Maximizing Range for the Stark Varg

[Johnny Depp]

15/42 gearing
Zero Regen (parking brake)
Power setting is a minor factor, I leave mine on 60 all the time, I control it with my wrist rather than a setting.

This week I did 29+ miles and finished with 48% battery, a mix of hard pack single track, a flat track, and 3 loose MX tracks over 3 hours with stops. This seems to have surprised some owners who don't get this kind of range. I'm a slow old guy, 68 and C speed.

The key is no wheelspin and lowering the engine revs. If I would have done this gearing mod just for the rideability (it was never bad) it would have been worth it. Obviously the range is a benefit. I don't even bring my generator anymore, and have never needed it.

With the most torque in any dirt bike ever (including a Maico 700) this thing can absolutely pull the gearing, and I feel like Stark has made a big mistake with stock gearing. A side benefit is moving the rear axle all the way back to improve the rear suspension and minimize wheelies. The throttle response is much less sensitive to little inputs and irregularities from trail chop, so it's less tiring and faster and more effective.

Flame on if you want, but you can try it yourself for under $100.

 

[Johnny Depp]

This post on another forum (TT) is what prompted me to post this
@udluz:
How did you get 29 miles and have 48% left, towed it with another bike?

I get between 25 to 38 before I'm at zero percent. I must ride a bit harder than you.

I'm dumping mine next month for the 1.2. Been told maybe another 6 to 8 miles plus a new warranty.

 

[happyinmotion]

Three factors make a huge difference to range:

• Terrain - mud hurts range, deep sand kills range
• Hills - regen helps but not that much
• Average speed - higher is worse, of course

So a flat gentle ride on hardpack is going to get you the best range. And I'll be over here flattening the battery in 30 km in the dunes.

 

[Johnny Depp]

Three factors make a huge difference to range:

• Terrain - mud hurts range, deep sand kills range
• Hills - regen helps but not that much
• Average speed - higher is worse, of course

So a flat gentle ride on hardpack is going to get you the best range. And I'll be over here flattening the battery in 30 km in the dunes.View attachment 14657

A scoop tire and taller gearing with no regen will help you be more efficient in mud and sand.

 

[happyinmotion]

Another factor that drops your range - towing your mate's petrol bike back to the van after his carburetor craps out... as happened today.

 

[drehwurm68]

Another factor that drops your range - towing your mate's petrol bike back to the van after his carburetor craps out.

Already had that as well when a fuel injected GasGas TBI blew its main fuse - to say the owner was embarrassed would be an understatement

Michael

 

[OpaTsupa]

Three factors make a huge difference to range:

• Terrain - mud hurts range, deep sand kills range
• Hills - regen helps but not that much
• Average speed - higher is worse, of course

So a flat gentle ride on hardpack is going to get you the best range. And I'll be over here flattening the battery in 30 km in the dunes.View attachment 14657

/off topic

Please post more photos of New Zealand terrain.

 

[Erwin P]

However do keep a map at handy for not too technical downhills. I had map 1 at 10hp/100% regen for downhills. In the mountains i've seen multiple % per downhill being added. Over a day at Boade i think i have close to 10% regenerated. That is free range.
That map 1 was also very usefull in very tight slippery situations where minimal wheel spin was required/wanted. Closing the throttle and slowing the rear wheel down fast has a lott of use in rock crawling.

 

[Erwin P]

I feel like Stark has made a big mistake with stock gearing.

Depending on what you're doing. I ran 14-48 last Hard Enduro holiday and in the more trial bits a noticed that it's less reactive and and slower to lift the front. A 13 (or even 12) worked better there.

This bike has been put to a huge array of use cases wich you wouldn't soon consider with a conventional Dirtbike. Making it perfect for all of those isn't really doable.
If you go back to the intended usecase for the EX, Enduro competition, then the 12-48 is far from a mistake. I know the off-roading around their factory (spend some time there) and i know their test ground (Pascuet). Over there the battery lasts forever. Speeds are low and having maximum control over lifting the front etc outway the range issue by a lott.

That it sucks for SM, Motocross and ''exploring Enduro'' is not really a mistake as just another usecase.
It would however been a lott better if we could adjust gearing in the menu and thus having the wheelspeed correct.

