Whether you’re at the buying stage or modding stage, or you’re wondering where your rent and food money went but having a sweet Sur Ron to show for it, we’re about to take a deep dive into all things Sur Ron: the parts you need, how much you should pay, and the global impacts of the most talked-about electric dirt bike of today.
-
Curious about electric dirt bikes? Interview with a seasoned petrol-head
Have you been a dirt bike rider, like, forever? Born and bred petrol head? But… Perhaps you’ve noticed some electric dirt bikes on your local track. Pop up in your social media feed? A few times? Maybe even Googled ‘Surron’ or ‘Talaria’, wondering what the commotion is? Maybe you’re starting to question ‘are electric dirt…
-
Cutting the Speed Limiter on Your Surron LBX Is a Good Start, But…
Unleashing the top speed on the Surron LBX is up there on most new owners’ priority lists. A quick Google search will show people cutting ‘that wire’ to make the Surron LBX extra speedy. What exactly are they doing? And, why do manufacturers sell the e-moto at a lower speed? You’d think getting max speed…
-
Surron’s Hyper Bee Is Definitely Not What Anyone Expected
The official unveiling of the Surron Hyper Bee was at TKO – the Red Bull Tennesee Knockout, a world class dirt bike and hard enduro event. Except nobody expected something like this.
This is E-Bike Weekly.
QUICK LINKS: E-Bike Videos | Bikes for Sale | News and Events
E-Bike Videos
The best new e-bike videos, hand-picked just for you.
Sur Ron vs. Talaria: The Definitive Answer
We’re kicking off this week’s edition in a big way thanks to Electric Cycle Rider. Not only are they sponsoring a huge giveaway through Omaze (hint: it’s electric!), but this direct comparison between the Sur Ron LBX and Talaria Sting is a resource that should be watched and absorbed by anyone considering getting into this niche of e-bikes.
You’ve probably heard most of the generic quips before: Sur Ron is lighter, Talaria is more expensive, and both are a lot of fun. What you haven’t heard is an in-depth comparison of the two, right down to setting identical shock pressure, tire pressure, and sag height on both bikes before evaluating either one. What’s more, our humble reviewer hops right off one and onto the other to give you a direct comparison of comfort, power, and efficiency.
Watch the full video to decide which is best for your style of riding. The main takeaways are:
- Sur Ron feels cramped, especially after getting off the Talaria. Solve the problem with our stem riser and a set of riser bars.
- Talaria’s torque curve is different. That doesn’t mean it’s faster all around, just peppier off the line.
- Both bikes are held back by their mountain bike components. You have to mind this while riding even somewhat aggressively.
The top comment pokes at both bikes for not being allowed on roads or bike trails, but we’re here to tell you they can do both! Outside of the USA it’s often a given, and even in many parts of the United States these bikes are considered Class III Electric Bicycles according to local laws. That means you can use bike lanes, bike trails, and even public roads the same as a bicycle could. And if you ever want or need to get a plate on the back, our sister site Dirt Legal can make it happen with their Street Legal E-Bike Program. Problem solved!
Sur Ron LBX: What Mods Do You Need?
Okay, we’ve established you need to modify a stock Sur Ron LBX to get the most out of it. But what mods should you be looking at, and more importantly, where do you start?
Grip n Rip is here to answer that question on a budget, showing off about a dozen Sur Ron LBX upgrades under $100 each. The list basically goes like this – we’ve linked our top choices for each part.
- Brake pads. Essential for safety – the stock MTB pads are just too weak.
- Stem riser. Gives your ergos a quick but substantial improvement.
- Handlebars. Taller 31.8mm bars are essential, especially for taller riders.
- Pegs and spacers. More confidence, less flex, and unlikely to snap like the stock pegs will.
- Seat. Replace your stock seat or improve it if you have some arts and crafts skills.
- Tires. Whether you’re on pavement or dirt, the stock tires are far from optimal.
- Mirror. Gonna need one for the street, and it also helps on the trails.
- Rotor guard. Adds some color and keeps larger debris and obstacles off your rotor.
- Sprocket. Improve bottom or top end performance – whatever you feel the bike is lacking.
This is an essential video for anyone starting the upgrading journey on their Sur Ron LBX, and that’s par for the course for this channel, so be sure to give them a sub if you like what they’re about.
Supermoto Sur Ron: 14” Wheels on an LBX
If you’re not into supermoto, you might wonder why anyone would want 14” wheels on a Sur Ron LBX. The reason is clear to RunPlayBack, even if that involves getting off the beaten path and into brand-new territory for LBX modifications.
This vlog-style journey shows us the aftermath of ordering parts that didn’t fit right the first time, a rare but noteworthy occurrence in the e-bike world. The tire size ordered was too wide and rubbed the forks, and not only do we get to see great customer service from the company behind the setup, we also get to see the troubleshooting and eventual solution to a problem I’m sure more than one person has faced in the supermoto community.
If you’re just here for the results, skip to 12:00 for the first successful ride, performance test, and final thoughts on running a 14″ setup over other supermoto options like a 12” setup.
Although I personally won’t be running a supermoto setup anytime soon, I enjoyed seeing Flow Wheels stand behind its products and services so solidly, and Alex at Detroit Moped Works gave fantastic instructions on mounting tires to tough wheels like these. It all reminds me what’s special about this community beyond the bikes: the people.
I also loved the production quality, depth, and realism that this video delivered. If you agree, be sure to give RunPlayBack a sub as they are surely set to become one of the largest e-bike content channels around – if they aren’t already.
