Riding Times GT73 Review Canada (2026): Dirt Bike DNA, Electric Heart, Full Family Lineup

The Riding Times GT73 is not trying to be a bicycle. It weighs 116 lbs. It rolls on 25-inch off-road motorcycle tires. It has a carbon steel frame, hydraulic double-wishbone suspension, key ignition, and turn signals. When you park it next to actual motorcycles at a gas station, nobody looks twice — until they notice the pedals bolted to the bottom bracket like an afterthought, because that is exactly what they are. The Riding Times GT73 is a dirt bike that happens to have cranks. And that is the entire point.

Inside the frame sits a 1200W hub motor pushing 2,400W peak, fed by dual removable 48V/18.2Ah batteries totalling 36.4Ah. Shimano 7-speed gearing. Three pedal-assist modes across five levels. A half-twist throttle for when you stop pretending to pedal. 57 km/h top speed on throttle alone. This is the electric motorbike that turned Riding Times from a niche Chinese manufacturer into one of the most searched eBike brands in Canada — and it is the gateway to a full family that now includes the upgraded GT73 Pro and two GT54 Pro mini motorbikes for smaller riders.

Here is the honest review — every spec, every trade-off, every reason to buy it and every reason to think twice.

Riding Times GT73: What You Need to Know

The GT73 is built around a simple formula: take a dirt bike frame, remove the engine, drop in an electric hub motor and two fat battery packs, and sell it for $2,399. The result is a 116 lb machine that looks, handles, and feels more like a small motorcycle than any pedal-assist eBike on the market. The 25-inch off-road tires (70/100-19 — actual motorcycle rubber, not fat bicycle tyres) sit on 7074 aluminium alloy rims designed for load-bearing. The hydraulic double-wishbone suspension front and rear absorbs ruts, roots, and potholes that would send a regular eBike's rider to the dentist.

Where it differs from a real dirt bike: no licence required on private property and off-road trails. No insurance. No fuel. No oil changes. No exhaust. The running cost is electricity — roughly $0.50 to charge both batteries from empty in Ontario. It does not meet Canada's 500W / 32 km/h federal limit for street-legal eBikes, so public road use is a grey area. But for trail riding, rural property, hunting access roads, and weekend adventures on private land, the GT73 delivers a dirt bike experience at a fraction of the operating cost.

The key ignition is a nice touch. You turn a physical key to start the bike, exactly like a motorcycle. It replaced the NFC card system from earlier GT73 versions — simpler, more intuitive, and no dead-phone anxiety. Turn signals, brake lights, and an LED headlight round out the motorcycle-grade lighting package.

Full Specifications

Every spec below comes from the GT73 product page on Zeus eBikes, verified against our test unit.

Real-World Performance in Canada

The GT73 is not trying to be efficient. It is trying to be fun. And on that metric, it delivers in a way that no traditional eBike can match.

Power & Speed

The 1200W motor pushing 2400W peak on a half-twist throttle delivers instant, aggressive acceleration that pins a grin on your face the first time you twist it. It reaches 57 km/h on flat ground — which feels genuinely fast on a bicycle-class vehicle with no windscreen. The 126 Nm of torque is not in the same league as the Flash 1000W’s 220 Nm mid-drive, but it does not need to be: the GT73 is a hub motor bike built for speed on flatter terrain, not hill-climbing efficiency. On moderate grades (5–8%), it pulls steadily in a lower gear. On steep hills (10%+), the cadence sensor and Shimano 7-speed help, but this is not the bike for sustained mountain climbing — that is what mid-drives exist for.

Suspension & Handling

The hydraulic double-wishbone suspension front and rear is the GT73's secret weapon. Most eBikes in this price range use basic spring forks that bottom out on serious bumps. The GT73's setup absorbs washboard gravel, roots, potholes, and hard landings from small drops with genuine composure. At 116 lbs, the bike has natural stability at speed — it tracks straight through rough terrain instead of bouncing around like a lighter bicycle would. The trade-off is manoeuvrability: low-speed tight turns require muscle. You do not flick the GT73 through switchbacks. You guide it, like steering a small motorcycle.

