Good review. Thanks ! I also ride a Zero and agree with the comment that you can more enjoy the riding because you can focus on the riding itself instead of losing focus on the clutch, the gears, the noise,... About the price: if you take into account gas prices and maintenance it is not more expensive than a fuel burner. In fact, for me it is way cheaper than traditional bike because I have free solar power. About charging: Using it daily to go to work, I am saving time not having to go to a petrol station. On a yearly basis I spend less time charging than I would spend on going to petrol stations ! So it is quite the opposite to what most people expect. The reality is that typically you do way more rides of
Once the Mandalorian said „One does not speak, before you understand.“ him having said that, I suggest everyone tries an electric motorcycle before coming to a judgement. I personally do drive a zephyr 750 and a zero srf. Both have its reasons for existence. Let’s not fight each other, let’s unite in having fun!
I don’t mind an EV. Apart from two motorcycles, Yamaha Fazer and Harley Heritage, I daily drive a Tesla Model Y. But the big problem is never the range, but fast charging. I find it quite relaxing having to stop every three hours or so for a 20min stop. But if the Bike can only charge 11KW with a 15KW Battery, that means practically waiting for around 45min. I would hope for something around 50KW Charging and 15min stops to make it touring practical
I've been riding for 23 years and the one thing that always annoyed me most about bikes was the chain maintenance. Now we have electric bikes and I won't be getting one that does not have a hub motor. I still enjoyed the review though and think this is a nifty machine.
Glad you review the DSR/X, the first I wrote on your channel was when I was preparing my trip to Morocco on a Zero SR/F, this year I've been to North Cape with the DSR/X, videos on my channel if you have time 🙂
Thank you for the very thorough review. In your video you never actually got into sport mode at 7:09. You have to highlight the mode, then slide left or press the mode button to select it, then close the throttle to engage it. The flashing "Sport" mode in the video shows that you probably did not close the throttle to engage it. Perhaps you discovered this later. Also, Zero now provides both an owners manual and a service manual for this bike so the Right to Repair issue is now solved. I have over 13,000 miles on this bike riding in the USA. It is a fantastic bike for off-road and back road riding (+-150 miles range) but the range is very limited for higher speed road riding as you correctly point out in your video. It is more fun to ride than my gas powered bikes because of the instant torque and linear power delivery. Also, almost zero maintenance is required. People should do their own research on Lithium (which is not rare) and the other chemicals used for EV's and compare that to the extraction + refinement + combustion of oil and decide which is best for them. In the end this bike should not be viewed as a long distance highway ADV bike because of its limited range in this type of riding. It is a fantastic and very enjoyable bike for back road and off-road riding.
Very interesting insights from a real user with real miles. I was thinking of getting this bike for short range trips in and out of the city for a couple of hours at a time so 150 miles would be just fine. Have you been able to do some longer trips out of state and how hard/difficult was that?
@ Yes, I have done some long highway trips in addition to the long off-road BDR trips. This bike is not great for long high speed highway travel since the range plummets as speed increases. So 80mph highway rides may result in only about 80 miles of range. The bike excells in slower back road and off road travel. I got 200 miles of range once on a dirt and slow back road trip.
I really enjoyed this review, and as a Zero SR/F owner, I did appreciate all your insights into the quirks and dispelling some of the myths of EV ownership. I'm in the States, and while it's not a "daily commute", I frequently make the trip to San Francisco (50 miles/80km), and I can confirm, Zero's range estimates are fairly spot on for a well disciplined rider. With my pack spec'd at 12.6kWh, I can fairly reliably make the round trip on a single charge, but only just, and there is very little room to speed, so I almost never exceed 100km/h, and cruise around 90km/h and I have to frequently reduce speed even more to compensate for adverse conditions. I've put ~21,000 miles on mine (~34.000 km), and the battery hasn't failed me yet. My biggest grip is that computer doesn't give me accurate data regarding range/consumption, especially the range readings can fluctuate widely, so I just have to "eyeball" it (making sure the trip range and estimate range total my desired range + 10%)
I've had my 2006 vstrom since 2009, and still ride it frequently, and it's been the lowest cost (maintenance, purchase price, fuel) vehicle I've ever owned (this Zero even looks like it, which will prevent it from ever getting stolen....ha ha ha) I would have to drive my vstrom for another 20 years to reach the purchase price of this Zero bike. Say what you will, but electric motorcycles are for those who have a lot of extra money to spend on such things - at least for the near future. I believe e-bicycles will prevent e-motorcycles from truly taking over, as a bicycle with motor assist is far more practical for commuting, short rides, low cost, and ease of storage
I think Sur-Ron has a pretty cool niche there. Small and light enough to put in a cellar or balcony. Still much more capable (and therefore cool) than a scooter or e-bicycle.
