Honda Montesa’s Electric X-Trial Debut

Honda Montesa makes history at the X-Trial World Championship Barcelona round as its RTL Electric motorcycle competes indoors for the first time, with Miquel Gelabert finishing seventh.

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History quietly rolled onto the sections at this year’s opening round of the X-Trial World Championship in Barcelona and it did so without the usual engine note.

For the first time in the event’s 49 editions at Palau Sant Jordi, an electric trials motorcycle lined up alongside the traditional petrol machines, as Honda Montesa introduced its new RTL Electric project to indoor competition. With local rider Miquel Gelabert at the controls, the debut marked a significant step forward for electric technology in top-level trials.

Riding at his home round, Gelabert approached the night with determination but faced an immediate setback. Pain in his left hand hampered him from the opening lap, making an already technical indoor course even tougher to manage. He fought through the sections and posted 23 penalty points, a score that left him short of direct qualification for the final and pushed him into the second qualifying phase.

The RTL Electric showed flashes of promise in Qualy 2. Gelabert opened cleanly with zero penalties in the first zone, briefly putting himself in contention. However, time penalties later in the run proved costly, and despite a spirited effort, his final time kept him outside the top spots. He ultimately finished seventh overall.

While the result sheet didn’t show a podium challenge, the night carried bigger meaning for the team. Competing under real race pressure gave Honda Montesa valuable data on performance, handling and energy management, insights that simply can’t be replicated in testing. For a brand committed to electrification, just reaching the start line represented progress.

More than anything, the Barcelona round felt like a glimpse of the future. The absence of engine noise highlighted the precision of trials riding even more: tyres gripping, suspension compressing, and every movement amplified inside the arena.

Gelabert and the team leave Round 1 without silverware, but with something arguably more important: proof that an electric bike belongs on the same sections as the world’s best. And if this debut is any indication, it won’t be long before silent power becomes a familiar sound in indoor trials.