Stark VARG SM Sköll: What the Black 500-Unit Edition Really Changes

• Limited to 500 numbered units, a second run is not planned
• 80 hp (around 59 kW) and, according to the manufacturer, 123.4 kg (around 272 lbs)
• 14,990 euros (around 17,210 US dollars) in Germany, first deliveries from October 2026

Anyone expecting a completely new motorcycle with the Sköll is mistaken. The special edition is based on the familiar VARG SM, the street-legal supermoto from Stark Future. The manufacturer presented it on 16 September 2026 in Barcelona. Frame, battery, motor and drivetrain remain the same. Stark changed three things: the weight, the equipment and the look. As a special model of the VARG SM, the Sköll is one of the electric new releases of the 2026 model year that are still due to be delivered this year.

What sets the Stark VARG SM Sköll apart from the standard VARG SM?

The Sköll comes with the full ALPHA specification as standard, weighs 1.1 kg less and is almost entirely black. Technically, the VARG SM platform remains unchanged.

The name comes from Norse mythology. There, Sköll is a wolf that chases the sun. Stark transfers that image to the almost completely black supermoto.

At Stark, the ALPHA specification is the highest power level. The standard VARG SM comes with 60 hp (around 44 kW), while the Sköll delivers a peak output of 80 hp (around 59 kW). Measured at the rear wheel, and therefore including the final drive ratio, Stark quotes a torque figure of 914 Nm (around 674 lb-ft). The ALPHA package also includes Dynamic Traction Control, a traction control system that prevents the rear wheel from spinning and can be adjusted by the rider.

Underneath the black surface sits the familiar technology. The frame is made of steel. The 7.2 kWh battery is a load-bearing component of the motorcycle. The electric motor sits in a carbon housing and has the inverter integrated directly into it. The inverter converts the direct current from the battery into alternating current for the motor. New additions are engraved fork clamps that point to the limited run, and a seat with an Alcantara-look cover.

How does the VARG SM Sköll save 1.1 kilograms?

The entire weight saving comes from titanium components. Stark did not change anything on the frame or the drivetrain for it.

Two measures make the difference. The footpegs are 3D-printed from titanium and are 140 grams (around 0.3 lbs) lighter than the production parts. According to the manufacturer, the material sits only where the load requires it. A complete set of titanium bolts saves another 900 grams (around 2 lbs). Together that adds up to 1.1 kg (around 2.4 lbs). According to the manufacturer, the weight therefore drops from 124.5 kg (around 274.5 lbs) on the standard VARG SM to 123.4 kg (around 272 lbs) on the Sköll. Stark states that no VARG SM built so far weighs less.

What matters is where the weight is saved. It concerns controls and bolts, not unsprung or rotating mass such as wheels or brake discs. Wheel control, springing and damping therefore behave exactly as on the standard SM. The lower overall weight is, however, intended to reduce the inertia of the motorcycle. According to Stark, this makes the Sköll more agile during quick changes of direction, and the front wheel is said to lift more easily.

Which components are black on the VARG SM Sköll?

Almost every component that can be blacked out is black on the Sköll. Stark uses a mix of anodising, powder coating and special deep-black processes for this.

The list is long. Black are the upper and lower fork clamps, the steering head including its nut, the swingarm, the motor housing with its side covers, the inverter housing, the docking station, the ride mode switch on the handlebar and the cap of the charging port. Both fork clamps are black anodised and carry the engraving of the limited edition.

One component was deliberately left unblackened. The RK 520 MXU chain with extra-wide sealing rings keeps its golden colour. It runs on a rear sprocket made from 7075-T6, a high-strength aluminium alloy. According to the manufacturer, the golden accent is a deliberate contrast and not an oversight.

Drivetrain, battery and electronics of the VARG SM Sköll

For the drivetrain, the Sköll relies on a single fixed ratio. There is no gearbox and no clutch between the motor and the rear wheel. The battery operates at a voltage of 420 volts.

