In 2026 there will be an electric class in the World MX Championship

[Erwin P]

True, but when talking MX GP (like the OP) there are quite many 30 +2 on all terrains.
I think that would turn into a humilation so better they don't join yet.

 

[Beagle]

True, but when talking MX GP (like the OP) there are quite many 30 +2 on all terrains.
I think that would turn into a humilation so better they don't join yet.

I don't think they planned a separate MXEP electric class to race 30+2.

After FIM WSX 11 min races, the next logical step for Stark will be AMA SX 22 min races, should be no problem for the range.

AMA MX and MXGP 35 min races would be the real test, and once you have much more data on +20 min pro races you know where you're going. Then of course if the organizers chicken out and just introduce a separate electric class they would need to have shorter races to accommodate other manufacturers so it would be easy for Stark.

 

[Johnny Depp]

Although i would not be against shorter motos i think it's a bad idea to do it at the same time E bikes want to join.

It's a very concervative fanbase that really, really, really dislikes rules that favor ''new'' or ''green'' or something like that.
And if battery's keep improving at the 7-8% per year they do now... Well we'll have E bikes that can compete in 2 or 3 years anyways. A rule change after they are allready competing without issues is a lott easier.

There's nothing to change about an Open class, as it should be. No HP police. No Junior 250 class, just a B main. You're either fast or you're not. Same with the age classes, 250's aren't slower and cost more to run the 450's, or whatever size they end up being. If a race is boring, then it's boring. No sense beating around the bush worried about hurting feelings. The races are too long and it's StartOCross most of the time. This issue is much bigger than the gear heads, if it's ever going to grow to a mass audience it needs more excitement. Currently it's a pay per view novelty sport, not mainstream, and that is why. Too confusing and too boring. You can't be changing the rules repeatedly, do it and get it right. In SX it won't matter anyway. Cross country will be different in how they range adapt, but it's there already for most 2 hour races where gas bikes need gas anyway.

 

[Johnny Depp]

True, but when talking MX GP (like the OP) there are quite many 30 +2 on all terrains.
I think that would turn into a humilation so better they don't join yet.

You can't be afraid of humiliation, and they would quickly find a way to adapt. We already see it in weekend racing, no problems. If they can't hang at the tip of the spear, then it is what it is, but I'm certain they would adapt quickly.

 

[Theo]

You can't be afraid of humiliation

I think that this is a good general piece of advice, but in the specific case of Stark, IMO they should really take care of their reputation. A lot of people already hate them for no valid reason and surely I don't want those people to have some racing failures to utilize as arguments.

Now, I'm not saying that the World culture is the same as the Italian one, but there is an Italian MX forum that I read from time to time and they have a pretty lenghty thread about the Varg, roughly 40 pages long. Well, last year some riders tested a Varg in a high level MX race here in Italy and one of them finished the race in limp mode because he was low on battery. After that, the users of that forum added some comments to that thread about how disappointed they were and how the Varg apparently is inferior to ICE bikes and they now agree about the conclusion that they'll never buy one. Someone pointed out that that Varg was one of the first ones with an outdated software but they didn't care. Basically, after the comment about the results of that race, that thread has been forgotten for months and if you didn't know that the Varg exists you would have a hard time finding it out by reading that forum since they seldom mention it.
Of Course, I strongly disagree with them for miscellaneous reasons and one of them is that professionals faster and more reputable than that guy have got pretty good results racing around the World, like when they won the British AX championship.

 

[Johnny Depp]

I think that this is a good general piece of advice, but in the specific case of Stark, IMO they should really take care of their reputation. A lot of people already hate them for no valid reason and surely I don't want those people to have some racing failures to utilize as arguments.

Now, I'm not saying that the World culture is the same as the Italian one, but there is an Italian MX forum that I read from time to time and they have a pretty lenghty thread about the Varg, roughly 40 pages long. Well, last year some riders tested a Varg in a high level MX race here in Italy and one of them finished the race in limp mode because he was low on battery. After that, the users of that forum added some comments to that thread about how disappointed they were and how the Varg apparently is inferior to ICE bikes and they now agree about the conclusion that they'll never buy one. Someone pointed out that that Varg was one of the first ones with an outdated software but they didn't care. Basically, after the comment about the results of that race, that thread has been forgotten for months and if you didn't know that the Varg exists you would have a hard time finding it out by reading that forum since they seldom mention it.
Of Course, I strongly disagree with them for miscellaneous reasons and one of them is that professionals faster and more reputable than that guy have got pretty good results racing around the World, like when they won the British AX championship.

Time to go prove them wrong by establishing a history of doing it. I think with correct setup no additional battery capacity is needed. Even so you could use “works” batteries if they don’t already.

 

[Beagle]

Time to go prove them wrong by establishing a history of doing it. I think with correct setup no additional battery capacity is needed. Even so you could use “works” batteries if they don’t already.

They did use "works" batteries in AX UK, they removed some cells to lighten the bike. Not sure if they're still doing that.

 

[Erwin P]

As a new brand trying to sell bikes you can and should be scared of humilation.
Not in the way of loosing, but for not finishing. The 1,0 missed 10-12 minutes of race time to complete a GP. That's 1/3rd of a race!
They 1.2 will stand a better chance, but if that extra 20% claim holds true it will still incluide a lott of pushing the bike.
Sure they could do some races, but not being able to finish a significant chunk of the races is beyond humilation.

I think them being excluded for another year from MXGP is a blessing in discuise. They don't suffer from humilation and the FIM/AMA/OEM's are looking scared.

 

[Beagle]

You don't fund a startup if you want to avoid risk.
You don't compete at the highest level if you're afraid of losing.
I get what you're saying Erwin, it makes perfect sense but that's not their way of thinking

 

[Erwin P]

Taking risk is one thing and i love seeing it. But it's one thing jumping between 2 buildings that you think you will probably make the jump or knowing you won't make it. The one is called bravery, the other stupidity.

Loosing is not an issue, starting brand, probably not top riders etc. But not finishing for technical reasons is not something they could use right now.

 

[Beagle]

They've had pro riders riding and racing the bike for 2 years now in the UK, France, US..., they now have a mountain of data on various tracks in MX, SX, AX. They've just had their first full season racing France MX Elite, they have a private track where their riders churn gazillions of laps, soon they'll have data from WSX racing against some of the best riders in the world.

Whenever they enter a series, they're not going blindfolded, and racing is the best way to learn and improve.

Anyway, as I see it, in a couple of years they'll end up being integrated in most national championships while racing AMA and MXGP 15 min races exhibition classes so that Honda and Yamaha can race them

 

[Erwin P]

That would be the perfect outcome. I imagine there are more powerfull battery cells than what they use in the production model. That way they could finish.