The future of hooning around in the great outdoors looks great. Low maintenance, low running costs and all while keeping the cows happy in the field with no noise.
What I've always wondered about greenlaning - and I'll say right away that I know nothing about the subject - is isn't there a risk of taking out people who are walking on the same lanes/tracks/paths? Some people will drive responsibly, but there are always going to be idiots. And doesn't a quiet vehicle make this more likely? On the other hand, a noisy vehicle is going to annoy everyone else.
@@julianevans9548 I walk the green lanes around my area fairly often and I frequently have e-bicycles come past me. I can hear them coming as although there's no engine noise, you can still hear the tyres crunching on the road, squeaks of brakes, clicking of chains etc as they approach, so I assume the e-motobikes will be similar. Definitely much quieter than the odd ICE bike that comes past us though - which you can hear coming from miles away and hear them for ages after they have passed. But yes, a quiet e-motorbike is more likely to catch someone by surprise than an ICE one - hopefully the riders are careful - like you say there are always idiots though (no matter what the technology), very little you can do about them I'm afraid.
I had a "Quantya" 10 years ago- and I have driven the KTM e-crossers- the driving is brilliant- BUT I live in Germany...there is no legal Greenlining and people seem so like to call the police...
@@julianevans9548 Even with regular ICE cars on the road, above about 20 mph it's the wind and tyre noise you hear first rather than the engine. Off road, it's definitely the sound of crunching gravel you'd hear first. Until we get flying electric cars, there won't be any issues not hearing them coming!
Been riding motorcycles for 25 years. All different makes/models/purposes, love them all. Took a Zero SR/F for a test ride end of last year (2019), came back into the dealer and immediately ordered one :D There is no going back to ICE bikes for me, I am converted. All my worries about not having a cool sound, or it would be less engaging without a clutch disappeared within 5 minutes of my test ride. The relentless seamless power, the quietness of the ride and the fact that I can help reduce emissions all add up to a better/happier ride for me than if I was on an ICE bike. I use my Zero SR/F everyday for commuting, 60 mile round trip which is easily in range for that bike even if you have it in Sport mode the entire time. Wake up each morning with a full 'tank'. Haven't been to a fuel station since December 2019. They are still expensive though - you can get some beautiful exotic ICE bikes for the same price as a SR/F. Hopefully as more people buy them then economies of scale kick in and the prices will start coming down. Zero must be doing something right though as they can't produce enough SR/F's or SR/S's to keep up with demand. Even if you don't think you want an electric motorbike, I still recommend just going to your closest dealer and going for a test ride. They are really impressive machines. Great video Jonny - i need to test ride one of those FXs now :) Edit - ooo one more thing that I think you should address Jonny is insurance. They're not so easy to insure as the majority of insurers still don't have them on their books so you don't have much choice in who covers you - which makes it harder to haggle on pricing. Would be worth asking Jon who he recommends. Cheers.
Doesnt matter does it how much you love petrol bikes, the Zeros are just as exhilarating to ride, but just different. Different tools to fit different jobs 👍
Great to see a mention of Glass. They work so hard to keep access to these lanes open to bikes and 4x4s. Unfortunately access to these “lanes” is under threat a lot of byways were lost in the early 2000’s and what is left is still under threat. Glass to great work be it politically or hands on repairing lanes to keep access open
In the spirit of adding to the discussion, and for green landing, a well specced 1,500w e-bike concerted mountain bike would be great for this sort of use too.
It would also be illegal. E-mountain bikes are limited to 250W, 16mph top speed while assisted and have to be pedal-assist, no throttle. Any more power or a throttle control and they're not legal on the road and not legal offroad on bike trails either.
@@neildaniel8232 you can register them though as a "special" you have to fit lights and a rear numberplate. Perversely if the bike is an import then you are allowed to use the numberplate size originally fitted! So we just need an Ebike maker to fit a numberplate that is 4cm x 3cm to the rear mudguard and put brake lights on it. Job done.
I bought a Lifan electric scooter for popping around town on in Spain. My alternative choice was a 50cc four stroke. It was great as I lived in a very flat area where it made the most out of its small power output. But I could out accelerate other 50cc scooters. I only sold it because where I am moving to is far more remote and up in the hills. I think most people are concerned about the range. I was with the scooter, but my journies were ALL within the range of the charge. You just have to analyse what mileage you do on your piston bike to see if a e-motorbike is for you. And test ride one. You can't say you hate e-motorbikes without ever having ridden one. They are astounding and I imagine a trials bike is superb with all the torque available all the time.
I ride an FXS as a commuter and for some greenlanes as well. Unless you're riding deep sand or very loose gravel/split you dont need the chain conversion right away. Ive 3d printed a chain guard that keeps the stones out. Also an FXS fits Heidenau k73 tires that are awesome both on the road and on dry sand and gravel. The lack of maintance on these bikes is great, i dont need more projects i just want to ride.
Been working on Motorcycles since 1983, I rode a Zero street trail style bike in 2017 and loved it, totally smitten and blown away at it's performance...it was just weird trying to get use to no motor sound, as always great video!!!
Been riding for 45 years, still run a dozen bikes from classics that i renovate to 1000cc sports bikes but one of my favourites is small green laners the only problem is the noise. I also run a Zero SRF road bike what a brilliant machine. I ran a Zero DSR before this and that was so good in its own right, perfect suspension and power compromise for road / trail. I have to say seeing the vid today Jonny Im tempted to go for a FX as a green laner. There is really no way ill ever buy another ICE bike so FX it is, these are well built machines for the money Im hooked, try one. This is the future of green laning.
@@vilemeister Funny how everyone gets hung up on price... if price were that big a factor hardly anyone would be manufacturing anything larger than compact sedans. The *average* price for a new car in the US is just shy of US$37K! Most of the EVs you can buy today are not expensive, they are *average* price! As for the lack of EVs on the used market, that's because they sell very quickly often for near the original price. They are highly desirable, and you're not likely to find a whole lot full of them any time soon.
@@Smidge204 I maintain that anyone buying a new car at the mid to premium end of the market should be buying an electric car. There is no contest. But theres an awful lot of really nice stuff below the Konas, Tesla 3s, Niros with ICE engines. Those EVs are higher priced because of the petrol tank ranges of the cars, and those are the ones that people want. Surprisingly though price is the major pain point for cars since they are largely the second most expensive thing you'll ever buy. I don't find it funny that people get hung up on price, spending ~50k on a new EV with the range that people want is a lot of money.
People are not "HUNG UP" on the price , its just a hard fact . when you can get a perfectly capable petrol motorcycle for half the price of a zero what really is the major advantage, still service every 12mths , as the guy said , bearings , pivots etc and brake fluid changes . i would hazard a guess that over say 5yrs of ownership the petrol will still come out more economical to own.
I think electric is the wave of the future for MX and enduro style bikes; this coming from a grey American who was riding MX bikes before he could drive. I also agree that it’s perfectly suited for a trials bike. That low speed power control is ideal! Now I’m thinking I need one. Thanks for the review, nicely done.
