If Stark Future isn’t on your radar, you either aren’t interested in dirt bikes or haven’t been paying attention. The company got off to a slow and rocky start after it shocked the industry when it quietly developed the Varg MX model and then sprung it on an unsuspecting motocross market in December of 2021. After taking orders for 900 bikes the first week, delivering those machines took an agonizingly long time as the company rectified supplier issues. But since that launch—and first deliveries in spring of 2024—the company has hit some serious milestones, including launching the EX enduro/dual sport model, selling 10,000-plus total units globally, expanding into its new 215,000-square-foot factory, and now launching the next logical machine on the platform, the Varg SM, or supermoto.Related: Stark Varg MX 1.2 First Look

From the beginning Stark Future CEO Anton Wass has focused on sustainability, efficiency, superior performance, and exemplary customer service. Stark also realized early on that to be a serious player in the industry it would have to expand beyond the MX and enduro markets, and even this new supermoto market, and build a mainstream streetbike. This Varg SM is the first step toward a future where you will surely see Stark on-road models that Wass promises will meet the expectations of not only ebike buyers, but motorcycle consumers in general.Related: Stark Future’s CEO: How Electric Can Beat Internal CombustionThe SM shouldn’t come as a surprise at all, as it’s essentially a Varg EX with supermoto wheels, front brake, and the minimum necessary items to make it road legal in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and of course the US. And while on-road supermoto machines might be about as niche a market that exists in motorcycling, it was the easiest (and coolest) way to get a foothold in the world of streetbikes.Power Unit, Battery, and PerformanceThe SM shares its 7.2kWh battery with the EX that preceded it earlier this year, which offers around 20% more range than the original MX’s 6kWh unit. In order to ensure that the batteries and motor are built to the highest standards, both are manufactured in-house at the company’s Barcelona factory.

The 71-pound magnesium battery unit is a stressed member of the chassis. Inside are 400 lithium-ion cells encased in a honeycomb layout. Because the motorcycle is street legal, not only does the bike come with a charging stand similar to the units included with the MX and EX, but it also comes with a 3.3kWh portable charger that fits in a backpack and works in a normal AC outlet or Level 2 charging station (but not Level 3 at this point). Stark claims 3.5 hours of charging time on a 120-volt outlet. Claimed range is 113 miles in urban riding, 73 miles of suburban, and 50 miles in real-world riding using the World Motorcycle Test Cycle (WMTC). We have data from our test ride shared below.

The motor itself is a carbon-fiber-sleeved unit with an integrated inverter and provides a class-leading power-to-weight ratio of 80 hp from just 19.8 pounds. The motor and inverter are both liquid-cooled, while the battery unit is passively air-cooled. Like the other models, there are two versions of the SM available including a lower-powered 60-hp model ($12,900) and the 80-hp Alpha model ($13,900). Claimed torque is 914 Nm (674 lb.-ft.), but this is calculated by multiplying the 90 lb.-ft. available at the motor output shaft by the final gearing (15/47, front and rear sprockets, and rear-wheel diameter). The 90 lb.-ft. of motor torque is available at zero rpm and is impressive. A 520 chain sends power to the rear wheel.What Makes an SM a Supermoto Machine?The SM is most closely related to the EX enduro model, which itself is actually designed to be a street-legal dual sport in most markets. At the center of the chassis is a high-strength steel frame that utilizes the battery case as a stressed member. A forged-aluminum subframe is used at the rear. Stark has even experimented with an in-house 3D titanium printer and had a 3D-printed Ti frame on a prototype bike in the lobby. Currently the printer is churning out its accessory Ti MX/enduro footpegs.

It’s the running gear and a few tweaks to the chassis that distinguish the SM from the EX. At the front of the bike is a fully adjustable, closed-cartridge coil-spring KYB fork with 11.4 inches of travel (versus 11.8 inches on the EX). A key change is a lighter and wider-spaced set of triple clamps with 16mm of offset compared to the enduro model’s 22mm. At the rear is a fully adjustable KYB shock that offers 11.9 inches of rear-wheel travel. Like the other machines the buyer can choose between three spring rates when they order to optimize the bike for their weight: Soft, medium, and hard options are available.Tubeless aluminum rims are laced to beautifully polished CNC-machined hubs and measure 3.5 x 17 inches front and 4.5 x 17 inches rear. As with other Stark models, the buyer can choose between multiple tire options when building their bike online or at the dealer. In the case of the SM, the default tire is Pirelli’s Diablo Rosso IV, while other options are Dunlop’s SportSmart TT, Michelin Road 6, or Anlas Grip Plus (a winter-specific motorcycle tire).

