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Just something I wanna add that explains what makes electric so unique. I have a WR250R and a YZ250. I used to own a 14kw Kuberg Ranger and used to own a Sur Ron LBX. On paper the YZ250 should be the best performing bike. But it’s ridiculous hard to ride and get the power down and deal with the stuff suspension. I am consistently faster on WR250R and it’s comfier through harsh terrain siting or standing. But both of these bikes make my physically tired and sweaty. I surf hours a day and workout so it’s not just me. The Sur Ron, despite being down on power, was as fast or faster than similarly skilled riders on gas bikes. It’s just absolute cheat codes. I didn’t even think of maintenance besides tires, tubes, brake pads, and washing it. Which washing an electric bike is ten times easier than gas. Don’t let the brochure sell you on that YZ or KTM, especially as a newer rider. For experienced riders, obviously these are less capable, but offer a unique experience.
I have been riding for 10 years (KLX, YZ250 [2 stroke], WR400, pit bikes) and I have improved immensely with my Talaria in one year than it feels like all of those combined.
Pre-ordered the bike, and I’m not even going to ride it with the wheels, switching to 21/18 was the plan all along, I kind of guessed it would be that much better, however, riding the bike on and off-road, especially if it’s hard packed, I found trials tires work really well on both street and hard packed dirt, so probably will go 19 inch rear with a 3.5 Shinko trials tire in the rear, matching 21” Shinko front.
i'm 6'4" and 200lbs, i still can't decide between the ultra bee and storm bee, especially because you keep uploading these great videos hyping the ultra bee lol.
@Ding Dong Drift Haha, tough call! The Storm Bee will probably fit you more comfortably but the extra 100 pounds is very noticeable on that bike. Just depends what experience you're after. If you went with the Ultra Bee, would you plan to modify it or keep it stock?
@@ElectricCycleRider i would most definitely modify it. I'm scared about the lower power of it since I'm a big boy. But if power mods are already incoming then it's easing my decision towards the ultra.
6'5", 210 lb old man here. I went with the Ultra Bee cause single track. No way I would want to wrestle a 280 lb dirt bike around the trails. Can't wait to try the Ultra Bee on my favorite trails. Planning on bar risers, possibly taller bars, lowered pegs, tall seat. Will have to see if anyone is offering these bits, I would think they would sell a ton of them. If not, I will see about cobbling together what I can on the tall seat and lowered pegs situation.
At 6'2"" (which is not overly tall), would any modifications to accommodate my height be suggested? Any feedback would be appreciated. I have already ordered the bike.
This is finally a bike I can get excited about. Now we just need a lowering kit for smaller folks like my wife. I would probably sell our bikes for these. I want a dirt bike that looks and rides like a dirt bike, not a mountain bike. 40+ mile range trail riding on eco mode would be awesome, and I love that it's under 200 lbs. Keeping my fingers crossed on the range. Love it's 110 and can be charged from a generator while camping. Oh, and actually affordable!
I think this is gonna be the ultimate setup for the TKO when wrapped in some gummies. If I get another electric bike this is gonna be it but too much invested in my hard enduro surron build to jump ship now haha
The 21" front adds a larger gyroscopic force to help stabilise the front end on the bike but also adds weight as you pointed out. Going bigger 18" in rear as you stated need larger rear sprocket to keep final rolling ratio the same as stock.
i think this moto comes with 19" front and back, so he went smaller in the back if he went 18", but yeah you're right, he changed the back wheel size so a slight sprocket change might be in order.
I have an update, the ASR actually works perfectly. Even nicer than it was before. At A1, you can pull a half wheelie before it regulates it down. At A2 it doesn't allow for wheel spin/wheelie but there is no significant power loss. At A3, there is about half the power. I run Michelin Trackers, 80/100-21, 100/100-18. So the front tyre is definitely bigger, ASR stil works. Chopper wheel plates still stock.
@chris Maybe we'll do a head to head video with the 2 bikes! They're honestly very similar in a lot of ways. The biggest difference is the weight. The Ultra is about 60-65 pounds lighter than the Freeride. Power feels pretty similar with the edge going to KTM. KTM's suspension is better and it comes with 21/18 stock. What would be very interesting is putting $4,500-$5,000 into the Ultra to bring it into KTM Freeride price territory and then see how they stack up. I think that would be pretty interesting!!
Another great video as usual! Three things...What kind of range are you getting with this setup in this terrain? What are your impressions of the primary belt durability so far? Wouldn't a 19x1.85 rear wheel with a 100/90-19 tire be a lighter and better suited setup for this?
@Christopher Doyle Range is really tough to gauge in this type of terrain but with this wheel/tire combo in the deep sand, running flat out in sport mode, I'm experiencing roughly 16-18 miles which is about a 10-20% decrease from what I was seeing with the stock wheel/tire combo in these deep sand conditions. The primary belt has not given me any issues so far and the mechanism used to tighten the belt is much superior than the Light Bee X. Running an upgraded 19x1.85 (wider than the stock 1.60) rim and a 19" rear tire is definitely a possibility and should be an overall lighter option. We'll be offering a 19" rear for the Excel and Warp 9 wheel sets. Currently the KKE is only being offered with an 18" rear. Whether or not the 19" or 18" rear is better depends on the rider and application. It may be somewhat lighter but I personally prefer to run the 18", especially when the bike heads back to Colorado and we start doing some mountain riding. The extra rubber gives much more traction and forgiveness in the rough stuff. I'll trade that benefit over saving some ounces because I don't think the weight savings is really enough to noticeably improve battery range. It will still be significantly heavier than stock. Just my $0.02!
