Thumpstar’s 500cc two-stroke wins Gold Seal 2026 Off-road Petrol
The pit-bike specialist’s big-bore BRC 500 prototype wins the Gold Seal Award 2026 in Off-road Petrol.
By ROOST Australia desk · 16 October 2026
For most Australian riders, Thumpstar means pit bikes: the 110s and 125s that fill backyards and junior tracks every weekend. That makes the company’s latest result unusual. Its full-size 500cc two-stroke has been named the Gold Seal Award 2026 winner in the Off-road Petrol category.
Gold Seal Awards gives one gold award per category each year, with no second or third place. The judges pointed to the size of the step forward: this bike is a major improvement over anything Thumpstar has built before.
From pit bikes to big-bore
The bike first appeared at AIMExpo in Las Vegas in February 2025, where Thumpstar unveiled it as a one-off show bike. It is a long way from the company’s usual catalogue. Power comes from a BRC Racing 500cc two-stroke single based on the Honda CR500, an engine that still has a near-mythical reputation among Australian riders who grew up on open-class two-strokes.
The BRC unit isn’t simply a reheated CR motor. It gets a counterbalancer to tame the vibration that made the original such hard work, a six-speed gearbox, a carburettor, and both electric and kick start. That last point matters for anyone who remembers trying to kick over a 500 on a hot day.
The chassis
The show bike rolls on Excel rims, uses a CNC-machined swingarm and carries Öhlins suspension. It is a serious parts list for a company better known for value-priced minibikes. It also shows Thumpstar is aiming the 500 at experienced riders rather than the entry-level buyers it usually serves.
Thumpstar says the 500 is Australian-designed: the company’s design work on the bike, including the plastics, bodywork and styling, was done in Australia.
Why it won
Progress was central to the decision. Going from pit bikes to a big-bore two-stroke is the largest jump any maker in the field made this year. The judges were clear that the bike is still a prototype rather than a production model.
Thumpstar says its goal is to return a 500cc two-stroke dirt bike to production after more than 20 years without one. Reports from the AIMExpo launch put the target price under US$10,000. No local pricing or release date has been confirmed for Australia.
What it means for Aussie riders
Big-bore two-strokes have a loyal following here. Desert racers, vintage riders and anyone who simply loves open-class torque still hunt down old CR500s and KX500s. A modern, electric-start 500 with a counterbalancer would have obvious appeal if it reaches production at the price Thumpstar is talking about.
For now it remains a statement of intent. Even so, it is a bold one, and the Gold Seal judges have recognised it.
Key specs (show bike)
- Engine: BRC Racing 500cc two-stroke single (Honda CR500-based)
- Features: counterbalancer, six-speed gearbox, electric and kick start
- Fuel system: carburettor
- Chassis: CNC swingarm, Excel rims, Öhlins suspension
- Status: one-off prototype, shown February 2025
Full specifications, the judges' notes and video are on the Thumpstar 500 winner page at Gold Seal Awards. The complete list of Gold Seal winners is also published on IMR Awards.
Photo credit: Thumpstar.
Sources
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