The hard charging electric future. A look at the new Husqvarna E2
Over the last 45 years the path to motocross was rigid. If you were a parent of a youngster that wanted to get into riding you had essentially one option. Since the early 80s kids have learned the fundamentals of riding dirt bikes on the tried and true Yamaha PW 50. A shaft drive and autolube oil injection system with a lightweight 50cc 2-stroke air-cooled engine. Almost indestructible and featured the appropriate geometry to get the smallest of kids out riding. In fact if you asked any current motocross professional how they started in the sport, they will most likely retell the tale of their early experiences on a PW 50. To this day if you head to a racetrack on a race day you will see a full class of PW 50s and parents buzzing around the starting gates. There is no question the Yamaha PW 50 has dominated the market when it comes to a safe, reliable entry point into motocross. In fact, the design of the bike is so strong that only minor updates have been made to this bike over the last couple decades. So when a new product like the Husqvarna EE2 comes onto the scene it's bound to unnerve some die-hards while exciting others.
Maverick and Phoenix on Yamaha PW 50s
As a parent of young racers I have spent countless hours working on PW50s, just last night I had a PW fully taken apart to replace a worn out clutch in time for the next race this weekend. With two four year olds who love to ride it's a never ending job and as they become better riders the maintenance demands grow as well. While working on bikes is fun, it's not for everyone and can be a huge turnoff for parents who don’t have the time and energy to devote to garage time. Electric bikes have already made a huge impact with this pain point and this newest option is going to bring even more into the sport. When my wife and I wanted to get our oldest into moto (or more accurately caved to his wishes) a properly sized e bike was not an option. KTM, Gas Gas and Husqvarna all offered an electric model that sits at 26.2 inches and can be lowered to 24.2 inches. Too big for the average 4 year old. We were stuck between a rock and a hard place, buy a bike that he would quickly outgrow or purchasing a bike that was too tall. Our compromise was to buy the bigger Husqvarna EE5 and invest in a lowering kit which is not ideal for several aspects, both performance and cost factors. Since then brands have added ebike options for almost every competitive 50cc class but that was not the case a few seasons ago. The EE5 has been an amazing bike, it has all the features necessary to be competitive on the track paired with the huge upside of drastically reduced maintenance. Now that there is something on the market to rival the PW50 it’s going to completely change the sport by providing more access.
Dash on the Husqvarna EE5
Here are some of the features that I am most excited about.
Bike Size - EE 2 bridges the gap between balance bikes and the larger EE 3 and EE 5 models. Perfect size for the 3-4 year olds. With a height between 35" and 51" it’s not a problem for little riders to get a foot on the ground when stopping and starting.
Bars and Controls - When compared to the PW50 it’s a huge improvement, from the ODI grips to the ergonomics of the bars. Out of the box it’s designed to perform like a motocross bike, helping kids learn proper riding form.
Frame and Chassis - Light and balanced. It looks like it would handle exactly like a motocross bike should with features that are standard on bigger bikes.
Power - This is the most exciting feature. Up until now the biggest drawback to electric bikes is run time. As a parent I’ve felt the stress of trying to charge a bike in between motos and it's not an enjoyable experience. This setup allows you to change out batteries quickly and keep riding.