INTERVIEW FOR 24ur.com
The Italian National Championship in electric off-road motorcycle racing (FMI E-bike Cross) ended in Boveso, in the Italian province of Cuneo, on September 11. Overall, the first four places in the Open class were taken by riders on lightweight electric motocross motorcycles with pedals from the Slovenian manufacturer Qulbix.
I think there's no better way to objectively test your product than to sit on it and race it against other drivers. Theory and development are one thing, but practice in difficult conditions is another.
The fastest and most interesting of them is the Open category, where speed and power are not limited and where the vehicles are more similar in appearance and capabilities to motocross motorcycles than bicycles, as they reach powers of up to 12kW (regular e-bikes have from 0.25 kW to 0.5 kW of power) and speeds of up to 70 km/h. What the vehicles in the Open category have in common is that the drive is a combination of an electric motor with added power on the handlebars and pedaling. The races are a kind of interesting mix of cycling and motocross races, full of adrenaline and fast jumps, and when two competitors silently rush past the viewer with the speed and force of a motocross bike in the fight for first place, it takes the breath away of all newcomers.
In the Open category, the overall winner of the Italian championship was Italian rider Giuliano Boschi from the Valdinievole Ebike club, second place went to Slovenian rider Mitja Šorn from the Qulbix/RP Moto team under the auspices of AMZS, and third place went to Marco Gualdani from the Gorlese team, all three on an electric motocross motorcycle with pedals, Slovenian brand Qulbix.
How the Slovenian manufacturer of lightweight e-cross bikes found itself in the Italian national championship, explains Mitja Šorn, director of Ulbi d.o.o.:
"It started in 2019, when we won the Proto category championship title in the EX-Bike Cross World Cup competition in Imola. Representatives of the FIM and FMI invited us to design race formats and everything developed from there. In Italy, they took things very seriously and organized the first national championship the following year. We also competed in their last race in the championship, with our Q140MD Core e-cross bike, and won it. The following season, we offered our lightweight electric motocross motorcycles, or motocross e-bikes, as we call them, to Italian racers. At first, they were a bit cautious, as the Italians have a very strong motorcycle industry of their own, but they soon realized that Qulbix e-cross bikes suited them. They are robust and reliable, and above all, they are currently the most powerful of all the vehicles competing in the championship. Of course, this is an industry that is progressing very quickly, and where things need to be developed all the time. Namely, nothing reveals the true quality of a vehicle faster than a sports competition. On paper, anything is possible, but there can be no shortcuts when it comes to a vehicle enduring four rides at the limit in one day, in dust and sand and heat. Our e-cross bikes were tested in competitions this year by various drivers, from professional racers like Ivan Clementi to motocross magazine journalists like Marco Gualdani from Motociclismo Fuoristrada magazine. Everyone was initially skeptical about the electric version of such vehicles, but at the end of the race they came to the pits with a smile from ear to ear.
"It started in 2019, when we won the Proto category championship title in the EX-Bike Cross World Cup competition in Imola. Representatives of the FIM and FMI invited us to design race formats and everything developed from there. In Italy, they took things very seriously and organized the first national championship the following year. We also competed in their last race in the championship, with our Q140MD Core e-cross bike, and won it. The following season, we offered our lightweight electric motocross motorcycles, or motocross e-bikes, as we call them, to Italian racers. At first, they were a bit cautious, as the Italians have a very strong motorcycle industry of their own, but they soon realized that Qulbix e-cross bikes suited them. They are robust and reliable, and above all, they are currently the most powerful of all the vehicles competing in the championship. Of course, this is an industry that is progressing very quickly, and where things need to be developed all the time. Namely, nothing reveals the true quality of a vehicle faster than a sports competition. On paper, anything is possible, but there can be no shortcuts when it comes to a vehicle enduring four rides at the limit in one day, in dust and sand and heat. Our e-cross bikes were tested in competitions this year by various drivers, from professional racers like Ivan Clementi to motocross magazine journalists like Marco Gualdani from Motociclismo Fuoristrada magazine. Everyone was initially skeptical about the electric version of such vehicles, but at the end of the race they came to the pits with a smile from ear to ear.
Five riders raced on Qulbix lightweight e-cross bikes at the legendary Fast Cross course in Arsago Sepriu, Italy.
Words cannot describe the feeling when you first twist the throttle and feel the torque of the electric motor. It is a completely unique experience.
Can you tell us a bit about the competition. Who is entering such competitions?
“Most of them, especially in the lower categories, are individual riders, but there are also a few professional teams, such as Valdinievole e-bike in collaboration with JK Racing, which also has its rider in the MX GP. Their E-Bike Cross rider Giuliano Boschi won the overall championship this year with our Q140MD Core cross bike. For now, the championship is still “young” and allows entry at relatively low costs, thus offering opportunities to less experienced or less sponsored competitors. That is why I would invite all young cross riders to dare to try something new, because it is not every day that you can witness the birth of a new sport. Just think how nice it would be to see a Slovenian rider on the podium of the World EX-bike Cross Cup again. Luck is on the side of the brave.”
In the Open category, you yourself, as the only Slovenian, won second place overall. Can a director also be a test driver?
It can be and should always be! (laughs) I think there is no better way to objectively test your product than to sit on it and compete with other drivers. Theory and development are one thing, but practice in difficult conditions is something completely different. As a driver in a race, you are exposed to a whole bunch of small details that could be improved and such experiences are invaluable. This year I managed to finish on the podium a few times (Mitja Šorn was also third in the FIM World Cup race this year, note) and that is also a kind of confirmation.
Electric cross and pedals. How did it come about?