@@heimdall4148 Indeed. I use my motorcycle for commuting and errands mostly these days - if I have free time, I'll be on my mountain bike (e-mtb and meat powered). If electric bikes were the same cost as ICE bikes, I'd definitely have one, but the cost is out of reach for most people who just want basic transportation with a little pizzazz.
and in case of e-bicycle there's no need for the driving licence (x3), no stupid insurance quotes, no road taxes, no garage/parking space cost, the gear/helmet is not mandated (I would not ride a fast bike without the gear but whatever) hence e-bicycle is the easy way of entry and it seems that for young folks the e-bicycle make the motorbikes too much pain. And you can ride the ebicycle in the mountains and city centres while with motorbike you can't. I, however, would chose a motorbike for the freedom - I love my 600cc old yammie
I‘m all for it. The direct acceleration, no shifting, no crazy vibration - just nature and the street. It‘s only a question of time until the prices come down and the range goes up (a must have). I'm really looking forward to it. Also… Maybe there will be affordable conversion kits some day. Would love to convert my old SevenFifty.
There is a german guy from Berlin who is heading to New Zealand on his Zero fully electric.Actually he is in India for months now. The bike has more than 50000km on the clock.His channel is called "Marc Travels".BTW,fancy jacket👍
@@nedflanders4699 so what, if he wants to stop every 80 to 90 miles and wander slowly until he can find a charge point good luck to the fool. McGreegor and Boreman rode Zero's and pottered along through the Americas at snail pace to diesel generators .
Thank you for appretiating thats why the Video is 40 minutes Long. as i know it’s a very controversial bike, thats why it was very important to literally Cover everything.
I guess if you plan to use the bike as an AGV, then a change of tires would be necessary at the time of purchase. The limited range and charging time is a “turn off” for me. I like to take long trips, but forget that with EV bikes! I will stick with my Honda Rebel 1100 DCT which allows me to better concentrate on my riding technique and my situational awareness. I’m all for protecting the environment, but I draw the line on EV’s!! In the USA we no longer get a small government financial reimbursement for purchasing electric vehicles. No thanks, got gas, I’m good! 👍
I think a replacement batery would cost around 4 Grand and it would be cheaper then a Gas bike in repairs if it would be more exasible to repair sadly that’s not the case because if the lack of information that I went in to aswell wich is a bit of a lost chance. The rebel 1100 dct is very cool ☺️
Right to repair is the main reason I have not bought a zero. Stark Future has the complete opposite attitude making all parts available and detailed instructions on how to work on the Stark Varg. That is why I have a Varg on order 🎉.
Thankfully, I’ve talked at least a dozen people out of purchasing anything from Zero Motorcycles. All it took was a first hand account of my personal experience, owning an SRS, and they run like hell to anything other than a Zero.
@FreeMilesMC: Could you elaborate on the comment about the Power tank ? I would assume that adding an extra battery in parallel will reduce the maximum current drawn from the main battery. So it should extend the life expectation of the main battery. No ? Also current is normally drawn in proportion to the capacity of the pack. So it should take more current from the main battery and less from the power tank. I assume your point it that the power tank is older chemistry. So it's life expectation will be lower than the main battery. Right ? Or is there another problem ?
