X Games Bans Electric Motocross Bikes In Bid To Become Even Less Relevant

[Philip]

X Games Bans Electric Motocross Bikes In Bid To Become Even Less Relevant [Update] - Jalopnik

Summer X Games events Competitors were recently sent the 2025 rulebook, and it included a pretty big surprise; an electric motorcycle ban.

www.jalopnik.com

 

[DaveAusNor]

Yea, strange move hey.

 

[Butch]

Some conflict of interest is likely

 

[Beagle]

Pretty simple, electrics are not supposed to win.

 

[Philip]

Maybe it is too easy to make triple backflips. You can program them to accelerate to a set speed and then spin to a precise angle for landing. Anyone can do it!

 

[Theo]

Here is a more qualified opinion of someone who also explains how electric motorcycles are somehow superior for FMX. Yes, he's signed a contract with Stark Future, but looking at the performance of the Varg in FMX I'd say that he's being honest:

Here is my opinion, directly copied and pasted from my comment under that video:
The X Games are owned by private companies that can decide what to do with them and that are presumably after money, just like every company we deal with, including our employers: apparently, they must have concluded that electric motocross bikes are a bad choice in that regard. They don't have to necessarily make the competition fair and they have the right to decide who can join.
On the other hand, the X Games have also become sort of the Olympiads of FMX and so it's understandable that people talk about what is legit or not. With the perspective of someone who considers them as a business, I don't express any opinion about this decision.
Applying the perspective of someone who sees them as the FMX olympiads and considering that those bikes don't even interact with each other like in MX but instead they do tricks one after the other, I think that electric dirtbikes should be allowed, since I consider them more spectacular than the objectively better sounding gasoline powered motorcycle.
And I fucking love my Stark Varg!

And, finally and more importantly, just to be clear, here is an example of the beautiful views we will miss; usually I understand MX spectators who miss the sound, but in this context I don't:

 

[Philip]

Thanks for the video, @Theo !!! I am going to re-post it here:

I am summarizing the points made by Nick Tomasunas:

1) Nick says gas bikes cannot compete. They are not capable of the same "up-side-down-ness" as electric bikes. You may be able to whip it, but you won't have the power to bring it back safely.

2) He won't switch back to gas bikes. He is relying on the electric power to do what he does. If he goes back to gas, he might crash and get hurt bad. There are a plenty of competitions he can compete in. He values his contract with Stark more than the silly prize money at the X-Games, which is $10K for the 1st place or $1K for 2nd or 3rd.

The X-Games are indeed irrelevant in the real world.

 

[YoYo]

X Games Bans Electric Motocross Bikes In Bid To Become Even Less Relevant [Update] - Jalopnik

Summer X Games events Competitors were recently sent the 2025 rulebook, and it included a pretty big surprise; an electric motorcycle ban.

www.jalopnik.com

Can everyone please comment on any X Games social media or YouTube dirt bike posts negatively about them banning electric. Power of the people, lets tell them they cannot retard a sport due to paying sponsors wishes.

 

[StrkVRD24]

Can everyone please comment on any X Games social media or YouTube dirt bike posts negatively about them banning electric. Power of the people, lets tell them they cannot retard a sport due to paying sponsors wishes.

Amen!

 

[Theo]

Thanks for the video, @Theo !!! I am going to re-post it here:

I am summarizing the points made by Nick Tomasunas:

1) Nick says gas bikes cannot compete. They are not capable of the same "up-side-down-ness" as electric bikes. You may be able to whip it, but you won't have the power to bring it back safely.

2) He won't switch back to gas bikes. He is relying on the electric power to do what he does. If he goes back to gas, he might crash and get hurt bad. There are a plenty of competitions he can compete in. He values his contract with Stark more than the silly prize money at the X-Games, which is $10K for the 1st place or $1K for 2nd or 3rd.

The X-Games are indeed irrelevant in the real world.

Here is an attempt to go back to 450s.

The conclusion is that in his opinion the Stark is more exciting, more performant and safer for jumping.
I am a slow motocross rider and I agree.

 

[markhamr]

Electric motorcycle riders need to form its own governing body
and run its own races; EMRA
Of course the regular manufacturers do not want you
cashing in on their years of hard work and commitment
national drag racing association
electric series world karting assocaiation
and extreme e are currently the only
electric classes available
The rest are just demonstrations and testing
When this happens we might get some real manufacture interest
some decent bikes would help too

 

[DaveAusNor]

Problem is there is no one for Stark to race against now. An open division should be fine, and it is in some formats and countries.