos out of a battery before swapping out just to be safe.
Any other areas aside from weight where you feel there could be some performance improvements. You mentioned in the article that you've been going down teeth on the rear sprocket so you can achieve longer pull on top. Have you found that happy medium yet of torque vs. top speed?
Also very curious about heat and cooling. The Freeride E is liquid cooled (although from what I understand, that's only for the controller...?), but have you had any issues with thermal warnings for the battery pack or anything of that nature?
I'm surprised that the Stark Varg will be entirely reliant on air-cooling if they are attempting to have it compete in the AMA National and MXGP classes, but perhaps it was a weight issue.
Here are some current gearing sizes we are using:
Stock gearing- 11/48
Glen Helen main track- 13/40
Glen Helen REM track- 12/40
NHHA Lucerne- 13/38
We have never had any thermal issues with the Freeride on MX tracks. We did hit a thermal limit during an NHHA race last year. It went into a reduced power mode at the top of a super long, loose hillclimb a couple laps in a row. My rider had to stop and turn the key switch on and off and then it was ok. After that I switched to Engine Ice coolant, mounted two 3" 12v fans on the radiators, opened up the venting in the skidplate, and it never happened again. I put a coolant temp sensor on it and it never goes over 130F. The coolant flows around the motor and controller on the Freeride, but doesn't directly cool the battery.
On the Stark being aircooled- Word on the street is that there is only one Sony battery cell that is currently available that can deliver the performance they are claiming, and the cells would have to be mounted on the actual battery casing, so it can dissipate heat better than in past designs. The first KTM Freeride prototypes in 2008-2012 were aircooled, but for the production bikes they added water cooling.
Just, don't underestimate the difficulties of delivering enough power to the paddock when many will want to charge at the same time. People will probably need to charge their EV cars together with their EV MX bikes, so infrastructure will be a key point in the medium term future.
I do not easily see track owners manage these costs in my area (Italy) but I could of course be wrong
Pit Row
Looks awesome by the way 👍🏻
I dunno, running it as a spec class would be less expensive for the racers if the promoters could verify that they are all OEM at the track.
It works great on shorter tracks. Got my deposit in on a Stark too.
Right now, I prefer to show up with enough batteries to last the day without having to charge any at the track. This works with the KTM because battery swaps take 50 seconds, this isn't going to work with the Stark Varg because the battery takes much longer to swap.
Not all tracks you have to wait to ride, or some will do first hour open. And if racing, well, back to back motos happen!
If the track is open practice I’ll get a drink, let heart rate come down and go out again. Sometimes plop down for 15-20 min sure, but the narrative of “charging between motos” is complete and utter bullshit.
BTW not a hater on progress, E bikes, etc., but we don’t all spend our day at the track sitting in a lawn chair.
I’m not anti vax——electric bike. I mean I love just swapping batteries for my kids stacyc. But she runs it completely dead and I charge it full.
This doesn’t work very well for range or quick recharge at the track, so you should consider either swapping batteries or accepting a shortened life.
I have Pelican cases that the batteries fit in perfectly, and they have handles and wheels on them so I can drag them through the dirt easier.
One time we were testing out in the desert and Rocco ran out of charge, nothing left. I grabbed one of the Pelican cases with a battery in it and rode it out to him on a TRX300EX quad, swapped the battery right where he was, and he got on the bike and kept going!
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