VOLUME ISSUE NOVEMBER , P79
Via the bike's manual, we figured
out how to use the various power,
traction control, power regenera-
tion and throttle sensitivity set-
tings. We knew that would be use-
ful in the slippery and challenging
sections. The complexity of button
combos necessary for some of
those changes takes a while to
get the hang of, but the most used
items (power and traction control)
are easy to remember.
A few laps around the grass track
felt comfortable, so we headed out
onto the trails, and we were im
-
pressed right away with the perfor-
mance. We had a traditional gas bike
for back-to-back comparison, and
the two bikes were surprisingly equal
in capability; the Ultra Bee can get
through the difficult stuff easier since
you don't need to worry about being
in the right gear, using the clutch, or
stalling the bike. The lightweight, two-
inch-lower seat height and four-inch-
shorter wheelbase are a consider
-
able benefit in rugged terrain and add
to your confidence. The only thing
that held back the Ultra Bee was the
small rear tire losing traction.
The claimed 16.8 horsepower is
a lot less than the 50-plus horses
available with a modern off-road
bike, but the 325 foot-pounds of
torque is significantly more, and
that torque is what you really
The adjustable
suspension
performance is
superior to most
entry-level trail bikes,
but the 9.5 inches of
travel is not up to the
level of a high-end
off-road bike.