The electronics leave plenty of scope. Traction control is available in all ride modes and can be adjusted. The same applies to the power curves and to recuperation, meaning the recovery of energy during braking and coasting. According to the manufacturer, curves with ten points each can be defined for this. The ride modes can be changed while riding via the switch on the handlebar. For manoeuvring there is Crawl Mode, which moves the motorcycle slowly in reverse. In addition, the digital safety systems already known from the VARG are on board.

The cockpit houses the Arkenstone display. It offers turn-by-turn navigation that also works off-road, plus offline maps, the recording and riding of GPX routes, timing for laps and sessions as well as over-the-air software updates.

What range does the VARG SM Sköll have?

Stark quotes a range of up to 183 km in city traffic for the Sköll. In mixed use on the outskirts it is said to be 118 km, and 81 km in the WMTC cycle. WMTC is a standardised measuring cycle for motorcycles that combines city, country road and motorway.

Charging is done with the mobile charger from Stark. It delivers 3.3 kW, weighs 2.2 kg (around 4.9 lbs) and, according to the manufacturer, fits into a backpack. On a 220-volt socket with 16 amps, the battery is said to go from 0 to 80 percent in around 82 minutes. A full charge takes around two hours at 240 volts and about three and a half hours at 120 volts.

What suspension and brakes does the VARG SM Sköll have?

The Sköll uses the fully adjustable supermoto suspension from KYB. Braking is handled by Brembo systems.

At the front there is a 48-millimetre fork with a closed cartridge, on which compression and rebound damping can be adjusted. The rear shock offers settings for spring preload, rebound damping and high- and low-speed compression damping. Suspension travel is 290 mm at the front and 303 mm at the rear. Ex works, the suspension is set to a medium tune for riders between 75 and 95 kg (around 165 to 209 lbs).

At the front, a four-piston caliper grips a disc measuring 320 mm in diameter, at the rear a single-piston caliper grips a 220 mm disc. The rear brake can optionally also be operated by a lever on the handlebar. Fitted are Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tyres in sizes 120/70-17 at the front and 140/70-17 at the rear.

What licence do you need for the Stark VARG SM Sköll?

In Germany and the rest of Europe, an A1 licence is enough for the Sköll. That is the same as with the standard VARG SM.

The reason lies in the way the power output is measured. For classification, the continuous output of the electric motor counts, not the peak output of 80 hp. In Spain, Italy, France and Portugal, the manufacturer says the Sköll may even be ridden on a category B car licence. The special edition is street-legal ex works and is delivered with an EU certificate of conformity. In the USA it is approved with a class M motorcycle licence from the age of 16.

What does the Stark VARG SM Sköll cost in Germany?

In Germany, Stark says the Sköll costs 14,990 euros (around 17,210 US dollars). The standard VARG SM with 60 hp starts at 12,990 euros (around 14,910 US dollars), so the difference is 2,000 euros (around 2,300 US dollars).

Part of the Sköll equipment is also available separately for the standard SM. In the configurator, the titanium bolt set costs 600 euros (around 690 US dollars) extra, the titanium footpegs cost 120 euros (around 140 US dollars). The 80 hp power level can also be selected, although no euro price is shown for it in the configurator. On Stark’s German website, the Sköll is currently marked as out of stock. Interested customers can sign up there to be notified.

In other markets the calculation looks like this: in the United Kingdom the Sköll costs 12,990 pounds (around 15,150 euros / 17,390 US dollars) and is therefore 1,000 pounds (around 1,170 euros / 1,340 US dollars) more expensive than the standard SM. That is exactly the amount Stark charges there for the ALPHA upgrade of the standard version. In the USA the price is 14,990 US dollars (around 13,060 euros).

When will the VARG SM Sköll be delivered?

The first examples of the Sköll are due to reach customers from October 2026. In the USA, Stark currently quotes 10 December 2026 as the expected delivery date for new orders.

Production is limited to 500 units worldwide. According to its own statement, Stark Future does not plan a second production run. Anyone who wants a Sköll therefore depends on one of the 500 numbered machines. Anyone who can do without the black look and the engraving will still find the same technical basis in the standard VARG SM.

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