New KTM E Bike (Freeride E)

First bike in a long time I’m seriously considering.

These are stated as street legal, homologated for road use on the Ktm website. Perfect for my 10 mile round trip commute and local woods / mountain trail / fire road exploration bike. There are tons of trails here, but no sanctioned trail heads. It’s all off the beaten path, power lines and old mill / carriage roads in state land that stealth is a plus on. 

I would be replacing my 2000 Xt350

Anyone have an idea on price?

Seems odd they cant tell what product is priced. Its not new bike but just updated their old bike.

This bike isnt nothing like Stark its similar to Talaria and other light e-bike from China. Stark is proper motocross/enduro bike like 450f

I was hoping for an E6 for my son to go with his 65. He has gone from 12, 16, 20 inch StacyC to KTM SX 5E. 

It looks like a fun bike! 

With 26 hp, 5.5 kW, 111 kg it's not a Varg competitor (80 hp, 6.5 kWh, 118 kg) but it could be interesting if it's priced similar to its competition in beginners trail bikes like the CRF300L or KLX300.

Battery rated at 80% after 1000 cycles is great... but 8-9 h for charging. Although there's a possibility it could charge faster (charger is a weak 660 W, so if battery could handle higher, charging time could be greatly diminished by using another charger).

Apparently they chose to offer only LHRB, no foot brake.

For all those who think any manufacturer could release a Varg like bike if they wanted to, the Freeride was released 10 years ago, comparing gen 3 (2025) to gen 2 (2017) KTM gained 2 hp and 1.6 kWh (weight is identical). It was previously priced around 13 000 €, so more expensive that the Varg. If they can cut that price in half they may finally sell some.

https://www.ktm.com/en-int/models/e-ride/freeride/2025-ktm-freeridee.ht…

Its better than the OG freeride. But its still an in between  bike.  More than a Surron, less than a Varg as far as power, and coming close to a 250/450 race bike.  Charging takes a LONG time  on the basic charger. 8 hours. Quick change battery.  They include the 660w charger  with the bike. But say there is a 3.3KW charger that will charge from 0-100 in 1.5 hours.  That's not bad , if it really will go for the 2-3 hours they claim.  It might work to charge for 15-20 minutes every couple hours.  Not an MX bike . But it looks like a fun playbike. I wonder if the aftermarket will do anything with these to get them closer to the Varg?  I guess it depends on how well they sell.

Pr from KTM below, 

Need to know the price.. I can get a Tenere 700 from Yamaha for around $11k, not really a direct competitor, but for my use they’d do a lot of the same stuff. Commuter, light trails, errands, etc. I know I sure won’t pay more for this KTM than I would for a T700.

Reminds me of those Zero dual sports, but better.

Guesses at the price? I’m saying $8999 

What do you guys think?

Probably a ton of fun on a trail ride. 

I guess for sure >10.000$/€... as the old one was clearly above too 

Ténéré is 72 hp and 190 kg, $11k, they're not in the same category, Zero FX specs are closer (44 hp, 131 kg, 7.2 kWh, $12k).

To me the Freeride E is more like a lighter CRF300L, similar power, I would expect same kind of riding (27 hp, 142 kg, $5k).

I can't see it sell much if it's priced as gen 2 around 13k, more expensive than a large trail like Ténéré or the Varg (even if we don't know the price of future enduro version). It needs to be in the small trail price range.

I know it won't be but if this was available in the trail bike price range I'd definitely pick one up.

The biggest issue I have in the UK is when I go out and do drills in the week I have to find somewhere away from houses where people aren't going to see or hear me and call the police. That's super difficult here these days, I've got a few spots but they're all at least 30 minutes on a road away from my house so I need to load up the van.

I could just roll this out of the door zip down to so many more places and get a decent ride in during the week for super cheap. Hopefully they are really popular and that allows some good condition used bikes to be available for cheaper

A question, since I see Wales/ GB listed for you :

I've read many Brit magazines over many decades now, and have got the impression you could get Day Rego, with the minimum of requirements: Brake / Rear Lights, Horn, Noise control, then take the bike to the Police Station, to be checked  / certified.

