Electric Trials Bike for Trials Rookie

[jmvar44]

I have been reading through this forum as I think about getting a second dirt bike for myself to complement my KTM 200 2 stroke woods bike.  I am hoping to get some feedback on what bikes I should consider from people with experience.

I am a life long mountain bike rider that got into dirt bikes later in life when I was 30 (43 now).  I love riding dirt bikes in the woods, have raced enduros and hare scrambles, and ride every chance I get.  The difficult part is land access and distance to drive...and kids.  I can ride out of my garage and hit a mountain bike trail, to ride dirt bikes I have to drive 1 hour when I get an invite to private property, so it's never up to me when I can ride the dirt bike.

I have woods behind my house that I can ride but I don't want to draw attention, I take my kids (8 and 4 year olds) to the woods behind the house because they are on a PW50 and a Stacyc which are virtually silent.  I'd love to have a trials bike I can hone skills on, and enjoy the woods with my kids right by my house without having to drive anywhere that is silent.

I have played around on trials bikes but have never ridden or owned one extensively.  I do zap, double blip, tire tap, and aggressively drop the clutch on my 200 while looking for the biggest hill with rocks and logs in the middle when I ride and find that enjoyable.  On all our rides we spend some time basically riding trials on trail bikes because we enjoy the challenge.  I have even taken a trials class on my 200 and really enjoyed it.  I am probably a decent C rider to very mediocre B lever rider, but have a knack and enjoyment for more technical riding.

I am not looking to replace my well sorted KTM 200, this is why an alta or stark are not on my radar.....yet.  I am looking to complement it with something like a silent trials bike that will be ridden in my back yard, and in the woods behind my house.  It will get abused...there are steep technical hills, rocks, and technical sections where I will by trying things that are out of my comfort zone.  Range is not a concern, the woods are 2 min. walk from my house.  Priorities are skills cary over to the 200, longevity, robustness, parts availability, and preferably (not absolutely required) a clutch so that the technical practice carries over to my 200.

That said, I really like the Electric Motion with the clutch and that is why I posted in this subforum.  Would this be too much bike for a trials rookie like me and what I want to do with it?  Should I be looking at something one level down? I am wondering if a sorted sun ron would be a good compromise, or maybe an oset?

[turbofurball]

You need a full-size trials bike for the skills to transfer really, the Osets great for what it is, but doesn't sound like what you're after.  An Electric Motion has variable power modes so you can push a button corresponding to how brave you're feeling ... I'm not sure if there's any others that are properly available yet TBH.

 

Check out the review of the EM on Trials Tube, he goes over all the pros and cons.  Also, you can try one out at Inch Perfect Trials if you're in the UK

 

I'm sure people will chip in, but as I said elsewhere recently, if I could afford one I'd be all over an EM, lol

[dgshannon]

1 hour ago, jmvar44 said:

Would this be too much bike for a trials rookie like me and what I want to do with it?  Should I be looking at something one level down?

It certainly would not be "too much bike". The map switch allows you to change between 125, 250, and 300 mode. You can dial the power as you see fit. With that said, and as strange as it sounds, you might consider the less expensive model that comes without the clutch. The more proficient that I get on the bike, the less I need the clutch. For upper class riders, that need to rev high prior to popping the clutch for a huge leap, the clutch is great. For lower class folks that are simply negotiating turns in a section, it is really unnecessary.

Riding the Electric Motion well requires a deft throttle hand. With a gas bike, you are always balancing clutch slip against throttle input. Removing clutch from the equation makes you a MUCH smoother rider. However, that transfers full responsibility to your throttle control. Consider that you have full torque from zero RPM and the slightest blip of the throttle produces immediate results. Once your mind adapts to unlearning old habits and developing new ones, it is magical what you can do. You want to stop forward motion? Just close the throttle! Engine won't die. You can move along a 1/4 RPM if you like.

