79Bike Falcon Pro L1e-B vs Sur-Ron Light Bee

The Falcon Pro L1e-B and the Light Bee L1e are both type-approved mopeds: plate, insurance, AM licence, 45 km/h. On the road, neither is faster than the other — the law sets the limit. The difference is elsewhere: battery voltage, warranty, local service and what the bike can do once you are on private land.

On private land, the Falcon Pro switches to its off-road mode: 10 kW peak and 410 N·m at the wheel claimed, against 8 kW for the Light Bee X. You feel it on climbs and when pulling out of corners. This mode is never usable on public roads: derestricting voids the approval and is prohibited.

Let's be fair: the Light Bee L1e is about €200 cheaper and about 3 kg lighter. If your budget is the only criterion and you ride mostly on the road, it is a good bike. The Falcon Pro is worth it if you want the stronger off-road mode, the 72 V platform and a direct contact for service. Payment in 3 or 4 instalments is available with Alma (subject to approval).

What's inside. The Falcon Pro pack uses around 140 LG INR21700 M50LT cells (72 V, 35 Ah, ≈ 2.5 kWh, ≈ 13.8 kg). These are "energy" cells: built for range and longevity, LG rates the M50LT for about twice the cycle life of the standard M50T.

72 V vs 60 V. At 4 kW, the Falcon draws about 56 A, a 60 V bike about 67 A. Heat losses grow with the square of the current: at comparable pack resistance, that's roughly 30% less heat, so power holds better at the end of the charge and the cells age more gently.

What really wears a battery. Heat, hard discharges and sitting at 100%. On the road, the battery works at ≤ 1.6C: a gentle load. Flat out in off-road mode (10 kW), it reaches ≈ 4C, more than the Sur-Ron Light Bee X (≈ 3.3C: 8 kW from 2.4 kWh). Peaks are meant to last seconds: long full-power off-road sessions, especially in hot weather, age a pack faster.

Lifespan in numbers (estimate). In lab conditions LG quotes around 1,000 cycles for the cell. In real life, expect rather 500 to 800 full cycles before dropping to ~80% capacity, i.e. roughly 35,000 to 60,000 km in mixed use. A pack at 80% still works fine, with ~20% less range.

Warranty. Bike 2 years, battery 1 year (commercial warranty), on top of the statutory 2-year conformity guarantee. 4 habits that make the difference: store at 40–60%, don't leave it at 100% for days, never charge below 0 °C or right after a hard ride (let it cool 30 min), use the original charger.

Ride On Distribution is the official 79Bike distributor: 2-year warranty, workshop in Toulouse Sud (Le Cuing), test rides and handover in Sant Cugat (Barcelona), and genuine 79Bike parts in stock — see the 79Bike parts. We also service Sur-Ron bikes: Sur-Ron parts.