- At 125 pounds and 12kW, the Arctic Leopard XF Pro has a crazy power to weight ratio!
- You’ll find the size of the XF between a Surron LBX and an ETM RTR. Some say it is similar in size to the Talaria XXX
- In true Arctic Leopard style, the XF has all the high tech, high performance parts, including a direct drive system which removes the need for belts and jackshafts.
- While mods aren’t necessary, handlebars and risers would be first on our list of upgrades
The Arctic Leopard XF Pro is the all new, high tech electric dirt bike that’s closer to pit-bike size than full enduro. It’s lightweight, agile, and it’s fast! Think of the Arctic Leopard XE, and shrink it down to the size of a Talaria XXX, all while retaining the proper dirt bike parts and high performance.
Sounds like a heap of fun!
The growing trend for small e-motos has taken off in a huge way. It started with the Surron Hyper Bee, then perfected with the E Ride Pro line and the Electro & Co ETM RTR, and now this – the Arctic Leopard XF. Don’t let the size fool you, though; this is not a kids’ bike. Top speed is around 60mph, and 12kW propels you forward fast!
Just what we love here at GritShift. High performance, quality, and wicked fun. If you’re new here, welcome 🙂 We’re a team of dirt bike riders who create competition-ready parts for our own e-motos, and make them available for everyone. Well, Rusty and his R&D team do. I’m either behind my computer writing about them, or out riding!
We’re all very excited about getting our hands on the Arctic Leopard XF. This is what we know so far on the XF Pro(and don’t forget to subscribe to our free email community to hear more on this new e-moto)
Arctic Leopard XF Pro Specs
With a top speed of 60mph and weighing only 125 pounds, the Arctic Leopard XF Pro is a small mid-sized e-moto with big power. Here are some of the specs:
For the full spec list, check out this page.
But what does all this mean in real life?
Have a think about the original Surron LBX, it was 6Kw when it was first released, on a slightly heavier frame. And we all thought that was pretty fast. Double the output, reduce the weight, add better quality components, and you’ve got yourself a nimble, quick machine.
The wheel base is 47.25 inches, compared with 51 inches on the XE Pro, so size-wise, it’s smaller. Many riders are comparing the XF to the Talaria XXX in size, while others say it’s a bit bigger than the ETM RTR. For reference, the ETM RTR has a wheel base of around 44.5 Inches, so yes, the XF is bigger.
Power is delivered via a direct drive, meaning no belts or jackshafts—just power to a robust 520 chain.
XF Performance
Let’s look further into the direct drive part – unlike other models that use a belt or primary chain around a jackshaft, the XF uses direct drive, which means fewer moving parts and less loss of power due to friction. The power comes from a 72V 35Ah battery, which delivers 340Nm peak torque to the wheels. The throttle curve has been designed to deliver an instant response for technical trails.
It also has a top speed of 60mph, which means it’s great for open space riding and high speed tracks, as well as tight technical trails. The shorter wheelbase and 17/14 wheel setup offer a different type of riding to the larger XE, more flickable and nimble. This size e-moto has a playful feel, something that you can muck around on on the weekend.
Who needs the Arctic Leopard XF Pro?
This is the perfect bike for anyone who wants to either learn how to ride a dirt bike, or an experienced rider who wants something to have fun with. Being slightly smaller with a lower seat height, this could also be a good bike for younger riders.
If you’re a Mom or Dad, or the fun uncle, I’d suggest reading this article to explain a few things about electric dirt bikes for your kid. Please keep in mind that these are serious dirt bikes, and they need to be treated as such.
It is also a great bike if your partner wants to get into riding, but is not a fan of something bigger and intimidating. Bonus is, you can also ride it!
Let’s face it, they’re small bikes – which means you can easily fit them in your garage, maybe your XE wants a friend?!
The mods that you can do on the Arctic Leopard XF Pro:
Before we jump into the section, I’ll start by saying, according to the specs and what we already know, there won’t be anything you’ll need to mod. But that’s just boring, so here are some things we’ll probably do right away:
Handlebar/mount
The handlebar mount is already a direct stem mount, which is much stronger than other types of bicycle-style mounts, but the Heavy Hitter direct stem mount gives you an extra 2 inches of height, and also positions the handlebars slightly forward, opening the rider’s triangle slightly. We would also upgrade the handlebars with a better bar bend, due to personal preferences.
Footpegs
Generally, aftermarket footpegs are stronger with more grip. And you can color coordinate them! It’s a standard mod that we do on most bikes.
Other components, such as the suspension, should be great for most riders. Like usual, for the hard riders and those who go straight to the SX track, you’ll probably want to strengthen the suspension, but stay tuned – we’ll let you know what we find out.
Where to ride?
Due to the compact size of this e-moto, the Arctic Leopard XF is the perfect backyard bike. If you have a half-decent-sized backyard, why would you not rip around with your own e-moto? I know I would be! The noise is minimal, you’ll remain friends with your neighbors, they might just question if you start bringing in the heavy equipment if you go overboard on the jumps…
Anyway, the other places to ride are your local dirt bike tracks. Ask around, local tracks are becoming more and more familiar with electric dirtbikes, and some even have their own electric category. If you’re looking into a bike for your child, local tracks are a great place to start. They usually offer a good education on riding from mentors and coaches.
The XF would also be an awesome bike on trails through the woods. It would likely be a good commuter bike, but check with your local authorities if you can register it for the road. I could imagine myself taking the XF to our local private track, along with my larger dirt bikes. This would give me something to play on, in between getting laps in.
Arctic Leopard XF Variants
Arctic Leopard has created a few variants of the XF to cater to a range of riding styles. Each of these models shares the same frame, powertrain system, and general features. Where they differ is their wheel setup. Here are the different options:
- XF Pro MX: 70/100-19 on the front, and 100/90-16 on the rear
- XF Pro: 70/100-17 on the front, and 90/100-14 on the rear
- XF Pro Super: 80/90-17 on the front, and 100/80-16 on the rear
The XF Pro MX and XF Pro are best suited for dirt tracks and trail riding. The XF Pro Super is best suited for the pavement; it is closer to a supermoto version. For more information, check out the Arctic Leopard website
Our thoughts
Subscribe to our newsletter to hear about our journey with the XF. We’ll let you know what we find out as we find out about it! But overall, we’re excited to be part of Arctic Leopard’s progress in the e-moto world. The XE is a fantastic bike, and we can only imagine the XF will be the playful version that everyone will want.
Random facts to look cool with your mates:
Where did the term ‘pitbike’ come from?
It turns out that tiny dirtbikes have been around for some time. It could be argued that the pit bike stemmed from the bicycle known as the StingRays, first produced in 1963. It was a small bike with small wheels that was ‘stretched’ to fit a grown adult.
From there, the mini bike evolved with a 3HP motor, flimsy parts, and was designed to get around the pits. Honda quickly came to the party with their Super Cub 50 in the mid 1960s, a 50cc motorcycle, and the Z50 Mini Trail, which was starting to get more refined. By the 1970s, rear shocks were added, and popularity continued to grow.
Gyroscopic Forces help your bike remain stable.
So, for those of you who like nerdy info, did you know that the gyroscopic forces help you ride your bike? While this can be a really complicated physics phenomenon, simply explained, the inertia of a rotating mass (like a wheel) likes to stay rotating in the direction it is situated, and does not want to tilt.
For a way better explanation, check out this video:
Have you noticed how much easier it is to stay balanced on your bike while it’s moving versus while it’s stationary? That’s gyroscopic forces at play!
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