Some ICE riders really hate EV bikes

[AbnormalWrench]

I'm just curious if anyone else have had this kind of interaction. Perhaps it is different in other areas, but we don't have very many electric dirt bikes show up in my area. I have only seen 2 other Starks there and maybe 7 Surons. I saw one or two KTM Freerides. I feel most people are curious and ask the usual questions (what is the range? How long does it take to charge?)- some will make somewhat negative comments like "I'll never buy one of those" or ignorant comments like "I hear they catch on fire all the time". Those don't bother me, it just makes me feel bad for them because they are missing out on an amazing riding experience.

But today I had someone get really hostile about it, to the point I was worried he was going to throw punches. That is definitely a first for me. The park was pretty busy today, because it was so nice out. I prefer avoiding the crowds so I was riding some of the more obscure single track trails that are towards the edge of the park, which usually means I won't see anyone else for the entire day. But this time, there were several people on the same trails. I came up on a guy going the same direction as me and he was going considerably slower than me. I'm never sure what the best way to handle this situation, since you can't just hold in the clutch and rap the engine a few times to get their attention. So I tend to ride close to them so they can get a chance of hearing something, and purposely slide the rear and do burn outs out of corners.

This guy did not appreciate my method of getting his attention at all. He heard it, glanced behind to see me and immediately fell over. It was a very minor drop, a narrow section of thick hedges on both sides, the bike was caught on the hedges, trapping his leg, but he wasn't even at a 45 degree angle. I wouldn't have thought anything of it, but he was extremely upset. Immediately started yelling about electric bikes and how they shouldn't be allowed. I asked if he needed help, but he just angrily waved me by, yelling "Go! Go!" The path was very narrow and I wasn't comfortable with it, because I was pretty sure I was going to end up rubbing against him. But he was very insistent and I wasn't really wanting to hang out with this angry guy. So I slowly went by him, but was seriously worried he was going to do something while I passed him. But he didn't.

I mentally played with how I might have done things differently, but I don't see how I could do much other than quietly follow him with more room between us until he noticed me, but that could take forever. I guess it would help if he wasn't so painfully slow. But I don't know. Any one else running into issues like this?

 

[Lost]

If you've got a MX get a horn, if you've got an EX use it. If I see someone on a trail and I'm gaining, a couple of quick beeps to let them know Im coming. Then a more insistent beep if they are holding me up. Never had a problem, but I live in Spain where horns are communication.

From what you've described though it sound's more like a not very confident rider who, like it seems of the rest of the world now has to blame other's for their own shortcomings...

 

[Erwin P]

This sounds like a guy who will always blame others, then his bike, then... and much further down the line himself.
Doesn't matter what you would have ridden, he would be mad at you.

 

[Theo]

Surely there are some electric bike haters and I've met more than one who told me something like

"I'll never buy one of those"

but the same day in which you wrote about that episode, I was at a MX track and, while my Varg was under charge, a kid asked me whether it was a Stark, I said it was and he said it's an awesome bike and that when he'll grow up he will either have it or another brand, I think he said Surron. He also mentioned another EV brand I didn't know about, which is a sign of interest. So far I've only got compliments from young people, who are the future, and IMO this is more important than negative attitudes from adults.

 

[Chaconne]

I try not to ride with other people, I have private land I have permission on and the owners are very happy that I am on electric with no complaining nosy Nancys. I told an owner I ran into last week that I now use an electric chainsaw since to clear trails since the police have been called for trailwork as much as riding.

The police even questioned me about the private land for which I had permission after somebody complained about an ICE chainsaw. And I am betting if I was under 40 they would have been more pressing. I am an old guy and I have paid plenty of taxes and I have a pretty good sense of what crossing the line is. The very sound of 2T kicks off the nosy Nancy suburban noise alarm in these parts. You can probably get a 10 year sentence for using a leaf blower in some jurisdictions.

I have gone to a few public riding areas with my Stark in a bordering state, and every once in a while I run into some angry jackass falling on his paper sword defending the honor of ICE. They usually calm down when I tell them I own ICE bikes too. They usually then start flubbing some comparisons that some friend of a friend of a friend of a friend told them. I try to be honest about the pluses and minuses.

Those angry guys are also often the same wingnuts who were close to psychosis over 2T vs 4T back in the day and also said they would never ride 4Ts either. You should their faces when I tell them I also own a KTM 300 2T and for a lot of things my MX-1 is just as good or better.

 

[Erwin P]

Same here.
When it comes to riding i actually feel the Stark is closer to a 2 than a 4 stroke.

 

[AbnormalWrench]

Surely there are some electric bike haters and I've met more than one who told me something like

but the same day in which you wrote about that episode, I was at a MX track and, while my Varg was under charge, a kid asked me whether it was a Stark, I said it was and he said it's an awesome bike and that when he'll grow up he will either have it or another brand, I think he said Surron. He also mentioned another EV brand I didn't know about, which is a sign of interest. So far I've only got compliments from young people, who are the future, and IMO this is more important than negative attitudes from adults.

The few Surron's I run into, tend to be younger riders and they literally worship the Stark Varg. I once came up on a group who were stopped and they all started chanting "Stark Varg! Stark Varg!" spontaneously. It was funny and a bit creepy. I always give a demonstration as I take off

The kids are alright.

