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The KTM SX-E 5 has been a total game changer for my son's riding skills. All of the controls are in the proper locations to create muscle memory that will transfer to any standard motorcycle. Some E-bikes have non-standard control setups. The power and range of this bike allow it to keep up with my KTM Freeride EXC E-bike. It has six power modes to progress through as rider skills develop.
It is a lot of fun for him and for me as a dad. Ripping on our KTM E-bikes is quiet enough that our neighbor allows us to ride on his property as well. No noise complaints, disturbing the neighbors, or disrupting the wildlife.
The bike was bought brand new from a licensed dealer. It was slightly tall for him, so we lowered the compression on the rear suspension and lowered the front clamps. Not a competition setup, but just fine for what we need. There is plenty of room for him to grow with this bike in its stock form. And when he outgrows the OEM setup, there are plenty of "big wheel kits" available with a longer swingarm. I see plenty of videos of much older kids riding this bike comfortably with that setup.
But with all of the fun comes the responsibility to prepare for the next step. Before he gets on a bike where he has to learn how to manage a clutch lever and blend the throttle, the E-bike gives us an opportunity to make all of the other riding skills muscle memory. Once we got past the initial "larger bike issues" that we also experienced with his last bike and got some fun laps in, we started to practice "Box Drills." We did this DiMy style on an upside-down bucket; however, it is usually done on a motorcycle stand. This is how we started preparing for linear and lateral weight transfer. We just rehearsed the fundamentals so that we would have a working understanding and something to build upon when we were outside.
Keep in mind that we have no intent to build a competitive motocross racer here. We just want a safe and confident rider who will be comfortable applying general skills to dirt and eventually pavement. Developing a sense of how to stay loose and how moving the body can control the bike is the main goal. We are not looking to be "technically correct" for high-speed competition. My motto is everything "medium": medium aggressive, medium brave, and medium intensity. Why so medium? Don't forget, he was pulling 12 o'clock wheelies and brake-lock burnouts at 4yrs old. He also learned "whiskey throttle" the hard way on this bike. You can explain something to a new rider, but sometimes they won't truly get it until they have experienced it themselves. That's why I don't need to dial up the adrenaline! I want him to be calculated and relaxed. Trust me, he knows when to rip and listens when I ask him to dial it back. Some kids may need to be told, "You need to go faster to keep your balance," and some kids need to be told, "Keep it under the sound barrier." I'm encouraging him to stay in between.
For linear weight transfer, we practiced sliding back on the seat with reliable footing on the foot pegs while braking and simultaneously extending the arms (elbows not locked). This helps counteract the forward weight transfer and reduces the tendency for a rider to get thrown forward during aggressive braking (straight-line panic braking/emergency braking). Likewise, we practiced moving forward upon aggressive acceleration to keep the front end down, while using the inner thighs to grip the "tank" area and maintaining proper footing on the pegs.
For lateral weight transfer, we practiced all three body positions: lean in with the bike, remain upright while the bike is leaning (counter-lean/counterbalance), and remain in line with the bike (stick figure), all while keeping forward on the bike with the elbows high and upper body loose. However, he seems to prefer a relaxed arm and body position, much like me. For casual riding, it seems to be no problem. But we do revisit this topic when he wants to corner more aggressively. We incorporated sitting forward and extending the inside foot forward and high during aggressive turns or when the earth is pitched into his turn (decreasing clearance between the pegs and the earth). We also practiced weighting the inside peg, weighting the outside peg, and weighting both pegs. We do not emphasize that much, as we mostly practice off-road; however, it is a concept I like him to play with so it is available to him once we start riding on pavement. Weighting the inside vs. outside peg is a much-debated topic for pavement, but at a recreational level, it should not make much of a difference. Off-road, we mostly stick to weighting the outside peg and keeping that inside leg up, forward, and clear.
Again, I am just a regular Dad trying to have some casual fun with my son. We dial up the skills when we start ripping a bit more, then dial them back down when we are just messing around. If he ever decides to compete, we will find him some professional training. I am far from a professional, so don't follow my lead; again, this is all DiMy. But for now, we are having a blast ripping our KTMs within our skill level. And we still have plenty more progress to make on the skills we have.
This bike is too much fun! Buying this bike was a good move! Low maintenance, no fuel mixture, no loud exhaust to talk over — literally plug in, then play (like plug and play, but different).
ATGATT: All The Gear, All The Time - is the only standard that we can encourage. While we are guilty of breaking the ATGATT recommendation, we do not encourage others to do so. A properly sized and rated helmet, along with protective clothing and body protection, is always best practice.
The button below labeled "STARTING YOUNG" will bring you to a brief summary of how he went from a balance bike to ripping rooster tails.
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