- The MX5 is the first electric dirt bike released by Talaria to feature a 72V powertrain, offering a significant upgrade in performance from the MX4.
- Top speed is around 59mph on the MX5, with a peak power output of 13kW.
- Exciting new features include a thumb switch to activate the regen, allowing recharge back into the battery.
- Both experienced technical riders and commuters will find enjoyment in the MX5.
- The MX5 is reasonably priced, and most riders will find they don’t need to upgrade any components (although we know you will want to!)
After years of waiting, Talaria released the Sting MX5, the first 72 volt electric dirt bike in the Sting range. The playing field has become even, with the MX5 being a rival to the E Ride Pro, the Arctic Leopard, and other stock 72v e-motos.
Possibly the biggest excitement comes from the leap between the MX4 and the MX5. Way more power, bigger brakes, stronger forks, and the price isn’t all that much more. This e-moto is perfect for just about every rider. A beginner can ride this bike (cautiously – I’ll get to that part shortly), an experienced rider will get a heap of fun from it, and a pro rider will love the sturdy frame to start the modding process.
Why do we love the Talaria MX5? Simple. It’s a well-built bike with a nice ride feel. You might also notice that we’re not Talaria dealers, full disclosure, but we love where Talaria is going with their bikes. We ride the MX5 personally, and our in-house R&D team is hard at work creating new and exciting competition-ready parts for the MX5.
You could say, between all our team members here at GritShift, we have all styles of riding covered to get a nuanced overview of the MX5. Some of us are competition riders, some are wicked at the stunts, and some, like myself, get out each weekend to have fun.
This is our experience with the Talaria Sting MX5.
The Stats
While AI can give you all the stats you need on the Talaria Sting MX5, sometimes it’s nice to see the stats at a glance, from a human 🙂 Here’s the infographic that I (Margie) created:
If you would like more stats, here is the official Talaria website.
What do these stats mean in real life?
What we found was that the Talaria MX5 feels more planted than the MX4. It has a really nice ride feel, with great stopping power and sufficient power that you’d expect from an e-moto in this category. It can easily get around an MX track, although for those who ride hard, you’ll find it doesn’t quite have enough oompf to get good air over the big jumps. I would also be cautious on the landing, as while this bike is a solid build, it is still a bike in the mid-sized e-moto category.
For most riders, the Talaria MX5 doesn’t need any upgrades. Remember when the first Sting came out? It was good, but it needed a bit of work to get feeling great. The MX5 is great from day 1. Modding only needs to happen when you want to start customizing it for your ride style or get the ergos perfectly right for your body.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t competitors that do some things better than the MX5 does, but if you’re a Talaria loyalist who enjoyed riding an MX4 (or even an MX3), you will find that the MX5 improves on the Sting formula across the board while still feeling like a Sting – light, snappy, and eager to push harder.
Let’s dive into the new features you’ll find on the MX5 compared to the MX4:
Upgraded features from the Sting MX4
Firstly, if you’re still looking for a brand new MX4, then you’d better grab one quickly. Talaria has currently stopped production of the MX3 and the MX4, as they’re focusing on the MX5 for the Sting range.
You can still buy an MX3 or MX4 second-hand of course, and some authorized dealers still have stock of them, but if you buy one off a random website that isn’t Talaria Approved, you won’t have a warranty, so be careful.
As I’m writing this in 2026, I can see many retailers have the MX5 advertised for $4,990, which I think is really good value, especially considering the MX4 is advertised for $4,500 – if you can find one.
The most notable changes on the MX5 from the MX4 are:
- Better brakes: The MX-5 has DOT 4 fluid, similar to that found on gas dirt bikes, with large brake pads.
- A thumb-actuated variable regen switch
- A switch to turn the headlight on and off (useful during the day to retain precious power)
- Stronger gearbox
- Stronger suspension that is fully adjustable
- Stronger wheel spokes/hubs
- A bigger chain, now a 428
- A 48T rear sprocket
- And a color display that is easy to read
The biggest difference you’ll find from the MX4 is the powertrain. It’s a big jump up from a 60v system to a 72v system. If you’re not sure why, check out this article:
Who needs the MX5?
I would recommend the MX5 to anyone with some prior dirt bike experience, or someone looking to make the leap from the earlier MX3 or LBX to something with more power.
The rider who is best suited to a Talaria Sting MX5 in their garage is the rider who loves exploring the woods, likes riding on the MX tracks, although maybe not getting huge air, but enjoys perfecting their technical skills. The weekday commuter would also find the MX5 a comfortable, easy bike for their commute.