I would have to plan long trips very carefully to make sure that are charging stations available along my route. Also, there’s the sound! There’s nothing like the sound of a well tuned bike with a great exhaust system in my opinion! But that’s subjective of course. Awesome video!! 😎✌️
My problem is the price and range, 172Km at 113km/h (according to specs, so I expect it to be less) is just to little to commute 170km at 130km/h daily (I have have no option to charge where I park at work). For the price I can buy a very nice BMW RT or a Versys for half the price.... So I fully agree with your conclusion, it's nice for the rich electric fan boys.
Being lucky enough to have ridden GSes for 15 years, and also lucky enough to own a Zero SR/F for the last 30,000 km, and also ridden the DSR/X for an afternoon, I have a couple of useful thoughts on it. Firstly, it's very much ergonomically like a GS, which is a good thing - it's super comfy, and handles really well, doesn't weigh too much. Secondly, it is very fast - much faster than you realise because it's so smooth - but not as fast as the SR/F, which is both more powerful and lighter - the DSRX never scared me when I gave it full beans in Sport mode, but the SR/F still does, even after 4 years. Finally, the touring aspect ... well, I've toured on my SR/F here in the UK (240 mile trip, took 8 hours) - I didn't do any multilane stuff, just back roads and trunk roads at the national speed limit (60mph or less). I can charge my SR/F at 12kW which means a full charge in about an hour, which I needed to do every 3 hours or so because the SR/F punishes my arse in a way the DSRX does not ...
excellent review, i think you answered every question i had about this motorcycle... i think a better alternative is the smaller electric bikes less weight so less energy required... the future could be the BMW C4... of the Royal Enfield flying flea, or even the smaller Zero's,
These bikes are actually very cool imo, the problem is just range and price. Even if i'm going to spend 24k on a motorcycle, 180km range on a good day just isn't enough. It's way too short for long trips, it's half of my usual weekend rides and barely covers my round trip to the office a few days a month. Not even considering battery degradation due to usage and temperature. I really hope range goes up, 300km range might start to look interesting but even then... 24k... damn
It's not even 180km, in their own site specifies 179km for "high speed travel", but the small letters specify that consists in 50% motorway and 50% stop and go, and a top speed of 113km/h. I can't even go to the office and back in the motorway at 120km/h. And these are bikes, are not meant to be ridden just at 113... you have to have some fun.
All motorcycles are approachable. It's height has nothing to do with whether or not it can be approached. There's an electric motor rotating like mad in it. It's just well balanced. Humans don't "feel torque." What you are feeling is acceleration. That acceleration is produced by converting the electrical power from the battery (current & voltage) to rotating mechanical power (torque & rpm) at the rear wheel. It takes very little power to make a lot of torque at a low rpm. The front end didn't even come off the ground when you pinned it. Don't buy the hype. That said, the best thing about electric motors is they provide perfectly linear power. That's also why they have perfectly flat torque curves. It's how the math works. It's what good road bike gas engines try to emulate. One problem with EVs is they lose range in the cold, so your idea of riding year round may only work if you do short trips. These things will be far more interesting if they ever bring solid state batteries to market. 400 miles on a charge could pique my interest. Not a bad looking bike. Be better if they offered it in something besides funeral colors tho.
@@mbk1251 actually good news evs are right now depreciating like crazy because no one wants to buy them so you can get some for prices that are actually competitive to a gas powered equivalent ☺️
the depreciation cost of this bike compared to let’s say a BMW adventure bike? I can’t imagine anyone wanting to spend good money on Electric Bike after the 5 year warranty on the battery is finished? Where has the BMW could potentially last you a lifetime with routine maintenance and even if you sell it after 5 years the BMW will still fetch a decent price , it doesn’t matter how well you look after the electric bike the battery will still be junk eventually and nobody will want to pay you any decent price for it?
My bike only had two modes, on and off. I hate to admit it, but no matter how much I love the sound and feeling of gas bikes, ev is going to get pushed out and be forced on people. I would love to have that ev bike, but as a secondary commuter.