Another standout chassis difference is the front braking package. In place of the twin-piston caliper and 260mm disc on the EX, at the front is a Brembo Stylema radial-mount, four-piston caliper pinching a 320mm Galfer wave rotor with a Brembo 18/21 radial-master cylinder. Out back is the same 220mm disc and single-piston Brembo caliper as on the enduro model.

Looking at the bike’s dimensions, the SM’s wheelbase measures 57.9 inches compared to the EX’s 58.6. Both bikes share 26.1 degrees of rake, but the trail figure isn’t listed. Ground clearance on the SM measures 12.3 inches versus 14.5 on the EX. Static seat height is set at 36.8 inches versus 39 on the enduro. Claimed weight is 274.5 pounds, which is just about 10 pounds heavier than the EX.The Arkenstone Display and ElectronicsA signature of all Stark Varg models is the Arkenstone dash, which is actually a removable military-grade, Android-based smartphone that not only controls the customizable functions of the operation of the motorcycle, but is packed with additional features that make the Varg unique in the market. The Arkenstone is named after the jewel in The Hobbit—Wass is obviously a huge fan of the J.R.R. Tolkien series, even naming various company conference rooms after locations in the books/films.

The current version of the Arkenstone is an update on the original. On the SM, the surrounding casing has been slimmed down as it doesn’t need to be as rugged as on the MX or EX, while all wiring is internally routed. Beyond the bike functions and information, the unit allows over-the-air updates, GPS navigation, and allows the bike to be functionally locked to disable operation for theft (even remotely). Stark’s Pro level subscription adds the GPS navigation feature, allows the rider to create tracks and then record lap times, import GPX files, access advanced ride modes, and allows parts, warranty, and diagnostic communication right from the dash.

On the SM, the milled-aluminum, left-bar-mounted control pod has an up/down mode selector, horn, light switch, and turn signals. Everything else is accomplished on the touchscreen dash. Five customizable modes allow power output to be set between 10 and 80 hp, and regenerative braking between 0 and 100%. With a Pro account, the rider can also go into the Advanced mode and alter throttle mapping and torque curves. A few other really cool features include a crawl mode, which allows you to use the throttle to move the bike forward at a very slow rate of speed for parking or moving the bike around, while there is also a reverse mode, which does the same but allows you to back up the bike out of a parking space or reverse in tight quarters.

As the SM is a street-legal model, it comes equipped with front and rear turn signals. The front signals are super slick and built into the front number plate, while slim turn signals also serve as taillights. Unfortunately, US-bound bikes will come equipped with hideous DOT-approved units, but the Euro-spec pieces are included in the crate. Up front is a 4000-lumen headlight, which Stark claims is three-times brighter than any competitor’s units.On Road, Around Town, and Observed RangeWe were lucky enough to spend two days riding the SM in and around Barcelona, and even got a few hours on the EX enduro for comparison’s sake. Our guide was Stark Chief Engineer Kian Darvishian, a true riding enthusiast, who is not too bad at wheelies either. A quick run through of the bike’s functionality and then setting of the modes was our first task. In order to have the full spread of power and regen, we set up the five modes in increments so that we could easily scroll through them on our ride and experience varying levels of performance.

Let’s get one thing out of the way now: the 80-hp setting is absolutely bonkers. Not only is the front end impossible to keep on the ground but it sucks battery at a rapid rate. So while we tried it on occasion—because who wouldn’t—it’s not really a mode you want to be in for too long. Just as an example: On the highway in 80-hp mode, all you have to do is roll on the throttle at 60 to 80 mph and the front end floats up into a wheelie with virtually zero effort. Cool? Hell yeah! But kind of gnarly at the same time.For most of our ride we had a mode setup with 45 hp and 40% regen, which is ideal for most of the tight and twisty mountain roads we got to sample. The nice thing about the modes is that if you are stuck behind traffic or aren’t riding aggressively, you can scroll down to a lesser setting (like 20 hp), save battery, and still have more than enough power to accelerate in traffic or around a car. In those lower power settings we also dialed up the regen so that when coasting along it’s putting some power back into the battery. Regen is the gift that gives back some range, but it also a great tool to dial in feel on corner entry. Want to roll into the corner with virtually no engine-braking like on two-stroke, or do you want more? It’s an easy change.

