2025 Stark Varg rumors, changes, etc.

[Bpspecs]

Just need a e bike a little lighter for mx. Putting bike on stand or picking it up off the ground on tip over in tight muddy ruts its to heavy! 260 plus pounds and getting heavier is no bueno.

 

[Chaconne]

Just need a e bike a little lighter for mx. Putting bike on stand or picking it up off the ground on tip over in tight muddy ruts its to heavy! 260 plus pounds and getting heavier is no bueno.

Weight is a general problem with most E-stuff at this point including sources like solar. It is a result of 100 years little development in E tech for today's use cases. Hopefully this will be getting better with a growing market. I struggle with the non solid state stuff and can't wait till they get rid of liquids/gels. For EX models (non moto) I think the weight is actually much more competitive with ICE today BTW.

 

[Bpspecs]

Any news rumors on updated MX version being announced. I.e. Updated wiring harness, battery, etc. or is buying EX version the only option. take off lights and add 19” rear wheel?

 

[Beagle]

For my use, my dream electric bike would be a small trail, equivalent to the new KTM Enduro 390R:
44 hp, 159 kg, 6700€/$6000.



Range of this bike with 9 liters tank is probably about 200 km (ofc depending on terrain).

One day out for me is about 200 km, including road sections, I could live with 160 km (100 miles) range. Slap an additional battery on the Varg EX, beef up frame and suspensions, add an onboard charger of course, I think it would be technically doable to get about this 160 kg, 14 kWh, 40-60 hp road legal trail bike. Maybe 100-120 km range... 160 km range should be achievable in a few years.

The real problem here would be the price. Today for 6k you get a Surron, not a European 14 kWh bike with quality components and great adjustable suspensions. This bike would probably end up at or above 15k, double the price from its ICE equivalent.

So I guess in the next couple of years we might something approaching that from Stark, but packaged as an expensive and heavier adventure bike (like the Royal Enfield prototype with 2 Varg battery packs). It's a very dynamic segment where people are already paying 15-20k for all bells and whistles.

Unfortunately my "affordable road legal electric trail bike with high range" is not coming any time soon. In time price (or price difference with ICE) will go down, range will go up, hopefully I might still be riding when this bike will come to market!

 

[Dirt-E]

Any news rumors on updated MX version being announced. I.e. Updated wiring harness, battery, etc. or is buying EX version the only option. take off lights and add 19” rear wheel?

At that point, why not just use the MX version? It's not like the battery is going to give you any realistic range improvements. 6.5 / 7.2 = 90.27, so you're only getting 9.72% larger battery in the EX. At 35 miles of range on the MX, it goes up to 38.4 miles on the EX. I mean, more range is more range, but let's be real. The MX is the way to go unless you absolutely need it street legal and you can stay pretty close to the charger (25 miles, give or take).

Even on street where my Alta EXR got maybe 44 miles of super conservative riding, I can imagine the MX would get 3-5 miles more range? The Stark EX could maybe, and I mean if you're lucky, squeak out 50-60 miles total. But that's really low speeds (under 35mph) most of the time, not blipping the throttle, staying in a low map. The faster you go, the less range you get.

 

[Swank171]

I know one thing. The early investors are not important to stark at all.

I got my bike in a workaround cause my original order, my 100$ was never going to show….

Needless to say my 100$ is still on that bike. “LOCKED IN AT 12.9k”! Haha. The bike is selling for 10.9k now but if I want to use my original order and finish paying what my 100$ deposit is on ill Be paying 2k more….haha

This is just a nice way stark can thank its loyal customers for believing in them when the bike was vapor ware!

 

[DaveAusNor]

I know one thing. The early investors are not important to stark at all.

I got my bike in a workaround cause my original order, my 100$ was never going to show….

Needless to say my 100$ is still on that bike. “LOCKED IN AT 12.9k”! Haha. The bike is selling for 10.9k now but if I want to use my original order and finish paying what my 100$ deposit is on ill Be paying 2k more….haha

This is just a nice way stark can thank its loyal customers for believing in them when the bike was vapor ware!

View attachment 13014

Stark offered me a cheaper MX and said the deposit i put down could be given as credit for parts once a purchase had been made. Now that I paid for the EX, the have honoured this and given me credit for whenever I need to order parts.

 

[Swank171]

Stark offered me a cheaper MX and said the deposit i put down could be given as credit for parts once a purchase had been made. Now that I paid for the EX, the have honoured this and given me credit for whenever I need to order parts.

I’m going to try that.

 

[Bpspecs]

Check out the two new Mx/off road dirt bikes coming out by Bonnell! One is surron lt. bee size the other sits just a tad smaller than Varg. swappable batt. Clutch etc.

 

[Bpspecs]

Haha that’s what I meant ultra b size and 902 bigger

 

[Chadx]

I'll let the number speak for themselves, but in the video, Bonell claims the 805 is "ultrabee sized" and the 902 was sized at "a new category in the market. It's not quite a fullsized bike yet it's much larger and more capable than an Ultra bee sized bike".
Not adding seat height because Bonell doesn't provide and may not have final numbers, but this would be a important comparison number, too.

