Why are Sur Ron-style electric motorbikes so dang popular with teens today?
In recent years, Sur Ron-style electric trail bikes have surged in popularity among young riders across the US. These lightweight, nimble, and powerful machines are quickly becoming the go-to choice for adrenaline-seeking youth, and there are several reasons behind this trend.
First defined by the Sur Ron electric motorbikes that largely built the category in the latter part of the last decade, electric trail bikes have become popular among younger riders who favor their combination of freedom, power and accessibility.
Just don’t confuse them with actual electric bicycles. Unlike most e-bikes, whether more traditional electric mountain bikes or even the moped-style SUPER73 and other imitation mopeds, electric trail bikes like those from Talaria, Sur Ron, Tromox, and others are a far cry from street-legal electric bicycles.
It’s not just that they lack pedals, immediately removing them from the electric bicycle category altogether. But they’re also usually around 5-10x more powerful than a typical electric bicycle, feature long-travel full suspension for more aggressive riding, and are priced at a fraction of what an honest-to-goodness dirt bike or street motorcycle usually costs. They’re also incredibly accessible, meaning they take little more experience than a bicycle to ride and don’t require the operator to understand the intricacies of fiddling with a carburetor or swearing while searching around for a 10mm socket each weekend.
Basically, they’re the Honda 50 of today’s generation, minus the exhaust and the oil stains. They’re ubiquitous, affordable, and easier to ride than ever before. Except that, unlike the good ol’ Honda 50, they aren’t exactly street-legal. At least, not most of the time. More on that in a moment.
A blend of power and control
Sur Ron-style electric trail bikes offer a unique combination of power and control that appeals to younger riders, especially those in their teens and twenties. With their powerful electric motors, these bikes can reach impressive speeds, yet they remain easy to handle thanks to their lightweight and intuitive design. Even the most entry-level of the category can often reach speeds of up to 40 mph (64 km/h). Many riders know how to tinker their way to higher speeds on such models, though new offerings that push speeds closer to 60 mph (96 km/h) are quickly joining the market.
This balance of high power and simple controls makes them accessible to beginner riders looking for a thrill. However, it can also lead to many new riders getting in over their heads when they haven’t built up the requisite skills and experience to handle what can prove to be too much power for the uninitiated.
Low maintenance and cost-effective
Compared to their gas-powered counterparts, electric trail bikes require significantly less maintenance. There’s no need for oil changes, keeping a fuel can handy, or making complex engine repairs that require poring over a grease-smudged owner’s manual in the garage. This makes ownership much more convenient and affordable for young riders.
The cost-effectiveness of these bikes, combined with lower operating costs, also helps make them an attractive option for those on a budget. With Millennials and Zoomers more cash-strapped than ever, the ability to get their speed and power fix for a few thousand dollars compared to a much more expensive “real” motorcycle is an enticing option. A traditional dirt bike might cost $5-10k when purchased new, not including all the other costs of ownership. An electric motorcycle can be even more expensive, though lower-cost electric motorcycles are becoming more common. But an electric trail bike like a Sur Ron or Talaria can cost as little as $3k, making them far more accessible to younger riders. And after the initial purchase, the cost of ownership is nearly zero.
Even more importantly, unlike larger combustion engine motorcycles that usually require a trip to a dealership and a complicated ordering process, ordering an electric trail bike can be as simple as clicking ‘Buy Now’ on Amazon. A few days later, a cardboard box full of adrenaline and questionable decision-making shows up in your driveway. Cruising at 50 mph is just one click away.
Legal gray area leaving plenty of wiggle room
Electric trail bikes like those from Sur Ron, Talaria, and others exist in something of a legal gray area.
They certainly aren’t street legal in most areas, but they also usually aren’t required to be registered for off-road use, either. California is one of the few states that has made headway in issuing regulations regarding such motorbikes, but most states simply haven’t had time for their laws to catch up with the proliferation of affordable light electric motorbikes like these.
While these types of bikes are inherently designed for off-road riding, many young riders treat them more like street bikes for cruising the neighborhood. This is illegal just about everywhere in the US since these vehicles don’t meet electric bicycle requirements or DOT requirements for street vehicles. But the lack of familiarity of such laws among many local law enforcement departments means that many riders have gotten away with skirting the laws.
More police departments are starting to crack down on road use of such electric motorbikes, but we are still in the early days of these novel vehicles and many police officers are playing catchup.
Community and culture
The rise in popularity of Sur Ron-style electric bikes has led to the growth of a passionate community, both in local rider groups and online.
Riders connect through social media as well as group rides and events, sharing their experiences and tips. This sense of community is a significant draw for young riders who enjoy being part of a larger movement and culture that celebrates adventure and innovation, doing so on a shared platform like an electric trail bike.
