Source: Cycle World
Suzuki patents show that the company is working on an electric motocross bike that utilizes the current RM-Z frame. (Suzuki/)Electric streetbikes aren’t having a smooth path to the mainstream market as challenges to meet the range and performance expectations of buyers remain nearly impossible to meet at realistic prices. But when it comes to motocross it’s a technology that’s showing a huge amount of promise, and now Suzuki is developing its own contender in that segment.Alta’s Redshift was ahead of the curve and unfortunately the company went out of business prematurely. (Courtesy of Alta Motors/)The promise of electric-powered motocross bikes has been evident for a while. Back in 2017, we sang the praises of the Alta Redshift, and tested the Stark Varg last year. Since then a growing number of better-known brands have got in on the action. Honda unveiled its CR Electric Proto back in 2019, and after a long development period it’s now competing head-to-head with ICE bikes in the All-Japan Motocross Championship in advance of the launch of a customer version—something that’s expected to happen sooner rather than later.Related: CFMoto’s Electric MotocrossersHonda has been competing in the All-Japan Motocross Championship with its CR Electric Proto. <i>Honda</i>More recently we revealed that Yamaha is working on an electric crosser based on the motor developed for its TY-E electric trials bike, and now Suzuki appears to be going down the same route, filing patent applications for an electric powertrain bolted to an RM-Z frame.Patent illustrations show how Suzuki plans to package the transmission that will gear down the input from the motor to the countershaft sprocket. (Suzuki/)The Suzuki patent doesn’t reveal any details about the batteries or how they’ll be packaged into the chassis, but it shows detail of the transmission, which takes drive from the motor and gears it down through several stages before it reaches the front sprocket. The element that Suzuki hopes is patentable is the layout of those reduction gears, which minimizes the outright size of the powertrain, allowing it to be no wider than the motor itself. In fact, the front sprocket is closer to the centerline of the bike than the output gear of the motor, helping keep the chain in the same position as that of the normal Suzuki RM-Z, allowing the swingarm and rear wheel to be carried over from the ICE-powered model.Key to the patent is lining up the chain line with the standard placement, so that Suzuki doesn’t have to develop a brand-new chassis. (Suzuki/)Sharing parts with the combustion engine motocross range is likely to be important, not only because it means cost savings in terms of R&D, manufacturing, and supply chains but because those bikes have been slowly evolved over many years, each update chasing a tiny improvement in on-track performance. Starting again from scratch on the chassis simply to fit it around an electric motor and battery would mean throwing away years of development. It’s better to develop the powertrain to fit inside an existing chassis than to create a chassis around that powertrain both in terms of cost and potential performance.Why is electric power so well suited to motocross? The instant torque delivery of an electric motor means it’s arguably closer in character to a competition single than to other combustion engines in use, and motocross bikes have their performance focused within a relatively small envelope, with attention on acceleration rather than top speed. Range is also not a major concern for competition motocross bikes, so electric versions can get away without the huge, heavy batteries that tend to hamstring attempts to make high-performance electric streetbikes.Perhaps more important still is the potential of electric motocross bikes to break into new markets. With almost no noise and zero pollution, they open possibilities to build motocross tracks in more populated areas without getting complaints, or even to operate indoors. And with a growing number of electric kids’ ‘crossers already on the market, there’s an upcoming generation of riders who have cut their teeth on battery power rather than gasoline and might be more comfortable moving up to a higher-performance category if the machines in those races are also electric.From Suzuki’s perspective, the company is planning to launch an electric streetbike this year for the 2025 model range, but it’s expected to be in the 125cc commuter class, targeting affordability rather than performance. Whether elements of the motor or transmission could be shared between the motocross bike and the streetbike remains to be seen.
Full Text:
Suzuki patents show that the company is working on an electric motocross bike that utilizes the current RM-Z frame. (Suzuki/)
Electric streetbikes aren’t having a smooth path to the mainstream market as challenges to meet the range and performance expectations of buyers remain nearly impossible to meet at realistic prices. But when it comes to motocross it’s a technology that’s showing a huge amount of promise, and now Suzuki is developing its own contender in that segment.
Alta’s Redshift was ahead of the curve and unfortunately the company went out of business prematurely. (Courtesy of Alta Motors/)
The promise of electric-powered motocross bikes has been evident for a while. Back in 2017, we sang the praises of the Alta Redshift, and tested the Stark Varg last year. Since then a growing number of better-known brands have got in on the action. Honda unveiled its CR Electric Proto back in 2019, and after a long development period it’s now competing head-to-head with ICE bikes in the All-Japan Motocross Championship in advance of the launch of a customer version—something that’s expected to happen sooner rather than later.
Related: CFMoto’s Electric Motocrossers
Honda has been competing in the All-Japan Motocross Championship with its CR Electric Proto. <i>Honda</i>
More recently we revealed that Yamaha is working on an electric crosser based on the motor developed for its TY-E electric trials bike, and now Suzuki appears to be going down the same route, filing patent applications for an electric powertrain bolted to an RM-Z frame.
Patent illustrations show how Suzuki plans to package the transmission that will gear down the input from the motor to the countershaft sprocket. (Suzuki/)
The Suzuki patent doesn’t reveal any details about the batteries or how they’ll be packaged into the chassis, but it shows detail of the transmission, which takes drive from the motor and gears it down through several stages before it reaches the front sprocket. The element that Suzuki hopes is patentable is the layout of those reduction gears, which minimizes the outright size of the powertrain, allowing it to be no wider than the motor itself. In fact, the front sprocket is closer to the centerline of the bike than the output gear of the motor, helping keep the chain in the same position as that of the normal Suzuki RM-Z, allowing the swingarm and rear wheel to be carried over from the ICE-powered model.
Key to the patent is lining up the chain line with the standard placement, so that Suzuki doesn’t have to develop a brand-new chassis. (Suzuki/)
Sharing parts with the combustion engine motocross range is likely to be important, not only because it means cost savings in terms of R&D, manufacturing, and supply chains but because those bikes have been slowly evolved over many years, each update chasing a tiny improvement in on-track performance. Starting again from scratch on the chassis simply to fit it around an electric motor and battery would mean throwing away years of development. It’s better to develop the powertrain to fit inside an existing chassis than to create a chassis around that powertrain both in terms of cost and potential performance.
Why is electric power so well suited to motocross? The instant torque delivery of an electric motor means it’s arguably closer in character to a competition single than to other combustion engines in use, and motocross bikes have their performance focused within a relatively small envelope, with attention on acceleration rather than top speed. Range is also not a major concern for competition motocross bikes, so electric versions can get away without the huge, heavy batteries that tend to hamstring attempts to make high-performance electric streetbikes.
Perhaps more important still is the potential of electric motocross bikes to break into new markets. With almost no noise and zero pollution, they open possibilities to build motocross tracks in more populated areas without getting complaints, or even to operate indoors. And with a growing number of electric kids’ ‘crossers already on the market, there’s an upcoming generation of riders who have cut their teeth on battery power rather than gasoline and might be more comfortable moving up to a higher-performance category if the machines in those races are also electric.
From Suzuki’s perspective, the company is planning to launch an electric streetbike this year for the 2025 model range, but it’s expected to be in the 125cc commuter class, targeting affordability rather than performance. Whether elements of the motor or transmission could be shared between the motocross bike and the streetbike remains to be seen.
