Power Upgrade on the Varg

[stephane]

I guess I did not see any post on the subject and for those that wonder if it is possible to upgrade from a 60hp to 80hp it appears that it is possible. I was browsing the app this morning in search of options for hand guards and found the power upgrade option


I am glad to see that if I survive my current set up long enough I have more options to end myself.

Anybody has done the upgrade? Was the process smooth?

 

[AL_V]

Interesting news, they did originally say that you could upgrade later, but this is the first I’ve seen of that promise coming true.

 

[mike61]

I checked it in my account.
Possible!
But the price is ......... high!

 

[HadesOmega]

Boo so they software locked the power so you're technically not getting what you pay for.

So does this mean you can get 100HP later on... =P

 

[AL_V]

Boo so they software locked the power so you're technically not getting what you pay for.

So does this mean you can get 100HP later on... =P

80hp is $1k more than 60hp at time of purchase, when I found out over 2 years ago it was the same hardware (so same range), I removed the 80hp from my order, I don't even need 60hp. But this is good for resale value on 60hp bikes.

 

[Chris S]

Boo so they software locked the power so you're technically not getting what you pay for.

So does this mean you can get 100HP later on... =P

You paid for 60 hp, that's what you get. Tesla does it do, I don't see a problem w/ that. It increases margins for those who want it, saving $ for those of us who don't.

 

[HadesOmega]

Yes Tesla does it too that's why I hate Tesla. You have the hardware for it you just need to fork over your money to unlock what you already have. If it were me I woukd find some way to hack it. It's your bike you should be able to do what you want with it.

 

[mike61]

Many e car builders do so!
I'm sure somebody is on the way to find a DIY solution;-)
for Vargs.

 

[stephane]

Yes Tesla does it too that's why I hate Tesla. You have the hardware for it you just need to fork over your money to unlock what you already have. If it were me I woukd find some way to hack it. It's your bike you should be able to do what you want with it.

The same concept applies to regular cars as well. Have you ever worked with a tuner like cobb for example? They can change the maps of your car and allow to produce more torque and more hp. Some tuners can also work on the transmission of your car. Polestar is a part of volvo and they offer the same type of upgrade.
As far as hacking into my $14k bike, I think am going to wait a bit to be honest )

 

[Chris S]

Yes Tesla does it too that's why I hate Tesla. You have the hardware for it you just need to fork over your money to unlock what you already have. If it were me I woukd find some way to hack it. It's your bike you should be able to do what you want with it.

You can do what you want with it. Try reframing it this way: You get the full experience that you pay for with the Alpha model, or Stark Future will kindly give you a $1000 discount to give up that last 20hp that almost nobody really needs.

This is everywhere in the software industry, where you can buy or subscribe to varying levels of functionality at different price points.

 

[AL_V]

As far as hacking into my $14k bike, I think am going to wait a bit to be honest )

If you paid that much for it, you probably already have all options!
And as far as I know, no one has been able to unlock options on Teslas by hacking.

 

[HadesOmega]

Its a sign of the times and I don't like it. But yeah I get that they have to restrict it for reliability. Every machine is capable of more just at the cost of reliability.

 

[stephane]

If you paid that much for it, you probably already have all options!
And as far as I know, no one has been able to unlock options on Teslas by hacking.

If you paid that much for it, you probably already have all options!
And as far as I know, no one has been able to unlock options on Teslas by hacking.

That is including taxes.

 

[HadesOmega]

If you paid that much for it, you probably already have all options!
And as far as I know, no one has been able to unlock options on Teslas by hacking.

 

[AL_V]

Its a sign of the times and I don't like it. But yeah I get that they have to restrict it for reliability. Every machine is capable of more just at the cost of reliability.

I guess I really don't mind that it's a $1k option to go from 60hp to 80hp since it was that way from the very start, and I don't even need 60hp. Also you can't get that much performance added for $1k on a gas bike.
However, I won't be happy if they start charging a subscription for the ability to adjust other features that were originally promised, like regen, power curve, traction control, virtual flywheel. And there may have been more promised adjustability, I just can't remember, because it's been over 2 years!

I'm already unhappy with the added weight, and of course, so many delays...

That said, I would be willing to pay a one-time upgrade for a reverse mode (since that was not promised when the bike was announced), but a subscription model would definitely be contemptible.

 

[Beagle]

I guess I really don't mind that it's a $1k option to go from 60hp to 80hp since it was that way from the very start, and I don't even need 60hp. Also you can't get that much performance added for $1k on a gas bike.
However, I won't be happy if they start charging a subscription for the ability to adjust other features that were originally promised, like regen, power curve, traction control, virtual flywheel. And there may have been more promised adjustability, I just can't remember, because it's been over 2 years!

I'm already unhappy with the added weight, and of course, so many delays...

That said, I would be willing to pay a one-time upgrade for a reverse mode (since that was not promised when the bike was announced), but a subscription model would definitely be contemptible.








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Anton said in his February interview with Enduro enforcer that such features are coming, and like the race app (to lock power for a given amount of time) you will need a premium subscription to access that.

Unfortunately vehicles used to be "what you see is what you get", you owned the thing and could do whatever you wanted with it, now it's going the "software way" artificial barriers and subscriptions to unlock "premium" features. IMHO premium feature on a bike should be suspensions or something tangible that you can buy and resell, not access to a greyed-out menu...

I know it makes sense for marketing, I know other manufacturers are doing this, I still don't like it, such is the way of the world.

This was already covered a bit in this thread (and many dislike subscription plans): Stark CEO interview February 24

 

[C5tor]

I heard that if you tap your credit card on the Stark phone before a race, you get 10% more distance and 1/8 of a turn extra throttle.

 

[happyinmotion]

Stark have lost income by making a more reliable bike. We're not going to be buying all the high-markup wear items that a petrol engine needs.

So I am ok with a sub, coz it'll still be a cheaper bike per hour or kilometre.

 

[Beagle]

Stark have lost income by making a more reliable bike. We're not going to be buying all the high-markup wear items that a petrol engine needs.

So I am ok with a sub, coz it'll still be a cheaper bike per hour or kilometre.

You're not wrong, but I feel the moto world may not be ready for such antics, it makes it look more like a gadget and less like a proper motorcycle.

How do you insert gifs here? Anyway, as Roger Murtaugh said: I'm too old for this shit.

 

[Kurlon]

I'm ok with subs when there is an actual value add going on. Netflix, I'm getting access to content I don't have. Internet access, again, obvious value there. Charging me a subscription to be allowed to twiddle knobs on my bike, there's no value add there, you're not bringing something to the table, you're just paywalling for the sake of paywalling. That's where I draw the line. At MOST there should be an 'unlock' fee, once, and done, but it'll need to be things that weren't originally promised already.

As far as Stark 'loosing income' by making a more reliable bike... how many other bikes actually see much for OEM parts sales after the fact? So many bikes just don't get repaired/etc, after having decent runtimes despite being 'unreliable' gas burners. The consumables are similar between them and the Stark, suspension wear items, chain and sprockets, tires etc, and most people generally go aftermarket on those so it's not income Stark or KTM/Honda/etc plan their MSRPs around either. Dealers that make their bread and butter on service and maint, they may need to readjust their expectations down the line, but that's a different discussion.