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12/4/2022
Location
Johnsonville, NY, USA
So I’m getting ready to pull the trigger on either a PW50 or a SX-E2 for my kid. I like the sx better because the price is close to pw, it has actual suspension and good brakes. My question is though is this thing gonna be eligible to race? If so with the PW class? Or is it going to get lumped in to the SX-E5 or E3 class that they have now? If it’s not going to be eligible then I will just get the pw. All the digging around I’ve done I can’t really get a straight answer. I’ve seen one in person and it has three power Modes like a staysic. I’d say on top level it’s definitely faster than a pw but it’s no where near a E3 or E5.
Most "PW" classes are air-cooled or shaft-drive. I think the 4-6 class has a little more flexibility. The PW is a great bike, my kid loves his.
Get the PW. When you go out and your kid is pumped on it and wants to keep shredding, all ya gotta do is toss some gas in it. Plus PW'S really are timeless and will hold its value if it is taken care of. Sure in special applications the e-bikes are cool, but in my opinion the tech still isnt there. Give it some more time and me along with a lot of people will probabaly be changing our minds. The PW is not a maintenace nightmare and they have done well for every single top pro since the 80s right down to the kid who just rides on the farm for fun.
Unlike the rest of the SX-E line, the E2 has a swappable power tool type battery, so that will mitigate the refueling issue to some degree.
And the battery is relatively inexpensive, and most likely available at many Husky power equipment dealers . Who knows maybe at some point they will be available in some of the big chain stores that sell Husky power equipment too. I think that with around 3 batteries You could be able to stay going all day as long as You had power to keep recharging.
If You have enough room in Your yard You could make a small track . Or even a corner and small jump is fun when its that or nothing.
I had a small BMX/pit bike track out behind my house when I was a kid. All of us kids got together and made a track that ran across the backs of all our yards. Bicycles were fine, but when we started to get dirtbikes there were complaints. It was a small track, maybe 30 seconds per lap in its longest version. But as kids we spent hours and rode many miles on it. If we had electric bikes back then , we could have avoided a lot of the trouble. But if its going to be his only bike, and racing it is priority, the PW might be easier to be able to race for now.
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Update. I talked to the AMA. They said KTM did not give them a heads up about the E-2 so there is no plans to allow them to race this year. He said had they known they could have structured a class around them. He sad most likely late in the summer or next year. I also asked him about the Varg just out of curiosity and he said there is no plans to allow them to race in any class even vet classes in 2024. This is for Loretta’s and even on the local level. He said the biggest problem they have is racing them in a class where combustion engines are being used due to the sound and guys on 450’s not being able to hear them. For example if you’re riding a 450 and someone on a varg checks up on a jump in front of you, you won’t be able to hear them check up causing an accident. If everyone were on vargs you would be more apt to hear them. He did say that they plan on making a e bike class for them in the future as more people have them. But as of now they are few and far between so there is no need for a dedicated e bike class.
Does your kid ride already and how old are they?
My local district wants to make it known. No ebikes allowed in the rules for every big bike class lmao.
She’s 3.5 and rides a staysic now. This will be her first real bike. She has a 120 snowmobile and rides that fine. She’s not scared of noises or anything like that. I’d honestly buy a pw every day over the e2 if it had the same suspension and brakes. I’m not for or against electric. I like options. We live in the middle of nowhere and I have a full blown track at my house. So noise isn’t an issue either. I just likes the build quality and technology that’s not from 1980.
Buy the E2 and worry about the P-Dub “if and when” you decide you’re sure you’re gonna go race AMA/LL’s…etc.
It’s not even possible to convey how “immediate” the transition from the Staycyc to the E2 is. Went thru this with my nephew and it’s awesome…he was fast on the E2 IMMEDIATELY due to how “familiar” it felt to him.
Good luck!
Technology and build quality from the 80s thats completely bulletproof and stood the test of time. If it aint broke dont fix it. Suspension could use a revamp, but the brakes are way more than adequte and i'd venture to say more durable than an entry level disc brake setup. Reality is she is gonna be stoked for either one and good on you dad! But i still vote PW.
You better make the right call now or risk derailing her entire career!
My boy had a tougher time going from stacyc to pw than I expected because the throttle response is so much worse than the electric. The good thing is balance throttle control and braking are second nature, but carrying momentum the weight and spooling up the clutch were the new things to learn. He does get a rise when he gets on he "real" motorcycle though. My daughter will be 4 next summer, we ride 2-up on the pw and all she says is FASTER, but she probably won't be tall enough to ride herself until the summer after.
For OP with his home track with land the pw may be the better option.
I've been around them quite a bit lately. I think they are really good as a training tool or moving from stacyc. In regards to racing I was at a large round last weekend and yes they lumped them in the larger ebike class against e5s which I thought was wild. I've also been at races where they have been allowed to compete against pws and they stood zero chance. Even an extremely tight track they are slighter faster out of the corner but get walked on any straight. As much as I love electric bikes for kids Id recommend getting on pw as fast as possible if you want to be competitive at any race.
Post a reply to: SX-E2 race eligibility???