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By Stephen Dean
02/24/2023
I grew up riding traditional gas dirt bikes across the pastures and backroads of North Georgia. At the time, the idea of an all electric dirt bike was just that, strictly an idea. I must confess as a child I had a rather vivid imagination and actually used to daydream about electric motocross and supercross races held around the nation. I envisioned these events being in small stadiums and old closed down factories. It was a great way to pass time on a warm summer afternoon between riding my bike across the countryside. I was also an avid fan of both AMA motocross and supercross racing series and I still am to this day. Something intrigued me about having a lighter bike that could perform similar to the larger, much louder ICE (internal combustion engine) dirt bikes. I think even then, I understood the concepts of accessibility, maneuverability, and the absence of engine heat and noise. Fast forward to today and I realize my childhood dream is starting to come true. Granted, there's not yet (at the time of this article) a national level indoor/outdoor race series that is dedicated solely to electric dirt bike racing, but I feel it will quickly get there soon enough within the coming years. With all that said, let's get to the main topic by listing the pros and cons of an electric offroad motorcycles vs. gas offroad motorcycles. I won't actually do a separate cons section per say, because a pro for the electric bike is a con for a gas bike and vice versa.
Pros of gas dirt/offroad motorcycles:
1. Power - It's hard to argue with the consistent power that a gas offroad bike can provide. Not to say that electric bikes don't have a lot of power, in the instance of torque, an electric bike can easily outperform a gas motorcycle of comparable motor/engine output. In terms of horsepower and the current electric offroad bikes on the market today, there are only a handful of electric motocross bikes that will match or outclass the average 450cc dirt bike in terms of horsepower and overall exerted wattage.
2. Ability to refuel - This is a half-truth actually that sometimes goes completely in the favor of the gas offroad motorcycle, but not always. A traditional gas bike allows for refueling, plain and simple. However, many of the electric dirt bikes being offered today have the ability to swap batteries within a minute or less for some models. Other electric dirt bikes have built-in batteries and can not be switched on the fly and must be charged prior to riding any farther. So in those cases, the gas bike takes the win as it is always able to be refueled.
3. Clutch and Gears - Every offroad motocrosser/motorcyclists knows the value of a clutch and gears in a multitude of riding situations and environments. So as a norm, the win here would go for the gas-powered motorcycle, BUT- there are a growing number of electric dirt bikes that also have a clutch and gears as well. As is the case, a lot of electric bikes with clutches can help to control the throttle better and the gears in many cases function moreso like a range or mode of speed. So you more actively shift on a gas powered dirt bike. Depending on how you look at it, that is either a pro or a con for most riders.
Pros of electric dirt bikes/motorcycles/ motocross bikes:
1. Quiet- This really can't be understated. Over the many decades I have been riding motorcycles and motocross bikes, noise pollution has always been a recurring issue of some fashion. Countless riding facilities and locations across the country have closed at some point or the other due to the noise pollution that gas-powered dirt bikes have created. I'm not saying I agree with it one way or the other, but the fact remains that track and trail closures are a very sad and realistic ordeal for all who love the sport. Some parts of the United States struggle with local ordinances moreso than others, but at any time a riding location could come under threat of closure for a variety of reaons. In these instances, it has been attributed to noise pollution from my experiences. Electric offroad bikes and electric motocross bikes can greatly help solve the issue of noise pollution and noise compliants in some instances as they are significantly quieter and some models are near silent from only 100 feet away.
2. Lack of engine heat - This may be one that you don't see other places, but seriously, there's no engine heat on an electric dirt bike. The motor on an electric bike may get warm or hot to the touch, but it doesn't compare the engine heat that a gas-powered bike can emit in the hot part of the year. As someone that has ridden a slew of motorcycles and street bikes, that engine heat can be brutal on your legs on a hot July day. Ouch-!!
3. Torque - Within a similar range of power, meaning there's no standard power output for electric bikes like there is gas bikes, a given electric bike is capable of more torque and potentially more acceleration than a comparable gas-powered dirt bike. However, there are no less than three classes of electric dirt bikes forming in the mainstream at the time of this article. Those being the lightweight, middleweight, and full-scale/sized motocross machines. These distinctions are ostensibly based on weight, size, and overall power, but as a general rule electric bikes will take the win on torque when apples are compared to apples so-to-speak.
4. Weight- An electric dirt bike can potentially be nearly half the weight of many gas-powered dirt bikes at the time of this writing. However, there are many variables that can change that including battery size and strength. Also, it really depends on the class of electric bike you chose to purchase. Some electric bikes are as light as 120 pounds with the battery, but these models generally share equipment used on a mountain bike moreso than a full-on motocross machine. The larger electric bikes tend to weigh over 150lbs. and go well into the area of 250lbs. in some cases. So this is more a generalized advantages that will depend on which bike you are looking at.
5. On-the-fly mapping control - This varies depending on the bike and if the owner or manufacturer has added a controller with smart functionality or some form of analog controls. However, as a general rule, electric bikes are capable of on-the-fly mapping changes and motor characteristics being changed mid ride in some instances. This varies based on equipment, but it is more possible with ease whereas many of the same changes on a gas-powered bike could require retooling and/or changes in equipment that could equal shop time and added costs.
6. Maintenance - The electric bike will take the win here almost always. There's just less moving parts, less heat, and less wear therefore. Not to say that there aren't maintenance schedules for electric bikes, because there certainly is a protocol for each bike. This is rather a measurable comparison as most electric bikes only require chains to be tightened, gear oil changed or rubber drive bands checked or replace, and bolts and tires checks at regular intervals. Whereas gas powered dirt bikes require engine maintenance.
7. Costs- This not only applies to the maintenance costs of an electric dirt/offroad bike. Electric bikes are widely availabe at a range of prices and unless you are looking at buying a used gas-powered dirt bike, many of the models of electric bikes on the market are priced well below $10,000 USD (at the time of this article being written). Granted, those opposing electric bikes cite the high costs of certain models, but the majority of brands are still falling well under the ten thousand dollar mark. With the exception of a select few brands such as the Stark Varg for instance which retails for over $10K. In fact, many can be purchased for around $5,000 USD.
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