A Surron is an electric dirt bike built by Chinese company Surron. Founded in 2014, Surron is an industry leader for creating fun electric motorcycles built with cutting edge technology. The Surron range includes the small Light Bee, midsize Ultra Bee and the larger Storm Bee with multiple variants of each bike. In less than ten years, Surron has brought electric dirt bikes into the mainstream. When you hear people talking about taking their Jet Ski out, they’re referring to their personal watercraft. Usually, quiet irrespective of brand. Same with Hoover to use a vacuum clean or grab a Kleenex, not a tissue… The same could be said about taking your Surron for a ride.
Surron, which is renowned for its exceptional quality and design, was founded by entrepreneur Liu Zhuo. Their highly automated factory is based in Chongquing and boasts high-end dyno machines and state-of-the-art equipment, while Surron headquarters are based in Hangzhou, China. In 2018, Surron received the Reddot award for the Light Bee. In the first two years of production, Surron sold more than 10,000 units across 32 countries. Segway partnered with Surron in 2019, providing a significant investment that helped the company increase its production rate and move beyond its start-up phase. Over the following few years, Surron released the Storm Bee to bring the e-moto closer in size to a standard ICE dirt bike, then, bridging the gap between the Light Bee and a full-size motorcycle, Surron released the Ultra Bee.
The Surron Range
Light Bee (aka Surron X or LBX)
The Light Bee was the first electric motorcycle released by Surron. It is an impressive mixture of classic dirt bikes and modern technology similar to what’s found on electric bicycles. Small and nimble, and weighing in at only 123 lbs, the Light Bee packs a heap of power for such a small dirt bike. The 2023 LBX has a top speed of 47 mph and allows up to 43 miles on a single charge. This e-moto is best suited for a range of riders – from beginners to advanced technical track enthusiasts.
With an upgrade to a few components, the Light Bee can be converted into many things, including an on-road stunt bike, thanks to its torquey bottom end, or a competitive off-road racer in disciplines like motocross and hard enduro. Since becoming more popular, sanctioned races are starting to introduce electric categories and even racing e-motos against similar ICE dirt bikes. Yes, the Light Bee is a perfect candidate for enduro or trail riding.
The Surron LBX can also make a wonderful commuter; it’s quiet, inexpensive to run, and easy to get around on (check your local laws for where to legally ride). The best thing about this e-moto is the huge availability of aftermarket parts. Transform your ride into whatever persona you want!
Read more about the Light Bee here.
Storm Bee
Surron’s equivalent of a full-sized e-moto, the Storm Bee, is comparable to a 250cc ICE dirt bike and has been compared to the electric KTM Freeride. At 220 lbs, this e-moto is perfectly suited to enduro trails. The Surron Storm Bee isn’t the fastest with a top speed of 68 mph, but thanks to Surron’s own high-performance motor, acceleration can take you from zero to 31 mph in only 1.8 seconds! The 2023 model has a 104V 55 Ah battery that allows a range of 74 miles, and like all the Surron models, it’s electric quiet. This means it opens many more riding locations as you don’t get nosey neighbors putting an end to your riding. Depending on what Surron released to your country, you could have the choice of 3 variants – a road version, enduro, or off road. Tires and road-registrable parts differentiate the models.
Read more about the Surron Storm Bee here.
Ultra Bee
The Surron Ultra Bee is the latest model, and as you can imagine, the technology is next level! This time, there’s a 74 V battery in the 2023 model producing a top speed of over 56 mph (90 kph). It is bigger than the Light Bee but smaller than the Storm Bee, weighing 187 lbs (85 kg). The Surron Ultra Bee is a weapon on the track, it has a larger power output than the Light Bee, which is already known to be a fantastic e-moto, and it is more nimble than the Storm Bee. Surron has taken all the data from their previous models and invested this knowledge into the Ultra Bee, creating a 4th generation power platform. With a range of up to 86 miles (140 kilometers), the Surron Ultra Bee makes the perfect e-moto for the enduro tracks but would also suit the MX track or even as a Supermoto with a few mods.
Read more about the Ultra Bee here.
Surron and Segway
Surron and Segway teamed up in 2019 to produce the X160 and X260. Segway is a company known for its high-tech electric ‘people movers’, and I’m guessing you’ve seen the original Segway, made famous by mall cops! After many changes in ownership of the company and failed product launches, Segway re-invented itself under the control of Ninebot, who worked on expanding its product range. This included entering the world of electric motorcycles. Rather than starting from the beginning, they invested in Surron to produce the X160 and X260, based on the Surron X with Segway branding. This was the financial catalyst for pulling Surron from their ‘start-up’ phase into a well-established, respected brand. The X160 and X260 are no longer available to purchase, but the Surron X is still widely sold around the world.
