Are KTM and Harley-Davidson working together? It sure seems like they are if this news from KTM is anything to go by. If you’ll recall, in March, 2019, Harley-Davidson bought childrens’ electric balance-bike maker StaCyc. Since that purchase, the Motor Company has released its two IRONe balance bikes, including some limited-edition models with LiveWire yellow paint.
Now KTM is following Harley into the wide world of balance bikes, and will begin selling its own 2020 KTM Factory Replica StaCyc 12eDrive and 16eDrive balance bikes. While you wouldn’t usually think of Milwaukee’s and Austria’s finest as being in direct competition with one another, it’s hard not to look at the two shades of orange side-by-side and wonder in this case.
Start 'Em Young:
Then again, maybe this will set some kind of trend, and other moto manufacturers will also put out co-branded StaCyc models to get kids acclimated to balancing on motorized bicycles. I’m picturing something like all the kids’ MLB team gear you can buy, where it’s cool to just support whichever team your parents want you to support. Meanwhile, at the other end, you have the same factories making that gear and simply embroidering different logos into place. It’s all for the love of the game, right?
Gallery: 2020 KTM Factory Replica StaCyc Electric Balance Bikes
In any case, the 2020 KTM Factory Replica StaCyc 12eDrive features 12-inch wheels and a 13-inch seat height. Kids can operate it like a regular bicycle until they’re comfortable with balancing, and then graduate to a 3-level powered mode for additional experience. Meanwhile, the 2020 KTM Factory Replica StaCyc 16eDrive features 16-inch wheels and a 17-inch seat height. It also gets a new high-powered brushless motor for 2020, which is standard across StaCyc’s 2020 line, regardless of KTM livery.
Incidentally, both bikes offer 45 to 60-minute charge time, and 30 to 60-minutes of run time per charge. If you need unlimited run time, the batteries can quickly be changed, and StaCyc sells spares at an MSRP of US $164. The KTM-branded StaCyc balance bikes should arrive at authorized KTM dealers sometime in summer 2020. If the small kids in your life need to ride orange, you should contact your local KTM dealer for more information.
KTM didn’t mention prices, but the non-KTM-branded StaCyc 12eDrive runs $649 and the 16eDrive runs $849.
Sources: KTM, StaCyc