Interesting article contributed by
Sam Oldham
Chief MTN Man
Charge The Bike
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The dirt bike is one of the most popular choices for people who are adventurous and want a ride that they can use to move around quickly. Designed for use on rough terrain, the dirt bike is the ideal choice for people who want to ride on unsurfaced roads and particular tracks that require a powerful motor and suspension. Commonly used in scrambling, offroading dirt bikes have become the ideal choice for people who are interested in doing stunts on their bikes and having fun.
In the past, the only option available to people was a gas powered dirt bike. Featuring a conventional combustion engine (ICE), the gas powered dirt bike is a timeless classic, and has been around for many decades. It’s been featured in countless films and movies, and has also been used for stunts. It’s one of the best choices for people who want a reliable machine that is versatile, easy to maintain, and of course, affordable to use.
However, there’s another competitor in the market, and that is the electric motorcycle. Electric cars and bikes are making all the waves now, and have become incredibly popular over the past few years. As the world moves slowly towards a more eco-friendly future, it’s easy to see that electric motorcycles are going to be all the rage. However, whether you opt for a gas powered bike or an electric dirt bike, one of the first things that you will want to consider is safety.
The rider’s safety is of paramount importance, and you have to make sure that you choose the right variant. To understand more about the safety of both the electric powered dirt bike and the gas powered one, it’s important that we take a look at the inner functions and the safety features in each.
Gas Powered Dirt Bikes
The gas powered dirt bike contains a standard combustion engine that requires petrol to run efficiently. Once you put gasoline in the bike, the engine will burn the fuel in order to generate heat, which in turn propels the vehicle forward. The gas powered engine is one of the safest, and has been refined over the years to become more efficient and more suitable for everyday usage. Gas powered dirt bikes do make quite a bit of noise, however, especially if you haven’t installed a silencer in the bike. It’s recommended that you choose the right exhaust system in order to get the best performance out of your bike.
Now, one of the biggest safety problems with gas powered bikes is the fact that once the engine heats up, so will the exhaust. It’s completely exposed, so if you end up hitting your shin or your calf on the side of the exhaust, you will probably end up burning some skin off within an instant. It’s really not a wise idea to wear shorts and ride a dirt bike; you should always take proper protective measures and wear a thin layer to prevent such accidents.
Then, you also have to consider the fact that the dirt bike’s engine requires water to keep itself cool. While there are air cooled engines that you can choose from, most people prefer power, and powerful engines are usually liquid-cooled. In case you forget to put antifreeze in the engine, it’s probably going to heat up very quickly, and there’s a risk that certain components might get insanely hot. While gas powered dirt bikes are a great choice, you need to understand that problems might arise in case of a leakage in the fuel tank.
Gasoline is incredibly combustible and can light up on fire very quickly. While most gas tanks are reinforced and the chances of this happening are incredibly unlikely, it’s still a point of concern that should be taken seriously. An important thing that you need to know about these gas powered bikes is that they tend to vibrate a lot. Despite the fact that a stabilizer or counterbalance might be installed, they are prone to vibration. That’s because there are so many moving parts within the bike and the engine produces a considerable amount of vibration, which makes the entire frame vibrate as well. On fast roads or uneven tracks, even the slightest vibration can lead to fatigue and cause you to make mistakes when you are tired. Most bikes now come with dampers that are designed to limit vibration, but you will still feel quite a bit of it.
If you don’t know where to start, but like to choose a gas powered bike as a beginner, then i would suggest reading this article about the best trail dirt bikes for beginners.
Electric Powered Dirt Bikes
Electric bikes consist of a motor, a battery, and a couple of wheels. You don’t need to worry about spark plugs, the requirement for a coolant in the engine, oil changes, air filter or any other things. Just charge the battery and you are good to go. Because of the fact that it contains an electric motor, these bikes are not susceptible to vibration at all. Moreover, the chances of injury due to less fatigue and no heat. It’s just a standard motor that’s designed to propel the dirt bike forwards.
On top of that, electric bikes do not require any time to “warm up.” When you start the bike, it will be ready to go at full speeds without any problem whatsoever. You don’t need to worry about the engine heating up before you start accelerating to full speeds. Also, you don’t even need to worry about fast accelerating speed. For example, the ktm electric dirt bike has 3 settings of power modes that you can adjust for any situation or user. Which makes it more convenient and easier to ride over the gas powered counterparts.
All in all, electric dirt bikes are a much safer option as compared to gas powered ones, because they offer a plethora of advantages over their gas powered counterparts. More importantly, they are much easier to maintain as well, because there aren’t as many moving parts in these bikes as well. Whether you are an adult or a child who needs to get a dirt bike, electric bikes are the best option because they provide convenience and flexibility, and more importantly, safety, for roughly the same amount that you would pay otherwise. These are just some of the things that you should know about gas powered dirt bikes and electric powered dirt bikes.
