Can Electric Bikes Keep Up with Gas-powered Bikes?
A Look at the RedBull Tennessee Knockout Extreme enduro.
We have raced the RedBull TKO for several years and observed something very interesting from the 2025 event that may have been overlooked.
The RedBull Tennessee Knockout extreme enduro is one of the gnarliest races in the US and one of the only events that electric-powered bikes are allowed to race directly against gas bikes. E-moto does have its own class, but both types of bikes are on the same course at the same time. All bikes are timed and scored together, and finishing times are separated only after the race to determine individual class winners.
So, here it is. Elephant in the room
In the Saturday TKO1 qualifying race, there were a total of 528 riders of all skill levels entered, 36 of which were electric-powered. However, 7 of the top 10 finishers were on electric bikes!
Wrap your heads around this
Despite making up only 7% of the 528 entries in the Saturday TKO1 qualifying race, 7 out of the top 10 finishers were on electric-powered bikes! Put another way, while electric bikes represented a small fraction of the field, they accounted for 70% of the top 10 positions, an outcome that can only be described as remarkable.
Were these riders all ringers with special bikes built for hard enduro?
Actually, no. Most of the competitors were not hard enduro regulars and their bikes didn’t seem to have any sort of formula to them. Wheelbase, seat height, wheel size and available power varied wildly. Some had great aftermarket suspension, some had bone-stock old school forks and shocks without fancy valving or adjustments.
Most fitted gummy tires and skid plates, but the majority of these electric bikes were manufactured to be trail bikes and not equipped for any type of competition at all, let alone a serious hard enduro race.
In contrast, almost all the gas bikes competing came from the factory as serious “out of the box” race bikes. Either intended for enduro or motocross competition, they should be much more capable machines from the get-go.
Why did they do so well?
There was no magic bike formula. They weren’t more experienced. They couldn’t all be better riders. So, what gives?
Turns out this phenomenon is not limited to hard enduro. In the AMA District 8 Hare Scramble Series, when combined with gas bikes the electric riders almost always get the hole shot and often go on to take some of the top daily overall positions. What makes this more remarkable is that electric bikes usually need to make one or two 15-30 second pit stops to swap batteries.
Why they might work so well
As a motocross and off-road racer for the past 40 years, I love everything 2-wheeled. I am not saying electric off-road bikes are going to replace gas bikes.In my opinion, they shouldn’t. There is just no replacement for the visceral experience of a gas bike. But, since I have incorporated e-motos into my riding and racing program, I have made some observations as to why these bikes work so well in these situations. There is no single attribute that stands out, but more a combination of cumulative features such as power delivery, no clutch, body position and all controls on the handlebars, that add up to going fast with less effort.
Power delivery.
The power is always maximized. Every time you apply throttle it is in the “meat” of the power. No bog, no overrev, just instant torque. The more you twist the throttle, the more power is delivered, and with a simple phone app you can tune the power to whatever level is appropriate for your specific conditions. These bikes can produce a ridiculous amount of power, so if you turn it up you had better have a good right hand!
On starts, the power delivery of an electric motor allows less wheel spin, making starting on hills easy. There is no need to rev the engine and let the clutch out at just the correct time, trying not to stall the engine or have excessive wheel spin. On the electric drive train, a small twist of the throttle provides a gentle wheel movement maximizing initial traction. And, oh yeah, you can’t stall these bikes.
My theory is, as the piston of an internal combustion (IC) engine reciprocates through its compression and power strokes, the engine rotational speed increases and decreases with every revolution. This can cause a micro loss of traction as the drive wheel has no choice but to mimic the acceleration and deceleration of the engine. The comparative linear power delivery from an electric motor feels seamless. This allows an uninterrupted connection to the ground. This must be why electric bikes can climb a hill like a mountain goat.
Controls
Having no shifter or clutch allows the rear brake to be on the handlebars, providing a few benefits. With no shifter, clutch or brake pedal to deal with, your feet and hands have less to do. This allows you to stay on the balls of your feet, maintaining proper body position and weight distribution, making it easier to ride longer with better form and less fatigue.
Having access to the rear brake in left- and right-hand corners is comforting, and in hard enduro situations both brakes are accessible even when you are off the bike on steep hills.
No clutch
One perceived drawback might be the lack of a clutch. Maintaining the throttle and slipping the clutch to stay in the correct RPM range is something we have all learned to do. On the electric bike you don’t have to keep the revs up to stay in the meat of the power. It is ALWAYS in the meat of the power. The clutch is also used to keep the bike leaned into the corner until you release the clutch. On the electric bike the technique is similar where the rear brake (same lever) is used for the same effect. Leave the throttle on, pull the rear brake lever and the bike stays leaned in the corner and when you release the lever the bike shoots out of the corner just like you let the clutch out. Different technique, same result. It’s just a lot less work.
Maintenance
One of the most significant advantages of electric bikes is the greatly simplified maintenance routine. There is no need to clean air filters, change oil, or replace worn clutches. Riders can forget about hauling around gas cans or a crate full of chemicals. In fact, with no smells, it’s even feasible—at least for some—to work on the bike inside the house, though this might depend on your marital status.
