THE WORLD’S FIRST COMPETITION-READY ELECTRIC ENDURO MOTORCYCLE

Electric cars and bicycles are increasingly becoming the norm. However, electric propulsion is not yet commonplace in motorcycles. Tim Veldhuis had already demonstrated with the University of Twente’s Electric Superbike Twente team that an electric racing motorcycle can indeed be built. When he developed a concept for an electric motocross bike during his graduation project, he knew: I have to do something with this. Driven to help build the future of e-mobility, he founded the new motorcycle brand Radian together with former members of Electric Superbike Twente. They recently launched the Radian EXR: the world’s first fully electric enduro motorcycle suitable for competition.

Anyone who has ever been near a motocross track knows the sound of the crackling and screaming engines all too well. That sound has been slowly but surely disappearing over the past few decades, particularly due to new laws regarding noise pollution, nature conservation, and circuit permits. Tim: “In Belgium, there used to be over sixty motocross circuits. Now there are only three left. In the Netherlands, it is not too bad, but the rules have become stricter.”
The stricter enforcement of permits hits enduro motorsport just as hard, as enduro races often involve long rides through nature. Additionally, laws regarding emissions and noise pollution put pressure on the sport. “You often ride through nature reserves. Animals and hikers are startled by the noise, even though you are allowed to ride on those paths. And that is not even mentioning the emissions. In such a densely populated piece of land as the Netherlands, the electrification of motocross and enduro is inevitable.”

Knowledge and passion

That Tim was the designated person to play a role in this transition also seemed inevitable. His first part-time job was at the go-kart track, where he caught the motorsport bug. Later, while studying at the University of Twente, he started the student team Electric Superbike Twente together with Lars Haarmeijer. There, they built an electric motorcycle that immediately won the MotoE competition. Tim remained involved with the student team, but also wanted more. “Racing is my passion, after all,” he says. “We wanted to do something with the knowledge we had gained in the student team. After exploring the market a bit, I decided, together with Thomas Maas, Jan Veenhuis, and Anne Bulten, to build the world’s first uncompromising electric enduro motorcycle. Because an electric enduro motorcycle that allows you to ride full-fledged races did not yet exist. With the competition’s bikes, you have to charge for an hour and a half during your race, and there is simply no time for that during an enduro race.”

A full-fledged alternative

With the Radian EXR, they have indeed built the first commercial electric enduro motorcycle suitable for competition. Due to the electric drive, the motorcycle makes hardly any noise and produces no emissions, which significantly reduces noise pollution and permit issues. In addition, there are other advantages. Tim: “Think about the maintenance. Instead of topping up the oil every five hours, with the electric motor it’s every sixty to one hundred hours. You also no longer have a clutch, so you don’t have to shift gears, it vibrates less, and the motor cannot stall.”
What really sets the Radian motor apart are the interchangeable batteries. “You can easily swap the batteries, just like on an electric bike,” Tim explains. “So you don’t have to do any tinkering to get them out. And if you have a spare set, you swap them in a matter of seconds and you can keep going, without having to wait for them to recharge. That is why the Radian EXR is truly a full-fledged alternative to existing enduro motorcycles.”

First position

Mid-May 2026 was the moment: the launch of the Radian EXR. This stirred up a lot within the motocross world: in a positive way. Tim: “That gave us a tremendous amount of energy, seeing our first product so well received and the first pre-orders coming in immediately. After we have delivered the first bikes, we are also expanding into a motocross and a supermoto variant. Ultimately, we want to be one of the biggest players in the off-road market and, naturally, preferably compete for the top spot: both on the track and in sales figures.”