Talaria MX4 vs MX5 Pro: Is the 72V Jump Worth $500?
The MX4 and MX5 Pro are $500 apart and a voltage class apart. Power delivery, weight, running costs and rider fit compared — the honest answer on when 72V earns its premium.
The most consequential $500 in the Talaria range separates the Sting R MX4 (~$2,899) from the MX5 Pro (~$3,400) — and with it, the 60V world from the 72V one. Here is the decision argued from both sides.
The hardware gap
MX4: 8 kW peak, 60V / 45Ah (2.7 kWh), 145 lb, 53 mph. MX5 Pro: 13.4 kW peak, 72V / 40Ah of Samsung 50S cells, 167 lb. That is 67% more peak power carrying 22 extra pounds — a power-to-weight jump of roughly 45%, which the seat of your pants reads as a different species.
What 72V changes beyond power
Voltage sag — the fade 60V bikes show deep in the pack — largely vanishes: the MX5 Pro at 25% charge hits like the MX4 at 80%. The Samsung 50S cells are chosen for discharge, not just capacity, so repeated hard launches do not cook the pack. This consistency, more than the peak number, is what MX5 Pro owners cite — detail in the full review.
What the MX4 answers back
Weight, money and forgiveness. The 22 lb difference is real in technical terrain and on the tailgate; the $500 buys a complete gear stack; and the MX4’s power band flatters developing riders where the MX5 Pro punishes greed — our MX4 review calls it the range’s sweet spot for exactly this reason. Consumables also wear slower when the motor cannot light the rear tire at will.
The upgrade-path wrinkle
The MX4 can be built toward MX5 Pro power via the 72V aftermarket path — controller plus pack from the electronics and battery catalogues. Factory-vs-build economics: building costs more total but staggers the spend; buying the MX5 Pro bundles it warrantied. Riders who know they want the power should buy it built.
The verdict rule
Ride two seasons or more, or coming from fast gas bikes: MX5 Pro. First serious bike, technical-terrain focus, or budget honesty: MX4 — and the ladder’s full context is the family comparison.
Frequently asked questions
Is MX5 Pro range worse?
Similar bands, spent faster when provoked — see the range table.
Do they share parts?
Chassis items broadly; electrical systems no — voltage classes per the code decoder.