When it comes to driveline components such as tires, chains, and sprockets, they appear to last noticeably longer, likely due to the electric bike’s smooth and consistent power delivery. Routine upkeep is minimal: simply lube the chain, charge the battery, and it’s ready to ride.
Kids
I raised two boys in motocross, and man, I wish we had electric bikes back then. Progression happens much faster. Think about not having to teach them how to start and shift. This would allow you to focus more on proper body position from the get-go. These electric bikes are super easy to start, won’t stall, and you can tune the power to their comfort level. As they progress, just turn the power up a little. When they fall over, it won’t burn them, they don’t have to find neutral to start it, and the engine won’t flood. Just pick the bike up, turn it back on and go.
Tuning
One of the more exciting aspects is the ability to tune almost every detail of power delivery with a phone app. Riders no longer have to suffer through a bike with a power delivery that does not match the terrain they are riding. You want a little less bottom end power, a little more top end and more engine braking? Pull out your phone and in seconds the adjustments are made.
Imagine tailoring the power of your bike for an aggressive motocross rider on a deep sand track in the morning, then grabbing your phone and in seconds tuning the power down so a 12-year-old novice can ride it around the yard.
Available power
When electric bikes have a large capacity battery, controller and motor, they can produce power levels that a gas bike is just not capable of. They can produce power that is beyond what even the best pro athletes consider useful. As an example, take the Stark Varg. This bike was manufactured with the ability to produce 80Hp! Is this useable? No, but they did it to prove a point. No more spending thousands of dollars searching for a few extra horsepower. Just grab your phone.
Hurdles
There are some hurdles to learning to ride electric. Holy crap, the lack of noise. You hear everything! I never realized how much stuff you don’t hear when there is an engine screaming in your ear. You hear the suspension working, the chain slapping in the chain guide and meshing with the sprockets, sometimes you can even hear the shock valves flutter. One of the coolest things is you can hear the tires gripping the earth. Eventually you can use this as an indication of the amount of traction at that moment. I stopped several times on my first few rides to see what the hell is falling off the bike. Turns out, nothing. Just never heard any of those noises on a gas bike. Also, talking to your buddies while you ride is kind of cool.
Expensive batteries
Yes, batteries are expensive but actually they end up being cheaper than gas in the long run. You just have to pay it all up front. A typical charge will last about as long as a tank of gas and a battery will get 1500-2000 charges in its life. If gas is $3.00 per gallon and you fill your 1.7 gallon tank 2000 times, it’s $7600! A battery costs around $2500-$3000 and it’s about 35 cents worth of electricity to charge it. That comes to about $3600. Over the life of the battery your cost per ride is about half.
Spectator experience
Does the lack of sound detract from the rider or spectator excitement? Well, I would say yes. It would be hard to imagine a Supercross without the chest pounding roar of 20, 450cc engines screaming into the first corner. It is my belief that gas bikes are here to stay and electric will not be replacing them any time soon.
It’s worth noting that other sports like skateboarding and freestyle BMX generate a tremendous amount of excitement and energy without relying on noise. It’s just a major departure from what we are used to.
Riding opportunities
Probably the best benefit that I have found is that we can ride in places that we got kicked out of years ago. No noise, no complaints, equals no police. There have been a lot of great motocross tracks closed permanently due to noise. With e-moto, it would be possible to open an electric MX track close to a residential district without anyone even knowing it’s there. Think of the possibilities, you could ride in your back yard without worrying about your neighbors. With minimal noise and no exhaust fumes we could ride in a heated indoor facility when it’s just too cold to ride outside.
Industry resistance
I still struggle to understand why the industry and riders are so slow to integrate this new segment of off-road motorcycle, but I think it has to do with the status quo. Existing establishments, particularly those with vested interests and established success, often resist change and new ideals. Their motivation stems from a desire to protect their business models and maintain profitability, which can lead them to opposing innovations. Anything that threatens the status quo is often met with significant opposition.
For example, events like the X-Games have prohibited electric motorcycles from competing, and both the AMA and FIM have historically refused to allow electric bikes to race alongside their gas-powered counterparts. These decisions reflect a broader pattern of resistance, where organizations with vested interests are hesitant to embrace change, preferring instead to preserve what already works for them.
The tide might be shifting soon tough. This year the FIM is allowing electric bikes to join gas bikes in World Supercross for the first time. This is big news, and I can’t wait to see what happens.
History has shown that the only way a revolutionary new idea or movement can succeed in an established industry is when the broader public actively demands innovation and demonstrates the willingness to spend their hard-earned money on it.
Conclusion
Riding electric has been a rebirth for me and my old riding buddies. Now, I’m not saying that electric bikes will replace gas bikes any time soon, and they shouldn’t. But electric off-road bikes are just so much fun to ride, and If you do add one to your stable, I can guarantee it will put a smile on your face and possibly open access to whole lot of new riding areas.
There are new things to learn and new opportunities to explore. The ease of operation, almost zero maintenance and unmatched power potential offers a new riding experience that will not replace what you have now but broaden your 2-wheel experience.
©2025 Mike Rodgers. All rights reserved