I am a petrolhead and will be taking my 51-year old BSA greenlaning as soon as I've rebuilt the engine. But have to say that looks fantastic - I'd love a go. I imagine off-roading is where an electric bike would shine - you can have a lot of fun without covering many miles so range is less of an issue. I love the countryside too, so quietly whooshing though it really appeals. Great video.
I'm starting small with saving for a Niu M+ so that my wife and I can zip around the city when we're eventually reunited. Where I'm from though is a green lane haven. The lack of noise for EVs in general is going to be a huge difference to cities and the countryside in a way people don't yet seem to appreciate.
@@majordelays4909 it's a bit tricky since you have to work with a buying agent in China. I used to live there for a while so I kinda knew a guy who knew a guy but total price for a brand new NQi with shipping to the Netherlands was about 1080€ whereas retailers sell them for 2500€ here
@@stijnhs thank you for your response, I was looking at emtb from FREY on aliexpress and the shipping costs were high as well as my perceived risk. The margin on retail is high there and the savings strong. Amazing how cheap the manifacturing costs can be! How do you like yours ? Are you considering something like a zero bike one day soon?
@@majordelays4909 I had tested one from a friend when I lived in China and it was truly a great piece of kit, personally I had an escooter of another Chinese brand which costed me 260 euros brand new and could drive for 120km on a charge. I would indeed not recommend buying from Ali unless the seller is very renowned. Mind you there is also an additional risk of taxation on arrival. I use the Niu (which actually means cow in Chinese...) for all my city driving. I have a petrol bike as well for long distances and off-road. To be honest I'm not really looking at zero bikes as I prefer the predictability of the low end power of petrol powered bikes. Especially in the changeable weather like that of the Netherlands and UK I want something less "jumpy" in the wet. I have looked at some zero bikes before but found them too small for me (I'm 185cm which isn't that tall but tall enough to get cramp in my legs after about an hour).
Seen a lad on a zero at Filey beach and was extremely impressed, so we’re the guys there riding a Vincent 1000 and others. We all agreed it’s the way to go.
Electric motorbikes for greenlaning are the future for one main reason: no exhaust noise! I go out in the countryside for drives, walking and mountain biking and while I'm happy for the motorbikes and 4x4's to be doing their thing legally the noise they produce is an issue for others. The first electric motorbike I came across while out was a breath of fresh air, no noise to hear all over the valley but the owner was still having fun. I keep on thinking of getting a motorbike for easy touring and exploring but the noise puts me off, an electric bike sorts that. Might have to look into the costs etc again soon!
Me at the end of February starting my Direct Access: “I’ll have my license by mid-March, the summers going to be great” Well that was a ducking lie. The Zero bikes are growing on me, Royal Jordanians video where he flies through London was awesome but seeing this video on green lanes is fantastic.
@@chrishart8548 you get more than 30 miles. Riding as we were on this day of filming we would get about 75 miles. Some riders in london have even seen 100 miles from a single charge on one of these bikes with this same, smallest size, battery. Only if you just got sit on a motorway at a constant 80mph will you see figures like 30 miles from a charge. The bikes with the bigger 14.4 kwh batteries are still no heavier really than a comparable performance petrol bike.
@@RebelsInc969 Only about 7k after saving 1k a year on service and running costs. (Trade it after a few years) I plan to leave it stuck on the back of a camper, constantly connected to solar. Just unhook it and go. Semi retired life. lol
I have the FXS. Absolutely brilliant. I love electric motorcycles. Yes they are very different from petrol bikes but it's the differences that make them so much fun to ride. I use mine for commuting and short rides our locally. Perfect for that.
11:31 Bravo, I've been banging on about using the left leaver for the rear brake for years. I would have thought electric sports bike riders would be the first one's to do it.
I suppose it depends on whether you've come to EV bikes from scooters or from conventional bikes. I know that it would take quite a bit of time for me to rewire myself for the change from clutch lever to brake. That's why even DCT bikes like the NC750 retain a brake pedal and just lose the clutch. Plus when you stop on a hill it's nice to be able to sit back and stretch while keeping the brake pressed with your foot.
It's a great mod and one we supply for all the range of Zero bikes on our parts website...... www.nyaparts.co.uk And for off road it is especially useful as when you are riding stood up on the pegs you dont have to have a foot hovering over / near the rear brake. You can just ride with your feet where they feel comfortable. And when you come to a stop on rough ground, if you need to hold the rear brake while pointing downhill, you can still use either foot to put a foot down while holding the rear brake on your hand.
As a regular motorcyclist and mountain biker I have to stress that OS maps do not give you the full picture. Some byways and other permissible routes are impassable on a motorbike due to narrow or steep terrain and may even have locked gates across them. I would recommend walking or cycling a route first or speaking to someone with local route experience.
Nice video thanks. I’ve owned a Zero FX for 18 months. It’s a superb bike. I use it a lot on off road tracks in the south of Portugal. No problem with the belt drive so far. Great off road, and very quick. I get about 80 miles range. Having previously owned ICE trail bikes, I would never go back to a petrol bike, as I would never go back to an ICE car after 6 years of EVs.
When I went green laning, one of us always ran short on petrol. Easily sorted if you carry a spare fuel can or syphon tube. Solar panels for lekky don’t quite cut it.
I have a 2015 Zero SR and still love it. I use it for all my short trips and commuting. If it had more range it would be perfect, but it will come at some point. Mind you, if the trip is more than 1 hour I would take the car anyway for comfort. If it had double the range, to me, that would be enough. The 2019 SR has more range than mine, but it's nowhere double. I don't have the power tank option (extra battery) because I want the storage space and not the extra weight. When they get to a ZF25 (battery) for the same weight now it will be perfect. I have only sat on the FX but I found it top-heavy (for an off-road bike), for the FX to keep the same energy but put it in 1/2 the weight would be perfect for off-road use.
Great seeing some bike content from you Jonny. Electric bikes are certainly the future and there are some really nifty EV scooters available with removable batteries so you can charge inside your home if you don't have a garage or powered storage, or quickly swap out a flat battery for a charged one. That said, the price point needs to come right down, and the range to come up, for it to be achievable for me. My bike (used Kawasaki Versys 650, petrol) cost less than a quarter of a new Zero and when I go camping on it I find myself riding from Lincolnshire all the way back home to Devon/Cornwall, and then all around Cornwall. A range of 70 miles (which probably isn't even that because which biker doesn't have a heavy wrist), followed by a charge time of several hours, just isn't usable for anything other than commuting and local trips. I used to have a big ol' petrol cruiser that only got 75 miles or so from a tank before it hit reserve and I had to get rid of it because even with a normal ICE quick fillup time it still wasn't a usable range for the riding I do. With that all said, I'm certainly not against owning an EV one day, car or bike, and while I'll especially miss the engine note on the bike it will be worth it to improve my contributions to the environment. However, what worries me is whether the support will exist for people like me who don't earn a lot of money because with various countries and cities starting to phase out ICE vehicles in the next few years I can absolutely see myself being priced out of motoring. My current car and bike combined wouldn't make me enough to buy even a crappy used electric car so for all that they're cheaper to run and maintain once you own one, that initial investment remains a very high hurdle for a lot of people.