Range in Canada

Riding Times rates the GT73 at 68–130 km. In our Canadian testing — mixed terrain, 190 lb rider, moderate throttle use with some pedalling — we saw 75–95 km on dual batteries in summer. That is realistic. Pure throttle on flat pavement at high speed burns through batteries faster; relaxed PAS 2–3 cruising with occasional pedalling stretches range considerably.

Charging

The one genuine weakness: 9–10 hours to charge both batteries with the included 48V/2A chargers. Two chargers are included (one per battery), so both charge simultaneously — but the 2A charge rate is slow by 2026 standards. The GT73 Pro fixes this with 60V/3A chargers and 5–6 hour charge times. If you ride the GT73 daily, plan your charging overnight.

The Tires — A Love Letter

The 25-inch 70/100-19 off-road motorcycle tires deserve their own paragraph. These are not fat bicycle tires pretending to be aggressive. They are actual motorcycle rubber with deep knobby tread designed for dirt, mud, gravel, and loose surfaces. On hard-packed trails, they grip with a confidence that no 4-inch fat tire can match. On wet grass, they claw. On gravel, they track. The 7074 aluminium alloy rims handle the abuse without complaint. When you ride the GT73 off-road, the tires are what make it feel like a real dirt bike instead of a dressed-up eBike.

GT73 vs GT73 Pro — Which One Should You Buy?

The GT73 Pro is not a minor refresh. It is a generational upgrade that changes every major spec. The decision is straightforward: how much power do you actually want?

The Riding Times Family — GT54 Mini Motorbikes

Riding Times does not just make one size. The GT54 lineup brings the same dirt-bike DNA to smaller riders — anyone from 4’2″ to 5’9″. These are not toys. They are serious electric motorbikes with serious specs, just built on a smaller frame with 14-inch front and 12-inch rear wheels.

GT54 Electric Mini Motorbike — $1,749

The entry point to the Riding Times family. 1000W motor (2400W peak), 296 Nm torque, 48V/27Ah single battery, 60 km/h top speed, 100 km range. Hydraulic double-wishbone suspension with adjustable damping. Colour LCD with USB charging. Full twist throttle. At 105 lbs with a 256 lb payload, it is lighter and easier to handle than the GT73 while delivering surprisingly close performance numbers. The 29.2-inch minimum seat height accommodates riders as short as 4’2″.

GT54 Pro Electric Mini Motorbike — $1,999

The upgraded mini with the same 60V/3000W peak powertrain as the GT73 Pro. That is not a typo: the GT54 Pro produces 1500W nominal, 3000W peak, 338 Nm torque, 79 km/h top speed — on a frame designed for riders as short as 4’2″. The 60V/25Ah battery delivers up to 100 km range. Hydraulic disc brakes, adjustable damping suspension, colour LCD display, and the same build quality as the full-size GT73 lineup. It also comes with a snow track kit option ($2,999) for winter use.

Snow Track Kit — Yes, It Actually Exists

This is the most Canadian product feature in this entire review. Zeus sells the GT73 and GT73 Pro bundled with a snow track kit that replaces the rear wheel with a tracked system for snow and ice traction. GT73 + Snow Track Kit: $3,159. GT73 Pro + Snow Track Kit: $3,949. The GT54 Pro also offers a snow track kit bundle at $2,999.

A tracked electric dirt bike on frozen Ontario trails in February is either the most brilliant or the most unhinged thing you can buy for under $4,000 — and honestly, it might be both. No other electric motorbike brand at this price offers a factory snow track option. If you ride year-round in Canadian winter and want genuine snow capability beyond fat tires on ploughed paths, the snow track kit is the answer to a question most eBike makers pretend does not exist.