The 80-hp maximum output is, again, completely mental, even in a supermoto that is a bit heavier than your average 450cc equivalent. We found that for aggressive riding, 55 to 60 hp is a total blast, but dipping hard into that power limits range. Another key difference of ICE versus electric is that the torque curves are quite different. The claimed 90 lb.-ft. shaft torque is available in the bottom to midrange of the motor rpm and tapers off as rpm/speed rises where it’s not nearly as aggressive.Another difference between the SM and most modern motorcycles with electronic rider aids is that the Varg doesn’t have any. No traction control, no ABS, no six-axis IMU, and no traditional modes like Rain, Road, or Sport. Despite being marketed as a street-legal bike, it’s homologated as a dual sport in Europe, so it doesn’t have to meet street-based requirements for the region. This really puts the onus on the owner to set up the modes for different conditions, like having a 15- or 20-hp setting for rain-slicked roads, which we experienced on our second day on a more urban route around Barcelona. We didn’t have time to get into the weeds on the Advanced modes, but the owner can easily set up modes that optimize the throttle and torque curves to preference.

As for our observed range over the two riding days, mileage lined up accurately with Stark’s claims. Our first day, which featured a lot of fast mountain roads, a decent amount of highway, and less urban riding, we recorded 54 miles and pulled back into the factory with zero battery left on the meter. But we made it. On our second day we rode around 44 miles in mainly urban areas, mixed in with a few short highway stints and a fun mountain road above the city where we let it off the leash a bit in a 60-hp setting; we returned to the factory with 38% battery left. That aligns well with Stark’s suburban mileage claim from above. We didn’t get a chance to do a mileage run in pure urban situations but expect the claimed range will be accurate.In terms of handling, the bike hides its weight really well. Despite weighing about 30 pounds more than the not-street-legal competition supermotos from KTM or Husky, the lack of reciprocating internal engine parts makes the bike respond with an uncanny lightness flicking into and out of corners. Our bikes were equipped with Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tires, and grip was never in question—even on Barcelona’s slick urban streets in the rain. Tight twisty mountain roads are this bike’s happy spot, hairpin turns are eaten alive with full confidence from a front end that is communicative and predictable. The bike responds instantly to midcorner corrections on any type of road, while cornering clearance seems almost limitless when street riding. One functional complaint is that the bike has a wider turning radius than the EX, because of the splayed-out triple clamp spacing, but this was honestly only an issue when doing U-turns for photos.

One area that needs some adjustment is the front braking package. Power is abundant—just one look at the giant Brembo Stylema caliper and pizza-pan disc let you know that. Unfortunately the selected master cylinder offers very little lever travel, resulting in a very narrow range to modulate power. It makes for an essentially on/off sensation, which is a bit unnerving with all that power and no ABS to back you up. The rear is a much different story. Our testbike was equipped with the hand-lever rear brake (which we absolutely fell in love with on the EX enduro), and once accustomed to it offers progressive performance and feet-out supermoto-style braking in right turns as well as left ones. US bikes will come equipped with the DOT-required foot brake standard, but the rear handbrake is included with delivery.So Who Is the SM For?The SM sits in about as niche a category as there is in motorcycling. But at the same time it’s also one of the most fun in existence. The SM does its part by providing all the snappy handling and lively performance that a dirt bike with massive amounts of grip from 17-inch sport tires provides. But then the icing on the cake is a level of power that is truly astonishing and even intimidating when you dial it up.

Supermoto is a small market, but it’s a logical step for Stark as it looks to expand its range to more street models. One of the key takeaways from our time riding the bikes, talking to the engineers and Anton Wass, and touring the factory is that Stark Future is as authentic as any company we’ve interacted with. The enthusiasm is palpable, and the company lets the products speak for themselves.

So, while the SM will surely not sell in the numbers that the MX and EX have (more than 10,000 to date), for those riders who do buy one, it’s a remarkable riding experience with very high performance. However, another serious consideration is that while a 54-mile range is likely totally acceptable for an enduro or MX rider, it’s still a big compromise for most street riders to accept, especially considering how many great motorcycles are on the market in that $13,000 to $14,000 range.Starks are available at its dealers but bikes can also be ordered online and delivered in a crate to your doorstep (some assembly required). The bottom line is that buying a Stark isn’t about buying a really good electric motorcycle, it’s about buying a game-changing performer, and an exceptional enthusiast’s motorcycle.

2025 Stark Future Varg SM Specs