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Only $10 for all 2026 SX, MX, and SMX series.
sounds sick. no, not really. hope it works out but hate the sound.
Fully functional bike
I wonder how many Varg's Stark has shipped.
What are the frame numbers?
I have a question towards your claim that storage capacity of lithium ion batteries has effectively maxed out long ago: how do you come to that conclusion?
This report from the US department for energy says there’s been a steady increase in capacity over the last decade:
Here’s the report with a link to their source of information: https://www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles/articles/fotw-1234-april-18-2022-volumetric-energy-density-lithium-ion-batteries
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This confuses me. I use almost 3 gallons of gas on a well jetted 250 and usually ride for about 1.3-1.5 hours. Tell me how a bike that is limited to 30 hardcore minutes of riding is not a changing my current riding situation?
Never mind that it sounds like a pissed off cat.
Power density by volume is an odd metric and seems applicable to consumer electronics only. Watt-hrs per kg would be a more helpful chart when discussing vehicles where volume isn’t really a limiting factor but weight is.
The guy that killed a Varg battery in 25 minutes in 95F weather could go through a FULL tank ( 1.7- 2 gallons) on a 450 in a 30 minute moto. Factory riders have runout of gas at Southwick multiple times as well as other tracks in 30 minutes or less.
If You are able to ride at Pro level speed for that amount of time without stopping , then You would not fall into the group he was referring to.
If You can ride for an Hour and a half on 3 gallons of gas You would likely fit into the 40ish minute group of riders. And You could do (2) 40 minute motos taking a single charging break. I do not mean this as an insult, I'm just basing what the riders in that " less than 1%" comment can do on 3 gallons of gas. They may get 45 to 50 minutes out of that 3 gallons on a 250 2 stroke.
Why should the density of a battery pack change much? And if density stays the same it doesn’t matter if you look at capacity per volume or capacity per mass.
I wasnt counting what was in the tank when I got there it's not meant to be scientific. Point is, the stark is offering 1.5 motos per full charge and I think that's not a great selling point. Most of the tracks I ride don't even have a bulldozer they own, so I'm not sure where this charging break is coming from because it isn't local infrastructure lol.
Are you trying to see if you can just show up with a full charge and ride all day?
If you're riding MX you're going to have to bring a generator or hook up a battery bank in your truck/van, there's not getting around that.
A generator to charge. How many tracks have a gas station onsite ? Why would anybody expect them to provide a way to charge? For around the price of an aftermarket pipe You can buy a decent inverter style generator that will hum along at 60DB or less. Harbor Freight has a couple under the price of a Full Ti system. Adding charging stations would cost less than a gas station and could also charge cars on off days.
A lot of people who have generators run electric pressure washers. And the ones who do not have a generator run gas powered pressure washers. Replace the gas washer with electric and an inverter and the pits get less noisy instead of louder. Many people at the local races around here already have a generator or gas pressure washer. So sound levels could still go down overall.
Or just keep riding the gas bike. Just like the 2 stroke VS 4 Stroke decision. The fastest, easiest to ride bike, may not be the bike for everybody. The runtime is not what they have been making the selling point. Electric has many other advantages over gas. And if those are not important to You Keep riding Gas bikes. Nobody is forcing anybody to buy or ride a Varg.
FFM (french federation) just authorized electric motorcycles to compete in elite supercross championship so expect to see some Vargs there quite soon (2 rounds done, 5 to go).
That will be great to assess the level of the bike in such a competitive environment. Also multiple riders from this SX championship already have experience or own a Varg, Josh Hill for instance, so wait and see...soon!
When Stark demoed the prototype Varg to journalists, it was using Molicel's 4200mAh cell, the production Varg uses Molicel's 4500mAh cell, the larger capacity cell does have higher volumetric and gravimetric density...
Volumetric and gravimetric density will increase with higher capacity cells.
Wont be long and you schmucks will be spending 50k just to ride 8 times a year.
Yeah, proofs my point. The 21700 cells Stark uses are the high discharge type, so that their able to pump out 80 HP. It would be possible to use 21700 high capacity cells with up to 5000 mAh for a big increase in range, but they would have to reduce the maximum power output of the bike. Maybe for an off-road model…
Just like with every new technology. It starts in the high price segment and trickles down over time. You‘ll see guys charging their Stark bikes with their 100k electric F-150 soon, but in a few years prices will drop (and people will realize how cheap a maintenance free bike and truck are).
Look at a Model 3. The cost of buying and operating one for a few years has dropped to a point that it’s one of the cheapest middle class cars.
