Electrification continues to revolutionize the powersports world. We’ve seen lots of new electric dirtbikes hit the market, all providing instantaneous power, silent operation, and increased service intervals.
Apart from new players like Stark Future, established players are dabbling in electrification as well. Case in point: GasGas and its TXE electric trials prototype. The Spanish company is fielding its TXE electric motorcycle in the Spanish Trials Championship in a bid to “collect data” for future battery-powered off-roaders. It’ll be piloted by GasGas Factory Racing’s former Trial2 World Champion Sondre Haga.
It’s worth noting that the TXE isn’t exactly a new concept. Back before Pierer Mobility acquired the company, GasGas used the TXE in the FIM Trial E World Championship, where it won four times between 2017 and 2021. When Pierer acquired GasGas in 2019, it was believed that the TXE project was shelved. As it would turn out, the project continued, albeit behind closed doors.
What makes the GasGas TXE so interesting is the fact that it makes use of a gearbox and a hydraulic clutch for even more control. The benefits promised by this setup go beyond performance, too, covering a broader range of enthusiasts. Electric motors don’t really need a gearbox and clutch to operate efficiently, as evidenced by popular models like those from Zero and Energica. However, enthusiasts looking to preserve the analog feel of gas-powered bikes might just find what they’re looking for in the tech presented by the GasGas TXE.
Perhaps an even bigger thing to look forward to is the effect bikes like the GasGas TXE could have on off-road motorcycling as a whole. Given the fact that this is, after all, an initiative by the Pierer Mobility Group, it’s more than likely that an electric motorcycle with a manual gearbox and clutch bearing the KTM and Husqvarna logos is well and truly on the horizon.
I’m a huge fan of electrification, especially when it comes to off-road applications. We’ve seen a lot of motocross and adventure parks face the risk of closing down all around the world due to ever-tightening noise regulations. Electric motorcycles certainly take the noise issue out of the equation, or at least make it a much smaller part of the issue. On top of that, electric motorcycles have much longer service intervals, and don’t pose as much of a fire risk as gasoline-powered bikes.
A big part of the future of two-wheeled mobility is electric, and electric off-road bikes like the GasGas TXE could very well be the sport’s saving grace.