The ease of modifications and customizations for these bikes, as well as the fairly sophisticated accessories aftermarket, also helps young riders customize their rides as a sense of self-expression. It’s something we’ve seen before in the electric bicycle community, especially among companies like SUPER73 that have developed significant rider culture and brand loyalty, but now the trend has pushed further into the trail bike community as well.
Not without backlash
While young riders have flocked to these powerful and lightweight electric motorbikes in large numbers, the number of detractors has also grown.
Their rise in popularity has not been without controversy. Critics of these bikes have raised concerns about their impact on trail environments, user safety, and the broader implications for outdoor recreation.
One of the primary points of contention is the potential environmental impact of these powerful electric bikes on trails traditionally used by hikers, mountain bikers, and other non-motorized activities. Ironically, while these zero-emission vehicles aren’t impacting pollution levels, they often result in physical damage to the local environment when used in inappropriate areas.
Many motocross tracks and dirt bike trails are specifically designed to handle the power and impact of high-torque motors combined with aggressive tires, but more delicate mountain bike trails are not. These trails are often narrower and built on softer terrain that blends into the local ecosystem, serving as a living playground that balances nature and recreation.
Riders of Sur Ron-style electric motorbikes have been increasingly encroaching upon mountain bike trails, often leading to conflicts. Critics argue that the powerful motors and increased speed capabilities of these bikes can result in more significant wear and tear on trails, contributing to erosion and damage to sensitive ecosystems.
Additionally, there is concern that these bikes might encourage off-trail riding, which can further disturb wildlife habitats and fragile plant life.
Another major source of backlash comes from conflicts between motorbike riders and other trail users. Traditional trail users such as hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers often share these natural spaces, and the introduction of fast-moving electric motorbikes can create tension. There have been reports of near-misses as well as dangerous accidents, with critics arguing that the speed and quiet operation of these bikes can catch others by surprise, increasing the risk of collisions. This has led to calls for stricter regulations or even bans on electric bikes in certain areas to preserve the safety and enjoyment of all users.
Unfortunately, traditional electric mountain bikes are sometimes caught up in this storm, as other trail users often fail to differentiate between a more traditional 20 mph electric mountain bike and a 45 mph Talaria trail bike.
Finally, there is a growing concern about the behavior of some Sur Ron-style bike riders.
Critics argue that the thrill-seeking nature of many young riders can lead to irresponsible riding practices, such as excessive speeding, ignoring trail etiquette, and riding in prohibited areas – both on and off-road.
This has fueled a negative perception of electric trail bike riders in some communities, leading to increased scrutiny and stricter enforcement of existing rules.
The popularity of Sur Ron-style electric trail bikes among young riders in the US is no passing fad. These bikes offer an exciting blend of power, sustainability, and ease of use that resonates with the values and desires of today’s youth. But at the same time, the illegal road use and potential for trail damage when ridden in inappropriate locations raises serious and legitimate concerns among diverse groups ranging from neighborhood fist shakers to mountain biking communities.
As technology continues to advance, and as more riders discover the joys of electric biking, it’s likely that this trend will only grow stronger in the coming years. But the responsible use of such machines will also become more important if riders hope to continue to enjoy the same type of freedom to operate and ride.
There’s little doubt that the popularity of these bikes will continue to grow, and thus finding solutions that protect both the environment and the safety of all trail users will be essential.
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Daimler Truck AG CEO Karin Rådström hopped on LinkedIn today and dropped some absolutely wild pro-hydrogen talking points, using words like “emotional” and “inspiring” while making some pretty heady claims about the viability and economics of hydrogen. The rant is doubly embarrassing for another reason: the company’s hydrogen trucks are more than 100 million miles behind Volvo’s electric semis.
Earlier this month, Daimler Truck AG issued a press release entitled, “Five and a Half Times Around the World: Daimler Truck Fuel Cell Trucks Successfully Complete More Than 225,000 km (~139,000 miles) in Real-World Customer Operations.” Don’t bother looking for it on Electrek, though. I didn’t run it. And I didn’t run it because, frankly, a fleet of over-the-road semi trucks managing to cover a little over half the number of miles that David Blenkle put on his single Ford Mustang Mach-E isn’t particularly impressive.
In the meantime, Daimler competitors like Volvo, Renault, and even tiny Motiv are racking up millions and millions of all-electric miles and MAN Truck CEO Alexander Vlaskamp is saying that it’s impossible for hydrogen to compete with batteries. Heck, even Daimler’s own eActros BEV semi trucks are putting up better numbers than those hydrogen deals.
So, why then is Rådström pouring on the hydrogen love over on LinkedIn?