Read more about Segway and the X160 and X260 here.
Most Popular Surron Modifications
If you were to mod your gas-powered dirt bike, you would need considerable time and knowledge to make big changes in power, and whilst there are other mods you can do, typically a factory spec dirt bike doesn’t get much attention in the way of modding. Most of my dirt bikes have received pinstripes on the wheels and a few anodized sparkly parts, but nothing serious. However, in the electric motorcycle world, it’s a different story.
Due to the plug-and-play nature of electric items, it is much easier and less technical to replace the motor, controller, or battery to change your e-moto into something that perfectly suits your riding style. But it doesn’t stop there. The aftermarket parts that you can find are plentiful and easily accessible. Need the ergo of your e-moto tweaked? Easy! Grab a seat extension or handlebar riser. Is suspension not cutting it? Swap it for something that suits your style. Here are a few common mods to your Surron, to get you thinking:
Ergonomics
One of the first things to consider is comfort. Yep, power upgrades and going faster are always top of most people’s list; however, if you’re not 100% comfortable on your e-moto, then you won’t be getting the best from other upgrades. This is something that is commonly overlooked but can be easily fixed by grabbing yourself a handlebar riser to raise the handlebars 2”. This Heavy Hitter Titanium Riser not only looks awesome, it has an unbeatable strength with hardly any increase in weight, and allows a very simple installation.
Have you thought about changing or modifying your seat? Here are a few options. Either swap the seat itself or increase the seat height if that suits your riding position better. The good news is – if you raise the seat, you have more room for a bigger battery! Sounds like a win-win!
Batteries
It doesn’t take much to work out if you put a bigger battery into your e-moto, you’ll be able to ride for longer, or faster with the right additional components. Long story short, generally a 72V battery with larger amps can get you a faster top speed and more range. This does come at a higher cost, and the need to replace the stock controller and motor to handle the higher output, so many options need to be weighed up for this upgrade.
Motor and Controller
These parts can either be upgraded individually or at the same time. The pros of upgrading both at the same time is that you know they are compatible if you buy them as a set. Cons are the initial upfront cost.
Upgrading the motor and controller combo increases your peak output. For example, if you upgrade to the EBMX V2 X9000 on your LBX, you can get up to 40 kW, paired with a larger battery, instead of the stock 6 kW peak power. That’s a huge power difference! This EBMX controller allows simple plug and play – don’t waste any time away from the track!
Wheels and Tires
Prefer the bitumen over the dirt? A simple way to make your e-moto feel more at home is to match the tire to your preferred condition. Turn your Surron into an environmentally friendly and super fun commuter by replacing the knobblies for more appropriate road tires. On the other hand, if you prefer loose dirt or sand riding, you’ll want a tire tread that gets the best grip. This is also the perfect time to change wheel/rim sizes to change the characteristics of the grip and handling. If you would like to read more about tires, check out this article
Suspension
What gives the tires the best grip on the terrain? This isn’t a trick question but think about this, if you want the best traction, you’ll need the best suspension that glides over the bumps. Yes, you need the tire tread that suits your ride style, but to give that tire a chance, it needs to be in contact with the ground. This is very similar to changing the suspension on your gas-powered dirt bike, however, weight is even more noticeable when you’re starting at just 123 lbs. This means you need the most durable parts mixed with the least amount of weight. Check out the Vonkat TENfive Rear Shock here, where you can choose the spring rate according to rider weight.
Why buy a Surron?
Whether you’re new to electric dirt bikes or a long-time enthusiast, chances are you’ll have a good time on any of the bikes in Surron’s lineup. With the current models, you have the option for a quick and nimble versatile machine, the Light Bee X, the full-size e-moto, the Storm Bee, or the middle option, the Ultra Bee. There really is something for everyone. The only problem is if you can’t choose which electric motorcycle you want! Start by thinking about where and how you intend to use the e-moto. Enduro? Commuting? MX? Stunting? Then you’ll be able to narrow your options.
The popularity of the Surron is evident with the many aftermarket options available. It is as simple as clicking on the e-store and your parts arrive at your house.
A word of warning, once you start modifying your e-moto, it’s highly addictive as you fine-tune your machine to be your perfect match. It can truly be said that you don’t just ride a Surron, it becomes an extension of you. Click here to start collecting new parts for your pride and joy.
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