2.15.24 I see that you got your VARG, are you going to do an unboxing and setup video?. How are you getting along with it, is this the first outing? In the results bike is listed as a KTM. Great start. What power are you running? Looks a little muddy, maybe should have stayed home and waited for a better day. Are you using front and rear brakes on the handle bars? Can you feel the weight difference from the KTM? Sure did miss the back camera view. Did you change tires from what the bike came with? You can really fly down those longer flat straights, shift up to a higher setting. Sure like the quiet VARG over those noisy 2 and 4 stroke bikes. Did the VARG have better traction control over the KTM? Do you think the VARG’s battery could have made the whole event? I see that started with 95%. Whens the next event?
Hi Chuck. No, my Varg was set up at a dealership before I picked it up. They are no longer allowed to ship directly to customers. Besides, there are plenty of unboxing and setup videos out there already. This is my first race with the Varg. I like it a lot, but the suspension is quite stiff, and was not even broken in yet for this race. It was not so bad when I was riding it when it was dry, but in the mud I could really tell it was deflecting off all the small stuff. I did not expect it to be as muddy as it was. And my front tire setup was not the best. Staying home probably would have been better, but I was eager to get out and race the bike. I do have the rear brake on the handlebar, just like my KTM Freeride. I rode most of the race in 35 hp which was very controllable in the mud. For the start I bumped it up to 40 hp. I did not want to set it up too high since traction was not going to be that good in the mud. I could tell a weight difference between the Varg and the Freeride, but I felt it was more pronounced in the muddy conditions. When I rode the Varg when it was dry it was not as noticeable. Since I am small framed it is not as easy for me to muscle the bike around in the mud. I did put different tires on the bike for the race from what the bike came with, and also changed to regular tubes. Traction control is not yet an option on the Varg, they may introduce that feature later. Although the KTM Freeride had pretty good throttle control, I do feel like the Varg is a bit better. I think the Varg could have made 4 laps. I’m not sure if I would have been fast enough to get 4 or 5 laps in better conditions, so it is really hard to say if it would have made the entire race. My next event will probably be mid-March, so we will have to wait until then to find out. Stark has also just released a software update to give more range on the bike. I have not installed it yet, but that will help. I will also try to get my suspension worked on before then to work better on the rocks and roots. That would help a lot.
Hopefully the next race will be better conditions. I was a few rows ahead of you in Masters B. Tough race to try out the new bike. Very intrigued by the Varg. Your video setup is awesome, GPS and rear camera is such a great idea. What watch and software do you use? Thanks for posting the videos. Enjoy watching them.
Thank you. I use Amazfit Bip 3 Pro watches, and the Zepp app on my phone to download the GPS data. I wrote my own software to take all the GPS data from the watches and my GoPro and create the GPS video. The map background if from Google Earth. I use HitFilm Express to merge the GPS video and my GoPro and other footage to create the final video. It was a tough first race for me and the Varg. I am hoping to have the bike and suspension set up better before my next race in March. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. It is a ton of work to get everything set up and to put it all together.
Thanks for the info. I'm sure it's a ton of work, but it gives a great perspective of the race. My buddy and I actually met you at the cub mountain race when you were getting unloaded at the buddy area. Good luck with the new bike.
I have an 8 mile course at my house. My Freeride can make it 2 laps or 16 miles. I went two laps on my Varg and it was down to 46%, so about 27% per lap. I have not tested it with the latest software update that increases efficiency on the electric motor and makes more of the voltage range available. I suspect with that update the Varg may be able to make 4 laps on my track. Of course if you get in the lower battery percentages at the end of that 4th lap the power will be reduced. So I am hoping that the Varg will now have about double the range of the KTM Freeride.
Yeah. Didn't look like much fun. Don't blame you. Enjoyed watching just the same. Something about the V that is relaxing to listen to. 😁👍🍸
2.15.24 I see that you got your VARG, are you going to do an unboxing and setup video?. How are you getting along with it, is this the first outing? In the results bike is listed as a KTM. Great start. What power are you running? Looks a little muddy, maybe should have stayed home and waited for a better day. Are you using front and rear brakes on the handle bars? Can you feel the weight difference from the KTM? Sure did miss the back camera view. Did you change tires from what the bike came with? You can really fly down those longer flat straights, shift up to a higher setting. Sure like the quiet VARG over those noisy 2 and 4 stroke bikes. Did the VARG have better traction control over the KTM?
Do you think the VARG’s battery could have made the whole event? I see that started with 95%. Whens the next event?
Hi Chuck. No, my Varg was set up at a dealership before I picked it up. They are no longer allowed to ship directly to customers. Besides, there are plenty of unboxing and setup videos out there already.
This is my first race with the Varg. I like it a lot, but the suspension is quite stiff, and was not even broken in yet for this race. It was not so bad when I was riding it when it was dry, but in the mud I could really tell it was deflecting off all the small stuff. I did not expect it to be as muddy as it was. And my front tire setup was not the best. Staying home probably would have been better, but I was eager to get out and race the bike. I do have the rear brake on the handlebar, just like my KTM Freeride. I rode most of the race in 35 hp which was very controllable in the mud. For the start I bumped it up to 40 hp. I did not want to set it up too high since traction was not going to be that good in the mud.
I could tell a weight difference between the Varg and the Freeride, but I felt it was more pronounced in the muddy conditions. When I rode the Varg when it was dry it was not as noticeable. Since I am small framed it is not as easy for me to muscle the bike around in the mud. I did put different tires on the bike for the race from what the bike came with, and also changed to regular tubes. Traction control is not yet an option on the Varg, they may introduce that feature later. Although the KTM Freeride had pretty good throttle control, I do feel like the Varg is a bit better.
I think the Varg could have made 4 laps. I’m not sure if I would have been fast enough to get 4 or 5 laps in better conditions, so it is really hard to say if it would have made the entire race. My next event will probably be mid-March, so we will have to wait until then to find out. Stark has also just released a software update to give more range on the bike. I have not installed it yet, but that will help. I will also try to get my suspension worked on before then to work better on the rocks and roots. That would help a lot.
Hopefully the next race will be better conditions. I was a few rows ahead of you in Masters B. Tough race to try out the new bike. Very intrigued by the Varg. Your video setup is awesome, GPS and rear camera is such a great idea. What watch and software do you use? Thanks for posting the videos. Enjoy watching them.
Thank you. I use Amazfit Bip 3 Pro watches, and the Zepp app on my phone to download the GPS data. I wrote my own software to take all the GPS data from the watches and my GoPro and create the GPS video. The map background if from Google Earth. I use HitFilm Express to merge the GPS video and my GoPro and other footage to create the final video.
It was a tough first race for me and the Varg. I am hoping to have the bike and suspension set up better before my next race in March.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video. It is a ton of work to get everything set up and to put it all together.
Thanks for the info. I'm sure it's a ton of work, but it gives a great perspective of the race. My buddy and I actually met you at the cub mountain race when you were getting unloaded at the buddy area. Good luck with the new bike.
How is the range on the Varg compare to the Freeride?
I have an 8 mile course at my house. My Freeride can make it 2 laps or 16 miles. I went two laps on my Varg and it was down to 46%, so about 27% per lap. I have not tested it with the latest software update that increases efficiency on the electric motor and makes more of the voltage range available. I suspect with that update the Varg may be able to make 4 laps on my track. Of course if you get in the lower battery percentages at the end of that 4th lap the power will be reduced. So I am hoping that the Varg will now have about double the range of the KTM Freeride.