Thank you for the informative review. Zero build quality and support has not garnered a positive reputation. A someone with a 1250GSA that does 500-1000km on-road in a day this isn't going to work. And with 180km of range (without panniers, crash bars or sporty riding, no doubt) you will find yourself _very_ limited, even in Europe. This looks a decent commuter... for the price of a GS that can do so much more. I see exactly 1 Zero on my commute and he's usually slipstreaming behind an HGV on the motorway... which is insanely dangerous as he can't see a damn thing. If you want to save the environment/your wallet: Ride an old bike. I have en electric car and that works well. However the only compelling features this bike has over other models are torque and silence.
Considering that Zero's main rival in the market, Energica, recently went into bankruptcy and liquidation I wonder how much longer Zero will last ... the US manufacturer Fuell has also just folded too. It's not looking bright for the future for electric motorcycles ..... seems no one wants them .... overpriced, heavy, lack of range, long charging times, meagre public charging network.
@@FreeMilesMC they should be able to get prices down ... but it's very unlikely they'll be able to do much at all to address the other issues of weight, range and charging times / networks in the near future.
But a cheaper bike would already Open This up as an Option for other usage like comuting and so on as if you would manage to get the Same Range for around 8grand it would quikly pay for itself and if you then have a bike that you can work on yourself then it would be a very good Option but we will not get that from any amarican or European Company.
@@FreeMilesMCSo, you're reviewing the Surron Ultrabee next? Not the same range, but electric and under 8 grand. Still fairly capable, from what I hear.
I dont get why electric motorcycle manufacturer's go for this category o bikes which is nowhere reliable or practical at 2025 compared to gas powered motorcycle I believe they should focus on making them practical and reliable in the city and over the years the chargers and all the stuff electric bikes need will be solved by increasing the users and they will add chargers at gas stations ...
There are good deals out there where you can get a brand new 2023 model for less than 20k€. My opinion on this bike is that it beats any other bike out there in terms of fun. It's perfect for a day tour or commuting, not so much for crossing a continent. I love it and will never go back to an ICE bike. You have to ride one to understand how it feels. I would also not recommend the extra charger. It uses the same 2 phases as the internal charger, which is stupid and does not help at all on a 11kw charger. Very American to ignore the 3 phase electrical system in Europe.
Yes 40 minutes is super fucking long. With this bike being quite controversial i wanted to give basically a complette Picture of the bike for everyone who actually is looking in to This bike
@@FreeMilesMC It's still just a zero. We already know what to expect from about 100 different 5-20 minute long videos. Don't really need a 40 minute long one.
@@daniilvolkov8790 Watch at 2x speed, and it's a 20 minute video. Problem solved. Worth a watch though - there is a lot of nuance and insight in there.
i drive an EV car and really like electric mobility, but i dont want an electric bike atm. Problems are Charging spots (if you only charge AC and the spots on my tipical bike routes) and the Range. I think there are 2 nice EV Integrations. These are Dirt Bikes and Scooters/ cheap small commuter Bikes because the low maintanance, hassle free usage. Your enviroment stats are very accurate, but lithium is not rare and also you can recycle batteries over 90%. The Nickel at hardened steel (in engines and so on) is lost forever and can't be recycled
But you didn't "factor in" the pollution caused by end of life recycling of the EV motorcycle. Being left with a bike and a massive dead battery that needs to be "vanished" isn't going to be cheap or Eco-friendly. Overall this ZERO is a good commuter bike disguised as a Adventure Motorcycle. That's not really good enough for the money. Ignore tax cuts and other government handouts, these are merely persuasive tricks to enforce adoption of a bad product to endorse a crazy ideology.
@@hiebrantsify filtering in big cities is more dangerous for pedestrians with a silent bike than a loud pipe. It's because people walk through the still standing traffic assuming nothing is moving but they don't expect motorcycles coming in between.
@hiebrantsify aah you are the type who knows what type I am based of 2 comments. Why are you acting like this? I just gave you a valid example of why loud motorcycles can be more safe than silent ones and all of a sudden you start acting so childish. What's wrong with you?
