I rode horses as a youngster: I show jumped, taught kids how to ride, and rode in fox hunts—without the foxes, because that was illegal in Ireland. A broken collarbone and pony named 'Cheeky' meant horse riding took a back seat, and thankfully so, because after that, I pursued the much safer sport of motocross. I'm saying, I know horses, and I know dirt bikes, but it took a trip to the Pyrenees mountains to see how the very latest in two-wheeled technology could resonate with me like traveling through nature on horseback.
Specifically, it took the Stark Varg EX for me to see that, in certain circumstances, cutting-edge technology has come full circle to give us some of the feelings of old.
Ripping through the Pyrenees mountains with just the whine of an electric motor, rolling chain noise, and the sound of nature elevated my off-road experience in a way I haven’t felt before. I’ve been off-roading on conventional ICE bikes, and it’s great—the beauty of your surroundings particularly shines through when you take a break, shut off the engine, and immerse yourself in the peace of nature. But on the EX, that feeling is always a part of the ride.
Silently, but at times violently, riding through lush green fields made me quite literally feel like I was in The Sound of Music, minus the Nazis.
You get all the menace and adrenaline that you could ask for from an 80 HP bike, but you can also ride through herds of cows and horses without disturbing them. The EX, and I by extension, felt much more like a part of nature rather than a foreign object that was trying its best not to disturb it—there’s an irony there that I’m sure I haven’t fully explored.
Even the way you ride a Varg EX compared to an ICE motorcycle lets you take in your surroundings more, as there's that much less to think about. I flowed through miles of hard-packed dirt trails that cut through the mountains without thinking about entering the powerband and whether or not to change gear. Smooth, consistent, predictable power allowed me to—at times—keep my head up and soak in a part of the world I might never see again.
At one point, I could see three countries simultaneously and rode through everything from long grass to what felt like shale, but always surrounded by unrivaled scenery. I’m sure I wouldn’t have experienced half of the beauty I did if I were on an ICE bike because it would’ve been illegal to ride some of the trails. Depending on the laws in the area you ride, you might have more trails available to you on the Varg EX, ones usually reserved for mountain bikes.
This isn't to say that electric is better than ICE or vice versa, but it's something to note for those who get off the beaten path more so soak in nature, rather than beat the path. I think many folks struggle with where to place their attention when suddenly hit with a beautiful vista while riding, but in this situation, on this bike, the decision is more in your hands than ever.