Silence is absolutely priceless in this environment. it's so much more enjoyable to experience all this in silence and believe me, silent power is really intoxicating - like god came along and shoved you down the lane; such a buzz. Make a noice and smell the fumes, somewhere else. Great video, thanks :)
Rear brake controlled by the left handle bar lever makes so much sense. I ride an ICE motor bike and a push bike (plus an electric car) and if I went electric motorbike I'd make that change on day one.
Awesome. Just seen this, and coincidentally I did this yesterday ha ha. I was over at English Electric and went out on a FX. What an outrageous thing. I'm very inexperienced off road but after just minutes, I was sliding the back end around ha ha. Soooooo much fun.
@@matbowden9156 the issue with the Surron is if you get the road legal version so you can go on the green lanes, it is limited to 28mph I believe. But then the full fat version that will do 50mph wouldnt be legal to take on the green lanes.
Only done something like this by following GPS. It was in Pennsylvania, (Amish county). Driving a brand new Lincoln Continental with 200 miles on the clock (hire car) It was a right mess when I dropped the car off again after the week. 🤣 GREAT INFORMATION ON BOTH THE TRACKS AND THE BIKES, CHEERS SIR. 👍👍
We're building some rather bonkers electric bikes over here in Belgium. Taken part in the TT Zero a few times, now working on the road bike. Plus.. a smaller Flat Tracker which will be nuts on green lanes.
There ya go. I got two and they are the best big boy toys I've ever had. I've got the bigger ones for the range but they were my first road legal bikes and you pick up riding them in no time without dealing with the shifting. Night rides in the country just feels like your flying. They are quite addictive and I dread rainy days when I have to go back to the car. They handle rain but I don't. You should try the whole range I'm sure your buddy would love to show them. Cheers.
I think these 2 models in the range work better as transitions from petrol power than the other electric motorbikes, like the guy said in the piece about the length of a typical days riding on lanes. On the road bike versions though on flowing A roads the range just isn't good enough for many folks ride outs let alone a weekend trip somewhere. An FXS looks ideal to me for local lanes and short round trip commutes, unfortunately mine is 80 miles on fast A and B roads but for many it will work well. Good episode thanks.
*I once rode my Yamaha 400cc down the old 'Great Central' railway line from Birstall (Leicester) to Lutterworth shortly after it was closed, and have also ridden it around Green Lanes around Bicester Great Fun.*
i've ridden electric scooters a long time ago (2007/9) and loved it. acceleration was a surprise. but if you ride through a town centre, people step out in front of you, because they can't hear you, and don't bother to look. had been looking at the new electric vespa, but £5k is twice the normal price. i bought an aprillia with a noisy pipe. my neighbours are unimpressed.
There aren't many Zero Motorcycle dealers in the middle of the US, but I happened to drive past the only one of three in my state, only yesterday. I should go back and take a look.
Great video Jonny, I would also like to mention that some Zeros have the option to fast charge via Type2 connectors thus increasing their utility as a daily commuter. It would be excellent if you could review the Energica EGO, one other of the few to have Type2 charging but also DC rapid charging (a candidate to replace my aging Mille). Cafe racers are also cool, check out the Super SOCO TC (in green) and TC-Max if you have the time and interest.
If I'm honest there's not enough wheels for me, however, I could really go for one of those, just need a licence, I can't see any negatives about them. It's an ideal vehicle for a commute and just as capable if you want to have an arse around at the weekend. Once again Jonny a very informative and consice review, brilliant. I am very much of the opinion that the E-Bike is going to be an integral part of the future of the electric motor industry.
You can ride the 11kw versions of the Zero bikes on just a CBT which is just a one day Compulsory Basic Training course and costs about £120. If you want any more info then feel free to drop us an email...... jon@notyouraveragebikes.com
Just a correction. Zero actually started out with an offroad bike back in 2006. I believe that they actually were founding members of a EV specific MX race series out in CA. The road specific bikes - correctly - came out in 2010'ish.
Another great video Jonny, but the audio volume was all over the place and I was concentrating more on turning the volume up and down than listening to what you were saying. Ten out of ten for video, two out of ten for audio.
I'm inviting you to Australia (post-COVID-19) to try out our green lanes😎. I own a Nissan Leaf, it's a great local car it does 90% of our car stuff. I would love an electric Adventure Bike, but the specs, it has to have ideally a 400km range, 300 minimum. And a state of the art traction control system. Plus a competitive price and that could take into account lower running costs. Do that & the worlds your oyster. All the best to you blokes & Zero
I was going to comment to mention this too! Actually, the sound in general is awful but the mixed-up L and R channels (switching to just mono L sound while talking riding the bike) made me come over all funny .. shame
An excellent video, thank you :) I’m a long time EV enthusiast who is also a wheelchair user. I used to ride bikes and still have a full bike license. I’d love to have a full electric quad so I can do some green-laning and still be able to carry my wheelchair. I really miss the freedom of being on a bike :)
CarPervert - it definitely would be :) Hope you’re keeping well, I’m the one who was using the rapid charger at the last Silverstone Fully Charged Show with Outlander PHEV, we had a good chat :)
@@iantrott9152 anything is possible with the right budget. And it sounds like an interesting project. If you want to discuss it then drop us a line..... sales@notyouraveragebikes.com
I don't care for riding a motorbike on dirt but my electric Zero SR/F has mind bending acceleration on paved roads. Definitely not a beginner's bike though.
Nice vid Jonny 👌 I'd recommend getting touch with Inch Perfect Trials near Clitheroe as they have electric trials bikes that are awesome, and it's a stunning place. They were great when I went for an experience day a couple of years ago. Would also make a great spot for a video 😎
Very Interesting and educational, I've always fancied a bit of greenlaning .. Will we be seeing a Carpervert feature on EV river boats and local waterways? :)
Cheers Jonny, great video. EV bikes and self build E-mountain bikes are at an interesting point right now, price performance and practicality seem to be intersecting. Legislation is, as ever, lagging. Hey ho. :)
+CarPervert I've been contemplating going to belt drive from chain drive on my ICE bike, strange to see someone go in the opposite direction. Thank you for going into the reasons for that.
Some people may complain that motor vehicles on these green lanes should be discouraged or worse, banned. But if people don't use them, hopefully responsibly, they'll just disappear altogether. And then there'll be few to resist overdevelopment of the countryside. On another note, any chance of checking out OSET electric bikes since you mentioned trials? Looks like an interesting range - if one or two were just road legal ...
Interesting bikes as a alternative to piston power. The only problem i have is the cost. Ten thousand pounds is a lot of money when you can buy a new piston bike from five and half thousand (SWM) and there are loads of second hand bikes for a lot less than that. For me the cost needs to come down before i give up my Yamaha TTR (£2500). Great video as ever.
Yes. And there are 3 models available as CBT legal variants (11kw). You can get the S, DS, or FXS as 11kw CBT legal versions. All will do 85mph and they accelerate like a 500/600cc bike. It's all down to how UK licensing laws work for electric motorcycles. Petrol bikes are governed by Peak Power. Electric motorcycles are governed by Continuous Nett Power. If you want more info on CBT legal Zeros then drop us a an email to sales@notyouraveragebikes.com
EDITORS PLEASE: do an audio pass before exporting, equalize, mix, compress. A quick pass would make this so much more enjoyable. Otherwise this feels like an early rough cut of local TV episode. This show is awesome and deserves better. Everything is there, just mix the audio! Cheers, stay healthy.
