The tiiiiiimes they are a-changin’, Bob Dylan once wailed through Greenwich Village, and that’s more true than ever. The world of transportation is going electric (just like Dylan at the Newport Folk Festival), and that means, eventually, you’re going to see a lot of electric bikes at your local race events.
In Canada, it starts with the 2022 Corduroy Enduro on September 22-25. As most moto-hosers know, the Cord is probably Canada’s most prestigious off-road motorcycle race, and maybe the most prestigious race we have, period. While top-tier racers from around the world no longer flock to Mosport for a weekend, we still see off-roaders from the US and abroad show up to the Corduroy Enduro (Chris Birch was the 2012 champ!). And now, the Corduroy Enduro is adding an all-electric class to its weekend.
Actually, there will be two classes, an e-bike class and a full electric dirt bike class. Both those classes will race on Friday, the same day as the vintage class, on a very similar course. It’s basically the same track as the vintage course, but shortened to 20 kilometers due to the electric bikes’ battery range, and with four timed test sections. Organizers say that any make/model of electric moto or e-bike is welcome to participate. At this point, they aren’t sure on entry fees, but it seems as if those will be minimal.
Registration for the 2022 Corduroy Enduro opens on May 24. If you’re interested in the electric class, you should keep an eye on the event’s Facebook page, as organizers will update with more details there as they plan the races. You will also likely find details at the event’s website.
The organizers also say there will be electric demo rides at the event, so if you’re curious about the machines, you can show up and get a taste of what the battery bike life is all about.