Comparison, husband and wife touring Europe for 5 months on a GSA, no plan for fuel stops, they are everywhere. 36000+ km. Two adults, full front and rear compliment of bags and boxes, fuel never an issue and bike filled within 3 mins and 400+ km range even at highway speed. 2 adults and all the loaded bags and boxes on that Zero🤣🤣🤣🤣😀 How far will the Zero shit get you fown the highway 🤣🤣, 80km orvso if you're lucky🤣🤣
That Zero is absolute SHIT and a complete failure as an adventure bike! At best it's a fast luxury comuter bike and no more and Zero's way of doing business seems far from honest! The number of charging points is a huge issue around Europe. All the way through comuter not adventure! My first trip in 2024 started with 800+ km on first day with much of it at 130kph +. Seriously, how the hell can that EV nonsense piece of shit compete. Other rides this year if 1000km + in a day. It's what many of us do on riding adventures.
@MotorProsa-Channel well that's rather strange as I travel a lot in Europe and have friends in numerous EU countries and Charging sites must be well hidden 🤣 I've also seen cars queuing at convenient location EU charge points! A lot of people on biking touring adventures in Europe travel long distances fast at the start and end of their trips to get to the destinations of their interest! So it seems you are both unaware and pretty clueless. Traveling from Netherlands, Britain Belgium, Germany, Poland etc to southern Europe destinations is very common before day to day touring!
The problem is that proper adventure riders aren't the primary demographic for adventure bikes, nor are they the primary customer for that class of bike. I've find that adventure riders will make due with what's available, with simpler being better as field repairs are a fact of life; conversely "adventure" bikes typically make poor adventure bikes because of the weight, and the high tech causing reliability/repair complexity, and just being all around cost-prohibitive. It's a lot like SUVs: no one actually buys an SUV for the "Sport Utility" in its namesake - it's a status symbol destined to roam urban paved streets. And in that regard, that Zero is an excellent adventure bike.
Good review. Thanks !
I also ride a Zero and agree with the comment that you can more enjoy the riding because you can focus on the riding itself instead of losing focus on the clutch, the gears, the noise,...
About the price: if you take into account gas prices and maintenance it is not more expensive than a fuel burner. In fact, for me it is way cheaper than traditional bike because I have free solar power.
About charging: Using it daily to go to work, I am saving time not having to go to a petrol station. On a yearly basis I spend less time charging than I would spend on going to petrol stations ! So it is quite the opposite to what most people expect. The reality is that typically you do way more rides of
Once the Mandalorian said „One does not speak, before you understand.“ him having said that, I suggest everyone tries an electric motorcycle before coming to a judgement. I personally do drive a zephyr 750 and a zero srf. Both have its reasons for existence. Let’s not fight each other, let’s unite in having fun!
I don’t mind an EV. Apart from two motorcycles, Yamaha Fazer and Harley Heritage, I daily drive a Tesla Model Y.
But the big problem is never the range, but fast charging.
I find it quite relaxing having to stop every three hours or so for a 20min stop.
But if the Bike can only charge 11KW with a 15KW Battery, that means practically waiting for around 45min.
I would hope for something around 50KW Charging and 15min stops to make it touring practical
"You can not consume yourself to a better future" ..wise words, i totally agree with that
I've been riding for 23 years and the one thing that always annoyed me most about bikes was the chain maintenance. Now we have electric bikes and I won't be getting one that does not have a hub motor. I still enjoyed the review though and think this is a nifty machine.
Glad you review the DSR/X, the first I wrote on your channel was when I was preparing my trip to Morocco on a Zero SR/F, this year I've been to North Cape with the DSR/X, videos on my channel if you have time 🙂
WTF
Thank you for the very thorough review. In your video you never actually got into sport mode at 7:09. You have to highlight the mode, then slide left or press the mode button to select it, then close the throttle to engage it. The flashing "Sport" mode in the video shows that you probably did not close the throttle to engage it. Perhaps you discovered this later. Also, Zero now provides both an owners manual and a service manual for this bike so the Right to Repair issue is now solved. I have over 13,000 miles on this bike riding in the USA. It is a fantastic bike for off-road and back road riding (+-150 miles range) but the range is very limited for higher speed road riding as you correctly point out in your video. It is more fun to ride than my gas powered bikes because of the instant torque and linear power delivery. Also, almost zero maintenance is required. People should do their own research on Lithium (which is not rare) and the other chemicals used for EV's and compare that to the extraction + refinement + combustion of oil and decide which is best for them. In the end this bike should not be viewed as a long distance highway ADV bike because of its limited range in this type of riding. It is a fantastic and very enjoyable bike for back road and off-road riding.