 

[markhamr]

I bought a mx bike it had the right gearing for that .
Pity it killed the battery range so much you couldn't ride mx on it
the 14 helped but not enough wheelspeed(low speed corners) and windup in the rear a bit after exit
you can ride around things but well this thing was a constant obstacle course
and still is.
the 1.2 i would go up a little bit maybe 3 in the rear same as 13/44 from 13 47 original now
but i am guessing see how it goes.
The bike is a good start up effort.
besides thrs no other proper mx e bike

 

[Johnny Depp]

Depending on what you're doing. I ran 14-48 last Hard Enduro holiday and in the more trial bits a noticed that it's less reactive and and slower to lift the front. A 13 (or even 12) worked better there.

This bike has been put to a huge array of use cases wich you wouldn't soon consider with a conventional Dirtbike. Making it perfect for all of those isn't really doable.
If you go back to the intended usecase for the EX, Enduro competition, then the 12-48 is far from a mistake. I know the off-roading around their factory (spend some time there) and i know their test ground (Pascuet). Over there the battery lasts forever. Speeds are low and having maximum control over lifting the front etc outway the range issue by a lott.

That it sucks for SM, Motocross and ''exploring Enduro'' is not really a mistake as just another usecase.
It would however been a lott better if we could adjust gearing in the menu and thus having the wheelspeed correct.

Your right, but with reservations. When range is needed in hard Enduro, I'd take tall gearing every time. There's no shortage of ability to lift the front with tall gearing, plenty of torque on tap. The rideability also decreases with lower gearing, the bike is more sensitive to throttle input, sometimes in rough conditions it's hard to keep your throttle hand steady and it results in blips something less than whisky throttle, and that is reduced by taller gearing.

 

[Erwin P]

I don't think you will get better range in hard Enduro with taller gearing. The wheel/motor speeds are so low you will stay well in its operating area.

There is plenty of torque on tap, but not a lot of power at crawl speed in sensibel horsepower modes. And in the end it's power that moves you, not torque.
That results in a ''slowish'' reacting bike when rock crawling with tall gearing. Offcourse you could just add hp so overcome the lack of power down low. But when it then whiskey throttles it's off to the moon and when doing steep hillclimbs that power puts you into wheelspin or backflip scenario's rather quickly.

 

[happyinmotion]

Please post more photos of New Zealand terrain.

Ok, just the one:



And to keep this thread on track - the fifth factor that affects range is tyre pressure. Around here in the bush, it's stupidly slippery wet clay and roots so we run gummies and Tublis at 3 psi or lower. Tyre pressure that low defintely hurts range. Higher pressures will roll more easily.

How much of a factor is this? I haven't done a back-to-back comparison but for one trail ride in more open country I did a couple of loops at 8 psi. Then I went for a third loop, put a hole in the tyre close to the start and thought to myself "she'll be right". She wasn't right - at 0 psi the bike used 20% more juice than I was expecting. I got back to the van at 0%. Oops.

 

[Johnny Depp]

I don't think you will get better range in hard Enduro with taller gearing. The wheel/motor speeds are so low you will stay well in its operating area.

There is plenty of torque on tap, but not a lot of power at crawl speed in sensibel horsepower modes. And in the end it's power that moves you, not torque.
That results in a ''slowish'' reacting bike when rock crawling with tall gearing. Offcourse you could just add hp so overcome the lack of power down low. But when it then whiskey throttles it's off to the moon and when doing steep hillclimbs that power puts you into wheelspin or backflip scenario's rather quickly.

Don't be scared, try it and let us know. The whiskey throttle is greatly reduced, and yes I leave my settings at 60hp and zero Regen at all times. Tons of power down low with 15/42, it feels even MORE explosive, just less wheelspin.

 

[Erwin P]

I allready used the 15-48 setup and i didn't really like it in slow scenario's.

 

[Johnny Depp]

I allready used the 15-48 setup and i didn't really like it in slow scenario's.

How did it feel to you? What didn't you like and for what conditions? Is range a concern for you ever?

 

[Erwin P]

First of all, i use my Stark MX in about any condition except for streetriding.
Sand MX, Hardpack MX, Sand fast Enduro, CrossCountry, Hard Enduro, SM and everything in between.

In MX the 14-48 pretty much does the tric perfectly although i could see a bit taller gearing work.
In The Fast Enduro the same.

In Hard Enduro there is too little momentum from a standstill with a 15, a 13/12 is better. I also don't like the engine braking at low speeds with the 15 in the slow terrain. At very low speeds the engine brake gets harder, that speeds where it gets harder get higher with taller gearing.

In SM the 15-48 is still a bit too short and i might concider a 40-44 ish. Although SM season is now pretty much over for me since the comming 12 ish weeks will be nearly non-stop CrossCountry and Fast Enduro (for wich the Starks lacks more battery than any gearing can compensate for).