Ziggy from THE DIRT PACK trains at MxStage.be with the Stark Varg MX
Ahead of new THE DIRT PACK stories, our test rider Ziggy took a training course with MxStage.be at MSV De Uitlaat in Vlissingen, the Netherlands. MxStage.be is a motocross training and coaching platform founded by Alain Roels.
The day also served as the first real-world test for THE DIRT PACK’s new van, a KIA PV5, KIA’s latest electric van, due for delivery end of July. Ziggy brought along the Stark Varg MX and its charger to trial bi-directional charging from the KIA to the Varg. It worked smoothly. The van, fully charged the evening before, covered the 1.5-hour drive from Roeselare to Vlissingen, and the Varg was topped up from the KIA’s battery between training sessions using a standard device from Kia to connect with the standard charger from Stark Future. On the way home – via Meulebeke, Ieper, and Roeselare – the KIA itself was charged for half an hour to reach 80% state of charge.
Ziggy was the only rider on electric power that day, among six groups of roughly 15 riders each. Most still preferred the noise, smell, and vibration of a petrol-powered MX over going electric. Ziggy’s long-term goal is to coach riders who wish to ride all kinds of roads, grow as an MX and Enduro rider on electric machines and learn FMX to use within Mototerapia.
Ziggy thoroughly enjoyed being coached, as always: training, he says, is a never-ending process. Coaches Alain Roels and Jens van der Meer have a strong skillset for their work with riders across all levels, from youth and beginners to professionals. The next session for Ziggy with Alain’s team is planned for August 1–2 at the Ribécourt-Dreslincourt circuit in France.
About THE DIRT PACK
THE DIRT PACK is a dedicated test review format, and new category, within THE PACK: a premium content series built entirely around real-world electric off-road testing. Not spec sheets. Not press releases. Real rides, on real terrain, with an experienced enduro and motocross test rider behind the bars. Every THE DIRT PACK review includes a full test ride day at a relevant off-road location, photography, a long-form review published on THE PACK, and cross-promotion across all THE PACK social channels.
But THE DIRT PACK also powers Ziggy’s own initiatives (his main job is moto – but also theory, car, truck & bus) :
Electric moto coaching & teambuilding on demand (on- & offroad): instructor in a driving school.personal and group trainings can be booked via www.emxforall.be and www.edirtpark.be, in collaboration with Zeger. Get in touch: zeger@thedirtpack.eu
Mototerapia Belgium: Mototerapia Belgium is an innovative social initiative bringing therapeutic motorcycle experiences, primarily on quiet electric motorbikes, into hospitals and care environments. The project offers moments of joy, distraction, and emotional relief to patients and vulnerable individuals, and is increasingly recognized as a valuable complementary therapy. Driven by off-road rider Zeger “Ziggy” Verbeke and supported by Motorsport Vlaanderen, Mototerapia Belgium exists for one simple reason: to create smiles, calm, and connection for those facing illness or disability.
About the Stark Varg MX 1.2
The Varg MX Ziggy tested is Stark Future’s electric motocross bike, now in its updated 1.2 version. It delivers up to 80 hp and 978 Nm at the wheel, still outclassing conventional 450cc combustion bikes in raw output. Power is fully adjustable on the fly, from 10 to 80 hp, letting riders dial in power delivery, engine braking, and throttle response through the onboard Arkenstone smart device.
That Arkenstone unit is a military-grade Android device built into the cockpit, giving riders real-time power map changes plus GPS-based lap timing through the new ‘Laps’ feature. Range comes from a new 7.2 kWh battery, up to 20% more than before, housed in a magnesium honeycomb case that also serves as a structural frame part, paired with a motor tuned for better thermal efficiency so riders can get through a full day of motos.
Ziggy: “So far I’ve only been able to test it on dry, well-prepared hardpack terrain and in sand. So I can’t yet say anything about riding on wetter terrain. The huge advantage for riders like me, who handle the physical prep work around the bike on their own without a dedicated mechanic: there’s no clutch, no gears. That means as a rider you can focus entirely on your body position on the bike and on your steering and braking technique. As a result, I had zero arm pump and could put full focus on steering technique with my legs, combined with looking technique.
The versatility from the bike’s adjustability. You start on a 50cc and can end up, if you want, on a 450cc. I already knew that from the Mototerapia sessions, but it stands out even more on an MX track. One push of a button and you’re on a different cc planet.
I once rode myself physically into the ground, with no real experience, chasing lap times on a four-stroke Kawasaki 450 at MC Amigny. I’m looking forward to going back there on a Stark to keep growing as a rider while having serious fun.”
Almost no maintenance, no piston hours, no air filters, no fuel, and easy to clean after a training session.
Development was overseen by Sébastien Tortelli, two-time world champion and Stark’s Racing Director, drawing on testing feedback from more than 50 countries and elite racing programs.
About MxStage.be
MxStage.be is a Belgian motocross training and coaching platform founded by Alain Roels. It offers private training and coaching sessions, organized motocross events and weekends on rented and prepared circuits for beginners, intermediate, and competitive riders, and winter and summer camps including international events in Spain.
More info: www.mxstage.be