Thanks for the feedback. Apologies. We keep trying to get as good a quality episodes out with the resources and time available. At this moment CarPervert episodes are not sponsored, so my earnings come purely from views - which never covers the cost of the filming or edit process.
Great video, a small piece of advice I can offer as someone who films whilst mountain biking - get a gopro Hero 7/8 and either mount it to your chest or from the chin of your helmet.
Sound levels Johnny! I couldn’t get the sound level right between the on and off bike parts, which stopped me from watching in the end. Surely something that can be sorted in post-production?
I like the idea of electric motorcycles as a second bike, I'm not ready to give up the sound and hands on clutch and gears involvement just yet. The problem is price, I ride cheap old knackered bikes as it is. One thing that worries me is the used market when electric bikes are 10,15, 20 years old and the battery packs start to degrade, keeping them on the road will be very expensive.
You might try E-mountainbiking. There are a couple of disadvantages compared to e-motorcycles such as the need to pedal all the time and assistance drops out at 25 Kph, however the advantages are many and various. You can go anywhere a bicycle can go legally so more that just greenlanes and roads but bridleways, bike parks and cycleways too. A good full suspension emtb will cost half the price of one of the bikes above and will be really cheap to maintain. You won't need to insure it except for theft. You don't need to wear as much when riding, not even a helmet if you don't care too much about your brain, and you can get a good workout if you so desire. I'm just putting it out there! Loving the videos Jonny keep up the good work. I hope you are still friends with Bobby Llewelyn, any particular reason you left Fully Charged?
Hope you look into pedal EV's again Jonny. I'm looking at getting a pedal scooter type EV bike. Being classed as a bicycle i can ride it on country lanes, Bridleways, Byways and any cycle path in town.
I am not a bike person so I am sure there are people here more knowledgeable but a family friend had 250-350 old bikes when I was young and it's interesting how e-bikes are mimicking motorbike early designs with small and large frames ,engines, built-in pedals and even the powered self contained rear wheel swap to transform a bike to a powered bike. Wonder if the same design evolution will take place and we will end with the same class of bikes in the end or if we will get new normals
That does look great fun I have to admit!! But I don’t think there is a lot of green laning allowed in Scotland, which is ridiculous given how remote it can be! If there was I might trade my versys 650 for something like that as I do love the idea of getting off the beaten track a bit! Great vid as always, really enjoyed that!!👍
I took the Zero FX up to the Isle of Mull last summer in my camper. Although not classed as green lanes in Scotland, the forestry roads are great to ride on and totally legal.
Correct, and as featured in the film Bennetts War currently showing on Netflix. They also used Zero DSR bikes in John Wick 3 when he was being chased on the horse in the city streets..... but they over dubbed the film with petrol bike noises.
This makes me want to buy some 'China-ped' and convert to 18650's. As an 'old geezer' and having the 'p' on my Licence I have to explain to many people [ even some lorry drivers ] I don't have to take a CBT [ grandad's rights ] to ride a ped again. Great vid tall guy :-D
I could definitely see myself getting one but I do wonder how safe it would be on the road being silent, with people not hearing you coming or other cars pulling out on you. My last bike was a sport bike and I used to use a race can so other road users had a chance of hearing me come.
These are not silent. If you were to ride this down the road coming up behind people, you would get more people turning to look than if you were on a petrol bike with a loud can, as they dont recognise the noise so turn to see what it is.
My mate loaned his zero back to the place he bought it... I think it was the one Jon was riding. I've had a go on it but just in car park as I don't have a bike license, I was impressed with the bike but not my mate who'd left it in sports mode.. almost flipped it...
this could be a weird question but do i need a full bike licence to drive it? how can i tell what cc it is. I can drive a 125 cc crosser on a provisional. What licence do i need for one of them.
Artisan motorcycles who important ev retro Scooters and small bike are bringing out an electric 125 supermoto/enduro called the kollter ES1. I was really impressed when I sat on it at last year's motorcycle live and if I remember correctly its going to cost about £4.500. I have know idea if it's any good as only found one review in English on UA-cam. Artisans range gets pretty good reviews so looking to UK test rides.
The Kolter is a much lesser powered machine and not built to the same level of quality and overall performance as the Zero range of bikes. But that's why a Kollter is £5k.
The future of hooning around in the great outdoors looks great. Low maintenance, low running costs and all while keeping the cows happy in the field with no noise.
What I've always wondered about greenlaning - and I'll say right away that I know nothing about the subject - is isn't there a risk of taking out people who are walking on the same lanes/tracks/paths?
Some people will drive responsibly, but there are always going to be idiots.
And doesn't a quiet vehicle make this more likely?
On the other hand, a noisy vehicle is going to annoy everyone else.
@@julianevans9548 I walk the green lanes around my area fairly often and I frequently have e-bicycles come past me. I can hear them coming as although there's no engine noise, you can still hear the tyres crunching on the road, squeaks of brakes, clicking of chains etc as they approach, so I assume the e-motobikes will be similar. Definitely much quieter than the odd ICE bike that comes past us though - which you can hear coming from miles away and hear them for ages after they have passed. But yes, a quiet e-motorbike is more likely to catch someone by surprise than an ICE one - hopefully the riders are careful - like you say there are always idiots though (no matter what the technology), very little you can do about them I'm afraid.
I had a "Quantya" 10 years ago- and I have driven the KTM e-crossers- the driving is brilliant- BUT I live in Germany...there is no legal Greenlining and people seem so like to call the police...
Tell that to my Honda 2 stroke. Beautiful sound, smell. I can go miles more and carry a fuel can.
@@julianevans9548 Even with regular ICE cars on the road, above about 20 mph it's the wind and tyre noise you hear first rather than the engine. Off road, it's definitely the sound of crunching gravel you'd hear first.
Until we get flying electric cars, there won't be any issues not hearing them coming!
The definition of a gentleman. A man who knows how to play the banjo but does not ;-)
Must be Tom Waits fan.
It's the bagpipes round me
Been riding motorcycles for 25 years. All different makes/models/purposes, love them all. Took a Zero SR/F for a test ride end of last year (2019), came back into the dealer and immediately ordered one :D There is no going back to ICE bikes for me, I am converted. All my worries about not having a cool sound, or it would be less engaging without a clutch disappeared within 5 minutes of my test ride. The relentless seamless power, the quietness of the ride and the fact that I can help reduce emissions all add up to a better/happier ride for me than if I was on an ICE bike. I use my Zero SR/F everyday for commuting, 60 mile round trip which is easily in range for that bike even if you have it in Sport mode the entire time. Wake up each morning with a full 'tank'. Haven't been to a fuel station since December 2019. They are still expensive though - you can get some beautiful exotic ICE bikes for the same price as a SR/F. Hopefully as more people buy them then economies of scale kick in and the prices will start coming down. Zero must be doing something right though as they can't produce enough SR/F's or SR/S's to keep up with demand. Even if you don't think you want an electric motorbike, I still recommend just going to your closest dealer and going for a test ride. They are really impressive machines. Great video Jonny - i need to test ride one of those FXs now :) Edit - ooo one more thing that I think you should address Jonny is insurance. They're not so easy to insure as the majority of insurers still don't have them on their books so you don't have much choice in who covers you - which makes it harder to haggle on pricing. Would be worth asking Jon who he recommends. Cheers.
