Source: MotorcyclistOnline.com
Former AMA Supercross racer Kyle White shows off some pro form and puts the Stark Varg through its paces. (Jim Lüning/)“It’s basically cheating,” Matt said.“Like, in a good way?” I asked.“Hell yeah, as long as you’re the one riding it,” he replied.That’s the Stark Varg in a nutshell. The EV debate is undecided in much of the motorcycle world. But on an usually warm March weekend at the Fox Valley MX trail in Ottawa, Illinois, there wasn’t much argument. Electric dirt bikes like the Stark Varg are rewriting most of the rules of dirt. Roadracers and touring types are still EV skeptics. But MX riders don’t care. Three things matter: Does it rip, is it a blast, and does it have power where you need it? The answers are yes, cubed.Matt Joy and author quietly ripping through Illinois countryside on provided Stark Varg bikes. (Jim Lüning/)Motorcyclist got hold of one of the prototypes for a review in 2022. We loved the Stark Varg’s power, torque, and promise and felt it checked every single box on the list of off-road bike mandatories. Almost two years later, the Varg has checked off another significant box—it’s actually in production.Regional sales rep Daniel Johnsen brought two Vargs for test rider Matt Joy and myself to thrash around on. Interestingly, the red one sported a VIN number of 63. It competed in Milwaukee’s Flat Out Friday races in the Pro class and came fitted with a rear hand brake fitted to the left bar, while the white one retained a traditional right-side foot pedal for the rear brake. More on that later.The Varg isn’t an entry-level dirt bike. You basically get a 450cc bike, but with up to 80 hp on tap. The Standard package comes with 60 hp but the Alpha package comes with 80 hp. Freed from mileage as a metric, it claims up to six hours of ride time on a 6.5kWh battery. This might be a bit optimistic, but real-world riding showed the rider needing a break before the battery did. Aggressive riding eats into those six hours. But until then, you’re free to reinvent the art of ripping trails and catching air. Until you need to catch your breath.Where the fun starts. Up-and-down power mode buttons, with the all-important off button. (Jim Lüning/)Even EVs love mag bits. The “Flying V” battery and chassis concept, with magnesium battery case with internal honeycomb structure. (Jim Lüning/)Engineering fanboys and fangirls among us love the poetry of internal combustion engine design. But the Varg’s air-cooled battery and its “Flying V” concept should impress too. Its magnesium case with honeycomb structure helps cool cells, lower resistance, and achieve a high power-to-weight ratio. Said “Flying V” concept also helps centralize the weight and make for predictable handling and control. In layman’s terms? Turn a “V” sideways, then put a motor and a swingarm inside it. Then put the pointy part of the “V” into the wind for better cooling via increased surface mass.The carbon-sleeved liquid-cooled motor features the smallest claimed inverter in the world, with the motor weighing in at 19.8 pounds. It’s good for 275 Nm or torque (202.8 lb.-ft.) at the countershaft, or 938 Nm (691.8 lb.-ft.) at the rear wheel. The Stark Varg currently has the highest power-to-weight ratio around. And while the optional 80 hp might not get unleashed much, the higher peak power yields more efficient midrange power for better range and running time.Brakes and suspension are familiar and capable. KYB units front and back offer identical 310mm (12.2 inches) travel, with adjustable compression and rebound. Buyers can choose from seven different stock settings, depending on their weight. Brakes are by Galfer, with Brembo twin and single calipers gripping 260mm and 220mm discs front and back. The rear hand brake offered good feel, but not much bite. The white Varg’s foot brake locked up too easily, but both brake setups were likely just previous riders’ preferences.Both of us weighed in at 185 pounds, and we both gave the Varg’s suspension high marks during aggressive riding. Damping was very good, making quick work of logs and rocks. Matt said he’d go with slightly softer compression for trail riding but admitted he was nitpicking. I found it nearly impossible to unsettle the Varg, no matter how many poor decisions I made. Corner entry and exit was a breeze, no matter what line you took. Point, shoot, grin, repeat.An Android smartphone “dashboard” comes with the bike. Clean, readable, and bright. (Jim Lüning/)Even UI/UX designers have a sense of humor. But it’s a serious question. Alpha mode unlocks 80 hp. (Anders T. Carlson/)An hour of aggressive trail riding, plus 20 track laps took us to a 60 percent charge before we enjoyed a well-deserved break. While we spent 20 minutes examining respective scrapes