E bikes in the Dakar Motion 1000 race

Whilst Stark won't get to race in AMA sanctioned MX/SX or FIM sanctioned rounds of SX/MX/Enduro the world of electric is being tested in the most arid of race environments in Saudi Arabia as a side event of Dakar 2024
Three E-bike brands Arctic Leopard from China with Italian race team and another Italian team Eco Galicia and Italian manufacturer Tacita Battle it out in the desert. Google Dakar mission 1000 on Youtube and see what goes down.

Here they are:

Mission 1000 Highlights - Stage 1 - #Dakar2024

Exciting times! Arctic Leopard did pretty good.

[Link]

Yeah, Stark and other electrics might not be allowed in AMA or FIM races yet, but it’s cool to see e-bikes getting tested in real extreme conditions like Dakar.

There will be a Stark Varg in 2026. Dakar race.


I look forward to see how he adapts the bike, but with nothing to show with just a few weeks before departure is concerning.

EV bikes in previous years were a bad joke. It was like watching para-Olympics.

Much as I love the Stark, there's things that it's good at and things that it's not. It's a brillant MX and hard enduro bike. It's not a rally bike. So why take it on a rally?

What's that going to prove except that it's not a rally bike?

happyinmotion said:

Much as I love the Stark, there's things that it's good at and things that it's not. It's a brillant MX and hard enduro bike. It's not a rally bike. So why take it on a rally?

What's that going to prove except that it's not a rally bike?

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This effort is not related to Stark company.
Guy is an exhibitionist who rides different vehicles for fun and exposure.

The EV category in the Dakar race is purely also-ran. They follow different, shorter route and under different (if any) rules from the main event. They don't even race the course.
It's little more than green washing for the ASO, the organizer.

Battery powered bike will not be feasible for a Dakar stage even in the long run.
Gas bikes are required to have 250-300km autonomy and they get one refueling mid-special that is usually 300-500km. On top of that there is a liaison of 300-500km that is also timed. Totals of 1000km to be completed in 8-12h are typical.

To return to your point above,
Varg is so uniquely adapted to Enduro that I'm forever surprised more people don't notice it.
Everybody is focused on it's limitation (range) in MX while ignoring it's advantages.
And then come the oddballs like this Rally or, God forgive us, Adventure riding.