Doesnt matter does it how much you love petrol bikes, the Zeros are just as exhilarating to ride, but just different. Different tools to fit different jobs 👍
I wish that they remained in Australia. I would have liked to have had the opportunity to ride one.
remember to fill right with left when using a mono mic.
And normalise
Great to see a mention of Glass. They work so hard to keep access to these lanes open to bikes and 4x4s. Unfortunately access to these “lanes” is under threat a lot of byways were lost in the early 2000’s and what is left is still under threat. Glass to great work be it politically or hands on repairing lanes to keep access open
In the spirit of adding to the discussion, and for green landing, a well specced 1,500w e-bike concerted mountain bike would be great for this sort of use too.
It would also be illegal. E-mountain bikes are limited to 250W, 16mph top speed while assisted and have to be pedal-assist, no throttle. Any more power or a throttle control and they're not legal on the road and not legal offroad on bike trails either.
@@neildaniel8232 - I wasn't aware that this would be illegal on a bike trail.
@@zilspeed Green lanes are roads, you need to be road legal to drive/ride on one (plus you need to get there on normal roads first in all likelihood)
Timmy
I’m in Scotland where they aren’t really such a big thing, but all points noted.
@@neildaniel8232 you can register them though as a "special" you have to fit lights and a rear numberplate. Perversely if the bike is an import then you are allowed to use the numberplate size originally fitted! So we just need an Ebike maker to fit a numberplate that is 4cm x 3cm to the rear mudguard and put brake lights on it. Job done.
"People are disappointing, nature isn't"...never a truer word said! 😁
I bought a Lifan electric scooter for popping around town on in Spain. My alternative choice was a 50cc four stroke. It was great as I lived in a very flat area where it made the most out of its small power output. But I could out accelerate other 50cc scooters. I only sold it because where I am moving to is far more remote and up in the hills.
I think most people are concerned about the range. I was with the scooter, but my journies were ALL within the range of the charge. You just have to analyse what mileage you do on your piston bike to see if a e-motorbike is for you.
And test ride one. You can't say you hate e-motorbikes without ever having ridden one. They are astounding and I imagine a trials bike is superb with all the torque available all the time.
I ride an FXS as a commuter and for some greenlanes as well. Unless you're riding deep sand or very loose gravel/split you dont need the chain conversion right away. Ive 3d printed a chain guard that keeps the stones out. Also an FXS fits Heidenau k73 tires that are awesome both on the road and on dry sand and gravel. The lack of maintance on these bikes is great, i dont need more projects i just want to ride.
Been working on Motorcycles since 1983, I rode a Zero street trail style bike in 2017 and loved it, totally smitten and blown away at it's performance...it was just weird trying to get use to no motor sound, as always great video!!!
Been riding for 45 years, still run a dozen bikes from classics that i renovate to 1000cc sports bikes but one of my favourites is small green laners the only problem is the noise. I also run a Zero SRF road bike what a brilliant machine. I ran a Zero DSR before this and that was so good in its own right, perfect suspension and power compromise for road / trail. I have to say seeing the vid today Jonny Im tempted to go for a FX as a green laner. There is really no way ill ever buy another ICE bike so FX it is, these are well built machines for the money Im hooked, try one. This is the future of green laning.
They're great but you can get a CFR250 for half the price.
When the cost comes down and the range goes up, petrol bikes don't have a chance.
The case for all EVs to be fair. Range of over 300 miles now, but they are still expensive and hardly any on the used market.
@@vilemeister Funny how everyone gets hung up on price... if price were that big a factor hardly anyone would be manufacturing anything larger than compact sedans. The *average* price for a new car in the US is just shy of US$37K! Most of the EVs you can buy today are not expensive, they are *average* price!
As for the lack of EVs on the used market, that's because they sell very quickly often for near the original price. They are highly desirable, and you're not likely to find a whole lot full of them any time soon.
@@Smidge204 I maintain that anyone buying a new car at the mid to premium end of the market should be buying an electric car. There is no contest. But theres an awful lot of really nice stuff below the Konas, Tesla 3s, Niros with ICE engines. Those EVs are higher priced because of the petrol tank ranges of the cars, and those are the ones that people want.
Surprisingly though price is the major pain point for cars since they are largely the second most expensive thing you'll ever buy. I don't find it funny that people get hung up on price, spending ~50k on a new EV with the range that people want is a lot of money.
People are not "HUNG UP" on the price , its just a hard fact . when you can get a perfectly capable petrol motorcycle for half the price of a zero what really is the major advantage, still service every 12mths , as the guy said , bearings , pivots etc and brake fluid changes . i would hazard a guess that over say 5yrs of ownership the petrol will still come out more economical to own.
Perhaps a Sur-Run? 🤔
I think electric is the wave of the future for MX and enduro style bikes; this coming from a grey American who was riding MX bikes before he could drive. I also agree that it’s perfectly suited for a trials bike. That low speed power control is ideal! Now I’m thinking I need one. Thanks for the review, nicely done.
I am a petrolhead and will be taking my 51-year old BSA greenlaning as soon as I've rebuilt the engine. But have to say that looks fantastic - I'd love a go. I imagine off-roading is where an electric bike would shine - you can have a lot of fun without covering many miles so range is less of an issue. I love the countryside too, so quietly whooshing though it really appeals. Great video.
I'm starting small with saving for a Niu M+ so that my wife and I can zip around the city when we're eventually reunited. Where I'm from though is a green lane haven. The lack of noise for EVs in general is going to be a huge difference to cities and the countryside in a way people don't yet seem to appreciate.
Buy one directly from China, saves you at least half the price...
@@stijnhs Tell us more...?
@@majordelays4909 it's a bit tricky since you have to work with a buying agent in China. I used to live there for a while so I kinda knew a guy who knew a guy but total price for a brand new NQi with shipping to the Netherlands was about 1080€ whereas retailers sell them for 2500€ here
@@stijnhs thank you for your response, I was looking at emtb from FREY on aliexpress and the shipping costs were high as well as my perceived risk.
The margin on retail is high there and the savings strong. Amazing how cheap the manifacturing costs can be!
How do you like yours ? Are you considering something like a zero bike one day soon?
@@majordelays4909 I had tested one from a friend when I lived in China and it was truly a great piece of kit, personally I had an escooter of another Chinese brand which costed me 260 euros brand new and could drive for 120km on a charge. I would indeed not recommend buying from Ali unless the seller is very renowned. Mind you there is also an additional risk of taxation on arrival.
I use the Niu (which actually means cow in Chinese...) for all my city driving. I have a petrol bike as well for long distances and off-road. To be honest I'm not really looking at zero bikes as I prefer the predictability of the low end power of petrol powered bikes. Especially in the changeable weather like that of the Netherlands and UK I want something less "jumpy" in the wet. I have looked at some zero bikes before but found them too small for me (I'm 185cm which isn't that tall but tall enough to get cramp in my legs after about an hour).
