Kiwi marketplace – where tracks are increasingly
coming under attack for noise pollution, and
come on, let’s face, it there aren’t any hardcore
environmentalists that are into dirt bikes are
there? – the low noise and minimal maintenance will
be much stronger selling points for potential buyers.
While there are, of course, the hard-core moto
families who live and breathe moto, for those
looking at getting into the sport, the maintenance
of a dirt bike can be quite daunting to those with
little to no experience with motorcycles. The lack
of traditional maintenance will therefore make
the KTM and Husqvarna ideal for youngsters
and parents alike looking to make the first step
into the world of motorcycling.
When it comes to the low noise, many riders will
undoubtedly prefer the sound of a two-stroke,
and who could blame them? Unfortunately, the
sad reality of the New Zealand MotoX scene is our
tracks are constantly under threat from urban
developments, and as such, noisy motorcycle
tracks are getting killed off one-by-one – just look
at Western Springs in Auckland as an example.
With little to no noise, the SX-E and EE 5 will allow
young riders to ride hassle free without upsetting
residential neighbours.
The biggest drawback to any electric vehicle will
always be range and charging times, with both the
KTM and Husqvarna both benefitting from a
decent specification for both.
The battery (or as KTM calls it, the “PowerPack”)
can reportedly supply more than two hours of
riding for a beginner lazily riding around a paddock
or trail – or 25 minutes for faster junior racers at
the moto track. Charging time for the PowerPack
is good, with it taking roughly just an hour to
completely charge the battery of the little EVs.
Importantly, while the bike itself is priced from
$9399, prospective owners will also need to fork
out for the charger specific to the PowerPack
which retails for roughly $800.
KIWI RIDER 93