For some reason – posts about hydrogen always stir up emotions. I think hydrogen (not “instead of” but “in parallel to” electric) plays a role in the decarbonization of heavy duty transport in Europe for three reasons:
- If we would go “electric only” we need to get the electric grid to a level where we can build enough charging stations for the 6 million trucks in Europe. It will take many years and be incredibly expensive. A hydrogen infrastructure in parallel will be less expensive and you don’t need a grid connection to build it, putting 2000 H2 stations in Europe is relatively easy.
- Europe will rely on import of energy, and it could be transported into Europe from North Africa and Middle East as liquid hydrogen. Better to use that directly as fuel than to make electricity out of it.
- Some use cases of our customers are better suited for fuel cells than electric trucks – the fuel cell truck will allow higher payload and longer ranges.
At European Hydrogen Week, I saw firsthand the energy and ambition behind Europe’s net-zero goals. It’s inspiring—but also a wake-up call. We’re not moving fast enough.
What we need:
- Large-scale hydrogen production and transport to Europe
- A robust refueling network that goes beyond AFIR
- And real political support to make it happen – we need smart, efficient regulation that clears the path instead of adding hurdles.
To show what’s possible, we brought our Mercedes-Benz GenH2 to Brussels. From the end of 2026, we’ll deploy a small series of 100 fuel cell trucks to customers.
Let’s build the infrastructure, the momentum, and the partnerships to make zero-emission transport a reality. 🚛 and let’s try to avoid some of the mistakes that we see now while scaling up electric. And let’s stop the debate about “either or”. We need both.
Commenters were quick to point out that Daimler recently received €226M in grants from German federal and state governments to build 100 fuel cell trucks – but, while Daimler for sure doesn’t want to give back the money, it’s also pretty difficult to believe that Rådström’s pro-hydrogen posturing is sincere.
Especially since most of it seems like nonsense.
We’re not doing any of that
At the risk of sounding “emotional,” Rådström’s claims that building a hydrogen infrastructure in parallel will be less expensive than building an electrical infrastructure, and that “you don’t need a grid connection to build it,” are objectively false.
Further, if her claim that “putting 2,000 H2 stations in Europe is relatively easy” isn’t outright laughable, it’s worth noting that Europe had just 265 hydrogen filling stations in operation in 2024 (and only 40% of those, or about 100, were capable of serving HD trucks). At the same time, the IEA reported that there are nearly five million public charging ports already in service on the continent.
Next, the claim that, “Europe will rely on import of energy, and it could be transported into Europe from North Africa and Middle East as liquid hydrogen” (emphasis mine), is similarly dubious – especially when faced with the fact that, in 2023, wind and solar already supplied about 27–30% of EU electricity.
I will agree, however, with one of Rådström’s claims. She notes that, “some use cases of our customers are better suited for fuel cells than electric trucks – the fuel cell truck will allow higher payload and longer ranges.” That’s debatable, but widely accepted as true … for now. Daimler’s own research into lighter, more energy-dense, and lower-cost solid-state battery technology, however, may mean that it won’t be true for long, however.
Unless, of course, Mercedes’ solid-state batteries don’t work (and she would know more about that than I would, as a mere blogger).
Electrek’s Take
As you can imagine, Karin Rådström post generated quite a few comments at the Electrek watercooler. “Insane to claim that building hydrogen stations would be cheaper than building chargers,” said one fellow writer. “I’m fine with hydrogen for long haul heavy duty, but lying to get us there is idiotic.”
Another comment I liked said, “(Rådström) says that chargers need to be on the grid – you already have a grid, and it’s everywhere!”
At the end of the day, I have to echo the words of one of Mercedes’ storied engineering partners and OEM suppliers, Mahle, whose Chairman, Arnd Franz, who that building out a hydrogen infrastructure won’t be possible without “blue” H made from fossil fuels as recently as last April, and maybe that’s what this is all about: fossil fuel vehicles are where Daimler makes its biggest profits (for now), and muddying the waters and playing up this idea that we’re in some sort of “messy middle” transition makes it just easy enough for a reluctant fleet manager to say, “maybe next time” when it comes to EVs.
We, and the planet, will suffer for such cowardice – but maybe that’s too much malicious intent to ascribe to Ms. Rådström. Maybe this is just a simple “Hanlon’s razor” scenario and there’s nothing much else to read into it.
Let us know what you think of Rådström’s pro-hydrogen comments, and whether or not Daimler’s shareholders should be concerned about the quality of the research behind their CEO’s public posts, in the comments section at the bottom of the page.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Karin Rådström, via LinkedIn.
