The Stark VARG EX produces up to 80 horsepower, more than 1,000 Nm of claimed rear-wheel torque and does it without a clutch, gearbox or even the possibility of stalling.
And strangely, those aren’t the most interesting things about it.
The EX is Stark Future’s enduro-focused version of the VARG platform, built for technical trails rather than closed-course motocross. With the bike now readily accessible in the UAE, it gives Gulf riders a chance to look at electric motorcycles from a different angle: not as an alternative to petrol, but as a machine that might actually offer advantages off-road.
80 HP — If You Actually Want It
The VARG EX comes in 60 hp Standard and 80 hp Alpha versions, powered by a 7.2 kWh battery.
Stark claims 275 Nm at the countershaft and 1,036 Nm at the rear wheel, but outright numbers only tell half the story.
On the Alpha, riders can dial the output from roughly 10 hp all the way to 80, adjust regenerative motor braking and save multiple maps for different terrain.
That means one bike can behave like a manageable trail machine through rocks and loose climbs, then turn into something considerably more aggressive when the terrain opens up.
In fact, independent testing by Cycle News found around 25–35 hp was often more useful than full power on technical trails.
That’s the VARG’s clever part: you don’t just get more power. You decide how much motorcycle you want beneath you.
No Clutch. No Gears. No Stalling.
Electric power also removes one of the biggest challenges of technical enduro riding.
There is no clutch to feather, no gear to choose and no engine to keep in its powerband. The rider can concentrate on throttle, traction, braking, body position and finding the right line.
For experienced riders, it changes the skill set. For less experienced ones, it could make difficult terrain considerably more approachable.
Then there’s crawl mode, which can move the bike slowly both forwards and backwards.
Reverse on an enduro sounds unnecessary — right up until you’ve tried turning a motorcycle around halfway up a steep, narrow trail.
Built as an Enduro, Not Just an MX Bike With Lights
The EX gets proper off-road hardware.
There’s fully adjustable KYB suspension with around 300 mm of travel, Brembo brakes and an 18-inch rear wheel aimed at enduro use. Surron Dubai’s media kit specifically positions the EX as the mixed-terrain member of Stark’s VARG family, alongside the motocross MX and road-focused SM.
The bike weighs around 120 kg, so it isn’t featherweight territory. But the battery and motor are packaged centrally, helping keep the mass low in the chassis.
Stark has also used the freedom of an electric drivetrain to rethink the motorcycle’s architecture. The battery casing forms part of the structure and helps manage heat, while the compact water-cooled motor is integrated tightly into the chassis rather than simply replacing a conventional engine.
Your Dashboard Is a Smartphone
One of the VARG’s most unusual features is the Arkenstone.
Instead of a normal dashboard, Stark uses a rugged Android device that locks into the cockpit and handles instrumentation, navigation, ride recording, setup and software updates.
It’s effectively the bike’s digital control centre.
The EX also gets a powerful 4,000-lumen LED headlight, which is particularly relevant in this part of the world, where early-morning and evening riding are often the best escape from the heat.
Range Is Still the Big Question
The dealer media kit references approximately 118 km of mixed-use range, but off-road range is much harder to define because rider pace, terrain and power setting make a huge difference.
Real-world testing has shown anything from roughly 30–35 miles during aggressive trail riding to around 50 miles or more at a calmer pace.
That tells you where the EX fits.
For a few hours attacking technical trails, mountain tracks or local riding loops, the concept is very convincing.
For long desert crossings or remote all-day exploration, petrol still offers a major advantage: a refill takes minutes and doesn’t require a power socket.
The UAE Test We Really Want to See
There’s also one question spec sheets won’t answer:
How does it perform in Gulf heat?
The VARG has sophisticated battery and motor cooling, but sustained hard riding and repeated charging in UAE summer temperatures would be a much more meaningful test for riders here than another European trail review.
That’s the test Bike Nation would like to see.
Where to See It
The Stark VARG range is available locally through Surron Dubai | SURRON.AE, which lists the VARG MX, EX and SM while providing product support to riders in the UAE and wider GCC.
Anyone planning to register an EX for road use should confirm the homologation and documentation of the specific UAE-delivered bike, as road legality varies by market.
So, Is Electric Better?
Not everywhere.
But technical enduro might be one of the places where electric starts making a particularly strong case.
Instant but adjustable power. No clutch. No gearbox. No stalling. Powered reverse. Less routine engine maintenance. Near-silent operation.
The VARG EX doesn’t need to replace the petrol enduro.
It just needs to prove that, on the right trail, electric may bring more advantages than compromises.
Sources & Image Credits
Sources: Stark Future official VARG EX technical information; Cycle News VARG EX testing; Surron Dubai | SURRON.AE Media Kit 2026.
Photography: Images courtesy of Stark Future / Surron Dubai | SURRON.AE, supplied through the Surron & Stark Future UAE & GCC Media Kit 2026 for editorial use.
