Honda dips a toe into the electric-powered dirt bike market.

By Mark Kariya, dirtrider.com

If your household is more a fan of Japanese red than Austrian red, orange, or white, there’s now an option in electric-power minis—the Greenger Honda CRF-E2.

From a manufacturer standpoint, it makes sense to offer such machines aimed at the younger set first because kids today have lived their entire lives in an electrical/digital age. Too, minis are an easier step into two-wheeled powersports—both for the initial buy-in and the riding experience itself.

While Honda has experimented with several electricity-powered dirt bikes—photos of which have surfaced out of Japanese test tracks and motocross races—it contracted with Greenger Powersports to actually manufacture the CRF-E2 mini. As such, it is an officially licensed Honda product and does not come off Honda factory lines.

Based in Southern California, Greenger may not be a household name to traditional powersports enthusiasts, but the company is quite familiar with electric powersports products as the owner of more than 20 technical patents including ones for its battery, controller, and motor.ADVERTISEMENT

Starting with the low-voltage (48 volts) brushless DC (BLDC) motor with its inner rotor, we find that there are two drive modes with mode 1 permitting a claimed output of 1.6 hp at 2,000 rpm for a top speed of 10 mph with mode 2 upping that to 3.4 hp at 4,000 rpm (the maximum motor speed) with a top speed of 20 mph. Torque figures are 4.1 pound-feet at 2,000 rpm in mode 1 and 18.4 pound-feet at 4,000 rpm in mode 2.

The lithium-iron battery is unique to the CRF-E2, of course, weighs 13.1 pounds, and has a capacity of 20AH/960WH. Maximum runtime in ideal conditions is two hours with four hours required for a full recharge, 3.2 hours to bring a depleted battery to 80 percent. The optional quick charger slices to 2.5 hours for a full charge and two hours to 80 percent. A spare battery sells for $999.99. One unique feature is Greenger’s battery warranty: 24 months or 1,000 charges, whichever comes first. And another that Greenger points out is that the battery is quick-swappable.

All this is housed in a very CRF-looking chassis and bodywork. Starting with the twin-spar aluminum frame, the red plastics and graphics immediately evoke images of the factory bikes that the Lawrence brothers, Ken Roczen, and Chase Sexton compete on. Interestingly, the subframe is welded onto the main spars—perhaps for added strength, but certainly for simplicity as there’s no air filter to ever service or exhaust system that needs routing. The red seat is removable to access the battery.

Naturally, the suspension is basic (as one would expect considering the rider demographic) with a 33mm conventional fork of undisclosed origin providing 3.9 inches of travel; in back is a DNM shock with preload adjustability, a rebound-damping adjuster, and a claimed 8.3 inches of rear wheel travel effected without linkage.

Both wheels are 12-inch diameter with aluminum rims shod with 60/100-12 Kenda Millville K771 tires. Bolted to the hubs are identically sized 7.48-inch petal-shaped rotors for the hydraulic disc brakes—the front activated by lever on the right side of the handlebar and the rear activated only by the lever on the left side of the bar; there’s no foot pedal for the rear brake. Those levers, by the way, are adjustable as is seat height which can be altered from 24.8 to 25.5 inches. This will help parents tailor the CRF-E2 to their budding rider whose recommended max weight is 99 pounds.

Other details are a 38.0-inch wheelbase, 7.8 inches of ground clearance, and a curb weight of 106 pounds. In addition to the battery, the bike carries a 12-month, 3,000-mile limited warranty excluding normal wear and maintenance items. Look for the $2,950 (MSRP) CRF-E2 exclusively at select Honda dealers.