KTM and Husqvarna X STACYC Launch Party

KTM and Husqvarna expanded their lines of two-wheeled machines by four by licensing STACYC 12 and 16″ electric stability cycles. Known for helping youngsters get on mini motorcycles sooner, the STACYC bikes bearing the KTM and Husqvarna branding boast some really cool details that definitely give them a moto-feel. The bikes are available only at authorized KTM and Husqvarna motorcycle dealerships.
To commemorate the collaboration. the KTM Group invited the media, friends, and employees to bring their little ones out to celebrate with a day of two-wheeled fun in the dirt!

Since no one on the SML staff has children young enough, we recruited a trio of test riders: brothers Knox and Josiah Kilgore, and Emerie Sutherlin, daughter of off-road racing hero Gary Sutherlin. Fox Raceway was transformed into a two-wheeled version of Chuck E. Cheese for the morning, as over 30 kids were ripping around the peewee course aboard KTM- and Husqvarna-branded STACYCs.

Our youngest tester, four-year-old Knox, already has a 12″ STACYC of his own and has been ripping it around with great skill and dexterity in his neighborhood. The opportunity to ride in the dirt at Fox Raceway, however, provided a completely new experience for the little guy.

Knox Kilgore, 4 years old.

At first, the loose surface in the silty sections of the course gave Knox fits, as he wasn’t sure how to handle the front-end push. Once he got comfortable with the surface conditions, the jumps posed the next challenge. Poor Knox crashed a couple times off the same jump in the center of the track, but he was having so much fun that he got up without any tears and carried on!

Knox goes down!

Though our initial invitation was extended to Knox, his seven-year-old brother Josiah came along to watch. At 5′ and 80 pounds, we had all assumed Josiah was too big for the 16″ STACYC but once we saw some of the other kids on hand, we signed him up, too!

Josiah Kilgore, 7 years old.

Having never ridden anything with a throttle before, Josiah’s learning curve on the larger, faster STACYC was steep. Early in the day, he was a little sketchy and had us on the edge of our seats. The whiskey throttle was real! Within a few laps, however, he mastered throttle application and was spinning laps amongst the quickest older kids.

Josiah catches some air. Check the facial expression!

By the end of the day, it was pretty apparent that if not a STACYC, Josiah would be asking his parents for a mini motorcycle as he was enamored with the full-sized motorcycles that circulated the main track at Fox Raceway.

Emerie Sutherlin, 7 years old.

We first met Emerie Sutherlin at the AMSOIL Swapmoto Race Series earlier in the year and were won over by her outgoing personality and charm. Daughter of off-road hero Gary Sutherlin, Emerie has been ripping around on a STACYC for three years and says that it actually helped her gain balance and confidence on her KTM mini.

Emerie leads the way.

Em was super stoked on the KTM branded STACYC, as it mirrors the look of the 50 SX that she races. “I think it handles the ruts and the rocks better than a normal STACYC,” she said…

All in all, it was a fantastic morning and KTM and Husqvarna have beat the rest of the motocross industry by tapping into a bike that can truly get kids on motorcycles sooner.

CLICK HERE to listen to the FLY Racing Swapmoto Podcast with former KTM employee and STACYC CEO Ryan Ragland and his wife, Brandy. Their story about inventing the amazing new category of two-wheeled vehicles is interesting and inspiring!