When an electric bike becomes "budget" is when you ride it. I have had my 2017 DSR for about 5,000 miles now. The cost to operate according to the app is just under 1 penny a mile. What can you ride 100 miles for $1? No oil changes, no spark plugs, no fluids. Love my bike. Been riding since 1976 - Hondas, Kaws, and BMWs. My Zero is the best yet. Smooth as silk.
@@squirrelnutboy I design EV batteries for my job. That's really not how it works. Firstly, most EV's will "pad" the available range. Meaning the fuel gauge will only show the range within the 20% - 80% charge capacity of the pack. Over time as it degrades, it expands that range to, lets say, 10% - 90%. This effectively eliminates the degradation that you see as a user. Anyways, lithium ion cells are only getting better. You can already easily get thousands of cycles with minimal degradation on an EV because they don't stress the cells very much compared to devices like cell phones and vapes.
if the sound is the problem, you spent at least 15 years making "vroom vroom" noises before you got a licence. you spent your whole life preparing for this moment.
@@Clearanceman2 cars doesn’t hear you anyway with your exhaust that points behind your motorcycle. And besides with new cars sound systems are better and not to mentions seals your logic is flawed
Fantastic machine and beautiful. Got my DSR, with extra battery and charger on the way as well. Having the bike filled a void for me I didn't know was their. I am hooked on riding. Couldn't be happier.
Have a zero SR. The instant torq is no joke. You have to be very carefull not to give a full twist if you are turning (especially out of a parking lot)...
To me I didn’t mind that lack of TC, it was just a surprise they didn’t include it. But every bike has it’s own characteristics that you learn to ride with and I guess that’s part of the joy of biking - when you get it right
@@Tom_Hadler Well the monster torq is only in sport mode. If you run eco mode, it's like riding a very peppy scooter. Which is how I ride it in town...
Till then.. just retrofit a conversion on a light bike. 3-4 main parts plus the bike. - 80hp brushless - lithium cell pack you can build yourself or buy a generic one if your wallet is inclined to do so - variable volt controller with a spring return on the throttle with two different amperage inputs for your eco and sport mode. I hear you and I'm with you. My thoughts buy yourself a desktop CNC for 1 grand and start building 😁
Two years later and nope they are not cheaper. At the rate zero is selling them I suspect a price hike. However used ones are starting to make appearances.
I'm on year 2 with an FXS. I hardly ever ride my gas bikes any more and will be selling them on Craigslist this summer so I can purchase a longer range ebike in addition to the FXS. The zero has been great, no maintenance, fun wheelies, instant power delivery to blast in front of traffic after every stop in the city. I'd say the only negative is nearly every time I park, I have to take time to explain what it is because people always stop to ask "is that electric?" Did I mention fun wheelies? I do wish it had a clutch and maybe 2-3 gears.
@@kingkazuma2568 Looking back, I made this comment 3 years ago now. Since then, I moved across the country but I still have the Zero FXS and still ride it frequently. I ended up keeping 1 gas bike though. The issue is that gas can get you farther on long trips. The electric is mostly just good around town and for short commutes. Commuting less than 50 miles or rolling around town? Go electric. Lots of highway driving? Go gas.
@@icclg5768 but battery tech has stalled out! I'll stick too engines thank you. If I want quite I'll get a goldwing especially if I'm going to empty the bank account for it.
If you need to get someone's attention, use the horn. Quiet is nice. You do not bother the neighbors and you can sense your environment more. Noise causes fatigue and pisses off people. The Zero is fantastic.
An electric motorbike makes huge sense to me for MOST (not all) riders. I would love an electric motorbike styled on Yamaha FJR, Triumph Trophy (1999), Honda Duval type bikes.
That was splendid. Thanks for posting. A 100 to possibly 200 mile range could be do-able in the city. For me, with that range and I could go about 2 weeks with out a charging.
@Rata 4U come on now, the range is 200 miles in the city. It is around 280km, so first revise your math, second i do understand the range can be a problem, but i personnaly wouldnt even ride 200km in a day. Its not a road trip bike...