@jetrep It's a great thought but the stock 19" rear rim is only 1.60" wide, which is arguably too narrow to safely run a traditional 19" rear MX tire, so it really limits the rear tire options. You'd either be stuck running the stock 80/100x19 CST tire, you could run a Shinko 241 or 244, or you could do what we used to do in the early SurRon LBX days and run a 70/100x19 front tire on the rear, which is a bit of a bummer. All to say, it is possible. Just with some disadvantages.
My bike came with a 90/90-19 from the factory in the rear. So yes you could run a 21” only upfront but both the 80/100-19 that comes on the street legal/Asian market and the 90/90-19 that comes on the American off-road version are non existent sizes in the aftermarket world. Running a 100/90-19 would really be pushing the boundaries as tucker stated it’s only 1.6 wide and not 1.85 or 2.15
Another great video, thank you! You just killed my plan to NOT buy a 21/18" wheel set and just upgrade the 19" tires and be happy with it. Thanks a lot! I knew this was going to happen, Lol.
How does the power compare to the Escape R? I have the Ultra on order (along with the Varg) and currently have the Escape R and the Alta MXR. I loved the Alta until I got the Escape R. The 187 lb Escape is just too dang fun in the backyard whereas the Alta suddenly felt like a tank. I'm 6'4/220 and the Escape just feels a little small and oddly the bars feel so far. With the Ultra coming in at the same weight but having a more traditional dirt bike frame I'm hoping it might be perfect. At 187 lbs the escape is the closest thing I have to compare it to, and you have ridden both extensively.
Hello ECR, best regards from Austria! It would be great if you could try a 19/16 wheel combo and how that does effect the handling and range of the Ultra Bee. Maybe the front will also be less twitchy, if the rear of the bike sits lower. I think it would be really interesting for smaller riders like me out there, I'm about 5'6'' and 139lbs without gear. I am watching your videos since the SurRon LBX got released and just has to say thanks for your great work!
Any thoughts on a good tire combo for the KKE 21/18 wheel set that is better suited for the wet PacNW gnar? My current favorites are Shinko MX216 front and IRC VE33S Gekko for the rear, but I fear they may be too heavy for the Ultra Bee (haven't checked weights yet). Anyone with leads on good light, all around wet, rocks, roots, but also sand and hard pack too (we got it all!) tires, please chime in. And thanks for the great video!
21" x 18" from 19"x 19" would also raise the front end and lower the back so changing the weight distribution significantly which you didn't mention. Seems like that would be a big change to the handling of the bike and sounds like in a positive way for you.
Looks like lots of room in that swing arm/rear sprocket/ jack shaft combo for more of a moto 18” tire vs the small sidewalls of the ones that fit in the light bee. How big do you think would fit?
@Scott Roush There is definitely a lot of room to work with. By going up a size from the 90/100-18 I am running in this video to a 100/100-18, you would open up a lot more tire options. I think this bike will clear a 100/100-18 no problem, and potentially wider, but I would recommend staying at the 100/100-18 for maximum range and performance, even if the bike gets a controller update. We will confirm all of this moving forward!
What are the traction control speed pickup sensors like? Is it small steel disk with slots or a ring with magnets? Just thinking they could be easily swapped with different teeth to match the wheels for the computer.
@@ElectricCycleRider Cool. Id be willing to bet the number of slots could be altered to match the ratio of the different wheel sizes and the traction control would work again. I think the TC needs to see the same speed (slots per second) on both tires. Right now the larger front tire turns less RPM at the same speed so the TC probably thinks the rear is slipping all the time. Sounds like an easy aftermarket fix if it works the way I'm thinking.
Is it because the wheels aren't the same size that you can't use traction control? The computer may be able to be updated in the future in that case? I can see "tc" being handy in some situations. Comparison I'd like to see is spend what you need an a light bee to make it as good as can be then spend that much on this ultra bee and see whats best. Keeping in mind that if I look at a light bee in the first place I'm probably looking at tight twisty terrain anyway.
The ring that bolts to the wheel can be swapped to accommodate the different diameters and correct the traction control. Currently the rings they use are meant for 19/19 wheels
You got to remember that the ground changes from day-to-day what I mean by that is moisture content and temperature the right moisture content mixed with the right amount of material depending on the material can make the ground very good for traction with knobby tires dryer days not so good really wet days even worse but they're right amount of moisture mixed with the certain content of material can make a very good traction
Great content and videos! I finally want to get off a road ICE bike and onto a electric dirt bike. My experience off the road is next to non existent, but I'm eager to transition. I'd be looking more into dual sporting and relaxed trail riding. I'm really torn between the more affordable Ultra Bee and the higher range and size on the Storm Bee. Now after seeing the 21/18 Ultra Bee, which lost the TC, but looks and feels more like a full sized. I can't get the question out of my head how I'd would stake up against a Storm Bee with upgraded suspension? which you pointed out as it's weakest
@BW W Oh man... Depends on the mood and the application. I'm loving the Ultra Bee but will never say a 125 isn't fun to rip on! Once I get the power and suspension upgraded on the Ultra though... might be a harder decision...
I had this question too. Seems the traction control must operate off of a differential speed between front and rear - correct? If so, it also seems like you could just change a parameter in the controller to fix that. I am pretty new, so thinking I want that to start out. I also want the 18/21 set-up so struggling with the call.
