About to pull the trigger need some advice

[JLongoPoker]

Hey everyone!

So as the title says I'm about to pull the trigger on an Alpha. I'm not a pro rider by any means, and I don't ride MX. I do mostly rough, Upstate NY, trail riding. I have been riding a Sur Ron X for 3 years around 5k miles total. I ride pretty aggressive. Im ready for something new bigger and better than an Ultra Bee. The Varg is my dream bike and now I have the opportunity to get one so Im going to take it.

Not sure if Im even posting this in the right place but I have some questions and everyone here seems very knowledgeable.

Assuming theres no reason to order right from Stark website over finding a dealer near you to buy one?

I called a dealer couple hours from me that has a bunch of starks on their show floor. After going back and forth trying to find one with all the specs im looking for (80hp, LHRB, side stand, grey, 18") He said hes got one except its at a warehouse a state away, I guess from another dealer or something. But he said its brand new never been on a show floor, and they can get it in their shop by next week. The only issue now is the suspension option it has is 75-80 kg/ 165-176lbs. I'm 155 in underwear. I wear a decent amount of gear but from everything I'm reading so far it seems in general people say forks are stiff especially for more trail/enduro style riding? Neither they nor the other dealer he's working with has the 70-75 kg / 154-165 on any of the bikes they currently have. Hes going to check back one more time with his boss/other dealer tomorrow to see if maybe they do actually have one but its looking like the 75-80 kg/ 165-176lbs may be my closest option if I want the bike by next week (which obv I do) or would have to have them order from Stark or find a diff dealer I guess. Which id prefer to go with this one since I was able to work out a good deal. So should I really make sure I try to get a 70-75 kg / 154-165 or even the one lower? To better suit me and the style riding I do? Or do you guys think I would be ok with the 75-80 kg/ 165-176lbs? I was about to send the down payment until I had him send the invoice first and saw it was listed with the 75-80 kg/ 165-176 suspension and not the one lower.

Any and all advice greatly appreciated. Cant wait to get this beast in my possession!

 

[AL_V]

You don't need 80hp, you don't even need 60. You can buy a 60hp bike, and upgrade later to 80, but you won't, I ride mine at 52hp, and only use a fraction of the throttle.
You should NOT get the bike sprung heavier, get one of the 2 lower choices (65-70 or 70-75 kg) they have the same springs, just different clicker and sag settings.
Spring rates for (65-70/70-75 kg) is 54N/mm shock and 4.6N/mm fork (143-154,154-165lbs).
You will LOVE the bike!

 

[Beagle]

You seem very keen to get one

For my money I would order my dream bike at my specs but obviously that's up to you.

You seem more comfortable buying from the dealer, you should could check with him how long it would take him to get delivery from a bike made exactly to your specs (Stark website says if you order today you should get it by August 9th).

Your best option might be to buy one of their "preconfigured bikes available in 24h", there is your dream bike (80hp, grey, LHRB, 154-165 lbs, 18"), you would just need to buy the side stand separately, pretty straightforward.

 

[JLongoPoker]

You don't need 80hp, you don't even need 60. You can buy a 60hp bike, and upgrade later to 80, but you won't, I ride mine at 52hp, and only use a fraction of the throttle.
You should NOT get the bike sprung heavier, get one of the 2 lower choices (65-70 or 70-75 kg) they have the same springs, just different clicker and sag settings.
Spring rates for (65-70/70-75 kg) is 54N/mm shock and 4.6N/mm fork (143-154,154-165lbs).
You will LOVE the bike!

Haha yeah Im definitely well aware Ill likely never ride in 80hp and really it seems around 40-50 is the sweet spot. Im def not looking to go 100 mph but I also dont want to get only the 60hp and then be bummed I cant at least try the 80 or even be able to say I have the 80 lol. So def going all out and getting the 80 but yeah Im prob hardly ever going over like 40hp most of the time but well see! Thanks for the feedback. Im staying firm to get the suspension for my weight or even one lower. Talking to the dealer again today and seems like theres no 154-165lbs anywhere they have access at. So from them its either I go with the higher suspension weight (which Im not going to) or have them order me a new one which I dont think I have that patience to wait lol. One other option that was brought up was upgrading the suspension to after market to better suit what Im looking for. For both the rear spring and front forks I would be looking at an extra $1.2k for the parts and labor. Im already saving more than what I would pay buying straight from Stark, getting from this dealer so I kinda want to stick with them if I can. Not sure if thats a smart thing to upgrade the suspension like this or if its even a good deal on that price they gave me. But I would be able to have the bike a lot sooner than ordering from Stark as the dealer is saying im likely looking at 4-6 weeks if I do.

I KNOW IM GONNA LOVE IT AHH!!

 

[JLongoPoker]

You seem very keen to get one

For my money I would order my dream bike at my specs but obviously that's up to you.

You seem more comfortable buying from the dealer, you should could check with him how long it would take him to get delivery from a bike made exactly to your specs (Stark website says if you order today you should get it by August 9th).

