Austrian motorbike manufacturer KTM has released two new ‘race-styled’ electric balance bikes. The 12eDRIVE and 16eDRIVE are aimed at 3-to-5-year-olds.
We’ve reported on a couple of electric balance bikes in recent times – the 100W IndyBikes Electric Balance Bike for 3-to-6-year-olds and the 250W Mondraker Grommy for ages 3-8.
The terminology is strange and, arguably, a touch evasive. While a bike without pedals is generally referred to as a balance bike, a bike without pedals which has a motor is surely just a motorbike or moped?
Confusingly, KTM (who are, after all, a motorbike manufacturer) seem to accept and even embrace this. While retaining the ‘electric balance bike’ label, they are explicitly pitching these new bikes as miniature motorbikes.
“Juniors can revel in the simplicity of power-assisted pace and the raw instincts of motorcycling,” promises a spokesperson. They also suggest that youngsters will be able to, “emulate their Red Bull KTM Factory Racing heroes,” in reference to the brand’s MotoGP team.
The 8kg KTM 12eDRIVE is described as “the ideal starter for rapidly changing children.” It features 12” wheels and a low 33cm high seat. The idea is that the child will learn to push and coast, as they would with a normal balance bike, before graduating to the three-level powered mode.
The KTM 16eDRIVE, meanwhile, is for slightly taller children. It has 16” wheels and a slightly more powerful motor. The speed tops out at 21km/h for this one, versus 14km/h for its smaller sibling.
Both models offer quick charging and roughly 30 - 60 minutes of run-time.
They’re out now in North America and elsewhere from March.