It will not work as the circumference is larger on the front and will complete less rotations then the rear, the inner sensor ring will trip out. Different sensor rings are in development to allow traction control to work with different wheel sizes
Sounds like you're bothered by the reduced torque. The StormBee solves that. Why not lighten and add better suspension to the Storm, rather than beef up the Ultra? Is the chasis of the Ultra too relaxed? Like my dr650 (which i love BUT its a torquey relaxed trail/city bike)? Im trying to categorize the Storm and Ultra in familiar ICE bike paradigms.
@J&T LLC I did a comparison video between the Ultra, Storm and LBX and point out those thoughts here: th-cam.com/video/mhhW42s-CY0/w-d-xo.html I think the Ultra is the winner in the performance category but I am definitely interested to try making the Storm a more performance oriented bike. I just would personally prefer to make the Ultra faster and improve the suspension because I think the final product will be the superior machine! It is just a much more sporty chassis, in my opinion.
I'm inclined to agree. Id rather set up a 500exc for cross country than try to make a dirtbike out of a 950SuperEnduro. Agreed. (Apologies for the constant ICE reference points!)
Your thoughts of gearing down are correct. The reason is that you have geared up by adding a taller profile rear tire with a larger circumference. So adding some teeth to the rear sprocket will get you back to stock rear drive gear ratio.
His power loss is more from the added rotational mass of the heavier wheels and tires. But yes gearing down to a 50T-54t should make up for that loss in power in the low end.
Can you confirm if your store offers the option of purchasing rims along with a complete set of tires? I've been searching, but it doesn't seem to be available. You also mentioned feeling a power decrease after switching to the 18-inch and 21-inch rims. Is this a significant loss or just slightly noticeable? Would it be viable to keep the 19-inch rim on the rear and only switch to a 21-inch rim in the front, or would that be impractical? My bike is completely stock and will primarily be used on fire-line trails. I just acquired it yesterday.
Mtb 29+/27.5+ could work quite well for typical conditions for trails and hard-pack. Which ever matches 21"/19" MC tire diameter. Downhill mtb have good highspeed traction. Stays light whilst improving handling. Still need gearing change of course.
This would not be a good idea with a bike that weighs 186lbs without rider and has this kind of power. Downhill mtb wheel is way too narrow, wouldn’t provide enough traction and spokes are way too small to handle high lateral loads on wheels in corners. Downhill mtb wheels are not good even on the smaller surron lightbee again due to weight of bike plus rider.
We're at a point where you have to choose the best fit, especially if you ride motocross. My initial idea was converting my 07cr250r to electric because I have everything Moto already, and I'll just add electric. My worry is the power but think I can deal with what's out there. But you said something that caught my thought as far as the size and that you might not want the full size. That hot me because when I've ever thought about the MX bike is that I wish it was a little lighter and after hearing the storm is more like an Enduro bike with added weight my wonders build up. Riding moto I thought the storm would be it but do I want that size when it comes to something different!? I'll always have my 2t's but getting something a little more nibble without the intimidating sound and vibration. Good question. Do I want full size? Riding motocross will beat it up so well see how ultra handles it in time. Here hoping it can.
im in the same boat as you, was a 250 2 stroke racer but now i just wheelie my surron and my 250 sits in the garage a lot more.. my plan is to wait it out another year and let aftermarket parts come out for the ultra bee.. and like you said we need to see how it handles another moto rider using it for a year. only then ill make a decision! lol seems like a sweet bike if you put the 21/18's on and maybe just a controller is all it will need cause its already a big battery
Hello, I have a question? With this style of driving and the difficulty of the terrain, how long did the battery last in this video, thank you for your quick reply.
Thoughts on a 2020 Freeride EX-C with big rear brake, two batteries,foot pegs, fat bars and tuned suspension for $6,900 or an Ultra Bee with 18/21 for $7,300?
@Сергей Сергей These are really tough conditions to base it off of and I don't have a bench mark with the stock wheels/tires in these exact conditions. It will likely see a 10-20% reduction in range with this wheel/tire combo.
@Thefoodman52 You could absolutely re-lace the stock hubs, if you wanted to go that route. We're using the stock TC discs on these hubs too. The TC currently only works when the wheels are the same size, though.
What if a 18” tire had the same diameter as the 19” stock tire? Would ASR still work? Or is any good 18” Mx tire going to be way bigger than the stock 19” tire diameter?
How much more room for rear tires is there on the Ultra bee compared to light bee? Want to run Skinko 777 100/90-19 on a spare set of stock 19" wheels and was wondering if I could possibly fit something even wider.
96v battery, a better controller, 70T rear sprocket, maybe a fork off a 250 trail bike, this thing looks like it could be nice assuming it doesn't overheat
Not necessary for all that a 80v battery drops right in without a controller swap giving you more mod and top End. 70t sprocket would look ridiculous on this bike. 60t is about as high as you would want to go.
@Sam Lucas These are not the same hubs as the LBX. We'll be selling Woody's laced Excel wheel combos in the coming weeks as well. They are close to being ready.
@@ElectricCycleRider thanks, I should have been more clear, I was thinking about a modified light bee, but it's probably the same answer....a modified ultra is better than a modified light bee for trails. Perhaps for smaller guys a light bee may have some advantages. We will see, cheers
@Mike Raymond The discs carry over and we are actually running them on these rims in this video but because of the different size of the wheels, the bike does not interpret the speed the same. Something I imagine they can update but currently TC does not work with the 21/18.
@@ElectricCycleRider In the storm bee you can change the ratio on the dash. Since the storm bee runs similar wheel set is the software not the same? Forgive my ignorance since I don't have the ultra bee yet. Or I could just be interpreting the issue wrong.
