The 2026 Red Bull Tennessee Knockout is coming up August 28–30 in Sequatchie, Tennessee, and once again, electric dirt bikes will be lining up alongside gas bikes for one of the biggest hard enduro events in the country.
With TKO only a couple of weeks away, we’ve been getting a lot of questions about the eMoto classes: Who can race? What class should you enter? What bikes are eligible? How does the weekend work?
Here’s what you need to know before heading to TKO 2026.
2026 Red Bull TKO Dates & Location
Dates: August 28–30, 2026
Location: Sequatchie, Tennessee
Before heading to the race, there are two important things every racer needs to take care of:
- Register for the 2026 Tennessee Knockout
- Have a valid AMA membership/license
Two eMoto Classes for 2026
There are two separate eMoto classes at TKO this year:
eMoto Sportsman – Previously called eMoto Amateur.
eMoto Pro – The premier eMoto class.
These are two separate championship classes with their own results and championship points as part of the US Hard Enduro series.
The race format is different for each class.
eMoto Sportsman Race Format
The Sportsman weekend begins on Friday with the Amateur Hot Lap.
Friday – Amateur Hot Lap
Sportsman eMoto racers will compete in the same Hot Lap used to establish starting positions for Saturday.
One important change for 2026 is that electric and gas bikes will be intermixed.
Your Hot Lap result determines where you start Saturday morning, regardless of whether you’re riding a gas or electric bike.
Saturday – TKO 1
Saturday’s TKO 1 race determines the official eMoto Sportsman results.
Where you finish TKO 1 is where you finish for the Sportsman portion of the weekend and for championship purposes.
However, the weekend doesn’t necessarily end there.
Top 10 Sportsman Riders Advance to Sunday
The top 10 eMoto Sportsman finishers will get the opportunity to race the Pro course on Sunday.
Those riders will start behind the Pro field.
It’s important to note that Sunday’s race does not change the Sportsman results or championship points. It’s simply an opportunity for the top 10 Sportsman riders to take on the Pro course.
eMoto Pro Race Format
The eMoto Pro class follows a different schedule and advancement format.
Saturday – Pro Hot Lap
eMoto Pro riders compete in the Pro Hot Lap on Saturday afternoon.
Just like Sportsman, the results determine starting positions for the next race, and electric bikes will be intermixed with gas bikes based on their results.
Sunday – Race 1
The first Pro race takes place Sunday morning.
From here:
The top 30 riders advance. Gas or Electric.
Sunday – Race 2
The 30 advancing racers are split into five groups of six riders.
From each group, the top four riders advance to the Main Event.
That leaves 20 racers.
Sunday – Main Event
Those final 20 riders compete in the TKO Main Event.
Again, gas and electric motorcycles are competing together for advancement.
The finishing order of the Main Event determines the TKO Pro results.
2026 eMoto Bike Requirements
AMA has established specific requirements for bikes competing in the eMoto classes.
For both eMoto Sportsman and eMoto Pro, bikes must have:
- 21-inch front wheel
- 18-inch rear wheel
- Minimum 53-inch wheelbase
Which Electric Dirt Bikes Can Race TKO?
According to the current homologation information we’ve received, the eligible/homologated bike list includes:
- KTM Freeride
- Stark VARG
- Bonnell 805
- Bonnell 902
- Surron Ultra Bee
- Torrot
- Zero XE
- Dust Moto Hightail
- RFN Warrior Pro SX-E 15+
- Alta Redshift
Additional motorcycles may be added as TKO gets closer, provided they complete the necessary homologation process and meet the required specifications.
Ultimately, AMA and US Hard Enduro determine whether a motorcycle is eligible to compete.
If you have any doubt about whether your specific bike or setup qualifies, we recommend confirming directly with the race organizers or AMA before heading to Tennessee.
Electric vs. Gas at TKO 2026
One of the more interesting changes this year is how electric bikes will be positioned within the field.
Rather than placing the entire eMoto class together at a predetermined point in the starting order, electric and gas motorcycles will be intermixed based on qualifying results.
Ride faster in the Hot Lap, start farther forward.
For the Pro class, advancement on Sunday also comes down to overall finishing position rather than separate gas and electric advancement groups.
That should make the 2026 race particularly interesting, especially with a strong field of eMoto riders expected in both Sportsman and Pro.