It was how I'd see so many 'specials' on the Roads,  or Ex Road Racers like RGs, TZs etc, so often featured in say, Performance Bikes mag and others.

So, such a thing no longer exists ? 

Curious, as it seemed to be such a great thing to have available. 

A local to me young fellow, who is Deaf / Mute, has a variety of E bikes, one being a 2nd Gen KTM E Freeride. His is rego'd / plated - I'm not sure if he's got it "Engineer Certificated", or, he gets his E bike(s) plated through a disability set up - I often see different E bikes ( he's got a few of them - he's a monied up E  Tech specialist ) of his in the local Mall car park, with his disabilities tag on it. 

This new E Freeride is quite a change from the first 2 gens, but it's still an 'in between' a Trials and Full On Enduro Bike (well, as were / are the 2t and 4t versions) . Quite the things for my local, tight riding, but I know a few owners of the ICE versions who've thrown a Lot of money at them for Suspension and Brake upgrades, for faster riding.  This new one seems to have less 'MTB Level' brakes, the forks are  still smaller 43s, and the rear end still with a more upright, less progressive ( well, as much as a non link rear end can be) set up than the EXCs.

I wonder when KTM will do more EXC or MX level Ebike - they've been at the Ebike thing for quite a while now. I doubt they will make the new E Freeride more affordable than it has been - and that is quite a 'choke' on their uptake, I reckon. 

We do still have an ability to road register pretty much anything you want, even vehicles you've built yourself. It's one of the things to be happy about with motoring over here, both my KTM EXC 250 and Husky TX300 are fully road registered. The KTM is even listed as having 7hp so insurance is cheaper than a 125 scooter! 

The issue is whilst we can register off-road bikes to be used on the road there's not many places to ride them legally, trail riding is okay but they're spread few and far between in most places so a day out on legal trails typically involves a decent bit of roadwork, which is fine on a trail bike but on a hard enduro bike with gummy tyres and a super soft mousse you'll be changing tyres every week. Not to mention two stroke dirt bikes are awful to ride on the roads.

I like to go out once a week just to train, set up some cones do some drills and practice pivots etc. But some people see a dirt bike and decide I'm doing some horrible crime that they must inform the police of, so now when I practice I have to find somewhere quiet but even in Wales that's tough these days as the UK is heavily populated, that's why an ebike would be so amazing as a practice bike but if I'm spending 10k+ I'm spending it on race entries, tyres and fuel not a new bike considering how great the bikes I already have are! 

Good to read you bloke Still have that rego set up!

I used to get TBM Mag, and I saw how important the Whole Green Lane thing ( and, keeping them open) was for you blokes, and, I understand your need for Road Work on a bike.

Years ago, a bike shop I worked at, would have regular group rides up over the other side of the Blue Mountains. We'd often have visitors from other countries  - the Brits and Euros would be stunned by our riding areas. The Japanese, well, they'd be near on freaked out by what we could ride on, and the vastness of things, when it was only at the beginning of the bush. 

But, we've got problems with riding - get caught without rego / insurance or license, and, I think it comes out to a few K in fines, at least in my state. And, my local riding, where I've ridden for  near on 6  decades, well, I'd say much of it, even with the trails designated as roads, well, get caught there, even fully licensed, rego'd and insured, well, you're worse than an Axe murderer.

It's why I'm so interested in getting an E Bike, eventually - for the Silence. While forever keeping my ICE bikes, and, riding them.

 I have a  Huge / Long muffler on my 500 that I made, and an encased / shielded Chamber - to make it sound like a Moped. I largely Stick to the single track, and, I keep a strip of duct tape on the fender, to put over my Number Plate, for  when wankers / fun police want to take a picture and dob you in, generally lying  about where you are / what you are doing. 

Two Strokes Awful on the Road??? 

Why, how dare you!