Depends on the terrain your riding in, what we found is typically the larger sprocket gives better range in stop and go riding, trails with lots of elevation change and more technical riding. Higher speed riding (fire roads, street etc) bigger sprocket will eat up more. Biggest upgrade we’ve noticed for improving range and power is to go up in sprocket size minimally (50t vs stock 46t) go with a roller chain and ditch the stock oring chain.
Awesome! Just ordered one. Q: What do you think about the front light? I have an extra MONTEER 8000S GALAXY. Maybe remove the light then add a front number plate. to make it more MX. What are your thoughts?
@Gabrielle Bénard For sure! I tested the Talaria Sting R back in February and just posted a quick first ride with the bike here: th-cam.com/video/LTcycMehkqw/w-d-xo.html Thanks for watching and you know where to reach me if you have questions! 👍
And my question, is it hat the stock 19" rim is too thin to accommodate larger rear tire? Why not 21 front and use original 19 rim in the hind end with a better 19" tire?
@mattcgtx These conditions are an absolute killer for performance and range! It's some of the toughest conditions on these electric bikes because they are working so hard to dig through the deep sand. The bike would definitely perform better on harder pack terrain.
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Can we purchase just the front wheel in 21.
❤
Just something I wanna add that explains what makes electric so unique.
I have a WR250R and a YZ250. I used to own a 14kw Kuberg Ranger and used to own a Sur Ron LBX.
On paper the YZ250 should be the best performing bike. But it’s ridiculous hard to ride and get the power down and deal with the stuff suspension. I am consistently faster on WR250R and it’s comfier through harsh terrain siting or standing. But both of these bikes make my physically tired and sweaty. I surf hours a day and workout so it’s not just me.
The Sur Ron, despite being down on power, was as fast or faster than similarly skilled riders on gas bikes. It’s just absolute cheat codes. I didn’t even think of maintenance besides tires, tubes, brake pads, and washing it. Which washing an electric bike is ten times easier than gas.
Don’t let the brochure sell you on that YZ or KTM, especially as a newer rider. For experienced riders, obviously these are less capable, but offer a unique experience.
I have been riding for 10 years (KLX, YZ250 [2 stroke], WR400, pit bikes) and I have improved immensely with my Talaria in one year than it feels like all of those combined.
heavier the bike, more tiring to ride
This isn’t a light bee it’s much more powerful and better suspension
Pre-ordered the bike, and I’m not even going to ride it with the wheels, switching to 21/18 was the plan all along, I kind of guessed it would be that much better, however, riding the bike on and off-road, especially if it’s hard packed, I found trials tires work really well on both street and hard packed dirt, so probably will go 19 inch rear with a 3.5 Shinko trials tire in the rear, matching 21” Shinko front.
@sklabrun Long Island Kawasaki - Yamaha, in New York, once they come in, they will ship to me👍
Man, your air filter is going to be a mess!🤣. That bike is looking really good. Cheers Tucker!
@Introvert Adventurer The air filters are hard to find for these bikes right now!!
@@ElectricCycleRider it’s right below your goggles, haha! 😷
@@ElectricCycleRider 🪂🚭⚕🏴☠
Good one…
But the camera man’s lungs😵💫
Air filter ?
FANTASTIC VIDEO. I need more content of this bike immediately to fill the gap until I get one in the coming months
@DukeFerg Thanks! We're trying to churn out as much Ultra Bee content as we can!
i'm 6'4" and 200lbs, i still can't decide between the ultra bee and storm bee, especially because you keep uploading these great videos hyping the ultra bee lol.
@Ding Dong Drift Haha, tough call! The Storm Bee will probably fit you more comfortably but the extra 100 pounds is very noticeable on that bike. Just depends what experience you're after. If you went with the Ultra Bee, would you plan to modify it or keep it stock?
@@ElectricCycleRider i would most definitely modify it. I'm scared about the lower power of it since I'm a big boy. But if power mods are already incoming then it's easing my decision towards the ultra.
6'5", 210 lb old man here. I went with the Ultra Bee cause single track. No way I would want to wrestle a 280 lb dirt bike around the trails. Can't wait to try the Ultra Bee on my favorite trails. Planning on bar risers, possibly taller bars, lowered pegs, tall seat. Will have to see if anyone is offering these bits, I would think they would sell a ton of them. If not, I will see about cobbling together what I can on the tall seat and lowered pegs situation.
@@eddieb3915where did you get it from
At 6'2"" (which is not overly tall), would any modifications to accommodate my height be suggested? Any feedback would be appreciated. I have already ordered the bike.
Pre-ordered my Ultra a couple of days ago, so excited! Love the videos! Keep up the good work!
@Gregory Gregsson Awesome! Such a fun bike. Really enjoying this one.
This is finally a bike I can get excited about. Now we just need a lowering kit for smaller folks like my wife. I would probably sell our bikes for these. I want a dirt bike that looks and rides like a dirt bike, not a mountain bike. 40+ mile range trail riding on eco mode would be awesome, and I love that it's under 200 lbs. Keeping my fingers crossed on the range. Love it's 110 and can be charged from a generator while camping. Oh, and actually affordable!
divide range by 2 on all electric vehicles, for real world riding. Eco mode is so weak you can barley go up a 30 degree incline
@@prawnis Thanks! Good to know.
I’ve seen lowering kits online
I think this is gonna be the ultimate setup for the TKO when wrapped in some gummies. If I get another electric bike this is gonna be it but too much invested in my hard enduro surron build to jump ship now haha
@mrskywalker115 I'm sure we'll see Ultra's on the line at TKO 23!!
