Known for its ludicrous forced-induction Triumph builds, UK-based Thornton Hundred decided to show the finger to the two-stroke purists by dressing up a 2024 Stark Varg Alpha electric dirt bike in the iconic Honda CR500’s clothing — and then turning it into a supermoto. Bold, eh?
But if anything could come close to living up to the old Honda’s reputation, it had to be the Stark. After all, with almost 80 bhp and 95.6 kgm on tap, the Varg doesn’t just huff and puff — it blows the competition away. And the insane 715.6 bhp-per-tonne power-to weight ratio should be enough to convince anyone who thinks otherwise.
All the Stark plastics were replaced with a full set of 1995 CR500 panels, along with a bunch of Honda parts to make the conversion work. That list even included the original bike’s fuel tank cover — which would’ve been useless, had Thornton not repurposed it as the plug for charging the 6.5-kWh battery pack. All of this meant fabricating a lot of custom mounts to fit the extra bits onto the Stark’s steel frame, which weighs a mere 6 kg — the lightest in the business.
Unfortunately, the stock subframe had to go to fit the original CR500 fender and seat. But thanks to some metal wizardry, Thornton not only replicated the Honda’s rear end but also its riding posture. That meant trading the stock MX seat for something more comfortable — in this case, a tattered old unit from a ’92 CR250, completely redone and plonked onto the Stark CR500.
The stock suspension, brakes and electronics are competition-ready straight from the factory, so Thornton didn’t mess with any of that. And in typical Thornton fashion, the bike wasn’t just built — it was raced. Not at Goodwood this time, but at the Margate Beach races, complete with a long swingarm and rear paddle tyre — just to pull a half-track wheelie in the sprints and still finish half a track ahead.
With the racing done and the competition dusted, the boys swapped out the dirt tyres for some sticky 17-inch rubber at both ends. They dressed the future in the past, gave it teeth, and let it loose. Now the wolf wears red, runs on volts, and doesn’t need to huff or puff.
