Talaria might be a Chinese company, but it’s done more for the dirt bike segment than most European and American companies. Its low-cost dirt bikes have popped up as viable alternatives to the likes of SurRon, Cake, and Segway. This one, though, promises to take on 450cc gas four-strokes.
The Komodo, as it’s called, is the most powerful production bike Talaria has released so far. That’s all thanks to a peak power of 32 kW (43 hp), and a gut-wrenching 556 lb.ft (754 Nm) of torque.
Power comes from a 97.2-V, 45-Ah lithium-ion battery, which provides just over 4.3 kWh of capacity. Talaria claims a maximum range of up to 71.5 miles (115 km) for a full charge at a steady 28 mph (45 km/h) – although pushing it hard on the trails will quickly reduce that figure.
The Komodo tops out at 65 mph (105 km/h), while boasting a 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds. That’s way more than your typical 6–10-kW dirt bikes on sale nowadays. In fact, forget electric dirt bikes, those numbers put it firmly in the realm of most modern 450-class four-stroke enduro bikes.
Take the Honda CRF450X, for instance. In its stock trim, Honda’s street-legal enduro produces 41.1 horsepower and 30.2 lb.ft (41Nm) of torque. Not only does the Komodo produce more power and instrumentally more peak torque, but the rapid throttle response and the single-speed simplicity that characterize electric drivetrains give it a far bigger edge. And then, there’s pricing.
Talaria
Where, on one side, the Honda CRF450X sets you back by US$9,999 (plus a $600 destination charge) in the States, the Komodo comes in at … wait for it … $6,000 (plus free shipping!). There’s just no competition in there.
After power, the biggest highlight of the Komodo is its weight. Or rather, the lack of it. At 216 lb (98 kg), it is significantly lighter than four-stroke motorcycles. All thanks to a forged alloy frame, which offers the strength required for off-road usage, all while keeping the weight down.
ALL NEW TALARIA KOMODO IS READY!
Suspension duties are taken care of by inverted forks and a single rear shock. The wheel sizes are proper dirt bike, measuring 21 inches up front and 18 inches at the rear. As for braking, there are hydraulic discs in the front and rear, while there’s a chain final drive to transfer the power to the rear wheel.
It comes with four ride modes: Eco, Sport, Hyper, and Reverse. The latter, in particular, will come in mighty handy for maneuvering the bike while backing up in tricky situations. You also get a four-level adjustable regenerative braking system, which lets you tinker around with traction control and energy recovery.
Talaria
For quicker and more accurate motor control, the controller on the Komodo makes use of updated microprocessors and a high-voltage architecture. Compared to the single-sensor setups that are usually employed in the industry, the twin Hall-sensor throttle design offers redundancy and enhanced signal accuracy, making it an important safety and reliability feature.
A 35.8-inh (909-mm) seat height might be too tall for shorter riders, but the 12.4 in (315 mm) of ground clearance suggests the bike is more than capable of tackling actual off-road riding. That’s some serious specs compared to other electric offerings that are only meant to rip around the streets.
Talaria has presented the Komodo as a solution to what customers have been requesting, rather than a spec-sheet exercise, claiming that it was created directly from rider feedback.
Talaria
While it undercuts a lot of 450cc combustion-engine enduros, it’s significantly more than what you’d expect to shell out for other electric dirt bikes. The recently-released Zero XB costs $4,395, while the likes of the SurRon Light Bee set you back by $4,400. So, is that premium worth paying for the Talaria Komodo? What are your thoughts?
Source: Talaria