Seen a lad on a zero at Filey beach and was extremely impressed, so we’re the guys there riding a Vincent 1000 and others. We all agreed it’s the way to go.
Whoa, sound levels! Nearly blew the speakers when the on bike segment started...... ouch!
I've not smashed the like button so fast in some time. Bikes plus EV equals a perfect weekend!
Electric motorbikes are fantastic. The tech has really caught up. Range and power is all you ever need!
Nice to see my good friend spenner showing his zeros. Great friendly company not your average bikes
Electric motorbikes for greenlaning are the future for one main reason: no exhaust noise! I go out in the countryside for drives, walking and mountain biking and while I'm happy for the motorbikes and 4x4's to be doing their thing legally the noise they produce is an issue for others. The first electric motorbike I came across while out was a breath of fresh air, no noise to hear all over the valley but the owner was still having fun. I keep on thinking of getting a motorbike for easy touring and exploring but the noise puts me off, an electric bike sorts that. Might have to look into the costs etc again soon!
If you want any more info then drop us an email to..... sales@notyouraveragebikes.com
Me at the end of February starting my Direct Access: “I’ll have my license by mid-March, the summers going to be great”
Well that was a ducking lie.
The Zero bikes are growing on me, Royal Jordanians video where he flies through London was awesome but seeing this video on green lanes is fantastic.
The smaller ones look good but a lot of money for 30miles range on the cheapest one then as you move up the get heavier and more expensive very fast,
@@chrishart8548 you get more than 30 miles. Riding as we were on this day of filming we would get about 75 miles. Some riders in london have even seen 100 miles from a single charge on one of these bikes with this same, smallest size, battery. Only if you just got sit on a motorway at a constant 80mph will you see figures like 30 miles from a charge.
The bikes with the bigger 14.4 kwh batteries are still no heavier really than a comparable performance petrol bike.
I WANT an electric enduro !!
Wheelies for days, instant oomph and happy neighbours \o/
& a £10,000 price tag, you got more money than sense ?
@@RebelsInc969 Only about 7k after saving 1k a year on service and running costs. (Trade it after a few years)
I plan to leave it stuck on the back of a camper, constantly connected to solar. Just unhook it and go.
Semi retired life. lol
Rebel with a Cause Ktm excf350 which is a default enduro/green lane bike is over £9k
It'll do wheelies for days but most of those days it will be on charge! 🤣🤣
I have the FXS. Absolutely brilliant. I love electric motorcycles. Yes they are very different from petrol bikes but it's the differences that make them so much fun to ride. I use mine for commuting and short rides our locally. Perfect for that.
11:31 Bravo, I've been banging on about using the left leaver for the rear brake for years. I would have thought electric sports bike riders would be the first one's to do it.
twist & go scooters use the left lever for the rear brake
The Zero community has bern doing that mod for a few years now. Makes sense.
I suppose it depends on whether you've come to EV bikes from scooters or from conventional bikes. I know that it would take quite a bit of time for me to rewire myself for the change from clutch lever to brake. That's why even DCT bikes like the NC750 retain a brake pedal and just lose the clutch. Plus when you stop on a hill it's nice to be able to sit back and stretch while keeping the brake pressed with your foot.
It's a great mod and one we supply for all the range of Zero bikes on our parts website...... www.nyaparts.co.uk
And for off road it is especially useful as when you are riding stood up on the pegs you dont have to have a foot hovering over / near the rear brake. You can just ride with your feet where they feel comfortable. And when you come to a stop on rough ground, if you need to hold the rear brake while pointing downhill, you can still use either foot to put a foot down while holding the rear brake on your hand.
I hate it
Do both if you have to, splitters are cheap
As a regular motorcyclist and mountain biker I have to stress that OS maps do not give you the full picture. Some byways and other permissible routes are impassable on a motorbike due to narrow or steep terrain and may even have locked gates across them. I would recommend walking or cycling a route first or speaking to someone with local route experience.
Nice video thanks. I’ve owned a Zero FX for 18 months. It’s a superb bike. I use it a lot on off road tracks in the south of Portugal. No problem with the belt drive so far. Great off road, and very quick. I get about 80 miles range. Having previously owned ICE trail bikes, I would never go back to a petrol bike, as I would never go back to an ICE car after 6 years of EVs.
When I went green laning, one of us always ran short on petrol. Easily sorted if you carry a spare fuel can or syphon tube. Solar panels for lekky don’t quite cut it.
Im not 'into' motorbikes , but this appeals ! Keen to have a go now !
Me too but on an e-mountain bike..... then I saw how much they cost!
I have a 2015 Zero SR and still love it. I use it for all my short trips and commuting. If it had more range it would be perfect, but it will come at some point. Mind you, if the trip is more than 1 hour I would take the car anyway for comfort. If it had double the range, to me, that would be enough. The 2019 SR has more range than mine, but it's nowhere double. I don't have the power tank option (extra battery) because I want the storage space and not the extra weight. When they get to a ZF25 (battery) for the same weight now it will be perfect. I have only sat on the FX but I found it top-heavy (for an off-road bike), for the FX to keep the same energy but put it in 1/2 the weight would be perfect for off-road use.
Great seeing some bike content from you Jonny. Electric bikes are certainly the future and there are some really nifty EV scooters available with removable batteries so you can charge inside your home if you don't have a garage or powered storage, or quickly swap out a flat battery for a charged one. That said, the price point needs to come right down, and the range to come up, for it to be achievable for me. My bike (used Kawasaki Versys 650, petrol) cost less than a quarter of a new Zero and when I go camping on it I find myself riding from Lincolnshire all the way back home to Devon/Cornwall, and then all around Cornwall. A range of 70 miles (which probably isn't even that because which biker doesn't have a heavy wrist), followed by a charge time of several hours, just isn't usable for anything other than commuting and local trips. I used to have a big ol' petrol cruiser that only got 75 miles or so from a tank before it hit reserve and I had to get rid of it because even with a normal ICE quick fillup time it still wasn't a usable range for the riding I do.
With that all said, I'm certainly not against owning an EV one day, car or bike, and while I'll especially miss the engine note on the bike it will be worth it to improve my contributions to the environment. However, what worries me is whether the support will exist for people like me who don't earn a lot of money because with various countries and cities starting to phase out ICE vehicles in the next few years I can absolutely see myself being priced out of motoring. My current car and bike combined wouldn't make me enough to buy even a crappy used electric car so for all that they're cheaper to run and maintain once you own one, that initial investment remains a very high hurdle for a lot of people.
Silence is absolutely priceless in this environment. it's so much more enjoyable to experience all this in silence and believe me, silent power is really intoxicating - like god came along and shoved you down the lane; such a buzz.
Make a noice and smell the fumes, somewhere else.
Great video, thanks :)
Plus you can get away with going to more sensitive places (legally) that 'ICE' bikes can't get away with.
Rear brake controlled by the left handle bar lever makes so much sense. I ride an ICE motor bike and a push bike (plus an electric car) and if I went electric motorbike I'd make that change on day one.