Your best option might be to buy one of their "preconfigured bikes available in 24h", there is your dream bike (80hp, grey, LHRB, 154-165 lbs, 18"), you would just need to buy the side stand separately, pretty straightforward.

Oh yeah I am beyond keen at this point! lol

I completely agree, for the money Im spending I want the specs to be exactly what Im looking for.

Yeah I like the idea of a dealer first off just because I can walk in, see the bike in person and walk out with it instead of waiting for shipping and then hoping nothing goes wrong during shipping. And that it arrives in a timely manner. Also this particular dealer I was able to get the price down under what I would pay from Stark website so thats another big draw. And then on top of that they said if I order now im looking at 4-6 weeks even tho website says estimate Aug 9.

I brought up the 24h preconfigured bikes to him (which thanks for bringing that to my attention!) and what he and I think his boss are telling me is that they think those preconfigured bikes are just ones they "BUILD" in 24 hours and then ship but I still would be looking at 4-6 weeks shipping time? It even says "fast & local regional warehouses" which I told them. They seemed to never heard of or seen the preconfigured page. And he said yeah the local warehouse is in Long Islang. And apparently thats the guy they talked to when they found the bike with all my specs except the suspension weight. And that they dont have either of the lower weight suspensions. So again the bike would be coming from Spain and still take 4-6 weeks even after shipped in 24 hrs??

Can you or anyone else confirm that? Or is there any definitive answers about the 24h shipped preconfigured bikes?

Well now I feel Im back at square 1 lol. I guess maybe I just start looking around at the other dealers near me now. Im def not trying to wait another 4-6 weeks. Trying to have it before my birthday in a couple weeks!

 

[AL_V]

Oh yeah I am beyond keen at this point! lol

I completely agree, for the money Im spending I want the specs to be exactly what Im looking for.

Yeah I like the idea of a dealer first off just because I can walk in, see the bike in person and walk out with it instead of waiting for shipping and then hoping nothing goes wrong during shipping. And that it arrives in a timely manner. Also this particular dealer I was able to get the price down under what I would pay from Stark website so thats another big draw. And then on top of that they said if I order now im looking at 4-6 weeks even tho website says estimate Aug 9.

I brought up the 24h preconfigured bikes to him (which thanks for bringing that to my attention!) and what he and I think his boss are telling me is that they think those preconfigured bikes are just ones they "BUILD" in 24 hours and then ship but I still would be looking at 4-6 weeks shipping time? It even says "fast & local regional warehouses" which I told them. They seemed to never heard of or seen the preconfigured page. And he said yeah the local warehouse is in Long Islang. And apparently thats the guy they talked to when they found the bike with all my specs except the suspension weight. And that they dont have either of the lower weight suspensions. So again the bike would be coming from Spain and still take 4-6 weeks even after shipped in 24 hrs??

Can you or anyone else confirm that? Or is there any definitive answers about the 24h shipped preconfigured bikes?

Well now I feel Im back at square 1 lol. I guess maybe I just start looking around at the other dealers near me now. Im def not trying to wait another 4-6 weeks. Trying to have it before my birthday in a couple weeks!

Like @Beagle said, ask your dealer to get you either of these:

 

[Beagle]

The "pre-configured bikes shipped in 24h" are definitely already in the US (if you're on the US website of course).

Right now "24h bikes" available in the US: 53, in Europe: 94, in Australia: 24. It changes on a daily basis.

Can't say how long it would take to reach you (I'll guess 6-10 days?) but these are bikes already assembled and ready to ship from one of 3? Stark US warehouses.

Hope you'll find a way to get your dream bike and keep us posted on the real world delivery time.

 

[Foss]

I wouldn’t care what the suspension is provided in the bike you pick to be honest. Seems all the Varg suspension needs to be re-sprung and re-valves anyway. I had mine done professionally for my gear and weight and the thing overshooting a jump is amazing. Just focus on your sag, and how you stick your landings on jumps, and sinking into ruts. Suspension specs is user preference, not one shape fits all. I prefer running stiff.

 

[Chaconne]

What dealer are you using? I bought my bike from Motorbikes+ in NH they were excellent. I got the alpha with 18" FB and it was about a 4 week wait. That was a little before the warehouses were stocked I guess. I got exactly what I wanted from the dealer and it was worth the wait for me at least.

I weigh less than you and got mine setup for the lighter weight. I agree with @Foss though suspension is preference. I like my suspension pretty stiff and that is easy to get when you are my size.

For trail riding the Stark is awesome, I don't use mine for moto only trail and enduro. You can check out this post if you want to get some ideas/feedback on enduro: Enduro Set up? There are some thoughts about the alpha stated there --opinions vary of course.

The one thing that is not so good with a new bike are the tire tubes which you will likely have to replace pretty soon. I replaced mine with standard HRC heavy duty tubes many others have used mousses & etc in replacement. I have had good luck with getting parts at ECR and the Stark store. You will enjoy for sure!!!

