The Sur Ron electric motorcycle is one of the most exciting off-road electric motorcycles to hit the scene recently. The high performance yet low-cost electric motorcycle showed off its abilities by smoking a bunch of gas motorcycles to win 1st place in a recent race. Check out the epic video below!
The Sur Ron electric motorcycle was introduced last year and became an instant hit. Its low price of around $3,500 combined with around 6 kW of power and 45-ish mph (72 km/h) top speed make it a popular little electric motorcycle.
We rarely get to see it compete against gas motorcycles in formal races though, so this was a rare treat.
In the race video below, Tucker Neary entered the Sur Ron in his local Hare Scramble race in Naturita, Colorado.
As Tucker explained to Electrek:
“The race was a Hare Scramble format and I entered into the Sportsman Class with a 2019 Sur-Ron X. The Sportsman Class is an Unclassified Class and allows racers to race any motorcycle size and displacement, which was a good fit for my untraditional entry. I had only ridden the bike once before the race so although I knew I could be competitive on it, I was not sure where it would stack up against traditional gas race bikes.”
The Sur Ron had an immediate handicap when the race started due to the “dead engine” start requirement, which meant the Sur Ron had to start with the key in the off position. The Sur Ron has around a 4 to 5-second electronic start-up delay, giving it a bit of a slower start from the completely off position. However, Tucker quickly took the lead in his motorcycle class and held onto it throughout the race.
As Tucker explained to us:
“Traditional motocross bikes have more suspension and power. These two things were my biggest disadvantage aboard the Sur-Ron X. The race course was rough and choppy and the bike did not soak up the rough track like a traditional gas bike, it required me to pick my lines carefully and try to be strategic when coming into difficult sections. I could keep my speed on the fast flowing sections of the track but the power limitations were noticeable when I had a steep hill to climb or needed to pass another racer quickly. The advantages of the Sur-Ron are that it is light and nimble. If I picked the right line and carried momentum, the bike would dissect the course nicely.”
Tucker as had another advantage aboard the Sur Ron: Its stealthy silence.
“On a traditional gas bike, you can always hear your competitors as they get close to you and you can race them accordingly. No one knew I was there! I started having to use the horn because I knew I was catching racers off guard when trying to pass them. They had no idea I had closed up on them.”
See Tucker’s ride first hand in the video from his Electric Cycle Rider YouTube channel. Then continue reading below for Tucker’s race impressions.
Sur Ron race video
The grueling 3 lap race covered extremely rough terrain and took Tucker 58 minutes to complete.
The Sur Ron’s battery is just shy of 2 kW. That’s a lot for an e-bike but rather modest for an electric motorcycle, especially one ridden through sand and dirt.
As the race neared the end, Tucker’s Sur Ron had nearly depleted its battery. The bike’s top speed and power dropped as it began to enter “limp mode”.
Then with just four turns left on the last lap, the battery died and Tucker had to do the walk of shame across the line. Though with the lead he built up throughout the race, there wasn’t too much shame in it since he still held onto first place in his motorcycle class. Not too shabby!
As Tucker explained in a recap of the race:
“I placed 1st in my class and I’m pretty stoked about that! I think the bike did really well. I almost finished with the battery, but on that third lap I went into EP [economy] mode and about three or four corners from the finish it finally gave out but that’s about the best place possible to have the bike die on me. Each lap was just slightly over 5 miles so I basically got 15 miles of hard riding and my total time elapsed was 58 minutes.”
While the Sur Ron is often quoted as having a range of around 40-50 miles (65-80 km), that is only possible when riding in Eco mode and at reduced speeds on flat, smooth terrain. Sand, dirt, and hills are all known to eat up battery in electric motorcycles, making these styles of races particularly brutal for electric motorcycles. Of course, that also makes the 1st place finish all the more impressive.
Make sure you check out Electrek’s own Fred Lambert’s review of the Sur Ron and his video below. And you can see more of Tucker’s Sur Ron riding action on his Electric Cycle Rider Instagram or website.
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