I got an early taste of Dust Moto's prototype electric dirt bike this spring. It was a very short test in my backyard. Further, I had the weight of the company's founders' eyes watching me as I took their one and only prototype for a quick rip.
Suffice it to say, I didn't shred as hard as I would've liked.
But from what I felt beneath me, how the bike handled, the power delivery, the dynamics, the brakes, and everything else—albeit at slower speeds than I would've liked—it felt like it had real potential to become what the company envisions: a return to backyard fun.
Now, only a few short months later, Dust Moto is ready to debut the production-ready model and, like the prototype, it looks pretty solid, both in spec and design. It also has a new name: Hightail. Count me in the hype camp as it looks ready to hit your local motocross track, single track, or backyard with a vengeance.
The production Hightail dirt bike is powered by a 4.4-kWh swappable battery pack, delivering a claimed 42 horsepower and 44 pound-feet of torque. I highlight the swappable nature of the battery pack as I, and I don't think I'm alone in this, think that's a brilliant move by Dust Moto.
One of the chief concerns of anyone with EVs is, say it with me, range. But by having an easily swappable battery pack, especially one hooked up to a dirt bike that'll likely see more use on a moto track, means your fun won't stop just because your battery is depleted.
And if you have an extra battery with you when you do go to the track, or even in your backyard, you can swap it out for a fully-charged battery in less time than it would take you to fill up a gas tank.
Adding to the fun that I experienced is the fact that the Hightail weighs just 220 pounds. That's light as hell, especially for that amount of power. Then you add the fully adjustable front and rear suspension, with 10 inches of travel at the front, and 11 inches at the rear, along with chunky tires and beefy brakes—something I wish the Niu had—and you've got the recipe for a seriously good dirt bike. It'd make a helluva backcountry companion chasing elk or deer, too.
Dust Moto is currently accepting pre-orders for the Hightail, with customers only having to drop $100 to save their spot. As for the price, it'll be around $10,000 once it's finally time to pay the company, which isn't bad considering three things: The capability offered, it being an American-made bike, and also the fit and finish.
If you haven't guessed, I'm rooting for these folks, as I think the product has legs. Plus, who doesn't want to have fun in your backyard without pissing off the HOA?