Don't want to talk you out of a clutch, as I like having mine for backup habits. However, just want you to know that it is not necessary for riding trials, and probably less so for your intended purpose. 

Edited March 31, 2022 by dgshannon

[motovita]

 You could look at it two ways. You could get the clutch model and ride it more likeyour KTM, or you could go clutchless and rideit more like your MTB.

[jmvar44]

On 3/31/2022 at 12:47 PM, motovita said:

 You could look at it two ways. You could get the clutch model and ride it more likeyour KTM, or you could go clutchless and rideit more like your MTB.

Very good point and I am pretty set on having the skills, especially clutch skills transfer to riding the KTM.

 

That said, a 2015 EM 5.7 has come up for sale semi locally ( I am on the east coast of the USA).

I am seriously thinking about making an offer.  Is the 2015 EM 5.7 worth a look?

 

I have attached some pics.

 

[motovita]

 I think 7 years is a lifetime in e bike years. I would'nt consider it unless it's real cheap and/or I was a tinkerer wanting to buy a bike to update/modify.

Edited April 3, 2022 by motovita

[jmvar44]

5 hours ago, motovita said:

 I think 7 years is a lifetime in e bike years. I would'nt consider it unless it's real cheap and/or I was a tinkerer wanting to buy a bike to update/modify.

Hi, thanks for your input.  Are you saying this because electric bikes have advanced a lot in 7 years or because in 7 years it has probably seen a lot of abuse and probably has a lot of issues?

[motovita]

19 hours ago, jmvar44 said:

Hi, thanks for your input.  Are you saying this because electric bikes have advanced a lot in 7 years or because in 7 years it has probably seen a lot of abuse and probably has a lot of issues?

 E bikes and EM have advanced quite a bit.

[pindie]

I’m in a similar situation. I have had various ktm based small bores. I love them. Currently a beta 250 rr, te 150 (stored) and an Evo 300. 
 

I had a spin on an epure  the other week. Superb. You can ride clutchless or use the clutch. Super instinctive machine. It’s made me make changes. My husky te150 (that has been mothballed) will be going to replace my 2012 Evo. I’ll grab a recent petrol machine as a buffer period to getting an epure. I have a high number of riding venues if no noise but only a handful if burning petrol. 
 

The electric bikes are the current and future. In less than a handful of years nobody will be interested in petrol. 

Edited April 18, 2022 by pindie

[jmvar44]

Thanks for all of the replies.

I have found a low hour used 2021 escape without the hydraulic clutch.  I want to make sure it will allow me to learn a technique like the one in the video before I spend the money.  I am am specifically referring to the very first move.  The following moves are out of my comfort zone from a risk reward standpoint.  Will the seat height or lack of clutch not get me there?

 

Edited May 18, 2022 by jmvar44

[motovita]

 You can certainly learn to negotiate such obstacles but the technique will be somewhat different/modified, so I would say rather than getting hung up on conventional techniques learn to adapt them to your equipment. It can certainly be done.

 A seat is generally more of a hindrance for turns and descents than climbs.

[sukahutan]

I'm also thinking of changing. I ride here in France, GasGas 280 and a Yamaha WRF250 dirt, both of which I love, but feel more and more out of place with the climate, petrol burning and the noise to local countryside. I switched last year to an electric car. I rode an Electric Motion last week, with a clutch, and instantly felt well with the bike. The clutch was a bit unnecessary but as has been said above, it's habit.

Is Electric Motion the only ones in production at the moment?

[trapezeartist]

On 5/29/2022 at 12:31 PM, sukahutan said:

I'm also thinking of changing. I ride here in France, GasGas 280 and a Yamaha WRF250 dirt, both of which I love, but feel more and more out of place with the climate, petrol burning and the noise to local countryside. I switched last year to an electric car. I rode an Electric Motion last week, with a clutch, and instantly felt well with the bike. The clutch was a bit unnecessary but as has been said above, it's habit.

Is Electric Motion the only ones in production at the moment?

Yes.