Hi everyone,
I'm currently looking for a dual-motor eMTB that can handle steep climbs, forest trails, and occasional fire roads without costing a fortune.
One model that recently caught my attention is the
BURCHDA Y3 AWD. On paper, it looks impressive:
- Dual-motor AWD system
- 52V 30Ah removable battery
- Full suspension
- Fat tires for loose terrain
- Claimed range of around 100 miles under ideal conditions
The specifications seem very competitive compared to many bikes in the same price range.
Has anyone here actually ridden one?
I'm particularly interested in:
- How well does the AWD system perform on steep climbs?
- Is the suspension comfortable on rough trails?
- How does the bike handle at higher speeds?
- What's your real-world battery range?
I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone with first-hand experience.
I don't have any experience with the bike, but just looked it up as I was unfamiliar with the brand. Just FYI, there is a typo in the suspension specs listed on the Y3 info page, and since you specifically asked about suspension, I thought you should know. It says it has a:
"
220mm Dual-Crown Fork: Unlike standard forks, this heavy-duty
dual-crown front fork offers a massive
220mm travel to swallow deep potholes and tree roots effortlessly."
The bike pictured actually only has a Single-Crown fork, that, based on the amount of exposed stanchion tube I see, could only have around 100mm of travel.
I'm sure you know more about bikes of that type (dual motored EMTBs with a throttle, and 4" wide fatbike tires)than I do, so it sounds like you've identified that it is a good relative value compared to other bikes of that type. If you don't mind, can you share what circumstances you'll be riding in? A bike like that might be good for something like hunting or camping, where you want to haul a lot of heavy gear, maybe in a trailer, deep into the backcountry. It might also be good for cruising fire roads at a relatively high speed. Basically, types of riding where you are prioritizing power and range, and where you aren't going to be forced to get off the bike until you get to your destination. Having said that, you mentioned primarily riding "forest trails and steep climbs" and I couldn't help but notice that the specs of that bike say it weighs 107lbs!
If you are going out on challenging terrain or "sporty" rides, a bike that heavy can really drag you down (no pun intended).
Most of the people on this forum (who are typically riding twisty, turny, rough off-road trails for fun and fitness), want a bike that is in the ballpark of about 50lbs (give or take about 10lbs). Even with the 60lb bikes, I see a lot of complaints about the bike being difficult or impossible to carry over unridable stretches of trail, or lift over a locked farmers gate. I also see people with bikes in even the 50lb range saying the bike doesn't feel as fun and sporty as a previous 45lb bike the person owned previously, and so it isn't as much fun whipping the bike left and right on a twisty trail, or popping the front end of the bike in the air to ride over a small log or rock ledge in the trail. Bikes like I've just described will typically have about 1/2 the battery capacity and about 1/5 the wattage of the Burchda, but it seems like if off-road handling on rugged steep trails is the priority, those tradeoffs are well worth it for most riders, as the bike will still get you through a ride of several hours, at a pace that is often too fast for our handling skills to keep up. Regarding battery capacity, also remember that while the Burchda battery may have roughly double the watt hours of a lot of our bikes, it will eat a lot more juice on climbs and accelerations due to the extra 57lbs of weight, so you can't expect double the range. For a lighter 50lb model like I described above, you'd be looking at easily double or triple the price though, unless you can find a great deal on a closeout, so I don't want to make it sound like its an obvious no-brainer.
Anyway, I don't want to rain on your parade, and I'm sure that Burchda could be very useful for getting places both around town or in the backcountry, and recreational cruising on less technically challenging terrain, and the price is very accessible. Just keep your expectations realistic, and make sure you're getting the right tool for the job. Oh, I should also mention that the Burchda is a "Class 3" ebike, due to having a throttle and having a higher speed governor. It's actually beyond class 3, because it says the cutoff is 40mph, whereas Class 3 is supposed to cutoff around 30mph. Anyway, my point is that most bike-specific and most multiuse (biking, hiking, horsebackriding) offroad trails are supposed to only allow Class 1 ebikes (no throttle and 20mph top speed). Enforcement is often lax, and if you are in a really rural area there may not be anyone else around to complain, but I just wanted you to be aware of the fact that it would probably only technically be legal to ride the Burchda on roads and trails that permit motorized use (like ATVs and Dirtbikes).