Awesome. Just seen this, and coincidentally I did this yesterday ha ha. I was over at English Electric and went out on a FX. What an outrageous thing. I'm very inexperienced off road but after just minutes, I was sliding the back end around ha ha. Soooooo much fun.
...and a range of "other" bikes to choose from as well. Personally speaking, I like the scalability of the Sur Ron, and the fact you can tinker 😘
@@matbowden9156 the issue with the Surron is if you get the road legal version so you can go on the green lanes, it is limited to 28mph I believe. But then the full fat version that will do 50mph wouldnt be legal to take on the green lanes.
Great video guys cant wait for the next one.
Another great vid with twist, keep 'em coming Johnny! Would like to see a review of the commuter scooters, NIU etc.
and now, straight on to order OS maps for my area, cheers Jonny.
Download view ranger all os maps grid by grid route setting and track following ! for a small fee naturally !
Use bing maps, they have an OS option as well as the usual satellite and roads view
I’m not really a motorbike person but this is actually quite appealling!
Not at £10,000 it isn't!!!
Only done something like this by following GPS.
It was in Pennsylvania, (Amish county). Driving a brand new Lincoln Continental with 200 miles on the clock (hire car) It was a right mess when I dropped the car off again after the week. 🤣 GREAT INFORMATION ON BOTH THE TRACKS AND THE BIKES, CHEERS SIR. 👍👍
We're building some rather bonkers electric bikes over here in Belgium. Taken part in the TT Zero a few times, now working on the road bike. Plus.. a smaller Flat Tracker which will be nuts on green lanes.
There ya go. I got two and they are the best big boy toys I've ever had. I've got the bigger ones for the range but they were my first road legal bikes and you pick up riding them in no time without dealing with the shifting. Night rides in the country just feels like your flying. They are quite addictive and I dread rainy days when I have to go back to the car. They handle rain but I don't.
You should try the whole range I'm sure your buddy would love to show them. Cheers.
More than happy to share more Zeros. As long as I get to come play too 👍 😁
I think these 2 models in the range work better as transitions from petrol power than the other electric motorbikes, like the guy said in the piece about the length of a typical days riding on lanes. On the road bike versions though on flowing A roads the range just isn't good enough for many folks ride outs let alone a weekend trip somewhere. An FXS looks ideal to me for local lanes and short round trip commutes, unfortunately mine is 80 miles on fast A and B roads but for many it will work well. Good episode thanks.
*I once rode my Yamaha 400cc down the old 'Great Central' railway line from Birstall (Leicester) to Lutterworth shortly after it was closed, and have also ridden it around Green Lanes around Bicester Great Fun.*
i've ridden electric scooters a long time ago (2007/9) and loved it. acceleration was a surprise. but if you ride through a town centre, people step out in front of you, because they can't hear you, and don't bother to look. had been looking at the new electric vespa, but £5k is twice the normal price. i bought an aprillia with a noisy pipe. my neighbours are unimpressed.
There aren't many Zero Motorcycle dealers in the middle of the US, but I happened to drive past the only one of three in my state, only yesterday. I should go back and take a look.
Nice to see you doing a video on EV Bikes, Johnny. 😊👍🏻
No interest in bikes personally, but it's from Jonny so worth a watch regardless 👌🏻
Cheers Harrison. Much appreciated!
Great video Jonny, I would also like to mention that some Zeros have the option to fast charge via Type2 connectors thus increasing their utility as a daily commuter.
It would be excellent if you could review the Energica EGO, one other of the few to have Type2 charging but also DC rapid charging (a candidate to replace my aging Mille).
Cafe racers are also cool, check out the Super SOCO TC (in green) and TC-Max if you have the time and interest.
If I'm honest there's not enough wheels for me, however, I could really go for one of those, just need a licence, I can't see any negatives about them. It's an ideal vehicle for a commute and just as capable if you want to have an arse around at the weekend. Once again Jonny a very informative and consice review, brilliant. I am very much of the opinion that the E-Bike is going to be an integral part of the future of the electric motor industry.
You can ride the 11kw versions of the Zero bikes on just a CBT which is just a one day Compulsory Basic Training course and costs about £120. If you want any more info then feel free to drop us an email...... jon@notyouraveragebikes.com
Just a correction. Zero actually started out with an offroad bike back in 2006. I believe that they actually were founding members of a EV specific MX race series out in CA. The road specific bikes - correctly - came out in 2010'ish.
Thanks J.S for info, just bought a custom Brat Scrambler perfect for green laning.
Another great video Jonny, but the audio volume was all over the place and I was concentrating more on turning the volume up and down than listening to what you were saying. Ten out of ten for video, two out of ten for audio.
Brilliant bike
I'm inviting you to Australia (post-COVID-19) to try out our green lanes😎. I own a Nissan Leaf, it's a great local car it does 90% of our car stuff. I would love an electric Adventure Bike, but the specs, it has to have ideally a 400km range, 300 minimum. And a state of the art traction control system. Plus a competitive price and that could take into account lower running costs. Do that & the worlds your oyster. All the best to you blokes & Zero
17:19 Your stereo is the wrong way round, so remember to switch places next time 😂
I was going to comment to mention this too! Actually, the sound in general is awful but the mixed-up L and R channels (switching to just mono L sound while talking riding the bike) made me come over all funny .. shame
An excellent video, thank you :)
I’m a long time EV enthusiast who is also a wheelchair user. I used to ride bikes and still have a full bike license. I’d love to have a full electric quad so I can do some green-laning and still be able to carry my wheelchair. I really miss the freedom of being on a bike :)
An EV road legal quad for you would be awesome!
CarPervert - it definitely would be :)
Hope you’re keeping well, I’m the one who was using the rapid charger at the last Silverstone Fully Charged Show with Outlander PHEV, we had a good chat :)
@@iantrott9152 anything is possible with the right budget. And it sounds like an interesting project. If you want to discuss it then drop us a line..... sales@notyouraveragebikes.com
I don't care for riding a motorbike on dirt but my electric Zero SR/F has mind bending acceleration on paved roads. Definitely not a beginner's bike though.
Nice vid Jonny 👌
I'd recommend getting touch with Inch Perfect Trials near Clitheroe as they have electric trials bikes that are awesome, and it's a stunning place. They were great when I went for an experience day a couple of years ago. Would also make a great spot for a video 😎
Thanks Sean, they are already on my features list.
The sound was all over the place but other than that, lovely video!
Very Interesting and educational, I've always fancied a bit of greenlaning .. Will we be seeing a Carpervert feature on EV river boats and local waterways? :)
Yes please. Fancy testing a few elec outboards.
@@TheLateBrakeShow Yes please from me also .. If you get the opportunity .. You have 1 confirmed viewing here .. :)
Electric canal boating please.
The days of noisy motorbikes are numbered ! Thank fully and I used to have a motocrosser
I wanted an action shot of Jonny using a saw!
Those BOATs look pretty much like what we in Australia call a "road", when it is off the main roads anyway. We have "highways" that are quite similar.
This is great stuff ..thumbs up.
40miles of green lane was home before lunch. cant wait till we get proper range.
6:55 my left ear is enjoying this part!