and bruises, the Varg added about 15 percent charge. It’s not exactly “just add gas,” but the range and usability isn’t far from the “similar to a full tank of gas on a 450″ claim made on its site.A full recharge from a 220V plug delivers 3.3kW of charging to get you back to 100 percent in less than two hours, assuming you’ve completely drained the battery. In real life, you’ll probably spend a 30-minute lunch break adding about 25 percent to comfortably finish out your session for the day. You’ll want to add a 110V adapter to your now-minimal toolbox, as it’s not included with the bike.Matt, an enduro and trail enthusiast, summed up the Stark Varg’s power proposition. “A short charge time and six hours of ride time make it super attractive to someone like me. It’s not going to replace my enduro for extended trips, but it’s pretty close.”No shifting and near silent operation meant riders could fully focus on finding good lines through trails. (Jim Lüning/)Former AMA Supercross racer at work. He praised the abundant powerband and rear hand brake. (Jim Lüning/)Daniel Johnsen is smart. He wasn’t shy about handing out pony rides for prospective customers. He had no shortage of takers. The red Varg’s left-hand rear brake proved popular with all riders, which makes sense. With no gears or shifting, just let your feet do what feet do—keep balance.A chance encounter with former AMA Supercross racer Kyle White brought some expert rider perspective. He graciously “modeled” for us and got the Varg airborne and shooting rooster tails of dirt at the sky. Any thoughts, Kyle?“I’m sold on it. The favorite part for me was the hand rear brake. It allowed me to stay in good position on the balls of my feet and squeeze, and still get that modulation with the brake.”And the power?“Oh yeah. It’s fun.”Former AMA Supercross racer Kyle White finds the limits of the KYB suspension and its 12.2-inch travel (front and back). (Jim Lüning/)Brand-new Pirelli Scorpion MX 32 Mid Soft’s meant it was hard to put a foot wrong. (Jim Lüning/)Over and over, riders tried to articulate the strange feeling of hearing nothing but tire noise, suspension, and a slight whine as they sped along. They described the speed as almost unearthly. “Full Send” sounds about the same as half-throttle. The only accurate measure of speed is your butt and the stopwatch, speedo notwithstanding.While the Varg loses a bit of top-end torque to ICE, the instant power everywhere else rendered the point moot. You’re never in the wrong gear or thinking about shifting. Riders kept boots planted on pegs or hovering over dirt as counterbalancers. There’s no way to quantify exactly how much easier the Varg is to ride. Maybe 50 percent? Adjustable regen braking did great work on single-tracks, with wider trails letting you dial it back.Power modes get used a lot. Press the top left button until it hits 5 or 6 and the Android smartphone dash asks if you really mean it. Think hard. It’s what separates possible from probable trips to the ER. But if you see open fields and the spirit moves you, go ahead. With 27.5 more ponies than the Honda CRF450R’s 52.5 hp (with the Alpha package’s 80 hp), the front wheel gets skyward in a hurry.Nice Slayer shirt, man. The white bike’s traditional rear foot brake worked well, but many riders preferred the red bike’s hand brake. (Jim Lüning/)Silent electric, in stereo. The two Stark Vargs drew a crowd and no shortage of test riders. (Jim Lüning/)The Varg renders curb versus dry weight obsolete, but the 260 pounds outweighs a fully fueled CRF450R by just 15.1 pounds. The prototype from 2022 weighed in at 242 pounds, but a revised, reinforced frame and optional sidestand up the current Varg’s weight to a still-respectable 260 pounds. That extra weight isn’t being driven by a heavy, rotating crank, adding centrifugal force unless you decide to dial up the virtual flywheel effect, which adds said centrifugal force back. Overall, it was exceptionally nimble and flickable.Geometry and ergonomics got high marks. With no transmission or traditional engine to account for, the swingarm and frame are raised, giving the Stark Varg 14.8 inches of clearance. That’s about an inch and a half more than any comparable 450cc competitor. Seat height is 37.3 inches, shorter than a Honda CRF450R (38.0 inches), Kawasaki KX450SR (37.6 inches), and only slightly taller than a Husqvarna FC 450 (37.0 inches). Balance was great, with minimal effort needed to reposition body and feet to land the rear wheel on jumps.For the inevitable spills, Daniel gave specific instructions. Always hit the middle power button on the left controls until the green light turns red, meaning “off.” Otherwise the bike quietly unleashes all the ponies when you pick it up. I forgot this advice and