The 21" front adds a larger gyroscopic force to help stabilise the front end on the bike but also adds weight as you pointed out.
Going bigger 18" in rear as you stated need larger rear sprocket to keep final rolling ratio the same as stock.
i think this moto comes with 19" front and back, so he went smaller in the back if he went 18", but yeah you're right, he changed the back wheel size so a slight sprocket change might be in order.
Love the video’s on the new Ultra! I want to see more videos!!!
@Brian We'll keep making them!
Finally with an enduro wheel set ! This bike just need a better battery and controller and it should be perfect !
Great job on the video! Thanks for making it.
@Hobbies4Hire Thanks!👍
Great ride looks like you’re having tons of fun in that sand! What a difference with that set up from what I have seen a couple of weeks ago! 🤙🏼
@Russell Bonanza Huge difference!
Looks like a solid little Hare Scramble machine!
@Electron Racer 100%
3:58 min mark - that was one hell of a transition. Well done!
I have to say that it's really a good corner!thank you fou making this video!
Thanks for making these videos. Not much content on this bike right now
@jetrep 👍👍
Just mounted my 18/21 and 16/19 on my wifes light bee. Heading to croom tomorrow to see how well they work
I have an update, the ASR actually works perfectly. Even nicer than it was before. At A1, you can pull a half wheelie before it regulates it down. At A2 it doesn't allow for wheel spin/wheelie but there is no significant power loss. At A3, there is about half the power.
I run Michelin Trackers, 80/100-21, 100/100-18. So the front tyre is definitely bigger, ASR stil works. Chopper wheel plates still stock.
are you saying that the traction control still works with the 21, 18 wheels?
@@corybilyeu6261 yes, exactly that! Just you have more difference between the modes, like described above.
Nice video, looks plenty fun in the woods.
Great vid! How does this setup compare to a KTM freeride in your opinion? Would love to see a comparison review once you gear down the Ultra Bee 👍
@chris Maybe we'll do a head to head video with the 2 bikes! They're honestly very similar in a lot of ways. The biggest difference is the weight. The Ultra is about 60-65 pounds lighter than the Freeride. Power feels pretty similar with the edge going to KTM. KTM's suspension is better and it comes with 21/18 stock. What would be very interesting is putting $4,500-$5,000 into the Ultra to bring it into KTM Freeride price territory and then see how they stack up. I think that would be pretty interesting!!
We need the ultimate KTM vs. ULTRA comparison my bro! Who is with me?
Another great video as usual! Three things...What kind of range are you getting with this setup in this terrain? What are your impressions of the primary belt durability so far? Wouldn't a 19x1.85 rear wheel with a 100/90-19 tire be a lighter and better suited setup for this?
@Christopher Doyle Range is really tough to gauge in this type of terrain but with this wheel/tire combo in the deep sand, running flat out in sport mode, I'm experiencing roughly 16-18 miles which is about a 10-20% decrease from what I was seeing with the stock wheel/tire combo in these deep sand conditions.
The primary belt has not given me any issues so far and the mechanism used to tighten the belt is much superior than the Light Bee X.
Running an upgraded 19x1.85 (wider than the stock 1.60) rim and a 19" rear tire is definitely a possibility and should be an overall lighter option. We'll be offering a 19" rear for the Excel and Warp 9 wheel sets. Currently the KKE is only being offered with an 18" rear.
Whether or not the 19" or 18" rear is better depends on the rider and application. It may be somewhat lighter but I personally prefer to run the 18", especially when the bike heads back to Colorado and we start doing some mountain riding. The extra rubber gives much more traction and forgiveness in the rough stuff. I'll trade that benefit over saving some ounces because I don't think the weight savings is really enough to noticeably improve battery range. It will still be significantly heavier than stock. Just my $0.02!
Thanks for the reply! Sounds good and I'll continue looking forward to the content you produce!
@@ElectricCycleRider what about an 18x1.85? I think it will fit better with the 90/100-18 or a 120/90 18" mitas enduro
Can you do a range comparison with the 21/18s to stock please
Have you considered trying 21 front with stock rear wheel? It'd be interesting to hear how that performs
Charged cycle works is selling them with 21 upgraded fronts as an option they would b able to answer this soon.
@jetrep It's a great thought but the stock 19" rear rim is only 1.60" wide, which is arguably too narrow to safely run a traditional 19" rear MX tire, so it really limits the rear tire options. You'd either be stuck running the stock 80/100x19 CST tire, you could run a Shinko 241 or 244, or you could do what we used to do in the early SurRon LBX days and run a 70/100x19 front tire on the rear, which is a bit of a bummer. All to say, it is possible. Just with some disadvantages.
My bike came with a 90/90-19 from the factory in the rear. So yes you could run a 21” only upfront but both the 80/100-19 that comes on the street legal/Asian market and the 90/90-19 that comes on the American off-road version are non existent sizes in the aftermarket world. Running a 100/90-19 would really be pushing the boundaries as tucker stated it’s only 1.6 wide and not 1.85 or 2.15
Another great video, thank you! You just killed my plan to NOT buy a 21/18" wheel set and just upgrade the 19" tires and be happy with it. Thanks a lot! I knew this was going to happen, Lol.
@Eddie B You'll love the 21/18 setup for woods riding!!
Wats a good street tyre for the stock rims?
How does the power compare to the Escape R? I have the Ultra on order (along with the Varg) and currently have the Escape R and the Alta MXR. I loved the Alta until I got the Escape R. The 187 lb Escape is just too dang fun in the backyard whereas the Alta suddenly felt like a tank. I'm 6'4/220 and the Escape just feels a little small and oddly the bars feel so far. With the Ultra coming in at the same weight but having a more traditional dirt bike frame I'm hoping it might be perfect. At 187 lbs the escape is the closest thing I have to compare it to, and you have ridden both extensively.
