The Erzbergrodeo is widely considered to be the toughest enduro competition in the world, where merely crossing the finish line is considered a major achievement. This year, for the 30th edition of the epic Hare Scramble, electric motorcycles were allowed to compete alongside combustion-powered bikes for the first time.
But the big question was, could any of them finish?
At 51, Graham Jarvis has amassed quite a collection of hard enduro trophies. But before transitioning to hard enduro in 2004, Jarvis competed in traditional motorcycle trial events, winning the Scottish Six Days Trial four times, the Scott Trial nine times (more than any other competitor in the event’s history), as well as six British Trial Championships.
Since making the move to hard enduro, Jarvis has scored seven wins at Red Bull Romaniacs, six at Red Bull Sea to Sky, five at Hell’s Gate, four at the Roof of Africa, as well as five wins at the Erzberg Rodeo Red Bull Hair Scramble.
In all fairness, Jarvis has revolutionized the sport for over 20 years, showcasing his precision, balance and mechanical empathy across brutal terrain. He’s both a legend and a pioneer, so it’s no surprise that the British champion is at the forefront of the electric dirt bike movement.
This year, rather than set out to face the Iron Giant on the ubiquitous 300cc two-stroke, Jarvis wanted to show the world that His JARV-E Electric Dirt Bike Was not only capable, but capable of competing and completing the ultimate tough enduro.
Starting on the second row of fifty riders, Jarvis navigated his way through a crowd of stuck, stuck, and struggling riders to take his Jarv-E to 10th place, becoming the only rider from his row to reach the finish line, and one of the first three electric motorcycles to complete the Erzberg Rodeo.
So, sit back and watch JARVIS take on the Iron Giant on his Formula JARV-E moto, fighting some initial struggles during the prologue, but ultimately succeeding in his goal of proving the capabilities of the platform.
Now that the question of whether they can finish has been answered, I wonder: is the future of hard enduro… electric?