Wheelbase
Ultrabee: 54.3"
805: 53.1"
2025 KTM freeride: 57.3"
Surron Storm: 56.3"
902: 56.5"
Varg: 58.5"

Suspension travel:
Ultrabee: 238/243mm with 19"/19" wheels
805: 245mm with 21"/18" wheels
2025 KTM freeride: 240mm/250mm with 21"/18" wheels
Surron Storm: 290mm with 21"/18" wheels
902: 285mm with 21"/18" wheels
Varg: 310mm with 21"/18" wheels (21/19 mx)

Motor kW:
Ultrabee: 12.5kW
805: 30kW
902: 46kW
2025 KTM freeride: 11kW rated/18.5kW peak
Surron Storm: 22.5kW peak
Varg: 46kW (standard). 60kW (Alpha)

Battery kW:
Ultrabee: 4.1kWh removeable and can be charged off the bike
805: 3.1kWh removeable and can be charged off the bike
902: 6.6kWh removeable and can be charged off the bike
2025 KTM freeride: 5.5kWh removeable and can be charged off the bike
Surron Storm: 5.7kWh removeable and can be charged off the bike
Varg: 6.5kWh nonremovable (not easily anyway, and can not be charged without the bike)

While I understand why Stark made the battery fairly integrated, and I love mine, an easily removeable (by comparison) battery has it's benefits. Our winters are consistently well below 0F and get down to -40F ambient at times. Well below all recommended storage temps for various lithium battery chemistries including the Varg. I resort to putting an electric battery blanket on my Varg. My Surron, eMTB, boat and camper lithium batteries are easily removed and stored in an area that doesn't experience those extreme low temps. Also love that all the removeable batteries can be charged off the bike. Handy not only for a bump during long term storage, but also if you have two batteries and want one charging while riding with the other. That also means one could have two large batteries, two small batteries or one large and one small for different riding conditions. It's fun to watch the various designs strategies play out and within the next few years, I see a lot more choices being available with something for everyone depending on what you prioritize as important.

 

[AL_V]

I'll let the number speak for themselves, but in the video, Bonell claims the 805 is "ultrabee sized" and the 902 was sized at "a new category in the market. It's not quite a fullsized bike yet it's much larger and more capable than an Ultra bee sized bike".

Wheelbase
Ultrabee: 54.3"
805: 53.1"
902: 56.5"
Varg: 58.5"

Suspension travel:
Ultrabee: 238/243mm with 19"/19" wheels
805: 245mm with 21"/18" wheels
902: 285mm with 21"/18" wheels
Varg: 310mm with 21"/18" wheels (21/19 mx)

Motor kW:
Ultrabee: 12.5kW
805: 30kW
902: 46kW
Varg: 46/60kW

Battery kW:
Ultrabee: 4.1kWh removeable
805: 3.1kWh removeable
902: 6.6kWh removeable
Varg: 6.5kWh nonremovable

Great comparison of specs, eager to learn the weight.

 

[F451]

I'll let the number speak for themselves, but in the video, Bonell claims the 805 is "ultrabee sized" and the 902 was sized at "a new category in the market. It's not quite a fullsized bike yet it's much larger and more capable than an Ultra bee sized bike".

Wheelbase
Ultrabee: 54.3"
805: 53.1"
902: 56.5"
Varg: 58.5"

Suspension travel:
Ultrabee: 238/243mm with 19"/19" wheels
805: 245mm with 21"/18" wheels
902: 285mm with 21"/18" wheels
Varg: 310mm with 21"/18" wheels (21/19 mx)

Motor kW:
Ultrabee: 12.5kW
805: 30kW
902: 46kW
Varg: 46/60kW

Battery kW:
Ultrabee: 4.1kWh removeable
805: 3.1kWh removeable
902: 6.6kWh removeable
Varg: 6.5kWh nonremovable

Great information, thank you. I stand corrected and deleted my erroneous posts regarding the size comparison of the 902.

 

[Chadx]

I went and edited my comparison post, a few posts up, to add the 2025 KTM Freeride and Surron Storm. Freeride and Storm are sometimes referred to as "7/8 size". Seems like the 902 may roughly fall into that category and not be "creating a new category".

Also added if the battery is removeable and can charge when off the bike. While I understand why Stark made the battery fairly integrated, and I love my Varg, an easily removeable (by comparison) battery has it's benefits. Our winters are consistently well below 0F and get down to -40F ambient at times and my shop in not insulated. Those temps are well below all recommended storage temps for various lithium battery chemistries including the Varg. I resort to putting an electric battery blanket on my Varg all winter. My Surron, eMTB, boat and camper lithium batteries are easily removed and stored in an area that doesn't experience those extreme low temps. Might be overkill, but better safe than sorry.
I also love that all the removeable batteries, in this list, can be charged off the bike. Handy not only for a bump during long term storage, but also if you have two batteries and want one charging while riding with the other. That also means one could have two large batteries, two small batteries or one large and one small for different riding conditions.
It's fun to watch the various designs strategies play out and within the next few years, I see a lot more choices being available with something for everyone depending on what you prioritize as important.