Ever since I started here at RideApart, I've been talking about how electric powersports machines are going to disrupt the hunting space. For the uninitiated, the name of the game with hunting is stealth. Quiet is king, and getting in and out of your preferred hunting area without spooking your quarry is everything. And, I don't know if you know this or not, but most gasoline-powered powersports vehicles are loud.
But in recent years, more and more hunters have been adopting e-bikes as methods of getting around the woods with greater ease and silence. I, myself, used one last year to get way further back on this one particular trail to get away from all the other bowhunters. Nearly got eaten, but that's a story for another time. And one of the biggest names in the space is Bakcou, the e-bike specialist only an hour away from me here in Utah.
But the brand isn't resting on its past successes, as it's just released two all-electric dirt bikes, the Puma X22 SD and Puma X24, and they look ready to not just get you further than ever before. And be able to pack out whatever game you were lucky enough to tag out for, whether that's small pronghorns to full-blown moose quarters. Oh yeah, they have the specs.
Bakcou's new electric dirtbikes come in two flavors, the Puma X22 SD and Puma X24. And the upscaling numbers denote the size of the machines, with the Puma X22 being more akin to a 250cc dirtbike, while the Puma X24 being more closely related to a 450ccc with all the bells and whistles to go along with it.
Starting off with the smaller of the two, the Puma X22 SD features an 84V, 73Ah lithium ion battery coupled to an electric motor that delivers enough horsepower and torque to get you pretty much anywhere. According to the company, it only takes two hours to charge the dirt bike via a 40A charger, too, so downtime is limited. The seat height is a tall 34.5 inches, but ground clearance comes in at a healthy 12.5, and the motorcycle comes with all the skidplates you'd want for a backcountry rig.
Thinking ahead and in the field where you sometimes head into gnarlier terrain than your average single track, Bakcou designed the dirtbike with a reverse gear, so even on steep terrain, or loaded with an animal, maneuvering the bike won't be all that difficult in theory. There's also a litany of accessories you can choose from to make it all the more capable for your backcountry hunts.
"The Puma X22 SD is versatile and built with every rider in mind,” says Bakcou spokesperson Brian Marsing in its press release, adding, "Whether you’re in the backcountry, on the dunes, or at the track, it performs where it counts."
As for the Puma X24, well, that's a bit more burlier than the Puma X22 SD, as well as far more limited. Currently, the Puma X24 is sold out, and is likely to only come in batches, as the company's website asks would-be customers to sign-up for emails about the Puma X24's "next release."
It's powered by the same battery as the Puma X22 SD, but a few things have been changed, include the motor, the transmission which is a proper manual like a regular motorcycle, only this one comes with a reverse, too, and features a full-size frame, as well as full-size suspension. It has a higher top speed, too, capable of hitting 100mph, versus the Puma X22 SD's 77 mph top.
As for price, you're only looking at a $500 difference between the two, with the Puma X22 SD (the one you can preorder now for a July delivery date) setting you back $9,999, versus the wait-and-see Puma X24's $10,499.
I actually got to see these two in person at the Western Hunt Expo earlier this year, as well as sit on both. Each would be fine machines to take on treks into the woods, though my personal preference is for the larger of two, the X24, as I'm a big guy myself. I'm 6'4" and weigh around 200 pounds, so the added suspension and full-size frame fit me better, along with being capable of hauling my heavy-butt loaded with all my hunting gear.
Hopefully, I can convince Bakcou to send me one to test so I can take it into the woods this season and help me fill the elk and deer tags I've got burning holes into my pocket and am already losing sleep over...
