Thailand is a fantastic vacation destination with numerous beautiful mountains and trails to explore -- the view at the top always being the reward after a hard ride.
Enduro riding is something I've always wanted to try and my first attempt was 13 years ago with a Honda CRF 250 L. It turned out that the seat was too high for me and I crashed three times trying to get through the trails. But that didn't stop me though.
With the seating height, I usually don't have many options because I'm only 160cm tall. So I went on to try the Kawasaki KLX 150 which was fine, but it was still a little heavy and underpowered.
Fast forward to 2023 and Talaria, a leading electric off-road e-bike manufacturer, has entered the Thai market. I had an opportunity to test ride it and I can say that it fits my lifestyle.
It has an 870mm seat height, but enjoys lightweight design and great engineering that has made the Talaria Sting a very popular e-bike around the globe. The Sting is not too small, and while the seat height may be high, the factory-tuned suspension helped lower it to a manageable level. It works for both tall and short riders.
The Sting is powered by a large, automobile-grade 60V 38Ah lithium-ion power pack, which has 2,280 Watt-hours and is easily swappable. The power packs can be exchanged with another fully-charged unit in seconds, so you can keep on going without having to recharge. Talaria says the LG 21,700 lithium-ion battery cells, state- of-the-art programmed BMS, and optimised internal structure contribute to high performance and range.
The powertrain design is just perfect. The high efficiency brushless permanent magnet synchronous mid-drive motor produces 34Nm peak torque (with 28Nm peak at the rear wheel). The gearbox runs quieter and is much more durable than belt drive systems -- it's time to say goodbye to that broken belt anxiety.
The controller has an extraordinary ability for transient current impact resistance, ultra strong anti-interference, high-precision EABS voltage and discharge current control, error inspection, high and low temperature protection, anti-runaway and smart energy regeneration.
The dash features a high-contrast OLED display with clear data display and low power consumption. With CAN communication, the dash provides data transfer with the battery pack's BMS and the motor controller. The display menu provides a range of information, which includes top/average speed, range, battery data, riding mode, error codes, regen level and more.
The dash is also adjustable to allow different settings for different wheel size, sprocket size and motor regen levels, and changes between kph and mph.
Weighing in at 60kg, the Talaria Sting offers a maximum range of about 78km (average speed 45kph), while the top speed is claimed at 78kph.
Riding the Talaria Sting
I must admit, there are some cool and not so cool things regarding the Sting.
What I like the most is the pure electric riding feel that is just perfect. For this test ride, I changed handlebars because the factory offering is designed for downhill riding.
The Talaria Sting is imported as an e-bicycle, and although the maximum speed is locked at 25kph, you can simply go to YouTube and learn how to reset the speed limit to 78kph, as well as swapping peddles for foot pegs. There are eco and sport modes to choose from while riding.
This writer went to the enduro trails in Chiang Mai with a group featuring outstanding bikes such as the KTM 6-Days, Husqvarna FE 350, Honda CRF 450L and Kawasaki KLX 150. Believe it or not, the Sting easily kept up with this group of enduro machines.
However, the battery lasts only about 70km on tarmac and about 50km in the mountains. That meant my morning session lasted about three hours with 45% battery left, and forced a lunch stop and battery charge (I carried the portable charger in my backpack) at a noodle shop for about 90 minutes, taking power from 45% to 85%. Bear in mind these figures may not be the same in other situations due to weather conditions and quality of electrical supply.
Thanks to the light weight and good centre of gravity, the Talaria Sting made everything easy for me, whether it be going over rocky trails, on sand or even through water. The bike is water resistant and is very stable at high speeds. Riding an e-bike is similar to cycling, except that you must check the battery and range from time to time.
It is wise to save as much power as you can by closing the throttle on hills and opening it only when you need it. Reading the landscape and checking if there are more hills to climb or if there will be a flat surface before reaching the end of the trail is also good planning.
Talaria Thailand explained that, after purchasing the Sting at 255,000 baht (which is quite pricey due to the high import duty) parts are offered at low prices as most of them are shared with mountain bikes.
The battery and controller come with a one-year warranty, but parts that will need to be replaced regularly are the brakes. It is recommended to upgrade the brake pads to premium, including premium larger discs to help reduce heat.
Buyers might also consider upgrading the tyres to the Bridgestone Battle Cross X30, and if you don't like the standard decals (which look boring) there are custom decals you can choose from as well.
While it's not legal to ride e-bikes on highways, you can transport them conveniently on the back of a pickup, ensuring a comfortable journey to the destination you plan to ride the Sting.
Talaria Sting at Phuket Hard Enduro 2023
The Talaria Sting also took part in Phuket Hard Enduro 2023, which is famous for being the best and most difficult such track in Thailand. The race consisted of 100% hard enduro trails with 10 checkpoints and the cut-off time was five hours.
Talaria Thailand sent Piyapong Chujai, a highly experienced adventure rider, to race in the Open Class against riders using gasoline-powered KTM, Husqvarna, Sherco, Kawasaki and Honda motorcycles. More than 50 riders joined the race.
The Sting finished in 29th place in the Pro Log qualifier and finished the five-hour race in 38th position (completing only two checkpoints). The Sting still had 60% battery power left, but did not complete the distance. More than 50% of the riders were stuck inside single trails, including Piyapong.
Nevertheless, the Talaria Sting managed to return to pit without breaking down. There were no signs of overheating on the electric motor or brakes.
The only setback was the lack of power to climb steep hills. After going over rocks and hitting hard objects hundreds of times, the e-bike was still in good shape, thanks to the upgraded skid plate that protects the motor.
Verdict
While it's eco-friendly and is easy to ride, the Talaria Sting is not a cheap e-bike. Nevertheless, this high-performance machine does have the capability to entertain riders across a wide variety of conditions, even on hard enduro trails.
Talaria Sting is priced at 255,000 baht.
PROS - Lightweight design - 78kph top speed - Enduro-capable
CONS - High pricing - Factory handlebar is too low - Limited range