Cheers Jonny, great video. EV bikes and self build E-mountain bikes are at an interesting point right now, price performance and practicality seem to be intersecting. Legislation is, as ever, lagging. Hey ho. :)
The sound reminds me of the small electric cars for little kids.
+CarPervert I've been contemplating going to belt drive from chain drive on my ICE bike, strange to see someone go in the opposite direction. Thank you for going into the reasons for that.
Nice to see a bike retiew Jonny. Please sort out the on bike 'mono' audio though - thanks!
Really like the zero - our MD at work has one. Unfortunately we don't have the same rights of vehicular access in Scotland.
Some of the forestry roads up in Scotland though are totally legal to ride and just like a green lane, but just classed as a normal road.
Some people may complain that motor vehicles on these green lanes should be discouraged or worse, banned. But if people don't use them, hopefully responsibly, they'll just disappear altogether. And then there'll be few to resist overdevelopment of the countryside.
On another note, any chance of checking out OSET electric bikes since you mentioned trials? Looks like an interesting range - if one or two were just road legal ...
Interesting bikes as a alternative to piston power. The only problem i have is the cost. Ten thousand pounds is a lot of money when you can buy a new piston bike from five and half thousand (SWM) and there are loads of second hand bikes for a lot less than that. For me the cost needs to come down before i give up my Yamaha TTR (£2500). Great video as ever.
You can ride a Zero on a CBT!? Now I'm interested! 🤯😍
You can but for the cost you'd be better off spending money on the full license first.
Yes. And there are 3 models available as CBT legal variants (11kw). You can get the S, DS, or FXS as 11kw CBT legal versions. All will do 85mph and they accelerate like a 500/600cc bike. It's all down to how UK licensing laws work for electric motorcycles. Petrol bikes are governed by Peak Power. Electric motorcycles are governed by Continuous Nett Power.
If you want more info on CBT legal Zeros then drop us a an email to sales@notyouraveragebikes.com
EDITORS PLEASE: do an audio pass before exporting, equalize, mix, compress.
A quick pass would make this so much more enjoyable. Otherwise this feels like an early rough cut of local TV episode.
This show is awesome and deserves better. Everything is there, just mix the audio!
Cheers, stay healthy.
Thanks for the feedback. Apologies. We keep trying to get as good a quality episodes out with the resources and time available. At this moment CarPervert episodes are not sponsored, so my earnings come purely from views - which never covers the cost of the filming or edit process.
Very informative... great thanks.
Great video, a small piece of advice I can offer as someone who films whilst mountain biking - get a gopro Hero 7/8 and either mount it to your chest or from the chin of your helmet.
Sound levels Johnny! I couldn’t get the sound level right between the on and off bike parts, which stopped me from watching in the end. Surely something that can be sorted in post-production?
I like the idea of electric motorcycles as a second bike, I'm not ready to give up the sound and hands on clutch and gears involvement just yet. The problem is price, I ride cheap old knackered bikes as it is. One thing that worries me is the used market when electric bikes are 10,15, 20 years old and the battery packs start to degrade, keeping them on the road will be very expensive.
The place with the most green-lanes is around Salisbury, mostly on the plains.
You might try E-mountainbiking. There are a couple of disadvantages compared to e-motorcycles such as the need to pedal all the time and assistance drops out at 25 Kph, however the advantages are many and various. You can go anywhere a bicycle can go legally so more that just greenlanes and roads but bridleways, bike parks and cycleways too. A good full suspension emtb will cost half the price of one of the bikes above and will be really cheap to maintain. You won't need to insure it except for theft. You don't need to wear as much when riding, not even a helmet if you don't care too much about your brain, and you can get a good workout if you so desire.
I'm just putting it out there! Loving the videos Jonny keep up the good work. I hope you are still friends with Bobby Llewelyn, any particular reason you left Fully Charged?
Hope you look into pedal EV's again Jonny.
I'm looking at getting a pedal scooter type EV bike.
Being classed as a bicycle i can ride it on country lanes, Bridleways, Byways and any cycle path in town.
Cool - would be good to see if new electric Carver is any good (if it's still alive that is...)
Green laning is is so fun
I am not a bike person so I am sure there are people here more knowledgeable but a family friend had 250-350 old bikes when I was young and it's interesting how e-bikes are mimicking motorbike early designs with small and large frames ,engines, built-in pedals and even the powered self contained rear wheel swap to transform a bike to a powered bike. Wonder if the same design evolution will take place and we will end with the same class of bikes in the end or if we will get new normals
It looks like street hawk. Bad ass.
Potski looked bored to tears there! 🤣🤣
That does look great fun I have to admit!! But I don’t think there is a lot of green laning allowed in Scotland, which is ridiculous given how remote it can be!
If there was I might trade my versys 650 for something like that as I do love the idea of getting off the beaten track a bit!
Great vid as always, really enjoyed that!!👍
I took the Zero FX up to the Isle of Mull last summer in my camper. Although not classed as green lanes in Scotland, the forestry roads are great to ride on and totally legal.
Can I use a portable charger while riding?
Great bikes, zero makes police and military version's of this bike as well
Correct, and as featured in the film Bennetts War currently showing on Netflix.
They also used Zero DSR bikes in John Wick 3 when he was being chased on the horse in the city streets..... but they over dubbed the film with petrol bike noises.
Amazing
This makes me want to buy some 'China-ped' and convert to 18650's.
As an 'old geezer' and having the 'p' on my Licence I have to explain to many people [ even some lorry drivers ] I don't have to take a CBT [ grandad's rights ] to ride a ped again.
Great vid tall guy :-D
Nice to know!
great video
I could definitely see myself getting one but I do wonder how safe it would be on the road being silent, with people not hearing you coming or other cars pulling out on you. My last bike was a sport bike and I used to use a race can so other road users had a chance of hearing me come.
These are not silent. If you were to ride this down the road coming up behind people, you would get more people turning to look than if you were on a petrol bike with a loud can, as they dont recognise the noise so turn to see what it is.
@@notyouraveragebikes4316 yep, my experience is the same.
My mate loaned his zero back to the place he bought it... I think it was the one Jon was riding. I've had a go on it but just in car park as I don't have a bike license, I was impressed with the bike but not my mate who'd left it in sports mode.. almost flipped it...
That's our Ade for you 👍🤣
Excellent, but to expensive. I bought an e bike a couple of years ago, I totally agree it's great to get away from it all off road 👍👍👍
Lol! Green laning! Not quite the same as the brown laning vids ive just uploaded! :)
this could be a weird question but do i need a full bike licence to drive it? how can i tell what cc it is. I can drive a 125 cc crosser on a provisional. What licence do i need for one of them.
You can drive several Zero models on CBT. Speak to Not Your Average Bikes.
Artisan motorcycles who important ev retro Scooters and small bike are bringing out an electric 125 supermoto/enduro called the kollter ES1. I was really impressed when I sat on it at last year's motorcycle live and if I remember correctly its going to cost about £4.500. I have know idea if it's any good as only found one review in English on UA-cam. Artisans range gets pretty good reviews so looking to UK test rides.
The Kolter is a much lesser powered machine and not built to the same level of quality and overall performance as the Zero range of bikes. But that's why a Kollter is £5k.