 I'm getting that 'toe-y'  to ride, after a recent knee replacement, that I'm going to do one of my rides to Sydney, around the Harbour and Beaches, on my CRE500 soon. A couple of times a year, I put on road oriented tyres, make sure All Lights and Indicators work,  and a Loud Horn, with 2 Double Take mirrors on the old Beastie, and go the 55 / 60ks into the City. The looks you get from the fellow road users and City Office Workers, are priceless, and, almost always, I get a bit of 'attention' from some Constabulary, only for them not be able to ping me. Well, mostly they are just chuckling about such a bike being used in The City, as they can dial up your details while shadowing you.

But, you are right - it is, Deeply Unpleasant to ride The Cackler on the Freeway and  Parramatta Road .  But a hell of a lot of fun when you get onto the  Harbour and Beach side  roads . One's just got to be careful when  and where you choose to do a Wheelie / Big Skid, or, over on the North side of the Harbour, jump from one elevated road, down to another........ Going across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, on a 500 2 Stroke Motocross bike, on a sunny day, is one of life's great joys.  

Looks awesome, but probably not worth the price it will end up being, I'd rather just get a Varg and make it street legal at that point.

Cool commuter bike. I'd bomb one all over town if I had the extra cash to spare, but I'd definitely have a separate MX bike and full-function dual sport first. 
Where this one might come in handy is in places where an electric bike could let you slide. For some reason, I can see cops being a little more lenient on a hooligan like myself if I was riding through a park or storm drain system without burning gasoline. Right now it's the wild west of legality for electric bikes. 

Looks interesting but 8 hrs of charging for 2 hrs of riding is disappointing. That’s the exact type of bike you want to go tooling around on all day.

Anyone know , in general, the barriers to ultra fast charging ? What is it that prevents most devices charging in a few minutes rather than several hours ? 

I know the Chinese are working on some stuff right now and the claims of both charge time & range are off the charts but I don’t understand the mechanics behind it all .

I do know once solid state becomes mainstream in the autos thermal runaway fires will be a thing of the past . 

As Sasquatch posted, apparently they'll sell a 3.3 kW charger which would reduce charging time to 1.5 h (that's probably on 220 V main voltage).

If I can get 2 hours to tooling around, that’s plenty of range for me. It would be a miracle to get more time away from the family than that 

If it were 8999 it would have been all over the press release.

More than a stark is my guess.

And Stark is coming out with a street legal version soon.

The battery is pretty big for how little HP it has when compared to a Varg. So I wouldn't be surprised to see the runtime be pretty good. Especially for the type of riding this bike is intended for.  I think it would be really fun to ride. MTB suspension has come a longways in the 20ish years I was away. Even having 26HP on a decent MTB chassis would be a blast to ride around town and explore areas that a full on gas powered bike may not be welcome. 

 I can see why Surrons are so popular.  I had a customer come in recently that is a local Pro level rider . He and another local Pro level buddy of his have been riding Surron's at  a private track  one of them owns. They can ride a gas bike there , but they get complaints and unhappy neighbors.  So now they ride the Surrons all the time and hardly ride their Gas bikes.  I was surprised because the customer  is 6'5" and 200pounds. He said he used to have an XR100 as a pitbike.  I was telling him how much fun I had on one as a teenager  and he said if I was able to ride the XR I could get the Surron setup to be somewhat comfortable. He made some modes to get the bike to work better for him. I think just chassis wise. stiffer spring, changed the seat, stuff like that. 

 While not a replacement for a full on MX or dualsport, There is a lot of fun that can be had with bikes like this one. This class of bike.  I'm 6'9" and 300ish , I  am thinking of getting an RFR that is like the Beta . Its a similar in between sized bike. Smaller battery than the KTM. And more  like a Surron than the KTM is. But they are around 4-5K. Recently I've seen   Talaria Sting MX3's on sale for $3650+ local tax shipped.  From Luna cycle . They have a good assortment of electric MTB's and surron sized motorcycles. If You are looking for something that is less expensive, but also less range I would suspect, check them out. From what I have seen about them, they are really into electric stuff and they have some EMTB's that are wild. Modified controllers and throttles. And they have been around a while too.    

Not saying you’re wrong, I wouldn’t be surprised if they want $11k+, but when you’re competing against 250-300cc dual sport bikes that are roughly $7k OTD, I’d like to think KTM would be somewhat competitive priced.