This might really be my next bike. So what gear ratio do you think it needs?
Hello ECR, best regards from Austria!
It would be great if you could try a 19/16 wheel combo and how that does effect the handling and range of the Ultra Bee.
Maybe the front will also be less twitchy, if the rear of the bike sits lower.
I think it would be really interesting for smaller riders like me out there, I'm about 5'6'' and 139lbs without gear.
I am watching your videos since the SurRon LBX got released and just has to say thanks for your great work!
Any thoughts on a good tire combo for the KKE 21/18 wheel set that is better suited for the wet PacNW gnar? My current favorites are Shinko MX216 front and IRC VE33S Gekko for the rear, but I fear they may be too heavy for the Ultra Bee (haven't checked weights yet). Anyone with leads on good light, all around wet, rocks, roots, but also sand and hard pack too (we got it all!) tires, please chime in. And thanks for the great video!
The 21" Wheels are a HUGE improvement, The SAND is Making me want to RIDE!! @ the Coast or Christmas Valley, OR , Are those trails in Colorado?
@BCR Productions Testing in Florida in this video!
Get it! Ride it for all it's worth! Great video!
@Dean Film Works 🙌
21" x 18" from 19"x 19" would also raise the front end and lower the back so changing the weight distribution significantly which you didn't mention. Seems like that would be a big change to the handling of the bike and sounds like in a positive way for you.
$600 ouch !
Looks like lots of room in that swing arm/rear sprocket/ jack shaft combo for more of a moto 18” tire vs the small sidewalls of the ones that fit in the light bee. How big do you think would fit?
@Scott Roush There is definitely a lot of room to work with. By going up a size from the 90/100-18 I am running in this video to a 100/100-18, you would open up a lot more tire options. I think this bike will clear a 100/100-18 no problem, and potentially wider, but I would recommend staying at the 100/100-18 for maximum range and performance, even if the bike gets a controller update. We will confirm all of this moving forward!
What tube on the rear are you using 100/100x18 tusk?
Bike looks great 🤙🏼
🫡
What are the traction control speed pickup sensors like? Is it small steel disk with slots or a ring with magnets? Just thinking they could be easily swapped with different teeth to match the wheels for the computer.
@Dan Sacco The traction control sensors are small discs with slots.
@@ElectricCycleRider Cool. Id be willing to bet the number of slots could be altered to match the ratio of the different wheel sizes and the traction control would work again. I think the TC needs to see the same speed (slots per second) on both tires. Right now the larger front tire turns less RPM at the same speed so the TC probably thinks the rear is slipping all the time. Sounds like an easy aftermarket fix if it works the way I'm thinking.
It looks so better :D
Tubes, tubeless or mousse. Which do you prefer on this bike in mountain single track
Is it a bad idea to want to get an ultra bee and turn it into a street style bike with slick tires and mirrors type stuff?
Go down a tooth on the counter sprocket, it's like adding 2 to the rear. Might even be able to go down 2 without needing a different chain.
Is it because the wheels aren't the same size that you can't use traction control? The computer may be able to be updated in the future in that case? I can see "tc" being handy in some situations. Comparison I'd like to see is spend what you need an a light bee to make it as good as can be then spend that much on this ultra bee and see whats best. Keeping in mind that if I look at a light bee in the first place I'm probably looking at tight twisty terrain anyway.
The ring that bolts to the wheel can be swapped to accommodate the different diameters and correct the traction control. Currently the rings they use are meant for 19/19 wheels
Talaria needs a bike to compete with the ultra. That would be a home run...
It would be nice if 2024 model would come with the bigger wheels or as an opt option !
You got to remember that the ground changes from day-to-day what I mean by that is moisture content and temperature the right moisture content mixed with the right amount of material depending on the material can make the ground very good for traction with knobby tires dryer days not so good really wet days even worse but they're right amount of moisture mixed with the certain content of material can make a very good traction
Isn’t the geometry to be corrected for the front standing higher?
Compare it to the Freeride!!
@HappyGnome v2 Noted! We just may have to do that video...
Great content and videos!
I finally want to get off a road ICE bike and onto a electric dirt bike. My experience off the road is next to non existent, but I'm eager to transition.
I'd be looking more into dual sporting and relaxed trail riding.
I'm really torn between the more affordable Ultra Bee and the higher range and size on the Storm Bee.
Now after seeing the 21/18 Ultra Bee, which lost the TC, but looks and feels more like a full sized. I can't get the question out of my head how I'd would stake up against a Storm Bee with upgraded suspension? which you pointed out as it's weakest
Which bike do you prefer, the KTM 125 two smoke, or this Ultra Bee?
@BW W Oh man... Depends on the mood and the application. I'm loving the Ultra Bee but will never say a 125 isn't fun to rip on! Once I get the power and suspension upgraded on the Ultra though... might be a harder decision...
@@ElectricCycleRider Cool looks like a ton of fun!
Did you notice that these wheels rub / bottom out on the fenders during big hits? Are there any solutions to this issue?
So does the sprocket fix the power loss?
would traction control still work if you did a 21/19? how would it handle?
I had this question too. Seems the traction control must operate off of a differential speed between front and rear - correct? If so, it also seems like you could just change a parameter in the controller to fix that. I am pretty new, so thinking I want that to start out. I also want the 18/21 set-up so struggling with the call.
