With many new manufacturers entering the electric dirt bike scene, Talaria can no longer be called the ‘newbie’. The company has been around for some time, and although it will still never have as many years of real-life testing as the Surron, enough time has passed to find the usual problems.
Before you read this article, a few things need to be pointed out. Here at GritShift, you’ll find heavily modded bikes. E-motos that are built for MX tracks. Ridden by riders who enjoy spending time in the air (and mostly landing with finesse). This means we’ll do our best to be objective, but we don’t have stock e-motos to compare with.
What we do have is some of the hardest-riding staff around, putting the Sting through paces it almost definitely wasn’t designed to go through.
Additionally, we all take our e-motos seriously, and keep, as a minimum, to the maintenance schedule. It is vitally important to ensure all servicing is done at the right times. Check your user manual, or if you’ve misplaced it, here is a copy. (External Link) It lists inspection intervals, when to change parts, and will be your best bet to keep your Talaria running smoothly.
With many of the GritShift team personally owning the MX3, and from helping customers with their Talaria Stings, let’s see how the MX3 has held up for at least 1.5 years of (hard!) riding.
If you’re looking for a general review of the Talaria Sting (MX3), read this article here.
Are Talarias reliable – specifically the Sting (MX3)?
There are so many factors that go into the question of reliability. Let’s first assume you’ve maintained your e-moto as per the user manual. Next, have you modded your bike? Increased the power by a hair-raising amount? Do you charge and discharge your battery like it’s designed? At GritShift, we ride e-motos beyond their limit, so what has broken on our bikes might not necessarily cause trouble on someone’s e-moto who uses it for simple commuting.
The biggest problem that has occurred on Rusty’s own Sting, and many others, is the gearbox output shaft has broken. Possibly due to upgraded higher power, but has also allegedly occurred on stock power. This creates an issue as the only fix is to replace the gearbox, a relatively expensive part.
On the other hand, Rusty mentioned, with his experience the ‘neck tube stretching has not been seen on the Talaria frames as bad as it was seen on Surron frames’. So at least there’s that.
Maintenance on the Talaria Sting MX3
If you’ve owned a dirt bike, or motorcycle in general, most of the same inspections apply. Apart from the obvious electrical differences! In all seriousness, however, many of the skills needed to check over your e-moto can be learned by anyone willing to learn. If you love riding, general maintenance knowledge is always beneficial. Speak to others who know what to do, Google reputable sources, ask local mechanics for advice.
Start by subscribing to our newsletter to be notified when new articles are released, or search for past articles on the topic you’re interested in. We’re all experienced bike riders, and work on our e-motos, dirt bikes, cars and anything that goes fast!
Anywho, I digress, the following maintenance information comes directly from the user manual for a 2022 model, but I thought it’s important to at least touch on some of the details here, as the longevity of the Sting is directly related to how well-maintained your e-moto is.
Please check the correct manual for your build year.
Inspection schedule:
The first inspection is to be completed at 300kms (186 miles)
Then, at every 1000kms (621 miles)
The inspection consists of:
- Gearbox oil change
Additionally, regular inspection needs to be carried out:
- Connection of wires
- Fuse
- Check gearbox screws (they haven’t come loose)
- Tires – correct pressure and general wear and tear
- Check dash, horn, brakes – all working correctly with no damage
- Handlebar and seat – check for correct fitment
- Check front forks
- Check rear shock
- Check brake lever – free travel range is between 15mm-30mm
- Inspect brake performance
- Verify correct battery voltage (see manual for correct way to do this)
Before each ride:
- Check tires and tread
- Spokes
- Chain tension
Battery:
- Charge it regularly (as per the manual)
- If left for periods of time, make sure it is stored correctly and recharge to 60% every three months. Read this article here on battery maintenance.
Additionally, if you have modded your e-moto, those parts should be checked routinely to ensure they are in good working order.
Even though it doesn’t say anywhere in the manual how regular ‘regular’ inspections should be, use your common sense and err on the side of caution – just check your e-moto frequently.
A point to note, and if you’ve followed GritShift on YouTube, you would have heard Rusty talk about Loctite. If you haven’t heard, many e-motos, including the Talaria Sting, either don’t have any Loctite, or not enough. So, check over all the bolts, make sure they are at the correct tension. Loctite them if needed. There have been reports of important bolts coming loose and severely damaging the e-moto.