I couldn't agree more. I'm waiting until they hit the 10 grand USD mark ...AND can go 230 miles per charge.....at 60mph constantly and consistently. Until then..nope.
I can't wait to try one. I ride a 650 Versys turned into a naked bike, and I'd miss the sound, but.. when prices come down a bit, I would LOVE to be on one of these for my daily commute to work. Much prefer to take the battery inside for charging, but.. the thought of "magic carpet" motorcycling doesn't scare me. It's still a bike, and still fun to ride. I've read that riding silently though the woods makes up for a lot of the "it not making the BRAAAP sound" :)
In some German cities there is a electric scooter “car-sharing”. These things ride super smooth and have a nice acceleration as well, I like them very much. (Electric Schwalbe) I drive a Honda CB500F ‘16.
I like them as near silent as possible. You often can't hear quite noisy vehicles until there on top of you. The noise issue is overplayed. I'm harassed by traffic noise where I live and it would be a delight to have that cut down.
I can’t wait to test ride one. I won’t miss noise, pollution, maintenance and gears because I already ride a 125cc scooter which has some of those qualities but the zero would be even more fun.
He's right about some wanting retro designs. I think if they start offering UJM based designs more people would be interested. I miss my old 1979 Honda CB750k. Make a bike that gives me the same seating position and I may just buy it.
I have small electric scooter with 1200w engine and 3,8kwh battery (custom battery with over 140km of range). I drive it for almnosst 3 years now and made 11000km. I'll NEVER switch back to gasoline scooter or motorcycle, I only think about some bigger scooter, maybe with 6kw or 10kw engine... 11k km with absolutelely no maintenance, no issues whatsoever. OK, i had to inflate tire once. Electric vehicles are not only very comfortable to drive, also very comfortable to just own it - just charge it and go
I really like the idea of electric bikes - especially when their prices go down. The only thing I'm concerned about is the sound. Having a motor bike other cars can hear you and know you're there; with this not so much. I like the speaker idea at 10:11 if it's implemented well.
I have found loud pipes save lives. I would believe this bike was far more prone to accidental collision with a car than say, a Harley. After almost getting run into a couple of times on my motorcycle I went to headers with very little muffler and had no problems after that.
Nice review. I hate these modern digital dashboards, I love good old analogue dials, they are clear and easy to read. Used to love the smell of 2 stroke on my clothes, guess those days are gone!
Yes and the digital dash on this bike isn't a particularly good one either. I see no reason why analogue clocks couldn't be used on electric bikes to show speed, battery etc.
If I had to state just one thing about the character of bikes I liked above all else, I would have to say it is engine torque. Because of that electric bikes would be great.
Here in the US the starting price is $16,500 with longer range batteries adding $2300 or $2900. There are many bikes that I'd rather have for much less cash.
You know what would be even better? A version where you could instantly refuel it with some sort of portable power source nearly instantaneously instead of 3hrs, oh wait...
I think that when battery technology reaches the point where it gives great mileage and super fast charging which I'm sure will happen, that's when people will begin to think about choosing electric bikes, especially if the sound of a bike can be built into it...
Yeah I guess the charging is more limiting on road trips. I like the idea of interchangeable batteries so that you can just pick up a fresh one at a service station
Man in 15-20 years there's going to be a whole new category of motocross. They're going to have to put wings what parachutes on them. No joke I'm not exaggerating what that kind of acceleration then you'll only be held back by what the human body can endure and if you can find a way to soften the landing then it'll be like a real life video game. Man I got to start working now I want to be in good enough shape to do that.
200 miles in London is like 1000 miles in the countryside 😂 These bikes are going to change the game. I've been after a Zero motorcycle for some time now, just they're a little bit expensive at the moment. Also the Mayor needs to sort out this rapid charge point crisis first.
"200 miles in london is like 1000 in the countryside." Umm, more like 150 miles in the countryside. Such is the efficiency of these machines at slow speeds, instant torque and regen for stop start riding, that aerodynamic drag is the real concern so you actually get a better mileage in city riding. I ride the Zero FX daily. I can't recommend it highly enough: the most fun I've had in decades. There is no going back. Though when I do have to ride one of my ICE bikes now and then it feels agricultural.
