Talaria Sting vs Surron X
Is the Talaria Sting better than the Surron? Or is the Surron still the best e-moto you can buy? This article will discuss something rather controversial, which e-moto is better. If you’re already team Talaria or Surron, then comment below why you’ve chosen your ride. However, if you’re on the fence, read on. We’ll compare facts and figures, what both e-motos feel like to ride, and mods available.
Yes, both e-motos are fantastic for commuting, wheelies, stunting, and some light off-roading straight out of the box. Add in a few additional mods, and you’ll be blitzing the whoops and landing the jumps at the track. Which one is better comes down to a few features and what your personal preference is.
Compared to similar ICE dirt bikes, both e-motos are much quieter, and although the chain on the Surron is slightly louder, it’s nothing compared to internal combustion engines. This makes e-motos much more neighbor-friendly. Can you ride them on the street? In many states, no, you can’t, although in some areas you can either buy road-legal versions or look at getting your e-moto registered.
With those similarities out of the way, let’s dive into the differences between the venerated Surron LBX and the latecomer – now equally praised in its own right – the Talaria Sting.
Talaria Sting
As the newer brand, the longevity of Talaria is often talked about, however, the Talaria Sting has now been sold for a few years, so that argument is kinda getting old, and reliability is becoming better known. The Sting is the first e-moto created by Talaria and often compared to the Surron X. Additional to the Sting are the smaller XXX model, made predominately for commuting at a lower price point, and the faster, more powerful Sting R which rounds out the Talaria range as of 2024. Watch this space as hints of a more powerful model are circulating… exciting!
Back to the Talaria Sting, its 60V 38.4Ah Lithium battery delivers 3700W @ 2100rpm, which propels the 127lbs e-moto to a top speed of 47mph.
Read more details on the Talaria Sting here
Surron LBX
Surron is synonymous with e-motos. Arguably, it was Surron who created the very first production-made and widely successful electric dirt bike and did wonders forging this new and exciting lifestyle. The first e-moto Surron released was the Surron LBX, also known as the Surron Light Bee or Surron X, and it’s become so synonymous with this style of electric motorcycle that a lot of people refer to anything that looks remotely like this as “a Surron.” Each year, the models have improved, and today’s models have a larger battery and better suspension and have overall improved from the first release.
In addition to the Surron X, you’ll also find the Surron Ultra Bee, a zippy-fast 74V e-moto, and its bigger brother, the Surron Storm Bee. Weighing 277 lbs, and boasting an engine that can produce up to 22.5kW, the Storm Bee is set to compete directly with similar ICE dirt bikes.
Back again to the discussion at hand, the 2024 Surron X weighs only 110 lbs, and with a tune of 3000W/6000W peak, its 60V 40aH battery drives this e-moto to (also!) 47mph.
Read more on the Surron LBX here
Talaria Sting vs Surron LBX: The Differences
Keeping this article subjective and based on facts and figures, let’s check out a comparison:
As you can see, the difference between the Talaria Sting and the Surron X is, well, non-existent. The Talaria is slightly heavier but otherwise has the same specs.
The key differences:
- Gear Box vs Belt: One of the biggest differences is the gearbox in the Talaria, which the Surron X doesn’t have. Some riders argue the gearbox is better as there is no belt to replace, others argue that the gearbox is additional maintenance as it requires periodic oil changes. The belt can tend to be slightly more noisy.
- Seat Height: The Talaria seat is 35” at the lowest point, while the Surron sits at 33” at the lowest point (stock, standing upright). Those extra inches might make the difference for shorter riders.
- Wheels:
- Talaria: FR 70/100-19 / RR 80/100-19
- Surron 70/100-19 Front/Rear
Well, looking at the specifications didn’t help. So far, neither one stands out over the other, so let’s dive deeper into what it’s like to actually own both of these bikes, informed by the experiences of our staffers who have owned dozens of these bikes between them.
Customer service and warranties
After buying a Talaria or Surron brand new, if anything doesn’t go to plan and work like the brochure, you want to be able to talk to someone. Customer service is a very important part of the purchase process.
Talaria quote: “For Service, Warranty and Price Inquiry please contact your local Talaria dealer.” The Talaria Sting has a one-year limited warranty, extended only to the initial retail purchaser and only when purchased from an authorized dealer.
Surron quote: “Please contact the dealer you purchased your unit from.” Interestingly, Surron also mentions if the e-moto is sold by unauthorized resellers such as Alibaba, it can not be serviced by an authorized dealer – voiding the warranty.
The Surron LBX also has a one-year limited warranty for the initial retail purchaser.
As for the actual warranty process for either brand, this comes down to the dealer you purchased your e-moto from. The warranty on both e-motos is almost identical. How the claim gets processed will come down to the dealer’s interpretation of the warranty system. If in doubt, have a chat with the dealer before purchasing to make sure your ideas are aligned. Especially when it comes to modding and warranty claims.
Talaria and Surron Price
As of 2024, the price for a new Talaria Sting is around $3800 and $4600 for the Surron X. That’s a big difference when you consider how close the specs are, but if you’re really looking to be frugal, there is another solution.
What about buying second-hand?
If you can pick yourself up a good deal, secondhand is worth considering. Read this article here to save you from buying a dud, especially if you’re looking at finding an e-moto that already has upgraded parts. You’ll find it much cheaper to source an already modded e-moto over buying the parts individually.
However… watch out for deals that are on either end of the scale. Either too good to be true (scam??) or crazy overpriced. The price can vary considerably. I’ve seen e-motos advertised for as low as $2500 with a decent amount of miles, but also e-motos that are priced well over a brand new price – that have been advertised for weeks. The Talaria appears to be slightly cheaper on the second-hand market, which could be a reflection of a slightly lower new price.
Finding a second hand e-moto could take some time to search through the advertisements. It may even take many days or weeks, but the right one will appear. Check out this article here on the best practices for buying a second-hand Surron.
The good news for pre-loved Surron and Talaria is the high probability the e-moto will already be partly modded. If it has your wish-list upgrades, this could be a much cheaper option. Do your research to work out if it’s a good deal or not. Who did the upgrades? Did they do a good job? What is the wear and tear? There are a few things to consider when purchasing second-hand, and the history of the particular e-moto isn’t certain, especially considering almost all of them you will find on the used market no longer have active warranties!
Which do you choose?
Talaria Sting or Surron LBX, which is your choice? Some riders are instantly drawn to one brand and stay loyal to that brand – I would suggest reading articles on both the Surron and Talaria, watching some videos on YouTube, and talking to people who already own one of the e-motos.
Keep in mind, if you ask a Talaria forum on social media, you’ll very likely get the response Talaria is the best. Likewise, if you ask a Surron group. As you can see, both e-motos are very similar and have very similar qualities.
GritShift’s Rusty from R&D, who has a ridiculous amount of experience riding and working on both e-motos says: “For my preference on the bike, I prefer Talaria over Sur Ron, due to the increased width through the central parts of the frame, and after modifying the suspension the bike’s handling characteristics are great. The wheelbase is slightly longer which also helps in sand and whoops, and no belt or jackshaft bearings to change.”
However, he also goes on to say: “But after riding the E-Ride Pro SS in stock form a few times I prefer that over everything…” Not wanting to throw in a curve ball, but coming from Rusty, who has a wealth of experience, I’d suggest you check out this 72V, 12kW newcomer to the e-moto scene. It’s got my ears perked…
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