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Chevy flew us out to San Diego and hosted us for a quick adventure to the mountains east of the city to show off the new Chevy Silverado Trail Boss EV. Was this the new boss of the trails or just some expensive inside and outside trim updates? As usual, the answer lies in between. Let’s take a look…
Exterior
Chevy’s Silverado EVs have a distictive look from the ICE varieties and that contiues with the new Trail Boss trim. Most notable is the smaller grill, hiding the large Frunk and triangular blades on the bed, both of which make the aero on the EV version better.
The trail boss extends the rugged looks on the outside with a 2-inch lift, and 35-inch all terrain tires. Somehow however, Chevy rates the same 410 miles extended/478 miles Max range as the unlefted, smaller tire LT. There is a slightly reduced 625/725 horsepower over the 645/760 horsepower LT but higher torque which jibes with the bigger tires and the off roading motif.
Standard four-wheel steer and Sidewinder diagonal steering give it the ability steer around tight corners and drive diagonally like its GMC Hummer and Sierra Crabwalking brethren.
Interior
The inside of the Trail Boss is distinctly sport/rugged exclusive (any color as long as it is) Black and Artemis interior with Red accent stitching reminiscent of the Chevy Blazer EV SS. Like other Silverado EVs, there’s a midgate that allows lots of expandibility options.
The drive
There’s a lot to love about the drive. I’m always amazed how well this huge GM EVs handle driving around town. I got to trailer a 10,000lb Polaris for 20 minutes and almost forgot it was there (which ironically is probably its biggest safety hazard). Unfortunately we weren’t on any Supercruise approved roads but I’ve taken the Sierra EV out on long trips and it is one of, if not the best Super Cruise form factors available.
Off roading was a little tame for my tastes – perhaps I’ve been spoiled by Rivian adventures. We hit some dirt roads/trails in a very slow a deliberate manner. With the huge, heavy battery, long wheelbase and gargantuan footprint, this isn’t as agile through the trails as I’d hoped. However that rear steering did help turning radius quite a bit and it chomed up everything we threw at it, especially in Off-road mode. I think the Silverado has a lot more to offer than what we got to see on this trip in terms of off roading. In the breif moments I was able to air this thing out, on road and off, it never dissapointed.
Charging
Charging for the Trail Boss is almost completely like the other Silverado EVs which means very fast CCS (no native NACS yet) charging on a huge battery. GM claims 100 miles in 10 minutes. On the Max battery, that will be at 350kW, 300kW on the extended battery. I have to give Chevy props however for making charging part of this adventure. We stopped at a Tesla Supercharger station, whipped out or NACS adapters and let it fly. At over 86% state of charge, we still got over 120kW of charging speed which is only slightly less impressive when you consider this is sort of like 2x100kWh batteries charging at 60kW/ea.
Electrek’s take
GM’s monster 205kWh hour battery is still the only game in town for those who want to tow really long distances or get huge range out of a monumentally inefficient full-sized pickup design. For towing, nothing will take you further between charges, Silverado/Sierra EVs are the distance champs.
The Silverado EV Trail Boss though takes that off road in a meaningful way with the lift, bigger tires and off road modes, perhaps not as seriously as the Hummer EV but at a much more palatable starting price of $72,000.
Also this is the biggest mobile battery in town with its 10kW output which will go full bore for an amazing 20 hours on a charge. That means you can run your house/campsite/worksite/etc for much longer and at higher power than anyone else.
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Tesla has officially launched and started taking orders for the updated Model Y Performance in the US, starting at $57,500 before incentives.
In January, Tesla began rolling out the Model Y design refresh, but as it typically does, it didn’t launch the top performance version immediately.
We are already aware of the new version, as it was launched in Europe a month ago, but Tesla is launching it in the US today.
The main thing we didn’t know about the Model Y Performance in the US is the price. It is now confirmed to start $57,490 before incentive:
We also didn’t know the EPA estimated range, which is now confirmed to be 308 miles (496 km).
The Performance version can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds.
In terms of design, the new version also comes with slight changes to the front and back designs:
It features the slick 21″ Arachnid wheels, which look fantastic.
As usual, the performance version includes an improved suspension with adaptive damping.
The Model Y Performance also features more high-density battery cells, which enable faster charging, as Tesla previously announced when introducing the Model Y Performance in Europe.
Inside, the most significant change is in the seats, which now feature bigger side cushions and powered thigh cushion extenders for extra comfort.
Electrek’s Take
It looks like Tesla timed the release just before the end of the tax credit. Literally, hours before.
As we previously reported, the IRS has allowed individuals to take delivery after the September 30th deadline, provided they have a binding order with a deposit paid before the deadline.
It appears that Tesla is encouraging people to secure their orders tonight before the limit is reached to take advantage of the federal tax credit.
Sales-wise, it is actually a pretty smart approach.
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