There was a time when getting a decent electric dirt bike meant spending serious money. Then the Chinese e-moto industry happened; the internet, of course, facilitated the change, and someone decided that a motorcycle capable of doing 40+ mph should cost about as much as a decent mountain bike.
We look at three such motorcycles in this story: the Engwe Eagle, Buffseek R01, and Tasaca T500-V58—all fighting for attention in roughly the same $1,000-to-$1,500 neighborhood. Targeted at younger folks and beginners, all three promise proper dirt-bike thrills without the noise, fuel, or maintenance of an ICE motorcycle.
Engwe Eagle
At $1,099, the Engwe Eagle is the cheapest of the three at the time of writing. It uses a 3.2-kW peak mid-drive motor that produces 162 lb-ft (220 Nm) of torque and tops out at 45 mph (72.4 km/h). There’s a 52-V, 27-Ah lithium-ion battery, which Engwe claims offers up to 55 miles (88.5 km) of range in throttle mode and fully charges in 5–6 hours. The bike weighs 106 lb (48 kg), rolls on 14-inch front and 12-inch rear tires, and comes with hydraulic disc brakes.
ENGWE
Those numbers make the Eagle sound like an absolute hooligan machine, but there’s an important distinction here: it’s also the smallest and lightest bike in this comparison.
Engwe quotes a recommended rider height of 4.2 to 5.9 ft (1.28 to 1.8 m), and its 40.1-inch (1,018-mm) wheelbase and 27.6-inch (701-mm) standover height make it substantially more approachable than a full-size dirt bike. That’s where I’d put my money if the bike were going to be shared between teenagers, shorter riders, or someone completely new to electric motorcycles.
It’s also probably the one I’d choose if the goal was simply maximum fun per square foot. A 106-lb electric bike with 3.2 kW on tap and a 45-mph claimed top speed is begging to be abused. I wouldn’t sweat backyard trails, hill climbs, or gravel roads on it.
ENGWE
But the Eagle’s compact proportions are also its main limitation. For a tall adult, the bike could feel more like a very powerful pit bike than a genuine dirt bike. And although Engwe advertises a 55-mile maximum range, that figure assumes ideal conditions. Expect real-world trail range to drop significantly to around 35–40 miles (56–64 km).
Buffseek R01
The Buffseek R01 costs $1,299, putting it neatly between the Eagle and T500-V58. It uses a 3.5-kW peak mid-drive motor, with a claimed 107 lb-ft (146 Nm) of torque and a 37-mph (60-km/h) top speed. Its battery is rated for up to 37 miles of range, with a full charge time of around 7–8 hours.
On paper, it’s the least outrageous motorcycle here, which might actually be its main appeal. The R01 comes with a 31.5-inch (800-mm) seat height, 13.4 inches (340 mm) of ground clearance, and a 133-lb (60-kg) net weight. Its wheelbase and overall dimensions are larger than the Eagle’s, making it a tad more accommodating for bigger riders.
Buffseek
Buffseek explicitly positions it for both teens and adults, featuring a throttle response and power delivery that are more approachable for new riders. There’s also a useful bit of practicality here: Buffseek claims standard replacement parts availability, a 12-month warranty, and US warehouse shipping.
That’s not necessarily exciting stuff, but when you’re buying a $1,299 electric motorcycle from a relatively young brand, it matters. The R01’s biggest weakness is its headline performance. A 37-mph top speed puts it behind the other two on this list, as does its battery capacity.
If your definition of fun is sheer speed, the Buffseek isn’t the obvious winner. But if you’re buying one for a teenager, a novice, or someone who wants to explore casual trails rather than pretend they’re racing the Baja 1000, that lower ceiling might actually be a benefit.
Buffseek
Tasaca T500-V58
Then there’s the Tasaca. At $1,399, it’s the most expensive of the three, but not by much. For that extra money, the T500-V58 comes with a bit more bite in the spec sheet: a 5.5-kW peak mid-drive motor generating 203.5 lb-ft (276 Nm) of torque, a 52-V, 30-Ah battery offering 55 miles (88.5 km) of range, and a top speed of 52 mph (83.7 km/h).
That’s a respectable amount of performance for something under $1,500. The battery works out to roughly 1.5 kWh, giving it the largest energy reserve of the group.
The chassis is larger than the Eagle’s as well. There’s a 28.4-inch (721.3-mm) seat height, a 41.73-inch (1,060-mm) wheelbase, and a 129.6-lb (58.8-kg) net weight. Front and rear hydraulic suspension and hydraulic disc brakes come standard.
Tasaca
If you’re six-foot-two and imagining yourself attacking whoops like Eli Tomac, you may want to recalibrate the fantasy slightly. None of these are full-sized enduros. However, the T500-V58’s recommended rider height tops out at 6.2 ft (1.9 m) according to Tasaca, making it suitable for a surprisingly broad audience.
Final Thoughts
I have to get one thing out of the way first: the names. I genuinely don’t know what happens in the naming department at some of these companies, but I’m beginning to suspect there isn’t one. Maybe someone just puts their forehead on the keyboard, holds down a few keys, and waits to see what letters survive. ENGWE. BUFFSEEK. TASACA. These sound less like motorcycle manufacturers and more like auto-generated Wi-Fi passwords. ENGWE seems like someone started typing “engineering” and then ran out of keyboard. At this rate, the next big e-bike brand will be called QWERTY, and honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised.
But back to the bikes. Full disclosure: I haven’t ridden any of them, and spec sheets are only as good as the dirt they have to prove themselves on.
The Engwe Eagle is the bargain. At $1,099, it gets you 45 mph, a decent motor, a reasonably large battery, and a lightweight chassis. It’s the one I’d pick for maximum fun with minimum financial damage.
Tasaca
The Buffseek R01 is the sensible middle child. It gives up top speed and battery capacity but offers a larger, more conventional package and beginner-friendly power delivery. If you’re buying for a younger rider or someone stepping into e-motos for the first time, it makes a lot of sense.
The Tasaca T500-V58 is the performance choice. Its 5,500-W peak motor, 52-mph top speed, and bigger battery make it the obvious numbers champion. For $1,399, those specifications are very impressive.
These aren’t really motorcycles you buy because you need daily commute transportation. They’re toys. And when you’re buying a toy, the best machine isn’t necessarily the one with the biggest number attached to it. Sometimes it’s the one you can throw around, abuse all afternoon, and still afford to repair when you inevitably discover that the jump was considerably larger than it looked from the other side.
And that’s the real story here. For well under $1,500, you can now get an electric dirt bike capable of speeds that would have seemed completely absurd at this price point just a few years ago. The electric dirt-bike arms race has officially entered the cheap seats.