 

[Caryder]

When I was a teenager racing hare scrambles in Texas, yelling was an option for passing a slower rider that seemed unawares they were an impediment. One of the hazards of racing multiple classes on the same course is you run up on slower classes. It never occurred to me that yelling was pretty effective until I saw an expert on a Montessa screaming at the top of his lungs to MOVE MOVE MOVE and other riders complied. He was clearly in a league of his own.

 

[DaveAusNor]

The kids are alright.

yea 100% The new generation is much more used to vehicles that are electrically powered and new technology in general. To the point that if you pull them off their electric bicycles and give them one with with a smoke sputtering motor, they'd likely complain that its noisy, smoky, slow and "old tech"

 

[Chaconne]

yea 100% The new generation is much more used to vehicles that are electrically powered and new technology in general. To the point that if you pull them off their electric bicycles and give them one with with a smoke sputtering motor, they'd likely complain that its noisy, smoky, slow and "old tech"

Agree. What is most disheartening is the levels of nostalgia among the older generation (of which I am part) and the rose colored visions of a past that wasn't all that great to begin with. And ya I rode Bultacos and Hodakas and lots of other ICE and still own a KTM and Yam but the future is here now. My Stark is my goto now and those other grannys can sit in their easy chairs and yabble about their 2smokes I am going riding and I don't care what they say...

 

[AbnormalWrench]

Agree. What is most disheartening is the levels of nostalgia among the older generation (of which I am part) and the rose colored visions of a past that wasn't all that great to begin with. And ya I rode Bultacos and Hodakas and lots of other ICE and still own a KTM and Yam but the future is here now. My Stark is my goto now and those other grannys can sit in their easy chairs and yabble about their 2smokes I am going riding and I don't care what they say...

I had a conversation with an older rider, who had a weird anger that he made it through the 2 stroke days and finally decided to embrace the 4 stroke modernization of dirt bikes and he said he can't handle another revolution in dirt biking. Two revolutions was his max and he's putting his foot down, dammit!

As they say, revolutions move by funerals - the people obsessed with nostalgia eventually die and the culture shifts as they dwindle away. (not that I'm a spring chicken)

 

[Erwin P]

We're now in a big Enduro terrain and a few people rode my Stark. It's really cool how well it's received.

 

[DaveAusNor]

We're now in a big Enduro terrain and a few people rode my Stark. It's really cool how well it's received.

That's good to hear. I think most riders can see the the many positives too. I for one love rolling up next to other riders for a quick chat without having to cut the engine. Also not having to sit on something producing so much heat. Let the haters keep on hating

 

[Anders]

We're now in a big Enduro terrain and a few people rode my Stark. It's really cool how well it's received.

I have the same experience. Only a few of my mates have ridden my Varg, but they all agree that its a very good bike, to the extent that they warn others, who recently purchased new KTMs: "Don't test ride his Varg! You'll regret buying the KTM!"

 

[Theo]

yea 100% The new generation is much more used to vehicles that are electrically powered and new technology in general. To the point that if you pull them off their electric bicycles and give them one with with a smoke sputtering motor, they'd likely complain that its noisy, smoky, slow and "old tech"

Well, just envise the following situation: in a parallel universe, battery technology's evolved faster than gas engines technology and everybody have electric motorcycles. Then one day a guy shows up at the MX track, which of course is in a city, with a gas bike.
EV rider: «hey, what's this thing? It doesn't look like you have a battery»
ICE rider: «oh, it's a revolutionary bike, it works with gasoline, you just refill a tank and it works for more than half an hour»
EV rider: «wow, like super fast charging! But what is that lever near the left footpeg? Doesn't it bother you to use that lever while standing?»
ICE rider: «oh, that's a shifter lever: you see, these engines deliver decent torque only in a narrow range of rpms and so they have a gearbox: you shift gears to keep the engine in that range»
EV rider: «what? sorry but that sucks man. And what't the other lever on the right?»
ICE rider: «well, it's the rear brake, You see, actually that left lever on the handlebar is not for rear brake like it normally happens: it's for a thing named "clutch" that you have to pull in certain situations since the engine has to idle at a certain speed or it will turn off by itself»
EV rider: «ahahah come on, that's ridicuolous, why didn't you just buy a normal bike like everybody?»
ICE rider: «wait until you hear it running, it roars like a lion»
engine starts
EV rider: «HEY MAN WHAT'T THIS RACKET?? TURN THAT THING OFF, YOU ARE DEAFENING EVERYBODY!»
EV rider 2: «HEY, WHAT IS THIS SMOKE? IS SOMETHING BURNING? HURRY, JIMMY, TAKE OUT THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER!»

And at that point the EV riders haven't found out yet about things such as the air filter or the top end rebuild.

 

[Erwin P]

I've ridden the bike over the past days in Hard Enduro next to ICE bikes and to be honest both, when executed well, have their own advantages.
Sometimes the clutch, limited gears and flywheel of the 300's offer better traction. Sometimes the Stark does. The reverse and crawl mode are game changers and all riders who have seen it in action agree 100%.

The battery is not even close to the limiting factor. And if it is, just go for the harder parts and it will last much longer.

For me the Stark is the better bike, but i can agree with the ICE gang that the 300's offer things the Stark doesn't.