@@lighthousesaunders7242 Yeah, highway or country roads would be a lot less range. Immagine cruising at 60mph/100kmh, would probably be empty in an hour.
When the bike is in full regen it also act like engine breaking which makes it handle like a petrol bike. Zero is so cheap to run the money youu save can be used to buy a petrol bike for longer journeys. Back in 2018 the charge network was very limited but it had improved a lot since then
I've always enjoyed my Kawasaki Concourse and 1200cc Voyager being on the more silent side until you crank it and you get that nice Kawi rumble but the next generation of bikers will really embrace this new way of riding. Ride On !!
I'd be very interested in something like this, what puts me off is the really low range at highway speeds and the insanely long charge times (6hrs+) - and we wont mention the price. Appreciate it's early days for electric bikes, so hopefully they'll improve.
For many people that kind of range is already enough, and there are speed chargers as was mentioned, but yes, they have been and will continue to improve.
@@matthewsmith1612 Yeah it totally works for people who roll < 100m (including me) It's just a PITA over simply riding a push bike, this isn't a solution yet, I'm eager to see if they can take Tesla tech and turn that into bike tech Incentive? I have an open credit card for the first company who pulls off a 200 mile range with a < 1 hr recharge. God damn gas, we found the perfect fuel then proceeded to kill ourselves with it. We're asking humanity to take a pay cut at the moment, and that just wont fly. Renewables need a homerun, ...as an engineer, let's make it happen
So my Buell Blast was $2500, with warranty used. Gets about 150-175 miles to a tank and cost around $3.75 to fill up . If you got lots of cash to wast, fine but for $16,000+ Ill go buy a Sportster and extra gear and still have a bike I can resell later on.
100mi of range at highway speed will kind of confine it to being a commuter bike, so it's a good option if you want a fast alternative to a scooter, but not if you want to take the bike out on a holiday once in a while.
It stands to reason that if you add a gearbox to an electric motor you can extend the Range quite significantly because less torque is required on Lower gears
Eerie feeling to have all that torque without any sound. The lack of gearshift lever messes me up the most, especially while slowing down. Had to actually shout at peds a few times in the city so they don't step right before me onto the street... 🤣
I have an electric "sport" bike. It's only meant for city use, with a top speed of 65 kmh...40mph. I love it. Not a penny spent on it in over two years, except the obvious.....5 dollars a month added to my electricity bill.
Will it be like Tesla and once the small warranty is over you can't receive service? What will replacement parts cost? 16k for technology that'll break and cost more to repair.
The electronics that send the power to the electric motor can be set up to a maximum amount of acceleration. It's basically traction control but it can't adjust for different grip levels. So run the eco mode in the wet. Or be very mindfull of your throttle input.
Bet riding thats a change from the usual Motorcycle, i always hear how the torque and acceleration on these new electric bikes are insane, i think the most freakish thing is that the only noise you hear is wind noise aha which must be really odd. Top stuff as always 👌
Thanks mate. Yeah I'm going to visit Zero's UK importer in July to try some of their other bikes including the SR/F which is meant to be quicker than this. The torque was indeed crazy, so the SR/F should be unreal
Looks fun, would be nice for city folks. With a decent solar charging station at home it would be pretty cheap transportation. Most power here is coal based, so electric cars/bikes are basically burning coal.
Scowler Scowler if your planning on going past the Range that is intended the the bike just isn’t for you. These bikes are used mostly for commute/errands/mess around on. I was commenting on the coal usage, which like I said is negligible and sort of out of our control. If we move to other sources of electricity then it wouldn’t be an issue. They are in all area less harmful to the environment and if people don’t plan on no longer reproducing any time soon then we should probably start supporting them. But if it’s not for you it’s not for you, they are useful to many other people in the world
Even burning coal to charge your EV is better for the enviorment than using gasoline. Because the gasoline has to be pumped out of the ground and then refined, which uses a lot more fossile fuels and coal energy than you do when charging the bike
Moved from a decently quiet Pan European (lotsa umpf, not much noise) to a goldwing (more umpf, less noise). If there's a goldwing in the works that runs on batteries.. yeah. Want one.
