Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1511059
RIDE REVIEW I 2023 SURRON ULTRA BEE P82 As for the range, we could ride for over three hours in the mostly difficult terrain while "play riding." When Jesse raced it on the 11-mile TKO Saturday Amateur loop, it took nearly one hour, and he had 40 percent of the battery remaining. He made the top 10 to race the ECR eMoto final on Sunday's 12-mile-long pro loop, and it took one hour and 48 minutes, and he still had 25 per - cent of the battery remaining. We never started from 0 percent charge, and it took one to three hours to recharge the battery with the standard 110-volt charger. Surron claims it takes four hours to charge from 0 percent to 100 percent, and that is about right from our experience. During aggressive riding, especially racing, we found it easy to inadvertently hit the power level switch and change the power setting. It was also easy to hit the kill switch and turn the bike off. Both were annoying, and it would be nice to move the placement of those buttons. The bike proved extremely durable as we abused it on the challenging trails for several days of riding and then three rounds of racing. We had a similar experience with the Surron Light Bee, which we have spent much time on over the last year. They are solidly built with good components and hardware. The high- quality aluminum handlebars and handguards are good examples of this. For new or less-experienced riders, the Ultra Bee may be one of the best off-road bikes cur - rently available. The relatively small size and ability to reduce the power level and dial up the traction control intervention will allow a new rider to gain confidence, and the power can be increased, and TC can be reduced as they gain experience. The suspension performance is plenty good for recreational riding. The re - duced maintenance needs (no gas, air filter or oil servicing needs) add to the attractiveness for less experienced motorcycle owners. More experienced riders will love the Ultra Bee's capability in difficult terrain, and the lightweight and relatively small size dials the fun factor way up. Get a few buddies on similar bikes, and the performance and ability to trash talk while riding will further ramp up the fun. CN 2023 SURRON LIGHT BEE ($6499) ENGINE TYPE: Permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) PEAK POWER: 12.5 Kilowatts (16.8 hp) PEAK TORQUE: 325 ft-pounds TOP SPEED: 56 mph MAX RANGE: Claimed 87 miles but varies widely based on terrain BATTERY PACK: 74V/55ah Lithium Ion CHARGING TIME: 4 Hours (0-100%) RIDING MODES: Sport, Daily, Eco, Reverse RIDER AIDS: Surron Traction Control System (SRTC), Surron Energy Regenerative System (SERS) FRAME: Forged Aluminum Alloy FRONT SUSPENSION: 37mm inverted fork with adjustable compression and rebound REAR SUSPENSION: TR Intersect Monoshock with adjustable preload, compression and rebound FRONT-WHEEL TRAVEL: 9.4 in REAR-WHEEL TRAVEL: 9.6 in FRONT WHEEL: 19 in. REAR WHEEL: 19 in. FRONT BRAKE: 240mm hydraulic disc REAR BRAKE: 240mm hydraulic disc SEAT HEIGHT: 35.8 in. GROUND CLEARANCE: 12.5 in. WHEELBASE: 54.3 in. WEIGHT (READY TO RIDE): 187 lbs. S P E C I F I C AT I O N S