Looking at the 2026 ST-E, I'm not sure about the idea of electric starter only.

If you plan to ride in cold climates the first thing you will want to add is a jump start port so you can carry some extra battery power, e-start on my TRS bikes is very seasonal.  If it has a sprag bearing in the starter you might even want to pack a spare motorcycle.

Edited December 19, 2025Dec 19 by lemur

I'm not exactly sure when it was (mid 1980s maybe) that street bikes began to lose the kicker.  Old-timers lamented the loss.  Nowadays, no street bike has a kick-starter — and for logical reasons.

Bump starting became a possible (and sometimes necessary) workaround.  But it's very difficult to bump-start a trials bike — although I have done it.

Personally, I would keep a spare battery or lithium-ion jump-starting pack with the tow vehicle.

Ok guys, can we just stop & have a reality check here ? Is this another answer to a problem that never was ? This modern world is full of ‘em and somehow the world and his dog get drawn in.

Electric starters on bikes are an unnecessary luxury item in most cases IMHO, perhaps acceptable on a large road bike, but small capacity machines of any type just don’t need them. FFS if you’re riding trials then you’re likely to have got legs and are reasonably fit. And the next thing they sell you are titanium bits to save weight !!! 
Wake up people, just buy a bike with a kickstart, I can guarantee that a few minutes rest will recharge your leg, without needing to carry a backpack with anything at all in it. If your bikes got a fault & doesn’t start then pushing it back to van/paddock will be easier without an extra 2kg of starter and a another 5kg backpack.

Sorry but my getting old, ‘Victor Meldrew’,(That’s a uk comedy reference, look it up) good old times syndrome just overcame me 😂

Keeping the grey beards happy, probably the only ones that can afford to buy and also have the time to use a new trials bike at the present time. 

Just push your bike home, bump start it, or call a tow vehicle 🤣 says the 200 pounder who only rides flatlands and quad trails. 

On 12/19/2025 at 11:59 PM, feetupsbetter said:

Ok guys, can we just stop & have a reality check here ? Is this another answer to a problem that never was ? This modern world is full of ‘em and somehow the world and his dog get drawn in.

Electric starters on bikes are an unnecessary luxury item in most cases IMHO, perhaps acceptable on a large road bike, but small capacity machines of any type just don’t need them. FFS if you’re riding trials then you’re likely to have got legs and are reasonably fit. And the next thing they sell you are titanium bits to save weight !!! 
Wake up people, just buy a bike with a kickstart, I can guarantee that a few minutes rest will recharge your leg, without needing to carry a backpack with anything at all in it. If your bikes got a fault & doesn’t start then pushing it back to van/paddock will be easier without an extra 2kg of starter and a another 5kg backpack.

Sorry but my getting old, ‘Victor Meldrew’,(That’s a uk comedy reference, look it up) good old times syndrome just overcame me 😂

Plus, fit a decompressor which makes kicking even easier 😂