A new breed of electric-powered off-road bikes are changing the way youngsters are getting into motorcycling, says Marc Potter.
For the first time ever, electric-powered off-road bikes are now a truly viable alternative to petrol power, with firms like Kuberg, OSET and Mecatechno coming into the UK and lighting the imaginations of children and adults.
It’s still a small market, but it’s one that is slowly changing the face of motorcycling in the UK and allows kids and parents to get into riding bikes for around £1000 or less.
inlay Potter prepares to tackle the Kuberg Cross
But it’s not just the price which is driving this new breed, there are lots of positives with small off-road electric bikes over more traditional petrol-powered bikes.
For instance, you never have to worry about hot engine parts with little children, the bike’s power can be adjusted from a sedate walking pace to flat-out by the flick of a switch or screwdriver, and gone are the days of leaking fuel in the back of your car when taking it to a track. Manufacturers claim most electric motorcycles can be put upside down in the back of a car with no leakages. Perhaps the biggest advantage is there’s no noise pollution.