I'm a die-hard gasoline engine fiend. I can distinctly recall the sound of Formula 1's V8 engines hitting me in my chest, the pulsing vibratto of an idling MotoGP racer waiting on the grid at Circuit of the Americas, the raucous howl of my own personal Can-Am Maverick X3 after I threw on a Yoshimura exhaust, and that sultry, stupid, heavenly noise of a Ducati Panigale V4 at full tilt—shivers.
But I'm also not a Luddite.
Electrification in some form or another is coming. Whether that's a hybrid or a full electric, the future is fast approaching. And even with my consternation with the US' public infrastructure, which is shit, there's more than enough fun to be had on a fully electric machine. More than that, there's a lot you can learn and teach yourself on these machines, even after decades of riding, which is what I've come to understand and love about Stark's Varg EX.
This dirtbike came to me just before summer started and hasn't left, even as winter sets in on my mountain compound. I've ridden it through rivers, through snow, countless dirt and mud puddles, through the trees, chased both trout and deer on its back, and oh so much more. It's become a constant companion, and one that's taught me a ton about body positioning, throttle and brake control, and more when it comes to riding dirt.
While Stark's Varg EX got all the press because of its insanely powerful motor, and it being the most powerful dirtbike on the market period, the folks who sang its praises for that are missing the forest for the trees. Yes, you can give it to Travis Pastrana or Brian Deegan or Josh Hill or whoever you want in the professional world and they'll shred the landscape to the nth degree. But you can also dial everything back, dial it to what you're comfortable with, and because you're not worried about clutch work or killing the damn thing, you're free to explore the actual dirtbike's dynamics. You're free to explore your own limits. You're free to learn all the best practices of riding dirt both quickly and confidently.
That may surprise many coming from a self-professed dirt riding lover, but I didn't get into off-road motorcycling until later in my life. Indeed, I spent most of my education on pavement and behind the bars of sportbikes and nakeds. Yet, I've grown to adore the dirt far more than I ever loved the pavement. But I'm still learning how to be good at riding dirt. And the Stark absolutely helped bolster my confidence and skills in the time that I've had it.
Likewise, for those range-anxiety folks who'll undoubtedly clamor to the comments section, you'll get tired far quicker than the motorcycle will run out of juice. But enough of all this. Click the video above, watch and listen to all my thoughts, and then go to the comments and tell me how much of an idiot I am.