Very interesting insights from a real user with real miles. I was thinking of getting this bike for short range trips in and out of the city for a couple of hours at a time so 150 miles would be just fine. Have you been able to do some longer trips out of state and how hard/difficult was that?
@ Yes, I have done some long highway trips in addition to the long off-road BDR trips. This bike is not great for long high speed highway travel since the range plummets as speed increases. So 80mph highway rides may result in only about 80 miles of range. The bike excells in slower back road and off road travel. I got 200 miles of range once on a dirt and slow back road trip.
I really enjoyed this review, and as a Zero SR/F owner, I did appreciate all your insights into the quirks and dispelling some of the myths of EV ownership. I'm in the States, and while it's not a "daily commute", I frequently make the trip to San Francisco (50 miles/80km), and I can confirm, Zero's range estimates are fairly spot on for a well disciplined rider. With my pack spec'd at 12.6kWh, I can fairly reliably make the round trip on a single charge, but only just, and there is very little room to speed, so I almost never exceed 100km/h, and cruise around 90km/h and I have to frequently reduce speed even more to compensate for adverse conditions. I've put ~21,000 miles on mine (~34.000 km), and the battery hasn't failed me yet. My biggest grip is that computer doesn't give me accurate data regarding range/consumption, especially the range readings can fluctuate widely, so I just have to "eyeball" it (making sure the trip range and estimate range total my desired range + 10%)
I've had my 2006 vstrom since 2009, and still ride it frequently, and it's been the lowest cost (maintenance, purchase price, fuel) vehicle I've ever owned (this Zero even looks like it, which will prevent it from ever getting stolen....ha ha ha) I would have to drive my vstrom for another 20 years to reach the purchase price of this Zero bike. Say what you will, but electric motorcycles are for those who have a lot of extra money to spend on such things - at least for the near future. I believe e-bicycles will prevent e-motorcycles from truly taking over, as a bicycle with motor assist is far more practical for commuting, short rides, low cost, and ease of storage
Yes you are really on to something with the bicecles they are a lot more practical
Yeah I really rather have a nice 3K worth Ebike and a normal motorcycle like a MT09 and then I still have money left for a nice second hand car.
I think Sur-Ron has a pretty cool niche there.
Small and light enough to put in a cellar or balcony.
Still much more capable (and therefore cool) than a scooter or e-bicycle.
@@heimdall4148 Indeed. I use my motorcycle for commuting and errands mostly these days - if I have free time, I'll be on my mountain bike (e-mtb and meat powered). If electric bikes were the same cost as ICE bikes, I'd definitely have one, but the cost is out of reach for most people who just want basic transportation with a little pizzazz.
and in case of e-bicycle there's no need for the driving licence (x3), no stupid insurance quotes, no road taxes, no garage/parking space cost, the gear/helmet is not mandated (I would not ride a fast bike without the gear but whatever) hence e-bicycle is the easy way of entry and it seems that for young folks the e-bicycle make the motorbikes too much pain. And you can ride the ebicycle in the mountains and city centres while with motorbike you can't. I, however, would chose a motorbike for the freedom - I love my 600cc old yammie
I‘m all for it. The direct acceleration, no shifting, no crazy vibration - just nature and the street. It‘s only a question of time until the prices come down and the range goes up (a must have). I'm really looking forward to it. Also… Maybe there will be affordable conversion kits some day. Would love to convert my old SevenFifty.
Would be great to see that!!
I think it would be interesting to see hybrids with electric front hub drives to assist the regular petrol layout
Yes!