E-Bikes for Sale
The best deals, the worst deals, and everything in between.
Craigslist / GritShift
$4,850: Street Legal Sur Ron LBX in California
Not only is this Sur Ron plated and street legal in California (don’t ask us how), it’s decently kitted and sitting at just 300 miles.
It’s been lightly modified with a set of 16″/19″ MX wheels with aggressive Shinko MX tires, Pro Taper riser bars, a Direct Mount Stem Riser, and aftermarket side panels that resemble some of the costly MX kits on the market but appear to be custom made.
Here’s the description:
If ad is up its still for sale dont ask. Lowball ignored. Leave a contact number if interested.
Sur Ron X with nice mods. 48mph all day. CA plated street legal. Garage kept, well maintained. Battery always stored at 60-80%. Have all the original take off parts including complete 19″ front wheel and tire, original fenders, skid plate and more.
- 300 original miles
- CA Plated street legal
- Custom made 16″ MX rear wheel stock 19″ front
- Shinko MX Tires (front is brand new, rear has tube lock and just a few rides on it)
- Custom side plates
- Pro Taper 3″ Riser bars
- Direct Mount Stem
- Larger foot pegs
- Upgraded heavy duty bash guard
- Upgraded LED Headlight with custom on/off control
- Upgraded Sprocket with Luna adapter
- Custom mounted Moose Racing Seat Strap
My thoughts: I’d say you’re looking at a solid start for an all-out MX build here, or for most people just hitting local single track and MTB trails, you’ve got all you need to grow and improve your skills for a year or more to come. Plus you’re street legal, which means you’re saving the money over the Street Legal E-Bike Program from our sister site, Dirt Legal. $4,500 sounds about fair to me considering this bike is still on stock brakes and suspension as far as I can tell. But with all the overpriced e-bikes we see on a daily basis, this might be about as good as it gets unless you’re willing to refresh Craigslist ten times an hour.
Abundance in the UK
I recently discovered that AutoTrader UK has a section for motorcycles with a subsection for electric bikes, and I subsequently went down a deep rabbit hole of shopping for bikes that I have neither the money nor the ability to import to the United States.
Using a postcode near central London, I was able to return 20 Sur Ron models and 10 Talaria models for sale across the whole of the UK, which should have you spoiled for choice if you’re so inclined to take the plunge.
As an American, I can say with confidence UK prices are far higher than what we see here. It’s not uncommon to find a somewhat modified Sting or LBX for $3,000 USD (£2,485/€2,947 at writing) if you’re willing to refresh Craigslist ten times an hour like I said before. But I’m more floored by the fact that AutoTrader offers this service at all – we have AutoTrader Motorcycles here in the US, but the dropdown doesn’t currently have a selection for Sur Ron or Talaria. I guess we’re just stuck with our daydreams of rainy days, countryside pubs, and e-bikes aplenty.
E-Bike News and Events
This section pretty much describes itself.
August 11th to 14th: Red Bull TKO
Sound the alarm – Red Bull Tennessee Knockout is next week!
We keep bringing this up because it’s one of the first high-profile e-moto MX competitions thus far. There are other races happening across the country and indeed the world, but for e-bikes to be included in the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship means they’re giving our growing niche a shot at the big leagues, and the growing list of e-bike-related sponsors tells us it’s going to be huge.
The GritShift team is in full prep mode. We’re planning on bringing a full fleet of bikes there and hopefully some trophies back to Florida!
We’ll be testing out our newest skid plate designs for Talaria and Sur Ron at the event, so if you’re there be sure to find us and check out the prototypes for yourself before we even officially announce them.
So get your butt and your bike to Sequatchie, Tennessee August 11th to 14th and see history in the making! And be sure to check out the first edition of Dirt Kings, a deep dive into the world of race-winning MX e-bikes from GritShift’s head of R&D.
Read next: We’ve just written a full rundown of the upcoming electric dirt bike class at Red Bull TKO, how that’s a historic moment for electric dirt bikes, and what we did to our own bikes to prepare for the course. Read it here!
Culture: Our E-Bikes are Getting Recognized
There’s even more evidence that now’s a huge time for e-bikes, as Cycle News, Gear Patrol, and Electrek all put out articles covering our beloved bikes – especially the Sur Ron LBX – in the last few weeks alone. Of course, Gear Patrol referred to it as “the Light Bee SUR-RON X,” something I’ve already emailed them about, so take that as you will. Either way, these articles are all good reads if you’ve got some free time.
It’s interesting to see our particular e-bikes mentioned by publications whose audiences have historically fallen more toward traditional electric bicycles. We can only hope the gap continues to be bridged, since in my eyes, there isn’t much of a gap there at all.
Check out the first edition of Dirt Kings, a deep dive into the world of race-winning MX e-bikes from GritShift’s head of R&D.
GritShift’s E-Bike Weekly: August 5th, 2022
That concludes this all Sur Ron edition of E-Bike Weekly, brought to you by GritShift.
The GritShift team of enthusiasts builds, sells, and races e-bikes. We have e-bike parts and accessories from small to large, so whether you want something or need something, chances are we have a solution. Check us out by clicking the button below.
Get more e-bike and electric dirt bike content here:
- Follow GritShift on Facebook and Instagram
- Tag @GritShift to be featured in upcoming articles
- Visit our sister site Dirt Legal to get street legal
Cover image: GritShift
Leave a Reply