The Grand National Cross Country Series (GNCC) has opened up a new class, Open E, to allow electric motorcycles to compete alongside internal combustion engine machines.

The latest competition bulletin from Racer Productions ahead of the 2024 GNCC season start on February 17-18 at Big Buck announces a new category has been created for electric motorcycles, Open E class.

The new Open-E class has been added to the Bike National Classes to accommodate electric motorcycles with a minimum wheelbase of 53”, Racer Productions say, which keeps it set for actual motorcycles, as opposed to e-bikes or the halfway hybrid machines.

Importantly the class will compete in the 10am, two-hour Sunday race which obviously is an easier step than the three-hour race.

Enduro21 is not sure this is big news or not, it's certainly a milestone. More we are curious to see how it goes, who enters and how they get on. If it‘s you and you‘re taking an electric machine to GCC then get in touch, we‘re happy to tell your story.

Forward thinking from GNCC

The move shows GNCC is more forward thinking than some series’ around the globe in allowing electric bikes to compete alongside the ICE bikes.

Importantly the move will start to answer some of the questions most people have about electric dirt bikes in off-road competition, chiefly how will they stack-up?

To date only the UK Arenacross championship has pitched the two different breeds together on the same track in a meaningful way although the short indoor races are a whole different kettle of fish to a cross-country event.

We know from experience that riding enduro or off-road dramatically reduces the amount of juice sucked from a battery (just as with fuel) but quickly changeable battery packs are going to be necessary, right?

Blazusiak making Hard Enduro debut with Stark

Taddy Blazusiak will make his outdoor enduro debut this coming weekend on the Stark Varg in the Spanish Hard Enduro Championship – a bike which does not have a removeable battery. Clearly Taddy and the Stark team know what the bike is capable of though so we look forward to seeing how the legend gets on in the rocks and streets of Cantoria.  

 

Photo Credit: Future7Media | Nicki Martinez