A beginner could ride this bike, but you’d need to respect the throttle. It’s only a small twist of the throttle between being stationary and zooming fast. If you’re a beginner, I would suggest starting in eco mode and having a chat with trusted mates about the best ways to begin learning.
Check out this article if you’re starting your journey into the e-moto world for some hints and tips and welcome to our community!
An expert or competition-level rider will find the MX5 to be a competent bike in most circumstances, but some upgrades are mandatory to fully explore its potential. At the end of the day, there are some competitors that just do that little extra beyond what the MX5 can do based on its inherent frame architecture and suspension geometry, but we’ll get back to that later.
Can you mod the MX5?
Yes, absolutely! I mentioned before that the MX5 is great around the MX tracks, but I wouldn’t be taking to the skies with it as a stock e-moto. While the suspension is a huge upgrade from the MX4, and the MX5 is really good for most riders, hard riders would benefit from some suspension upgrades.
For the everyday rider, it would depend on how you use your bike. The first mods to make would be for better ergos. Customise the bike to your body. Do the handlebars need to be raised? Footpegs need to be more grippy? Grips need to be changed? Nothing really needs to be changed, but if you can make your bike fit like a glove, it will improve your riding – especially if you’re chasing lap times.
Once you’ve made a few changes, the next step in the modding process is usually powertrain, wheels, or suspension.
- Powertrain: The go-to is to upgrade your controller. We use and recommend EBMX Controllers, then if more power is needed, you could look at upgrading the motor to the EBMX XLB-60 Core Motor.
- Wheels: There is no point getting huge power if you can’t get it to the ground and get traction, so tires are very important. Get the tire that suits the terrain you want to ride and consider stronger wheels if that’s something you usually need.
- Suspension: For the hard riders, suspension upgrades would be essential. This includes the linkage and triangle. Check out the Vonkat TENfive V2 Rear Shock here.
Other 72V E-Moto Options: MX5 Competitors
If you’re shopping around for the best e-moto to suit your riding style, here are a few other options for you to consider that are similar to the MX5:
E Ride Pro SS
Why: The E Ride Pro SS is a similar price, similar peak output, similar battery size, and overall a very similar bike!
What’s better: We think the stock wheel size on the E Ride Pro SS is better, with a 19/18 wheel setup, compared with the 19/19 setup on the MX5. The bike’s overall geometry means the ride feel is more natural, and the front end feels more planted and less likely to jackknife on corners.
For more details on the E Ride Pro SS, including a breakdown on its components, check out:
Arctic Leopard XE Pro S
Why: The Arctic Leopard is slightly more expensive, but you do get a 20kW direct drive motor. The battery is also slightly bigger, giving you more range.
What’s better: For the slightly higher price (in some cases, I’ve seen it only $399 more), you get more power, giving faster acceleration and a top speed of 62mph. I think overall, this is a better value for money e-moto than the MX5, and it has often been a toss-up as to whether the Arctic Leopard or the E Ride is GritShift HQ’s favorite bike of the day..
Check out our video here:
Random Facts to Look Cool
Where did the name Talaria come from?
The name Talaria stems from the Roman mythological figure Hermes, in particular his ‘winged sandals’. Now, I don’t know exactly how this relates to Talaria – the electric dirt bike company, but when you dive into the ‘winged sandals’ part, it talks about how they gave Hermes the ability to ‘fly as swift as a bird’.
It doesn’t take much imagination to suggest this is how Talaria envisioned their bikes. It’s also not a big jump to look at the Talaria logo and see how it could be wings. Here is the official Talaria page – what do you think?
Talaria originated from Surron – true or false?
While there are many stories on the internet about Talaria stemming from Surron, the official answer is false. Talaria did not stem from Surron. However, the rumours say that some ex Surron employees went their own way and started an electric dirt bike company – that was interestingly similar to Surron. This was compounded by the fact that Surron filed a lawsuit against Talaria regarding alleged patent infringement.
Since then, Talaria has gone on to produce some very unique and different bikes compared to the Surron models, so whatever happened seems to be in the past and Talaria is very much its own company.
Talaria is manufactured in Chongqing – where is that?
Chongqing is a massive Chinese municipality and is a major center for manufacturing all types of electronics and vehicles. It is also known as ‘Mountain City’ due to its location nestled between towering mountains. You’ll find Chongqing in the southwestern province of Sichuan.
Leave a Reply