Stark Varg vs Sur-Ron Ultra Bee HP
They get compared constantly, but they are not really rivals. One is a full-size motocross race bike. The other is a road-legal trail bike. If road registration is a must have, consider the Stark Varg EX in your comparison.
The short answer
Consider the MX 1.2 if you are riding motocross tracks or serious enduro and want a bike that competes with a 450. It has close to twice the power, almost twice the battery, and full-size race suspension.
The Sur-Ron Ultra Bee HP is the one to look at if you want to ride legally on the road to get to the trail. It is ADR compliant and registrable, $8,500 cheaper before on-road costs, and 25 kg lighter.
The MX 1.2 cannot be registered in Australia. That single fact settles the decision for a lot of riders before any of the other numbers matter.
Side by side
| Stark Varg MX 1.2 (60HP) | Sur-Ron Ultra Bee HP | |
|---|---|---|
| Australian price | $18,990 AUD | $10,490 AUD plus on-road costs |
| Peak power | 44.7 kW (60 hp) | 24.5 kW Turbo / 18 kW Sport |
| Rear-wheel torque | 978 Nm | 520 Nm |
| Battery | 7.2 kWh, 420 V | 4.44 kWh, 74 V, removable |
| Weight | 118 kg | 93 kg wet (R) / 91 kg wet (T) |
| Seat height | 960 mm | 910 mm |
| Suspension travel | 310 mm front / 303 mm rear | 240 mm front / 240 mm rear |
| Wheels | 21in front / 19in rear | 19in front / 18in rear |
| Wheelbase | 1,487 mm | 1,380 mm |
| Charge time | 3.5 hr at 120 V, 2 hr at 240 V | 2.5 hr |
| Road registrable | No | Yes — ADR compliant |
| Category | Motocross | Trail |
Power is not the whole story
On paper the MX 1.2 makes 44.7 kW against the Ultra Bee’s 24.5 kW, and 978 Nm at the rear wheel against 520 Nm. That is a genuine gap, and on a motocross track it is decisive.
But the Ultra Bee is carrying 25 kg less. Power-to-weight closes some of the distance, and for trail riding — tight, technical, low-speed — the lighter bike is often the easier one to ride well. The MX 1.2’s advantage grows the faster and bigger the hits get.
One caution on the torque figures: both are rear-wheel numbers, not motor-shaft torque. Manufacturers quote both, and mixing them makes comparisons meaningless. Every torque figure in our Bike Index is rear-wheel for exactly that reason.
Price
The MX 1.2 lists at $18,990. The Ultra Bee HP lists at $10,490 plus on-road costs, which vary by state, so the real gap is a little under $8,500 depending on where you register.
That is close to double. For the extra money you get roughly 1.8 times the power, 1.6 times the battery, and race-grade KYB suspension with around 70 mm more travel at each end.
Size and suspension
The MX 1.2 is a full-size bike: 960 mm seat height, 1,487 mm wheelbase, 21in front wheel. It fits an adult rider the way a 450 does.
The Ultra Bee is smaller in every dimension — 910 mm seat, 1,380 mm wheelbase, 19in front — and noticeably easier to manage if you are shorter or newer to riding. Its 240 mm of travel is a trail bike’s, not a motocrosser’s.
The registration difference
The Ultra Bee HP is the ADR-compliant variant, built to be registered and ridden on the road. The MX 1.2 is not homologated in Australia and cannot be.
If you want a Stark you can register, the Varg EX is the road-legal model in the range. The EX 60HP lists at $18,990 — the same starting price as the MX 1.2 60HP — so on this pair of bikes registration is a model choice, not a price penalty.
If your riding starts at home and involves any sealed road, that decides it. If you trailer to a track or ride only on private property, gazetted areas or ride parks, it does not matter at all. Where you can legally ride an unregistered bike varies by state — our ride spot directory covers the rules state by state.
Both entries in the Bike Index
- Stark Varg MX 1.2 (60HP) — full specifications and sources
- Sur-Ron Ultra Bee HP — full specifications and sources
How we compared
- This is a specification comparison, not a ride test — in general we haven’t ridden the bikes and done direct seat-of-the-pants comparisons.
- For example, we can provide specifications on suspension or brakes where the information is available, but we can’t comment on how those components will perform for you and the various styles of riding you might undertake.
- We also cannot comment on long-term reliability and dealer support, which should be a factor in your purchasing.
- Figures are manufacturer claims as at the date shown, not independently measured.
- Prices are recommended retail unless a current sale price is shown, exclude on-road costs, and may vary by dealer and state.
- Registration and compliance are administered by each state and change — confirm with your state transport authority before buying.
We do our best to use up-to-date data, but even published data can at times be inaccurate or change, particularly with respect to pricing. Before purchasing always ensure you check the latest details and consider if the bike is right for you beyond the specifications.
Sources: TerraVolt eMoto Bike Index entries for the Stark Varg MX 1.2 and Sur-Ron Ultra Bee HP, each compiled from manufacturer specifications and Australian dealer listings and checked 4 September 2026.