#zero

We’ve tested plenty of electric motorcycles over the years here at MO. In the process, we’ve been able to witness firsthand how rapidly e-bikes have evolved. Through it all, however, we get asked the same questions over and over: 1. How far will it go on a charge? and 2. How long will it take to recharge the batteries? There used to be a third question – how fast will it go? – but through our testing and experiences with the greater e-bike community, speed no longer seems to be a concern amongst the critics.

Hot rodding’s history is filled with speed seekers that have gasoline running through their veins. But now there’s a new dawn in the age to go faster and Harlan Flagg, Brandon Nozaki-Miller and Jeff Clark are pioneering the way. The technology they’re working with might be different than that used by speed seekers before them, but the proving grounds remain the same. Competition improves the breed, and that’s the path Clark, Nozaki-Miller and Flagg have embarked on, pioneering the next chapter in hot-rodding – the electric motorcycle. Their challenge: the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

We met up with Arvid Elias at Microsoft HQ in Redmond, Washington, late on a Friday morning. The plan was to ride to lunch with a few of his petrol-powered pals, but only two showed up: The no-show claimed a dead battery as his excuse.

Preston Petty is one of those rare souls that is capable of embracing his own motorcycling heritage while also being a cutting-edge thinker who maintains a fascination with the latest and greatest technology, and that includes Zero electric motorcycles.

For as many benefits as electric motorcycles provide, to date there are still two areas preventing e-bikes from penetrating through to the masses: range and price. There’s not enough of the former, and there’s too much of the latter. Zero Motorcycles’ Senior Battery Specialist, Luke Workman, is dedicated to furthering the performance of battery technology. The results, then, would lead to ever increasing range at a price affordable by the masses.

“The e-bike continues to evolve.” That was the subhead used by former MO staffer, Jeff Cobb, when describing the 2010 Zero S and DS. Having just ridden the 2015 Zero model line, and claiming the electric motorcycle has finally arrived, for this week’s Church feature we revisit Cobb’s review of the then-new 2010 Zero S and DS. A lot has changed in the moto landscape since 2010, and Zero’s transformation in the last five years has been extensive. In 2010, range and power were major issues (not to mention the odd styling). Compare that to today and each measure of the bike’s performance has increased several times over. Continue that trend into the next five to 10 years, and the future of electric propulsion is destined to make major leaps and bounds. For now, however, let’s look back at 2010, and the Ford Model T of Zeros – the S and DS. Also, be sure to check out the three-page photo gallery for more pictures.

In 2013, Zero introduced the platforms from which it would build upon for the future. Consisting of what, Zero claims, are the most energy-dense batteries on the market today, its propulsion systems remain quite advanced in the industry. However, off-the-shelf brakes, suspension and tires meant the bikes couldn’t quite reach their full potential. For 2015 however, Zero Motorcycles feels like it has finally come of age.

It’s Sunday, January 11, and I’m killing time browsing through my social media feeds. For as much grief as social media gets for destroying a person’s ability to be productive, sometimes there are occasions where scrolling through your feed is actually beneficial. This is one of those times.

Zero made a splash last year with the introduction of the Zero SR, the hot-rodded version of its flagship S model. This year’s news is a little more subdued, but is still highly relevant all the same. Three big improvements will be seen across the entire Zero line for 2015: Showa suspension will now become standard, as will Bosch switchable ABS and Pirelli tires.

The fall motorcycle season kicks off in Cologne, Germany, with the 50th edition of the Intermot show. The biennial showcase rivals EICMA as one of the biggest motorcycle shows in the world with more than 200,000 visitors expected. Several major manufacturers will be revealing new 2015 models at Cologne. BMW has already confirmed it will reveal three models including an updated S1000RR for its home motorcycle show, while its Austrian neighbor KTM has also announced it will present its 1290 Super Adventure. Ducati‘s lengthy teaser campaign for the Scrambler will finally come to a head at Intermot, while Kawasaki’s supercharged Ninja H2 is already an early favorite to be the biggest news of the show. Other brands such as Aprilia, Moto Guzzi and Yamaha have already released information on their new Intermot show models, but we wouldn’t be shocked if they have a few surprises in store as well. Motorcycle.com will bring you all of the latest Intermot updates from Germany starting Sept. 30. Keep checking this space throughout Tuesday morning for more 2015 model releases as they happen!

By Troy Siahaan

Monumental! That’s what this is. MO’s first electric vs. gas, head-to-head supermoto comparison. A bare-knuckle brawl between the embedded establishment and the harbinger of an electrified future. Yep, this shootout is unique, but it’s also the proverbial tip of the iceberg. With the exponential rate at which electric motorcycle technology is improving, there’s a heap load more of this kind of comparison to come.

We say it every time we test one of these things, but electric motorcycle technology really is advancing at an astonishing pace. For proof of this, look towards the Isle of Man TT, where the fastest e-bikes are averaging more than 100-mph laps – something impossible just five years ago. In fact, it took gas bikes over 50 years to do a “ton up” lap. E-bikes? Four. How’s that for progress?

For 2014, Zero streamlined its product offerings to focus on its core products: the S, SR, DS, and FX. With the dirt-focused MX electric bike gone from the lineup, the FX has become the de-facto dirtbike currently in the Zero range.

As fans of electric motorcycles, we were excited when late last year Zero announced a new model, the SR. A high performance version of the company’s flagship streetbike, the Zero S, the SR answered the call to those wanting more. More what, you ask? Try more power and significantly more torque. And with the optional $2495 Power Tank, which is essentially an additional 2.8kWh module, S, DS, and SR models have the ability to travel up to 171 miles in urban use.