Everyday riders – commuting with the Talaria Sting
Providing you haven’t launched your Talaria Sting and seen it airborne, the only wear and tear you should be seeing are consumable parts. Think tires, brake pads, brake fluid, as well as things like scuff marks from boots.
However, a common complaint is the bash plate. If you accidentally bump the underside of your e-moto, you’re likely to damage the bash plate, which could lead to motor damage. Talking about accidentally, if you drop your e-moto, you run the risk of damaging your footpegs, and potentially your handlebars/grips.
Now, I know what you’re saying – if you take your e-moto to the track, it is likely to withstand tip overs, probably many of them…and in the one day if you’re riding hard. But that is when it is highly advisable to strengthen aspects of the frame. That’s a discussion for another day.
Many riders have found with easy riding on the streets, the Talaria Sting has held up well. Just take it easy on that stock skid plate. Or better yet, get one of ours and get as wild as you want.
Power mods in the Talaria Sting
A big category that can’t go missed on the GritShift scene is: How does the Talaria Sting perform after big power mods? Of course, it is so hard to say as there are so many variables, but I’ll let you know what is the general consensus of stock parts after a power upgrade.
- Gearbox: Rusty has seen many gearbox output shafts break, which could potentially be from running higher output.
- Forks: Some riders have reported the stock forks can bow or warp. No surprise when you ride your e-moto beyond the intended limit.
- Bash Plate: Cracks and deforms on small hits, potentially leaving the motor vulnerable.
- Footpegs/brace bending
- Rear Linkage bending/breaking
Basically, if you land a 60’ jump (or misjudge it) or take hard hits on endless whoops, you will find your Talaria Sting will suffer. The best way to avoid any issues is to reinforce the known weak parts. If you decide to upgrade to bigger power and hit the big jumps, then take the time to mod other important parts.
Rusty’s verdict on more than a year of riding the Talaria Sting
I asked Rusty a few questions now that he’s owned a Sting for more than 1.5 years. Here are his answers:
Would you have done anything differently with your MX3 with the knowledge you have now, when you first got it?
Not necessarily, I do not regret any of the mods I did. I do wish there was a stronger gearbox available or even just an output shaft.
Would you buy another Talaria Sting?
At the current time no. No solution has been found for the gearbox issue, and I have seen them break as low as 12kw of power. I’d much rather have a chain or belt break. That is easily replaceable without going internal and replacing parts and refilling with fluid.
Does that mean you’d rather a Surron or E-Ride?
Yes, although the Surron’s jackshaft is a little annoying, it currently is better than the Talaria’s gearbox in my opinion as far as ease of maintenance and longevity. A gearbox is $240. A chain is 25-40 bucks. I’d much rather replace a chain if it were to snap. Also I prefer the geometry on the E Ride Pro over the Talaria. After the E Ride, the Talaria feels bulky and the front end feels pretty low.
Is a Talaria Sting better than a Surron?
Around here, we’re big fans of saying that the best bike is the one you already have. If you’re going to be losing money in the switch to something different, it only makes sense that you should get more in return. But when moving away from a Sting to something like a Surron, that’s not really the case unless you intend to do a lot of hard riding.
For most riders, if you already have a Talaria Sting or you found one at a good price, it’s going to do everything you want it to do. However, if you find your skills are being limited by the Sting, or you have seen firsthand how upsetting the Sting’s now-infamous output shaft issue can be, moving to an LBX might be the answer – but only if you want more power. A stock Surron LBX isn’t going to give you much that you don’t already have. Move to a modded Surron, though, and you can run a lot more power without having to worry about that pesky output shaft leaving you stranded.
We would still buy a Sting today, but only for the right price
Stay tuned to hear our verdict on the longevity of the Surron, but, like any e-moto, ride the Talaria Sting to the conditions. If you attempt big jumps and long lines of whoops, something’s gonna break. Keep an eye on the gearbox output shaft, especially if you’ve increased the power. Maintain your e-moto. Regularly inspect it and you will have a heap of fun with your Talaria Sting for a long time to come.
However, if you’re looking to strengthen the weak areas on your bike and take it to the track or ride it hard in the woods, then head to GritShift.com to grab the parts you’ll need. If you prefer more of a slower pace, still have a look and at least think about upgrading that bash plate. Think of it as cheap insurance. Look after your e-moto and it will look after you!
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