As I mentioned, e-bike cross is a new sport and, similar to motorcycling years ago, it evolved from bicycles to a motor (this time electric) drive. But as soon as the first e-bike started racing, the desire for more power and greater speed already appeared. That's why the organizers opened up one of the categories. To give free rein to development. And it's developing in that direction. Maybe next year's races will have pedals instead of pedals.
“Most of them, especially in the lower categories, are individual riders, but there are also a few professional teams, such as Valdinievole e-bike in collaboration with JK Racing, which also has its rider in the MX GP. Their E-Bike Cross rider Giuliano Boschi won the overall championship this year with our Q140MD Core cross bike. For now, the championship is still “young” and allows entry at relatively low costs, thus offering opportunities to less experienced or less sponsored competitors. That is why I would invite all young cross riders to dare to try something new, because it is not every day that you can witness the birth of a new sport. Just think how nice it would be to see a Slovenian rider on the podium of the World EX-bike Cross Cup again. Luck is on the side of the brave.”
In the Open category, you yourself, as the only Slovenian, won second place overall. Can a director also be a test driver?
It can be and should always be! (laughs) I think there is no better way to objectively test your product than to sit on it and compete with other drivers. Theory and development are one thing, but practice in difficult conditions is something completely different. As a driver in a race, you are exposed to a whole bunch of small details that could be improved and such experiences are invaluable. This year I managed to finish on the podium a few times (Mitja Šorn was also third in the FIM World Cup race this year, note) and that is also a kind of confirmation.
Electric cross and pedals. How did it come about?
As I mentioned, e-bike cross is a new sport and, similar to motorcycling years ago, it evolved from bicycles to a motor (this time electric) drive. But as soon as the first e-bike started racing, the desire for more power and greater speed already appeared. That's why the organizers opened up one of the categories. To give free rein to development. And it's developing in that direction. Maybe next year's races will have pedals instead of pedals.
Giuliano Boschi (left) is the national champion in the Open category in E-Bike Cross and runner-up in the EX-Bike Cross World Cup races, and Mitja Šorn (right), runner-up in the Open category in E-Bike Cross and third place in the EX-Bike CrossWorld Cup race.
Tell us more about Qulbix. How did it come about that Slovenians have their own manufacturer?
It was a gradual process. At Ulba d.o.o., we started in 2014 with the development and production of frames for light single-track off-road vehicles. We sold such DIY or do-it-yourself frames all over the world. Over time, customers wanted more and more parts and knowledge on how to build an entire vehicle, so we continued in this direction. Over the years, we have developed quite a few of our own models of complete electric motorcycles, from models with an engine in the rear wheel, to narrower models that were more like bicycles than motocross bikes, all the way to the Q140MD Core model that we compete with today. The Core is the result of several years of testing and finding the balance between weight and power. Today, it is a strong, but still relatively light (58 kg) off-road vehicle that can be adjusted to suit every type of rider. There are two types of seats available (classic bicycle and motorcycle seats), the pedals can be replaced with foot pedals, and the power and speed can be limited and added as desired. The high-capacity battery (2.16 kWh) allows for a good half hour of wild riding on a motocross track or up to 60 km of riding on (even steep) terrain. In addition to classic, hydraulic brakes, the Q140MD Core also has a regenerative brake that charges the battery when braking.
Many are still skeptical of electric vehicles. What do you say to those who doubt electricity?
I suggest that they come to us and try the Q140MD Core. Words cannot describe the feeling when you first turn the throttle and feel the torque of the electric motor. It is a completely unique experience.
It was a gradual process. At Ulba d.o.o., we started in 2014 with the development and production of frames for light single-track off-road vehicles. We sold such DIY or do-it-yourself frames all over the world. Over time, customers wanted more and more parts and knowledge on how to build an entire vehicle, so we continued in this direction. Over the years, we have developed quite a few of our own models of complete electric motorcycles, from models with an engine in the rear wheel, to narrower models that were more like bicycles than motocross bikes, all the way to the Q140MD Core model that we compete with today. The Core is the result of several years of testing and finding the balance between weight and power. Today, it is a strong, but still relatively light (58 kg) off-road vehicle that can be adjusted to suit every type of rider. There are two types of seats available (classic bicycle and motorcycle seats), the pedals can be replaced with foot pedals, and the power and speed can be limited and added as desired. The high-capacity battery (2.16 kWh) allows for a good half hour of wild riding on a motocross track or up to 60 km of riding on (even steep) terrain. In addition to classic, hydraulic brakes, the Q140MD Core also has a regenerative brake that charges the battery when braking.
Many are still skeptical of electric vehicles. What do you say to those who doubt electricity?
I suggest that they come to us and try the Q140MD Core. Words cannot describe the feeling when you first turn the throttle and feel the torque of the electric motor. It is a completely unique experience.
Qulbix's sporting achievements in E-Bike Cross
2019 – Anže Svetek won the first FIM EX-Bike Cross World Cup in the Proto category on a Qulbix Q140MD Core e-bike.
2020 – Mitja Šorn won the last race of the Italian FMI E-Bike Cross National Championship in the Open category on a Q140MD Core e-bike.
2020 – Mitja Šorn achieved 3rd place in the Proto category in the FIM EX-Bike Cross World Cup on a Q140MD Core e-bike.
2021 – Giuliano Boschi won the overall of the Italian FMI E-Bike Cross National Championship in the Open category on a Q140MD Core. All three of the next place finishers in the championship also rode a Q140MD Core e-bike.
2021 – Mitja Šorn achieved 2nd place overall at the Italian FMI E-Bike Cross National Championship in the Open category on the Q140MD Core e-bike.
2021 – Giuliano Boschi and Mitja Šorn achieved 2nd and 3rd place in the Proto category at the FIM EX-Bike Cross World Cup on the Q140MD Core e-bikes.