 

[Travelingmike]

I was a preorder( so got the Alpha)- but live in CA and recently got my bike- there was a distribution issue. Been riding for a month on various tracks. 60hp more then enough- vet rider and my sweet spot 45hp and 75 regen- so far. My bike is sprung to my weight stock- I was prepared to valve it like all previous bikes. First ride harsh- another guy on here discussing suspension settings( Suspension forum) - I ended up with clickers close to what he has without reading his post previously. Just finished 5th track day and I am happy to NOT have to send out my suspension. Stark uses a reputable company to build its “ stock” suspension. The bike hugs the ground with a smooth ride- pleasantly surprise. I over jumped a couple “ triples”- still learning the bike, and braced for on the gas landing- soaked it up- I had a smile on my face and a “ wow that was awesome” . My other bike is a sprung/valved KYB yz450f by reputable company, my Stark suspension is better. I would say order to weight , give it a few rides to break in and adjust clickers/sag, and 60 hp. Have fun, I am. The Stark has me craving the next weekends ride . Would also add my Predator 3500 110v generator is more then adequate for a ride day- usually 4 - 20” motos. I only use it to top off. I came home at 58%- topping off . Yes I would normally want to run the battery lower- but experimenting with charging. My 240v gen is in the box and will probably go back to Costco.

 

[Chaconne]

I was a preorder( so got the Alpha)- but live in CA and recently got my bike- there was a distribution issue. Been riding for a month on various tracks. 60hp more then enough- vet rider and my sweet spot 45hp and 75 regen- so far. My bike is sprung to my weight stock- I was prepared to valve it like all previous bikes. First ride harsh- another guy on here discussing suspension settings( Suspension forum) - I ended up with clickers close to what he has without reading his post previously. Just finished 5th track day and I am happy to NOT have to send out my suspension. Stark uses a reputable company to build its “ stock” suspension. The bike hugs the ground with a smooth ride- pleasantly surprise. I over jumped a couple “ triples”- still learning the bike, and braced for on the gas landing- soaked it up- I had a smile on my face and a “ wow that was awesome” . My other bike is a sprung/valved KYB yz450f by reputable company, my Stark suspension is better. I would say order to weight , give it a few rides to break in and adjust clickers/sag, and 60 hp. Have fun, I am. The Stark has me craving the next weekends ride . Would also add my Predator 3500 110v generator is more then adequate for a ride day- usually 4 - 20” motos. I only use it to top off. I came home at 58%- topping off . Yes I would normally want to run the battery lower- but experimenting with charging. My 240v gen is in the box and will probably go back to Costco.

Very cool!!

I am using my Delta Pro to top off, I do mostly trail and enduro which is less taxing than moto of course. I got a portable solar panel and I am able to charge up the Delta on the porch of my condo and nobody even knows I have it. Normally solar stuff if frowned on by HOAs but this panel looks like an outdoor carpet and I can lay it flat and get enough juice for my Stark.

Now even a divorce nor an HOA can keep me from dirtbiking... I don't need store gasoline and other fluids which is also not allowed by HOA, I only keep a small container of gear oil which is allowed.

 

[PsychoBunny]

Order from the website they are in Texas and you get it in like 3-4 days and a new one built recently.

Get the 65-70 kg suspension. The body kit is only $150 so if they don’t have a color you want you can change the color with the body kit and it’s easy to swap out.

The suspension day one is a little stiff, you just need to change the clickers.

Swap the tires to the Michelin 50/50 tires and had them balanced if you will be doing 50MPH+ in the streets.

If you can get the 60HP version grab it, you can upgrade to 80HP later via a code upgrade. At 40HP your front tire will leave the ground under full acceleration. Can’t imagine even riding at 60HP

 

[JLongoPoker]

Hey guys! Not sure if everyone will see this response. Sorry I didnt reply to everyone ive been super busy this last week trying to finalize details. In the end I didnt go with the bike at the original dealer I found. I did some more calling around of the dealers near me and found one at Kaplan Cycles. Although it was a bit further than I wanted It fit everything that mattered the most, and I could get it asap. Also as a content creator it seemed like it would make good content going and picking it up. 80 hp, grey, LHRB, and the 143-154 lb weight, which is one step lower however I fluctuate between 155-160 so im in the middle of the 2 anyway. And from everything Ive read or been told those 2 are the same spring.

The only thing it didnt have was the 18" or a side stand, both of which I had him order. As well as replace the stock pool floats, I mean tubes with heavy duty's haha.

So spoiler I drove there and bought the bike on Tuesday lol. I also live streamed the whole thing. If youre curious to see that heres the link. Hope its ok to post here. Skip to 01:29:00 timestamp to see when I arrived at the shop. Twitch

Have done 2 real rides so far since picking it up. Weather has been crappy for a few days otherwise id be out everyday. Long story short it absolutely exceeds everything I could have ever imagined x1000. Couldnt be happier. Definitely much more to talk about but for now heres also a clip of the first ride outside the shop after purchase. Thanks everyone for your help and feedback