got a right footpeg tattooed to my inner thigh. Stupidity is painful for a reason.Illinois isn’t rich with hill-climbing spots. But rider Matt Joy found this nice 45-degree incline. Power mode 4 worked well here. (Jim Lüning/)The near silence of the Stark Varg changed things in other ways. Birds chirped, the wind whistled, and riders casually chatted about where to go next. “Having a conversation without yelling over the motor was nice,” Matt observed. And it revealed other noises you normally never hear: Knobbies clawing at earth, shocks compressing, and the sound of your butt hitting the seat when you don’t time jumps right.Daniel, Matt, and I spent 75 percent of the time in power mode 3, meaning 50 hp. He wicked it up to modes 4 and 5 (55–60 hp) for hill-climb sections and jumps on the track. I explored modes 4 and 5 in open sections, but quickly went back to 3 in wooded sections. Although power was smooth, predictable, and linear, it helped to power down while hunting and pecking through technical sections.Matt was won over by the Stark Varg. “More brain bandwidth inspires confidence and allows for attempting much gnarlier terrain. It took a sec to get used to the handlebar-mounted rear brake, but it didn’t take long. I loved not having to move my feet around to shift or find a brake pedal which can be clumsy in MX boots. Having less things to focus on makes for a better experience.”Fancy Stark Varg toolkit. You could add a multimeter, but it’s basically all you need. (Jim Lüning/)Look Ma, no (foot) brakes. Pegs are claimed to be the lightest available on any MX bike. (Jim Lüning/)The final run of the day showed off another side to the Varg—rescue vehicle. Matt’s Husqvarna TE 511 quit on the far side of the property, as far away as possible from the staging area. Two tie-downs attached to Stark Varg’s claimed “world’s lightest footpeg” got Matt and his Husky back to the van.This brings up another strength of the Varg: maintenance, or lack thereof. Maintenance intervals vary, but with the Varg, there’s no top end rebuild after 150 hours, valve adjustments after 50, or oil changes after 15 or so. Besides wheels, tires, chains, and an occasional bath, the Varg’s maintenance consists of software updates, via the Android smartphone. Fun fact: The Varg is completely waterproof.That Android phone? It’s included with purchase, and while a free version of the Stark Varg app will be available, the premium subscription plan will cost you, price TBD as of press time. With it, you get 24/7 internet connectivity, personalized ride modes, lap timing, and display navigation. On paper, there are more than 100 configurations allowing you to adjust the power curve, engine-braking, traction control, and virtual flywheel effect for terrain and conditions. SaaS (Software as a Service) is an annoying but common revenue model these days. Buyers get a one-month free trial to decide.The Standard package Stark Varg clocks in at $12,900 MSRP with a $100 reservation fee. The Alpha package with 80 hp comes in at $13,900 MSRP. That’s a pretty OK price point, in line with other premium 450cc offerings. Many test riders were surprised by the not-crazy MSRP. Time will tell if Daniel’s and Stark Future’s sustained charm offensive produces buyers, but it made converts of nearly every rider. What you see is what you get.Matt sums it up best. “It feels like the future just arrived.”Rider Matt Joy puts power down at Fox Valley MX trail, Ottawa, Illinois. (Jim Lüning/)Where the ponies go. Charging port for the Stark Varg. (Jim Lüning/)2024 Stark Varg Technical Specifications and Price
PRICE
$12,000 MSRP (Standard package) / $13,900 MSRP (Alpha package)
MOTOR
Carbon fiber-sleeved electric motor, 360V (nominal)
BATTERY CAPACITY
6.5kWh in magnesium case
CLAIMED CHARGE TIME
151 min. @ 110V, 82 min. @ 220V
TRANSMISSION/FINAL DRIVE
Chain
CLAIMED HORSEPOWER
60 hp (Standard package) / 80 hp (Alpha package)
CLAIMED TORQUE
275 Nm (countershaft), 938 Nm (rear wheel)
FRAME
Tubular chromoly steel w/ aluminum subframe
FRONT SUSPENSION
KYB/Technical Touch dual forks w/ AOS damping, niCr-coated inner tubes, compression and rebound damping adjustable; 12.2 in. travel
REAR SUSPENSION
KYB/Technical Touch monoshock w/ AOS damping, 16mm niCr-coated rod, compression and rebound damping adjustable; 12.2 in. travel
FRONT BRAKE
2-piston Brembo caliper, Galfer 260mm disc
REAR BRAKE
1-piston Brembo caliper, Galfer 220mm disc
WHEELS, FRONT/REAR
7050-T6 aluminum aero-grade rims, 6082-T6 hubs; 21 in./19 in.
TIRES, FRONT/REAR
Pirelli Scorpion MX32; 80/100-21 / 110/90-19
RAKE/TRAIL
26.5°/NA
WHEELBASE
58.5 in.
SEAT HEIGHT
37.3 in.
CLAIMED RANGE/RUNNING TIME
Up to 6 hr.
CLAIMED WEIGHT
260 lb.
WARRANTY
N/A
AVAILABLE
Delivery estimated for May 2024
CONTACT
starkfuture.com”}]]
