New Stark Mid Motor Bike on Offer in August 2019

[Andy-Mat]

Those of us who have to watch our money carefully, may be interested in a new bike offering from Stark.
I myself bought one of the first bikes ever produced by Stark, in 2017. It was a very cheap bike, but even with an extra battery, it was a truly incredibly low price. I have not been disappointed.

I got an email today, announcing a new model that is about to be brought out, that may appeal to some of the "less rich" e-bikers here....

The most affordable, complete electric transportation provider from $499!

Stark Drive produces the most affordable electric transportation solutions in the world, be it by ground or air. Easy to factory upgrade. Starting at an unbelievable $499. It’s cheap! No kidding mate!

starkdrive.bike

It appears to not only be very affordable, but has some very innovative features, not usually seen in any bike being sold for US$999 plus transport and import duties of probably around US$200 - 300 per bike.
I am staying with my original Stark Bike as it does everything I need and more, including folding, but for someone up for a change, take a look:-
Mid Motor, 48 volt Battery, 2 models 160Nm and 80Nm motors. Colour displays, Fingerprint sensing, and and and......
I have no financial or business affiliation, only as an owner of a Stark Bike for some years now.....
Regards
Andy

 

[Woosh]

I myself bought one of the first bikes ever produced by Stark, in 2017. It was a very cheap bike, but even with an extra battery, it was a truly incredibly low price. I have not been disappointed.

can you post some pictures of your bike and explain the process of buying from a US company?

 

[Andy-Mat]

can you post some pictures of your bike and explain the process of buying from a US company?

I actually partook in a Crowdfunding purchase at that time, which took almost 6 months to start to produce and deliver my bike.
This is not the case now (I believe) and delivery times will simply be a reflection of the speed of production and delivery.
I used PayPal to pay for my bike, so as to have a reliable "witness". Not needed....
I have only had one large "bug", which turned out to a a production error, as the person who built my bike accidentally used two bottom headset bearings, instead of one top (slightly "higher by 1mm), and one bottom.
This caused the steering to lock up, and it took a long time for Stark to send me replacement bearings which fixed the problems 100%.
If I and my bike "Guy" had fully realised what the problem was, I could have bought new bearings on the open market, and fixed it months before...But I did not want to get into a situation with making the bike un-driveable....So that may have slowed things up....
The only other problem was in having disk brakes with a plastic adjustment knob, which did not like Sunlight!
I bought a replacement Caliper and got myself biking again, and I made a repair to remove that plastic part, and I engineered an alternative adjuster in Stainless Steel, which I put back on the bike and is still working well today, over a year later.
The replacement caliper is simply waiting on the back brake part collapsing, but as I bought the panniers, is usually protected from the Sun and is still working fine!
Stark usually use Panasonic cells in their batteries, which apparently do not "self discharge" as fast as many others. 1 volt drop over about 5 months of non usage on one battery, is what I tested and found. This appears to be far less than other so called "similar" cells....
All together, the bike cost, plus all the extras I ordered, including a second battery, minor repairs, customs, delivers and duty, I just made it to about US$1,100.
About 800+UK pounds at the time. 911 UK pounds today.
It was my first (and last!) crowdfunding, but fun to actually do, I felt VERY modern....
I have never ever regretted buying my Stark bike. But some other owners have wrecked their bikes and blamed Stark, (who apparently was NOT riding it at the time!) for everything that went wrong, in public!
Not very friendly!!
It is also apparently too big for very small people, where a child's bike may have been a better purchase. I myself am a little (now!) under 6 feet tall, and it fits beautifully!!
If I can answer any other questions for anyone, just ask.
regards
Andy
PS. This was my second e-bike, the first one I bought secondhand, used it for over 6 years, looked after the single battery carefully (which some people here simply do not believe) rode over 3,000 Kms a year (no car!), and gave it away in a fully working condition, battery also, when I got my Stark....
PPS. I have over many years studied battery technology and some simple tips can increase the life span of a/any battery dramatically, but some other "know it alls" here, for some obtuse reasons, try to call me a liar!!! But the tips work!!
Some here on Pedelec, need a new battery before 2,000 KMs are ridden!!!

 

[Deleted member 25121]

How much extra did you have to pay for shipping, VAT, import duty and charges from an import broker / handler / administrator?

 

[Woosh]

How much extra did you have to pay for shipping, VAT, import duty and charges from an import broker / handler / administrator?

that depends on which factory assembles the bike.
On top of normal 6% import duty that Andy-Mat paid for his, the new e-bikes from China attracts about 88% anti-dumping duty.
The full list of anti dumping duty is here:

Imports of electric cycles originating in China (Anti-Dumping Duty 2285)

www.gov.uk

VAT is charged on top of anti dumping duty.

The only way to avoid anti-dumping duty is to assemble the bikes in the EU.

 

[peter.c]

Did I read that correctly 88% anti dumping tax what a way to promote alternative transport

 

[Woosh]

Did I read that correctly 88% anti dumping tax what a way to promote alternative transport

it's one way to keep jobs in the EU.
Some factories cooperate with the EU, their bikes are charged 37% anti-dumping.

 

[Andy-Mat]

How much extra did you have to pay for shipping, VAT, import duty and charges from an import broker / handler / administrator?

In total, it was around US$ 300 for me.
I believe I mentioned it before in my original post and that was 2017, not today.
Talk to customs and Excise for a more up to date value.
Andy

 

[Laser Man]

The amazing $399 price turns into $950 if you buy from their EU warehouse!

The $950 includes delivery and all taxes, but it's certainly not a bargain any more.

 

[peter.c]

Time for the B....T trade deal make the UK e bike central

 

[Andy-Mat]

The amazing $399 price turns into $950 if you buy from their EU warehouse!

The $950 includes delivery and all taxes, but it's certainly not a bargain any more.

There are very few other bikes with such a spec anywhere near that price (none that I can think of!), so to my mind, it remains a bargain, just as my own bike was!
No comparison.
That is 788 UK Pounds! Really cheap and including a battery too!
Pray be so kind as to list bikes for me with a similar spec at that price or better please, as I would like to see where I am "missing out" for some reason......
My first e-bike was a very simple bike in comparison, and it had cost almost that much new, (though I actually only paid about 180 UK Pounds for it one year old!)
regards
Andy

 

[Laser Man]

Not complaining about the bike - it looks pretty good.

Just the dodgy selling method : making out that it is incredibly cheap (too good to be true!) and then finding that on the page where you can order one the price has more than doubled.

 

[Andy-Mat]

Not complaining about the bike - it looks pretty good.

Just the dodgy selling method : making out that it is incredibly cheap (too good to be true!) and then finding that on the page where you can order one the price has more than doubled.

I think that you are mixing up the various bikes. The Torque is US$999.......

 

[Andy-Mat]

I think that you are mixing up the various bikes. The Torque is US$999.......

Here is the tech Spec of the 3 Torque Bike versions:-

 

[Andy-Mat]

Here is the tech Spec of the 3 Torque Bike versions:-

Update.
See here:-

Stark Drive Torque - Most Affordable Torque E-Bike

The Coolest, Most Customizable, Most Powerful, Mid-Motor Torque Based Folding Electric Bike Ever. | Check out 'Stark Drive Torque - Most Affordable Torque E-Bike' on Indiegogo.

www.indiegogo.com

regards
Andy