Really don’t get the issue with no noise. I switched from cigarettes to vaping 4 years ago. I don’t vape tobacco flavoured juices because why do you need to? A new technology means new options and outlook. I don’t need to rip out fat clouds of tobacco flavoured steam any more than this electric bike needs to throw out decibels of internal combustion sound. Come to think of it, my iPhone doesn’t need to crack out a faux camera shutter noise every time I take a picture. Embracing a new technology means letting go of preconceptions like that. I love this bike. Great video man.
I have a school mate that rides 1 daily. perfect (although overpriced) for daily school/work/backroads. NOT for long rides (which we do only a dozen or so times a year if your lucky)
Haha I’ve been wondering about these... I have a NIU electric Scooter in Beijing as my transport I have an s1000r and a street twin here in the U.K. I find the electric bike just as much fun 😂 thanks for the upload man 👌🏻 got to ask you though.... who makes your jacket? Is it armoured?
It needs some sort of sound to alert others of its approach, especially if used off-road, as unsuspecting walkers could end up in some serious collisions.
Why do you need a bike with that much capacity and speed? You will never use it to its maximum ability. Electric with instant torque will be more fun on public roads.
That was so weird when u first took off with no sound😳....love the look of it, be a great city runaround but definitely not for the Triumph twin & triple purists! like us😊...great review as usual mate! TRI☘️
I love the idea of electric bikes, I have done since I first saw tron when I was young I think, and especially since I first saw the mugan at the TT. I'd buy a harley livewire tomorrow (if I had any money, which I don't ) as I think they look incredible!
Agree that the livewire has nailed the looks. Pretty much the best looking electric bike out there to my eye. But the price is just ridiculous! And the specs aren’t all that great
I have electric cars, but will probably never let go of the petrol on a bike. Its all about feel, sound, vibrations and even smell. Its a fun sensory overload tool. Electric bikes will feel sterile, and in a car, thats what you want in a daily commuter. On the weekend twisties with friends, no thank you, 2-stroke single will be my next;)
If it has two wheels, it's allowed on the highway and you can crash it, it's a motorbike to me. For the rest it's just about habituation (and calculation, not to forget). I mean, you can still have your preferences, but I think you can pretty much compare it with steam locs and electric trains. And yeah, there 's still people who claim the first has more 'emotion'. But those electric bashers just don't get it: riding has ALWAYS been about comfort and emotion. If it wasn't, we 'd be still riding on leaking simmering English one and two cilinders. So the only important question is: what mix of comfort and emotion is right for you? And as I said, I think both aspects are prone to habituation. So, if some one says: I'll never ride electric, i hate electric", all he really says is "I'm less open to new experiences and have no imagination".
Petrol is still the most energy dense medium. Those batteries are incredibly not enviornmentally friendly if you look at what goes into the construction.
Still far better than the amount of Fuel you have to buy for the life of the battery. Batteries are a One Time cost, not a consumable. That alone massively reduces the environmental impact. Soo before spouting idiocy, understand the Basics.
@@Neojhun I went on 300 mile ride last week filled up twice for under $20. Cost about 5 min to stop and fill up. This was on a 1982 Goldwing with over 60k miles. No electric bike can come close to that nor will it be able to for quite some time
@@nbgaf1040 Not actually true if you look at the electric Monotracers of 2009-2012. The ZeroTracer that went around the world in 80 days did far more than 300 miles down the west coast on one of the longer days. www.bikeweb.com/node/2129 Terry Hershner did an Iron Butt of 1,000 miles in 23 hours in 2014 on his modified 2012 Zero! www.bikeweb.com/node/2714
Great review! Loved the business about making noise and emissions on the way home. Ha ha. That line alone got me to subscribe! I will test ride one someday. I'm happy on my F6B otherwise though.
@@motobob I completely agree. I went to a demo day last year and got the Ducati itch out of my system. Same dealer sells Zero. I should have tested those instead. ;)