How the GT73 Compares

The GT73 occupies a specific niche: dirt-bike-styled electric motorbikes. It competes with other moped/motorbike-class eBikes, not with traditional pedal-assist bikes. Here is how it stacks up against the most common cross-shops in the Zeus catalogue.

The Himiway C5 and the GT73 look similar in photos but ride nothing alike. The C5 is a luxury cruiser with the best suspension in its class and a torque sensor that makes pedalling feel natural. The GT73 is a throttle-forward dirt bike with a cadence sensor and motorcycle tires that eat gravel for breakfast. The C5 is for people who want to ride. The GT73 is for people who want to send it.

The Flash 1000W is the utility truck: mid-drive torque, expandable batteries, 440 lb payload, six dedicated accessories. If you need to carry cargo up hills efficiently, the Flash wins. If you want to fly down a dirt trail with a grin, the GT73 wins. Completely different bikes for completely different riders.

Who Is the Riding Times GT73 Best For?

Buy the GT73 If You:

• Want a dirt bike without the licence, insurance, and fuel. The GT73 delivers the look, feel, and adrenaline of a small motorcycle with none of the ongoing costs.
• Ride off-road. The motorcycle tires, hydraulic suspension, and carbon steel frame are built for trails, not bike paths. This is where the GT73 shines brightest.
• Value speed and acceleration. 57 km/h (GT73) or up to 75 km/h (GT73 Pro). No pedal-assist eBike comes close.
• Want something that looks like a motorcycle. Park it next to a Honda CRF250 and it fits right in. The retro dirt bike styling is not a cosmetic skin — it is the entire design philosophy.
• Ride Canadian winters. The snow track kit is a genuine differentiator that no other brand at this price offers.
• Need a gift for an experienced teenage rider. The GT54 mini lineup (4’2″–5’9″) is the most compelling entry point for younger or smaller riders who have outgrown eBike toys but are not ready for a gas motorcycle.

Look Elsewhere If You:

• Prioritise pedalling. The cadence sensor is functional but basic — it does not match the natural feel of a torque sensor. If you plan to pedal more than throttle, the Himiway C5 or Flash are better choices.
• Need a lightweight bike. 116–123 lbs. No argument. You are not carrying this up stairs, loading it into a car trunk, or manoeuvring it in tight spaces without effort.
• Need street-legal compliance. 1200W and 57 km/h both exceed Canada's federal 500W / 32 km/h limit. Not legal on public roads as a PAB.
• Want to climb steep hills efficiently. A hub motor with a cadence sensor cannot match a mid-drive with torque sensor and gearing. The GT73 powers through moderate hills but struggles on sustained 12%+ grades compared to a mid-drive.
• Need fast charging. 9–10 hours on the standard GT73 is painful. Either budget for the GT73 Pro (5–6 hours) or plan overnight charging.

Zeus eBikes Canada Verdict

The Bottom Line

The Riding Times GT73 exists for riders who looked at every eBike on the market and said: “I don’t want a bicycle. I want a dirt bike that runs on electricity.” That is exactly what Riding Times built. 1200W motor, 2400W peak, dual batteries, 25-inch motorcycle tires, hydraulic double-wishbone suspension, key ignition, turn signals, 116 lbs of carbon steel — starting at $2,399 CAD. Upgrade to the GT73 Pro ($2,949) for 3000W peak and 338 Nm of torque that borders on reckless. Start smaller with the GT54 ($1,749) or GT54 Pro ($1,999) for riders 4’2″–5’9″. Bolt on a snow track and ride through Canadian winter like you own the trail.

It is not light. It is not street-legal. It is not trying to be either of those things. And that is exactly why the people who buy it love it.

Published: April 2025 | Last Updated: February 2026 | By: Zeus eBikes Canada Editorial Team

Zeus eBikes is a Canadian direct-to-consumer electric bike retailer. We own, test, and ride every product we sell — shipping nationwide across Canada.

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