There’s no doubt about it, the Varg SM is a hoot on the commute. For my 20-mile cross-town round trip to and from the MCN office, the leccy-powered pugilist plasters quite the smirk on my face, leaving me walking through the doors feeling like someone who’s spent the last 15 minutes up to no good.
In full power mode (79bhp), power delivery from the 360V motor is binary, and opening the throttle is a simple yes/no question: do you want to propel yourself forward from these traffic lights like you’ve got a SpaceX Raptor rocket engine strapped to your back while the front wheel tries to enter a low-earth orbit? Yes? Okay then…
Cue arriving at work with a bemused smile and slightly trembling hands as the adrenaline comedown welcomes me back to normal, civilised life.
But it can’t be party-party-party all the time, and I wanted to find out how the Varg could behave when I just needed to get from A to B, and whether it could cope when the destination was more than 10 miles away from the departure point.
Ensuring the battery was full, I set off on a journey I make regularly on petrol bikes – a 63-mile trip to the Lincolnshire Wolds.
In my last update, I told you how I watched the 7.2kWh battery discharge at a rate of 1% every 20 seconds when ridden at full power at constant throttle on a National Speed limit road. By that rationale I’d have 30 mins of charge – not enough to cover my 63 miles.
Dropping the power to Level 1, giving the Varg SM just 7bhp, I set off on a combination of twisties and open A-roads. Vowing not to exceed 50mph, I set off into the unknown. Level 1 transforms the Varg from a silent assassin into a Benedictine monk – muted, gentle, and purposeful. And with it, my attitude changed too – I was whisked back 22 years to my time as a Yamaha DT125X rider, taking life in the slower lane and heading on an adventure I wasn’t quite sure I’d be able to complete.
But complete it we did. The Varg rolled silently into my destination with 7% of battery left and with a rider who felt refreshed rather than frazzled… albeit mentally rather than physically. The Varg’s seat is the most uncomfortable I’ve ever sat on. Perhaps I’m best leaving the Varg SM for those hoots and commutes after all.
The suspension comes set to your weight via a choice of three different front and rear spring settings. Our test bike has the hardest of the three options fitted, and as a result, it is a bit unyielding for me and my riding style – resulting in a lack of feel. I’ve now got the softest option springs to fit, so I’ll be seeing what difference they make. I’ll tell you more in my next update.
Resident two-stroke nut and fully trained journalist, Emma's passion for motorcycling has seen her work across many of the UK’s best-loved motorcycling titles over the past 19 years, before becoming Deputy Editor on the world’s number one biking weekly in 2020 and then Editor in 2024. A consumer journalist at heart, she’s dedicated to cutting through marketing waffle and putting manufacturers’ claims to the test in order to get to the truth. Passionate about all levels of road racing, and a former club racer herself, she’s still very much a paddock regular through her support of partner, Bruce Dunn’s racing exploits – so if you see her at a circuit, feel free to say hello.