Sting MX5 Pro

The verdict

The Talaria Sting MX5 Pro is the brand's newest 72V flagship — and the first Talaria that out-specs the Sur-Ron Light Bee X on paper. It earns a VoltRipper Score of 85/100, which lands it #4 of the 37 bikes we track — behind only the Sur-Ron Storm Bee and Ultra Bee (89 each) and just ahead of the Light Bee X's 83. The reason is simple: for $4,299 you get more peak power (13.4 kW), a bigger battery (2.88 kWh, 72V, Samsung cells), and a higher unlocked top speed (~59 mph) than the Sur-Ron benchmark. The catch — and it's a real one — is that it ships factory-limited to 20 mph, and the MX5-specific aftermarket is still young. Buy it for 72V power-per-dollar from a dealer-supported brand; just go in clear-eyed about the limiter and the new-platform ecosystem.

Who it's for — and who should skip it

Buy it if you want Talaria's newest and most powerful 72V platform, you're stepping up from a 60V Sting or X3, you're cross-shopping the Light Bee X on power-per-dollar, and you're comfortable derestricting a bike to unlock its real speed.

Skip it if you want full performance straight out of the crate (it ships throttled to 20 mph), need a street-legal machine as delivered, want the single deepest parts-and-community ecosystem (that's still the Light Bee X), or you value a proven resale and aftermarket track record over the newest hardware.

The defining quirk: it ships limited to 20 mph

This is the one thing to understand before buying. Like its Sting siblings, the MX5 Pro is capable of roughly 59 mph, but Talaria delivers it factory-limited to 20 mph for compliance. Owners routinely derestrict it to reach that full potential — our reality-check panel logs both numbers honestly. Derestriction is common and well-documented, but be clear-eyed: it's on you, it can affect warranty coverage, and it does not change the bike's legal status (it remains an off-road machine). If "unbox it and rip" is your expectation, plan for the derestriction step first.

What you're actually buying: the jump to 72V

The headline is the move to 72V. Where the Sting R MX4 and X3 are 60V bikes, the MX5 Pro runs a 2,880 Wh (72V, 40 Ah, Samsung-cell) pack feeding a motor rated to 13.4 kW peak and 500 N·m of torque — a genuine power-and-range step up over the 60V family. It's proper flagship hardware: dual hydraulic brakes, full adjustable suspension (220 mm front travel), 19-inch knobby tires, an on-board display, and a trim 165 lb curb weight. For riders stepping up from a 60V Sting or an e-bike, the extra voltage translates to a more planted, more motorcycle-like ride — and it undercuts the Light Bee X on price while out-gunning it on paper.

The number nobody advertises: real-world range

Talaria rates the MX5 Pro at ~62 miles. In mixed, real-world riding, plan for ~35 miles — Luna Cycle frames it as roughly a 40-mile bike at a steady 25 mph, and hard trail use pulls that into the mid-30s. That's the same claimed-vs-real gap that runs across this entire category, and the reason we publish both figures. The 72V/40 Ah pack is large for the class and helps the MX5 Pro hold its own, but range still falls sharply once you've derestricted and are riding in the top power mode. We break down the whole dynamic in our range guide.

Where it wins, where it costs you

Wins: the 72V platform (more power and range than the 60V Sting/X3 siblings), 13.4 kW peak output, moto-spec dual hydraulic brakes and adjustable suspension, and Talaria's dealer network and sibling-platform familiarity behind it. On raw power-per-dollar, it's one of the strongest bikes in the class.

Costs you: the 20 mph factory limit and the derestriction it forces; a young MX5-specific aftermarket and resale history compared with the proven Sting R MX4 and Light Bee X; it's off-road as sold; and there's no companion app. None are dealbreakers — but the still-maturing ecosystem is the honest reason it scores an 85 rather than pushing into Storm/Ultra Bee territory.

Street-legal reality

The MX5 Pro is marked `street_legal: kit` — meaning a conversion path exists, not that it arrives road-ready. It ships without factory DOT lighting, so any pavement use means adding a proper street-legal kit and living in a state that will register the result — a narrow, paperwork-heavy path. Check our street-legal guide and your state's rules before planning any road time; treat this as an off-road bike first.

MX5 Pro vs Light Bee X — the real question

This is the cross-shop most MX5 Pro buyers are actually making. On paper the MX5 Pro wins — more peak power, a bigger battery, a higher unlocked top speed, and a lower price, which is exactly why it edges the Score. But note the top-speed column: the Light Bee X ships ready to run at 53 mph, while the MX5 Pro arrives throttled to 20 mph until you derestrict it, and it sits on a younger aftermarket than Sur-Ron's segment-deepest ecosystem. Choose the MX5 Pro if you want the newest, most powerful 72V hardware for the money and don't mind unlocking it; choose the Light Bee X if you want the ready-to-rip, best-supported bike with the longest proven track record.

Bottom line

The Talaria Sting MX5 Pro is the brand's most capable trail bike yet and the first Talaria to out-spec the Sur-Ron Light Bee X on paper — the pick for riders who want maximum 72V power-per-dollar from a dealer-backed brand and are willing to derestrict. Its 85 Score reflects genuinely flagship hardware, tempered by a still-young ecosystem and the factory speed limiter rather than any lack of capability. If those trade-offs don't bother you, it's one of the best hardware values in the class.

VoltRipper is spec-verified and data-driven — we do not claim hands-on testing of this bike. Specs and prices are cross-checked against the sources listed above and re-verified regularly; real-world figures are our own estimates, clearly labeled.