Stark could use a 5000mAh battery, but it would reduce maximum power from 80hp down to 35hp, which is less than a 250f
Those cells have a higher puls rating. So a bike could have almost full power for a few seconds but less continuously. Wouldn’t be a problem for woods racing, but nothing for desert racing..
Pit Row
I know a quite few blokes that spend that much (or more) for that level of riding.
Poor (well, obviously not in terms on having money) Bastards.
You make up the most insane stuff. Maintenance on vehicles and bikes is maybe half engine related. Maybe in 400 years I'll recover the cost in an e-car in 10w30 savings and oil filters lol.
Yeah, I know… math is hard.
Electric bike with an exhaust pipe? What did I miss??
The joke.
" maintenance free" you say
So are you telling us that an electric bike never needs - tyres, chains,brake pads/discs, sprockets etc. ?
The shock/forks will never need a rebuild & will never leak ?
And of course the battery will never degrade ?
And the - e F150 you mentioned, will never need a - tyre, shock absorber, gas for the AC, brake pads & discs, coolant for the battery management system, power steering fluid, brake fluid etc.
The electric windows, central locking, heater & air con,cruise control,lights, navigation & other gadgets will never wear or stop working.
And again , the battery will never degrade?
A varg at full retail and generator is around what You would spend on a KTM factory edition, full and set of Cone valves/matching shock ,setup for you. After that point the Varg will cost less to ride. No air filters, clutch, engine maintenance and less gas. If You run race gas , You'll save a ton on gas and be able to build a private track if you have a few acres.
If You are the kind of rider who buys a NEW bike and keeps it for a few years, the Varg can cost less to own especially if you ride a ton of hours. As long as the chassis holds up simerly to the current gas bikes.
If You don't want to ride a Varg or whatever else comes out, Keep on ripping the YZ. But I really think you should try and ride one if you get the chance to and decide for yourself how it would fit you.
This is what you're missing. You're trying to bridge the gap from one ridiculous thing to another. I would never buy any of that stuff you mentioned. 98% of riders wont either. Air filters are $20 and I've never "worn one out". I have never needed to replace a clutch. I just don't ride that way. Race gas is a waste of money. The only thing preventing me from owning my own track is the heavy equipment. A varg has nothing to do with that.
If I do a top end every 30-35 hours we're looking at $5-6 per ride in maintenance over an E-Bike. Gas is not free and neither is electricity. That's a wash.
Dude, I hope it's the best motorcycle ever. I hope it makes me 5 seconds a lap faster. Truly. I just cant stand anyone thinking it is somehow apples to apples. This is a boutique, specialty motorcycle that comes with a ton of little caveats that any owner is going to have to accommodate. Stop saying it's cheaper in the long run or similar to own as a gas bike. It's not. It's double the price of nearly every current motorcycle except for a few new ones and it's going to be a pain in the balls to own and ride. I hope that the one moto you get to ride per trip on it is the best moto of your whole life though.
He is referring to the lack of engine maintenance. No oil, oil filter,air filters, top ends,valves, clutches, transmissions. All of those things will need to be done before You'll have to replace a battery nevermind a motor. I think the cells used in the Varg can be recharged 350-500 times. Lets say its in the middle, 400 times would give you 200 -300 hours of ride time.
How much time and money would it take to maintain a gas engine for that amount of hours? Nevermind one that can put out the power a Varg can. And would you pay a little more for a bike if You NEVER had to do any of those things? Another Pro for the Varg, a worn out battery will not lock the motor up on the face of a jump like a worn-out gas bike can.
I'm sure there will be some stuff the Varg can do well and not well, and it really just comes down to which bike will be more FUN to ride for you. Almost everybody who rides, is doing it for fun. The Varg and other bikes like it will allow people another option to have fun on.
Honestly if you're having this much trouble understanding that generators exist and that this a viable option for a lot of people then electric probably isn't for you, there's a level of implied competence that the owner needs to possess and you might not meet that standard.
I am shocked that you are saying only 200-300 hours of riding till the battery can't be recharged anymore.
This is a $7500 battery, if I remember correctly ?
I ride 2 strokes, and there is no way that I have ever needed to spend $7500 on engine maintenance for 200-300 riding hours
So, if I am generous and say 300 hours riding at £7500 for the battery, that's a $25 per hour of riding to cover battery degradation .
Well, the frames on my office wall disagree.
Ironically I think you're the one having trouble understanding. I guess read the post again? It's not hard having to conceptualize "buying a generator". Underhanded insults are super feminine.
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