It will not work as the circumference is larger on the front and will complete less rotations then the rear, the inner sensor ring will trip out. Different sensor rings are in development to allow traction control to work with different wheel sizes
Sounds like you're bothered by the reduced torque. The StormBee solves that. Why not lighten and add better suspension to the Storm, rather than beef up the Ultra? Is the chasis of the Ultra too relaxed? Like my dr650 (which i love BUT its a torquey relaxed trail/city bike)? Im trying to categorize the Storm and Ultra in familiar ICE bike paradigms.
@J&T LLC I did a comparison video between the Ultra, Storm and LBX and point out those thoughts here: th-cam.com/video/mhhW42s-CY0/w-d-xo.html
I think the Ultra is the winner in the performance category but I am definitely interested to try making the Storm a more performance oriented bike. I just would personally prefer to make the Ultra faster and improve the suspension because I think the final product will be the superior machine! It is just a much more sporty chassis, in my opinion.
I'm inclined to agree. Id rather set up a 500exc for cross country than try to make a dirtbike out of a 950SuperEnduro. Agreed. (Apologies for the constant ICE reference points!)
Your thoughts of gearing down are correct. The reason is that you have geared up by adding a taller profile rear tire with a larger circumference. So adding some teeth to the rear sprocket will get you back to stock rear drive gear ratio.
His power loss is more from the added rotational mass of the heavier wheels and tires. But yes gearing down to a 50T-54t should make up for that loss in power in the low end.
Can you confirm if your store offers the option of purchasing rims along with a complete set of tires? I've been searching, but it doesn't seem to be available. You also mentioned feeling a power decrease after switching to the 18-inch and 21-inch rims. Is this a significant loss or just slightly noticeable? Would it be viable to keep the 19-inch rim on the rear and only switch to a 21-inch rim in the front, or would that be impractical? My bike is completely stock and will primarily be used on fire-line trails. I just acquired it yesterday.
Mtb 29+/27.5+ could work quite well for typical conditions for trails and hard-pack. Which ever matches 21"/19" MC tire diameter. Downhill mtb have good highspeed traction. Stays light whilst improving handling. Still need gearing change of course.
This would not be a good idea with a bike that weighs 186lbs without rider and has this kind of power. Downhill mtb wheel is way too narrow, wouldn’t provide enough traction and spokes are way too small to handle high lateral loads on wheels in corners. Downhill mtb wheels are not good even on the smaller surron lightbee again due to weight of bike plus rider.
Seems like for the price, this is well worth it compared to a modded X.
We're at a point where you have to choose the best fit, especially if you ride motocross. My initial idea was converting my 07cr250r to electric because I have everything Moto already, and I'll just add electric. My worry is the power but think I can deal with what's out there. But you said something that caught my thought as far as the size and that you might not want the full size. That hot me because when I've ever thought about the MX bike is that I wish it was a little lighter and after hearing the storm is more like an Enduro bike with added weight my wonders build up. Riding moto I thought the storm would be it but do I want that size when it comes to something different!? I'll always have my 2t's but getting something a little more nibble without the intimidating sound and vibration. Good question. Do I want full size? Riding motocross will beat it up so well see how ultra handles it in time. Here hoping it can.
im in the same boat as you, was a 250 2 stroke racer but now i just wheelie my surron and my 250 sits in the garage a lot more.. my plan is to wait it out another year and let aftermarket parts come out for the ultra bee.. and like you said we need to see how it handles another moto rider using it for a year. only then ill make a decision! lol seems like a sweet bike if you put the 21/18's on and maybe just a controller is all it will need cause its already a big battery
Man that’s a beast
Great video! Do you plan on doing a video on the Arctic Leopard nay time soon? Curious to see what you think of it
Hello, I have a question? With this style of driving and the difficulty of the terrain, how long did the battery last in this video, thank you for your quick reply.
When you bottom out the fork would the front wheel get stuck because the forks seem too small for a 21 in front wheel?
@meahow I was expecting that to be an issue but so far it hasn't been a problem. We will see once we start pushing it some more but so far, so good.
Is the 21/18 combo good on the roads. Stability at speed than stock?
Just ordered from Double Spring, 5870 shipped! Talk to Muriel !
i like bc she calls me "dear" makes me feel like I have a big american penis
Quick question to you electric cycle rider which tires did you use or recommend for riding in Croom like terrain
Thoughts on a 2020 Freeride EX-C with big rear brake, two batteries,foot pegs, fat bars and tuned suspension for $6,900 or an Ultra Bee with 18/21 for $7,300?
hello, how much has the range decreased on this wheel set?
@Сергей Сергей These are really tough conditions to base it off of and I don't have a bench mark with the stock wheels/tires in these exact conditions. It will likely see a 10-20% reduction in range with this wheel/tire combo.
Other than the increased mass of a larger 18" motorcycle tire there should be little difference if the circumference of two tires is the same.
I feel like it's just reluctor rings on the hubs, why not just re-lace the stock hubs onto 18" + 21" rims?
@Thefoodman52 You could absolutely re-lace the stock hubs, if you wanted to go that route. We're using the stock TC discs on these hubs too. The TC currently only works when the wheels are the same size, though.
What if a 18” tire had the same diameter as the 19” stock tire? Would ASR still work?
Or is any good 18” Mx tire going to be way bigger than the stock 19” tire diameter?
How much more room for rear tires is there on the Ultra bee compared to light bee? Want to run Skinko 777 100/90-19 on a spare set of stock 19" wheels and was wondering if I could possibly fit something even wider.
