New App update and subscription option

[RobA321]

 

[Lost]

It's always nice to be charged for something that comes with the bike...

I've already downloaded Waze onto my EX and will do the same with Wikiloc/all trail.

The only thing that I'd want is the ability to change my power curve. Not going to pay €12 a month for that...

 

[RobA321]

Out of principal yes. But the power curve adjustment is what this bike takes it to a new level. A new map and head on a two stroke is $650 that’s 4.5 years of subscription for stark.

 

[davos2410]

Does the security lock also require a subscription?

 

[Beagle]

Does the security lock also require a subscription?

I understand why SaaS makes sense for them, $144 a year is not that much compared to the cost of riding, still hate it though.

Sure hope security lock is not behind a paywall, not getting your bike easily stolen is certainly a very basic need, not an "advanced" feature.

Curious why this vid was not synched with EX launch or first deliveries?

 

[Lost]

Does the security lock also require a subscription?

Nope, not on mine atleast. Stupid location for it though... under settings.

 

[Lost]

I understand why SaaS makes sense for them, $144 a year is not that much compared to the cost of riding, still hate it though.

Sure hope security lock is not behind a paywall, not getting your bike easily stolen is certainly a very basic need, not an "advanced" feature.

Curious why this vid was not synched with EX launch or first deliveries?

The vid op provided seems to be region locked... I'm in Spain and it is not showing on the official channel here. I'd imagine it was set for the NA market.

 

[Beagle]

The vid op provided seems to be region locked... I'm in Spain and it is not showing on the official channel here. I'd imagine it was set for the NA market.

It's still there, they've just unlisted it, could be an early not finalized version, like we saw for the EX unboxing vid.

 

[Lost]

That would make sense.

 

[stephane]

So is it officially only for the EX and not for the MX? I am trying to see if there is an update on my phone but nothing is available.

 

[Beagle]

So is it officially only for the EX and not for the MX? I am trying to see if there is an update on my phone but nothing is available.

They might possibly wait for the update to be ready for the Varg MX before releasing this vid.

 

[Theo]

They have now released the official video and, if you pause it @ 5:50, for example, you can read a list of some features included in the standard package and others in the subscription package:

I personally think that, if you like the Stark phone and if you can have a phone number for it, then you can stop paying for the plan on your phone and just use the Stark phone as your personal phone instead. The plan for my personal phone is more expensive than 13€/month and I have unlimited talk and texts and 50 GB of data.
Then the Varg app should allow notifications only in case of calls while riding so that you don't lose your GPS directions or generally your riding data just because your friend is calling you.
(For my needs my MX phone seems fine; maybe it's just a little too big and I haven't tested the battery consumption properly).

Another idea could be to have a dedicated MX version of the app. I wouldn't use the navigation but I'd like to have my laptime and telemetry data, provided the MX phone is suitable for that use: I don't know whether the GPS is accurate enough. Or if they want the power curves, the regen braking curves and the race mode to be paid, they could add the option to only pay for them and not for the rest, since especially people who do motocross probably like the curves and the race mode but don't need navigation.

Since over the air updates are included in the free plan, I guess that Stark Future can still connect to a Varg under free plan to check temperatures, malfunctions, etc. when needed.

Another idea that I have for the phone is that they could make it possible to record onboard videos while riding, for example by making new cradles that can be oriented.

 

[Bert]

Has any one already downloaded the new app yet? I don’t see any update in the google play store for mine yet.

 

[FYR]

Has any one already downloaded the new app yet? I don’t see any update in the google play store for mine yet.

Same here. Wondering what this all means for our pre-EX bikes and old Stark phones.

 

[Beagle]

Same here. Wondering what this all means for our pre-EX bikes and old Stark phones.

It seems to me that it's only for EX for the moment. They have not confirmed it but no doubt in my mind it will come to the Varg MX (at least power curves and subscription, maybe not trails and maps).

Locking the bike is standard, no subscription needed, glad they cleared that up.

 

[DaveAusNor]

Stark have been getting belted in the comments on multiple platforms where they released this news. Hopefully they change a few things. I agree with the sentiment that charging for things that use data and cost Stark money like maps etc is fine, but charging for tuning power maps which doesn't require data (and was in the original value prop) is just a straight up cash grab.

 

[Oded]

Screenshot of the essentials

 

[Toom38]

In the comments on their IG post Stark says the app update is for both the older mx and new ex bikes. But I can't find it in Google Play either.

 

[Lost]

You won't find it... Stark are still working on the MX update. Highly doubt if it will be very soon either as the tech side is working on the EX, up coming Sumo and other bikes. The rest of the company is in full on damage control.

 

[Swank171]

Race mode is already free on current MX is it not…?

Will an update be removing that from my app when it updates now?