Posted on 10/23/2018 10:51:29 AM PDT by Red Badger
Zero has become the biggest name among the ascendant electric motorcycle companies, making bikes for dirt riders, commuters, and even police. I’ve ridden a few, and they’re a blast. The brand's electric bikes have all the benefits of electricity—minimal maintenance, energy efficiency, instant torque—alongside the main benefits of a motorcycle, such as easy parking, paying less than you would for a new car, and feeling cooler than you are.
Today, Zero announced its new lineup of electric motorcycles. The most obvious improvement is range. Zero says the S and SR models with the $3,000 Power Tank option will do 223 miles of city riding, or around 150 miles of combined range. (Electric vehicles actually get more range when stopping and starting in city driving than they do on the highway, which is the opposite of most gasoline vehicles).
Zero FXZ
The S and DS models with the ZF7.2 battery have a shorter range, but go faster thanks to a 35 percent horsepower bump. The S and DS models with the ZF14.4 (longer ranger) now have the same battery chemistry as the performance models, the SR and DSR. These new models also will have a Long Term Storage Mode, which optimizes the battery to last longer if you stash your bike for the winter.
Here’s the pricing breakdown with range for a full charge, city and highway combined:
Zero SR: $16,495 (120 miles), $19,390 (150 miles) Zero S: $10,995 (60 miles), $13,995 (120 miles) $16,890 (150 miles) Zero FX: $8,495 (27 miles), $10,495 (54 miles) Zero FXS: $8,495 (29 miles), $10,495 (57 miles) Zero DSR: $16,495 (105 miles), $19,390 (132 miles) Zero DS: $10,995 (53 miles), $13,995 (105 miles), $16,890 (132 miles)
The bikes get cosmetic changes as well. My personal favorite: the bronze and yellow DSR. That model is a road-focused version of the DS (dual sport), and comes with a windscreen, tank grips (sticky rubber that helps keep your thighs in place), and bark busters—plastic covers over the grips.
Zero DSR
Last year, Zero started selling bikes with a $2,300 optional 6 kW Charge Tank, which meant you could charge it from a Level 2 vehicle charger. Using that tech, Zero says, its bikes will go from empty to 95 percent in an hour, or about 85 miles of city riding per hour plugged in. Now, Zero is selling an aftermarket Charge Tank system that dealerships can install on bikes that weren’t fitted from the factory. It will work with bikes going back to 2015. One cool function: you can also plug the standard 110-volt wall plug in, and it’ll charge even faster.
Zero’s CEO says it sells more electric motorcycles annually than “all our competitors combined.” I believe it. They’re incredible. If you’re game to spend five figures on a bike and aren’t nostalgic about shifting and getting your hands greasy for maintenance, these are a cool way to get around.
Motorcycle Ping!.......................
Congratulations!
I feel like I’m the guy in line behind somebody who’s the millionth or ten millionth customer! The bells go off, he gets a prize, and my line is held up.
After he won they turned off the light and closed my lane
“its bikes will go from empty to 95 percent in an hour, or about 85 miles of city riding per hour plugged in.”
I can fill my 6 gallon tank in 3 minutes and ride 300 miles.
Congrats on your posting milestone my friend.
I thought you meant
ZERO
And you won’t burn your leg on the exhaust.
300 miles, even on my Goldwing Aspencade, is guaranteed to make your butt hurt for days if you don’t break up the trip into smaller segments.
For many people, 85 miles is more than enough in a single day.
When did Barry get into building cycles?
ROFL! That's the way of the world, isn't it?
Never said I’d ride it all at once. However, apparently there are some tough guys (and gals maybe) out there.
https://www.ironbutt.org/rides/
LOL!.....I HAVE ON RIGHT NOW!.....................
85 miles?................We usually do twice that to start!............
Sorry...my first thought was, "Obama's making motorcycles?"
223 miles, sure, until you hang the speakers and plug in the electronics to make all the cool shifting sounds then it gets half that...maybe I could just put cards in the spokes.
Now they’re in they bakery section having cake.
More People + More Motorcycles = More Fun + More Dead
.maybe I could just put cards in the spokes.
That will reduce full charge range to 5 miles.
Congratulations on 5000.
I haven’t seen these bikes. Zero does carry that connotation so that was my first thought as well.
The bikes look sweet and the ranges are reasonable, though the price seems steep. I don’t need a lot of exhaust noise or shifting—sounds like a blast to me. I may seriously look at one once I get done this contract.
That’s a subset of the set “More People + More Vehicles = More Fun + More Dead”
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