They’ve already been swapped with a 120 size rear tire and that’s pretty darn large so I imagine you’ll be fine
Hello, have you noticed a drop in battery life, with the 21' and 18' wheels?
Sure would be nice, if you could just put some DID dirt star, or excel wheels on them, with a standard ktm axle size.
I’m going x9000 and 21/18 and I think I’m cutting it at that maybe sprocket. 17kw on stock battery no bypass
96v battery, a better controller, 70T rear sprocket, maybe a fork off a 250 trail bike, this thing looks like it could be nice assuming it doesn't overheat
Seems overkill and unrideable at that point.
Right so spend another $5000 on the bike 😂
@@eastwood111 😂😂 e-bike homies are good laugh
Not necessary for all that a 80v battery drops right in without a controller swap giving you more mod and top
End. 70t sprocket would look ridiculous on this bike. 60t is about as high as you would want to go.
Are the hubs the same as a light bee? I’m just asking, so I can get Woody’s to lace me up a set 😊
From what I have read and seen they are not the same as the light bee.
@Sam Lucas These are not the same hubs as the LBX. We'll be selling Woody's laced Excel wheel combos in the coming weeks as well. They are close to being ready.
@@ElectricCycleRider SICK and let me know when they are available!!! Can't wait for them! Thanks Tucker!!
Cool
So any chance the company will release a mode that tracktion control can work with 21 18 ?
Overall better than light bee?
@John H As a primary off-road rider, riding on "dirt bike trails", yes this is overall much better than a stock light bee.
@@ElectricCycleRider thanks, I should have been more clear, I was thinking about a modified light bee, but it's probably the same answer....a modified ultra is better than a modified light bee for trails. Perhaps for smaller guys a light bee may have some advantages. We will see, cheers
Did you contact Darren and ask if they will be able to set the traction control for different size wheels on the rear!.
Is the speedometer still working correctly?
What happens if you leave the traction control on?
Do the wheel sensors not carry over to the new rims? I know you can reprogram the ratio in the computer like the Storm Bee.
@Mike Raymond The discs carry over and we are actually running them on these rims in this video but because of the different size of the wheels, the bike does not interpret the speed the same. Something I imagine they can update but currently TC does not work with the 21/18.
@@ElectricCycleRider In the storm bee you can change the ratio on the dash. Since the storm bee runs similar wheel set is the software not the same? Forgive my ignorance since I don't have the ultra bee yet. Or I could just be interpreting the issue wrong.
When you go to a larger back sprocket does it increase or decrease the overall battery range??
Depends on the terrain your riding in, what we found is typically the larger sprocket gives better range in stop and go riding, trails with lots of elevation change and more technical riding. Higher speed riding (fire roads, street etc) bigger sprocket will eat up more. Biggest upgrade we’ve noticed for improving range and power is to go up in sprocket size minimally (50t vs stock 46t) go with a roller chain and ditch the stock oring chain.
Awesome! Just ordered one. Q: What do you think about the front light? I have an extra MONTEER 8000S GALAXY. Maybe remove the light then add a front number plate. to make it more MX. What are your thoughts?
Just added a Baja designs squadron pro on my ultra and it’s a game changer.
What’s the best way to make this bike go faster? A new controller?
awesome ! Did you see that there's a new talaria sting ? The talaria sting R.
@Gabrielle Bénard For sure! I tested the Talaria Sting R back in February and just posted a quick first ride with the bike here: th-cam.com/video/LTcycMehkqw/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for watching and you know where to reach me if you have questions! 👍
Hearing a lot of clicks in this video, it was the same sound in Sam Pilgrims video?? Any idea what this might be
Thanks but, WHY is the traction control not working? You could have at least told that.
Can you make an instructional video on how to remove the rear wheel?
if it goes to 17 inch rims front and rear will it work the ASR ?
You would be downgrading the handling performance. The front rim for a dirtbike should be minimum 19 inches.
@@eastwood111 my plan is to convert it to supermoto front 100/70 X 17 and rear 120/70 X 17
@@martins.2856
Ahh ok gotcha 👌
Yes as long as tires are same size in overall diameter TC will work
Any 21/19 wheel sets to fit ultras?
And my question, is it hat the stock 19" rim is too thin to accommodate larger rear tire? Why not 21 front and use original 19 rim in the hind end with a better 19" tire?
What tyre size you got on the rear?
@Mimmo-IRL Please see the description of the video for all the info about this setup.
What about 19/16 setup on the ultra bee.
What is the seat height with the 21/18 wheels/tires?
Wil the front tire hit the fender at full bottom out?
You at croom?
@Kyle You bet!
Yeah, it does look like Croom.
@@jkmarshall3553 9:29
@@ElectricCycleRider I was thinking that would be so cool to ride at croom then I was like wait a minute he is at croom LOL
Where's croom?
Question are there any plastics you can put on the ultra bee?
@Chupapi Not currently but expect to see options soon.
just starting my research into these...is running the stock 19 up front with an aftermarket 18" rear wheel an option?
That wouldn't make sense. If anything do a 19/21. Not a 18/19
where can you buy the bike i want one now
Will a 110/100-18 rear work with this bike and the KKE wheel? I just pre-ordered the wheels and already have the tire so that would be great.
Yes that size will work, a 120/100-18 has been test fit and works but way too heavy
Looks like pretty deep sand
Does that make the weight penalty worse??
Would 18/21 perform better on dry hard pack/ rock??
@mattcgtx These conditions are an absolute killer for performance and range! It's some of the toughest conditions on these electric bikes because they are working so hard to dig through the deep sand. The bike would definitely perform better on harder pack terrain.