Honda to Dominate Kids’ Dirt Bike Market with its Electric Dirt Bike CRF-E2

Until recently, the youth electric dirt bike market was incredibly limited; you could choose from the ultra-mini street or toy motorcycles, or the high-end (and high-priced) competition-focused KTM SX-E 5 or Husky EE 5 mini crosses on the other end of the spectrum. With the debut of Indian’s eFTR Jr minibike last year, things got a little better for those in the middle, but it was still effectively a rebadged Razor product marketed more as a casual choice than a true off-road ripper.

Big Red is now aiming for the Goldilocks middle ground with the electric Honda CRF-E2 dirt bike, which was recently introduced in collaboration with Greenger Powersports. The Greenger x Honda CRF-E2 is a step up from the less serious minibikes, but at a lower price point than the higher-quality Austrian offerings, clearly aimed at younger off-road riders with its combination of a familiar platform, compact footprint, and ease of operation, all at a lower price point.

For its part, Honda touts the CRF-E2 as “a fun training tool for young new riders, as it eliminates the need to operate a clutch or shift lever.” Making things even easier is the low-voltage (48-volt) BLDC electric motor that produces a maximum output of 3.4 hp and 18.4 pound-feet of torque, according to Honda, which should be plenty to get this 106-pounder (curb weight) up to speed.

CRF-E2 boasts the 20AH lithium-ion battery, which is not only swappable but also promises a best-in-class range of around two hours (ideally) with a full charge. It takes four hours to fully charge the battery, or two and a half hours if you utilise the optional quick-charging system. If you have a spare battery on hand, you can quickly swap it out to keep the fun going. It’s an amazing feature that you don’t see very often in this class.

The CRF-E2 also comes with a solid component list, which includes a 33mm telescopic hydraulic fork and a DNM shock with genuine preload and rebound damping controls and a massive 8.3 inches of suspension travel. The front suspension is still acceptable at 3.9 inches, and the CRF-E2 rides on 12-inch wheels with Kenda Millville K771 knobby tyres front and rear. The disc brakes are likewise genuine, with pedal-style 190mm rotors in front and rear, actuated by hydraulic callipers with adjustable brake levers on the handlebar.

The components are housed on a twin-spar aluminium frame with a tapered aluminium handlebar, and the seat height is adjustable between 24.8 and 25.5 inches (Honda says the bike can physically accommodate riders weighing 99 pounds or less). The silhouette and red plastic bodywork with blue and white logos adhere to—or at least acknowledge—successful Honda’s CRF450R and CRF250R models, and the style isn’t your typical ticky-tacky approach.

Finally, Honda is jumping onto the bandwagon where maximum brands have failed to deliver promise and performance. The CRF-E2 has an MSRP of $2,950 and is offered exclusively through American Honda’s statewide network of participating Powersports dealerships.