Ryan Nitzen | July 28, 2022
We ride the Surron Light Bee X E-bike (or is it a motorcycle?)
Is it a bicycle? Is it a motorcycle? Whatever it is, the Surron Light Bee X E-bike is fun.
Photography by Trevor Hunter
You’ve probably seen one of these things fly by you at the track and thought, “What the heck is that?” Well, that’s what happened to us one day not too long ago. The thing looked like good fun, though, but at first glance, it was hard to tell what it was (and still is) exactly—kind of a cross between a downhill mountain bike and a combustion-powered pit bike. Further investigation, we thought, was needed.
Turns out, this unique two-wheeler is built in China by Surron. What caught our attention that day was the Surron Light Bee X E-bike, and we managed to get our hands on one for a couple of weeks of fun… err, testing.
The world of electric anything is booming right now. Seems like everyone has an electric car these days, but electric mountain bikes, kids’ motorcycles and more, continue to make waves in the industry we love, as well. Regardless of how you feel about charge-and-go two-wheeled vehicles, innovation is something we here at Cycle News enjoy. The Surron brand aligns with that ideology, and their Light Bee X is another option in the growing world of electric two-wheeled vehicles.
The pedal-less Surron is sold as an off-road-only bike, which sounds suspiciously dirt bike (as in motorcycle) to us.
The Surron Light Bee X is sold as an “off-road-only bike,” according to most of the dealers selling them. These bikes are shipped governed at a top speed of only 16 miles an hour to keep them “road legal” in “some” states. Without question, you should check your local laws before blasting down your neighborhood streets on your new Light Bee X.
A quick YouTube search shows how easy it is to “hack” the Light Bee’s electronics and unlock a top speed of 45-50 mph. This is how we rode the bike.
The Light Bee X is not powered by your legs; it has no pedals. Instead, you twist a throttle. The Light Bee X is powered by a removable 60-volt Panasonic lithium-ion battery pack with two modes: eco and sport. Surron claims battery life will last 20-60 miles per charge but, of course, that all depends on what mode you ride it in and how aggressively you twist the throttle.
The Sur-Ron’s suspension is surprisingly good.
The Light Bee uses an aluminum frame, 19-inch wheels, and an inverted front fork with eight inches of travel. The suspension is like a downhill mountain bike, and many upgraded Light Bees pull high-quality components from the DH world. Seat height is right around 33 inches and offers 10.5 inches of ground clearance. Overall, the bike is a bit bigger than a 110cc pit bike and more like a trail-specific motorcycle, such as a Yamaha TT-R125 or Kawasaki KLX140.
It’s hard not to have fun on anything with two wheels, and the Light Bee X is no exception. We used it in two different riding locations and found both equally enjoyable. The first was on some local dual-sport trails. We chose this environment to stay off the mountain bike trails where even pedal-assist mountain bikes can be frowned upon. The potent little Surron motor is a blast. It whisked my 180-pound build around with no hesitation. Sport mode is a must for anyone with previous motorcycle experience, but the eco mode worked well for preserving battery life and would also work well for teaching new riders. Power delivery and throttle response are much different on electric than a traditional cable-actuated gas engine, but you get the hang of it quickly, and it’s not overly fast or intimidating to learn. The Light Bee zipped up and down the trails with ease, and its quiet nature heightened senses that would otherwise be drowned out by engine noise.
There are 60-volts of silent fun here.
Components in the suspension and braking department are close to that in the mountain bike world. That just so happens to be our second favorite pastime, right behind motorcycles, so it came with familiar territory. Four-piston hydraulic disc brakes come standard front and rear on the Surron and offer strong stopping capabilities. Since the Light Bee only weighs about 110 pounds, the snappy brakes make it easy to skid or slide the rear wheel. Blending that line again between motorcycle and bicycle, the Light Bee comes standard with two hand brakes and no rear-brake pedal.
The suspension was on the soft side, which was fine for our beginner riders, but became more noticeable when we began pushing it. The fork and shock both have compression and rebound adjustments which helped stiffen up the ride. This made it more enjoyable and capable for the experienced riders who wanted to jump or charge the trails harder.
We found the ergos to be comfortable and neutral. The Sting-Ray-style seat is wide enough for adults and provides enough cushion for cruising around or railing ruts. The footpegs are on the smaller side, again think pit bike-esque, but we’ve already found plenty of wider aftermarket options.
You don’t need a large area to have a great time on the Light Bee X. It makes lunchtime at the office way more fun. With no sound from the electric motor, we turned a nearby dirt lot into an urban playground. No one knew or cared that we were there, which is a big plus with a bike like this.
The Surron is built in China with plenty of U.S. influence. It weighs a claimed 110 pounds—heavy for a bicycle, light for a motorcycle.
I admit, I was bummed when we had to return the Surron Light Bee X. It’s such a versatile bike that covers a lot of ground in different environments. We found its most significant advantages in three areas: teaching new riders, riding in new places that you normally wouldn’t even consider, and its overall low maintenance. The Sur-Ron is easy to operate, too, which is a huge plus for new riders or for those looking to build confidence on two wheels. Two modes, no gears, and no clutch are virtually foolproof.
Again, riding in new places is another advantage. Scooting around town on a pit bike is a sure-fire way to run into Officer Friendly, but doing it on an untampered Light Bee X should not be a concern. In smaller confined areas, such as at a backyard pitbike track, the Surron would totally shine, since no noise is a huge tick in the checkbox for your favorite anti-moto neighbors. Finally, no gas and no oil make the Sur-Ron super easy to live with. Just plug and play. Yes, the chain, tires and grips will wear over time, but those are much easier and cheaper to deal with than mixing gas or rebuilding the top-end, for example.
As with nearly anything constructed in China, quality of craftsmanship is always suspect, but the Light Bee X seems to be built well enough. We had no issues with it, though we only had the bike for a short time.
The Surron isn’t a true dirt bike and it’s not really a mountain bike either. Categorizing the Light Bee X is its only real struggle. What is it? Motorcycle or bicycle? Or, a bike, which sort of covers both. We lean toward motorcycle; after all, we don’t know of any true bicycle that you’re not allowed to ride on the street.
At $4400, it rivals prices in the modern pitbike market but offers a more adult-friendly build and access to more legal riding. The Surron Light Bee X is a legitimate option if you’re in the market for something a little different or just looking for a super-fun and stealthy adult pit/play bike. CN