Problem with front hub drives would be that you're trying to turn what is essentially a big gyroscope, making steering really hard
There is a german guy from Berlin who is heading to New Zealand on his Zero fully electric.Actually he is in India for months now. The bike has more than 50000km on the clock.His channel is called "Marc Travels".BTW,fancy jacket👍
yup .. and he's generally restricted to a maximum of about 200km per day and suffers from constant range anxiety and various charging issues
@@nedflanders4699 so what, if he wants to stop every 80 to 90 miles and wander slowly until he can find a charge point good luck to the fool.
McGreegor and Boreman rode Zero's and pottered along through the Americas at snail pace to diesel generators .
@@MotoGoatoTell me you didn’t see any of his videos without telling me that you didn’t see any of his videos.
@@vacoas04 That's wrong. They rode prototypes of the Harley Davidson LiveWire.
@@MotoGoato If there's one thing Marc Travels does NOT have, then it's range anxiety.
Way too expensive and ...If it's a design with the environment in mind, it could work fine with half the power, especially with the torque figures.
you have been so EXTREMELY thorough that I have no more room to comment😉
Thank you for appretiating thats why the Video is 40 minutes Long. as i know it’s a very controversial bike, thats why it was very important to literally Cover everything.
If it’s only for commuting, there are cheaper options available. This one will give you more but, an owner will have to plan their trip meticulously.
Yes the commuting Option only makes sence when you compare it with an Electric car
I guess if you plan to use the bike as an AGV, then a change of tires would be necessary at the time of purchase. The limited range and charging time is a “turn off” for me. I like to take long trips, but forget that with EV bikes! I will stick with my Honda Rebel 1100 DCT which allows me to better concentrate on my riding technique and my situational awareness. I’m all for protecting the environment, but I draw the line on EV’s!! In the USA we no longer get a small government financial reimbursement for purchasing electric vehicles. No thanks, got gas, I’m good! 👍
I think a replacement batery would cost around 4 Grand and it would be cheaper then a Gas bike in repairs if it would be more exasible to repair sadly that’s not the case because if the lack of information that I went in to aswell wich is a bit of a lost chance. The rebel 1100 dct is very cool ☺️
Right to repair is the main reason I have not bought a zero. Stark Future has the complete opposite attitude making all parts available and detailed instructions on how to work on the Stark Varg. That is why I have a Varg on order 🎉.
Thankfully, I’ve talked at least a dozen people out of purchasing anything from Zero Motorcycles. All it took was a first hand account of my personal experience, owning an SRS, and they run like hell to anything other than a Zero.
@FreeMilesMC: Could you elaborate on the comment about the Power tank ? I would assume that adding an extra battery in parallel will reduce the maximum current drawn from the main battery. So it should extend the life expectation of the main battery. No ?
Also current is normally drawn in proportion to the capacity of the pack. So it should take more current from the main battery and less from the power tank.
I assume your point it that the power tank is older chemistry. So it's life expectation will be lower than the main battery. Right ? Or is there another problem ?
I would have to plan long trips very carefully to make sure that are charging stations available along my route. Also, there’s the sound! There’s nothing like the sound of a well tuned bike with a great exhaust system in my opinion! But that’s subjective of course. Awesome video!! 😎✌️
My problem is the price and range, 172Km at 113km/h (according to specs, so I expect it to be less) is just to little to commute 170km at 130km/h daily
(I have have no option to charge where I park at work).
For the price I can buy a very nice BMW RT or a Versys for half the price.... So I fully agree with your conclusion, it's nice for the rich electric fan boys.
Being lucky enough to have ridden GSes for 15 years, and also lucky enough to own a Zero SR/F for the last 30,000 km, and also ridden the DSR/X for an afternoon, I have a couple of useful thoughts on it. Firstly, it's very much ergonomically like a GS, which is a good thing - it's super comfy, and handles really well, doesn't weigh too much. Secondly, it is very fast - much faster than you realise because it's so smooth - but not as fast as the SR/F, which is both more powerful and lighter - the DSRX never scared me when I gave it full beans in Sport mode, but the SR/F still does, even after 4 years. Finally, the touring aspect ... well, I've toured on my SR/F here in the UK (240 mile trip, took 8 hours) - I didn't do any multilane stuff, just back roads and trunk roads at the national speed limit (60mph or less). I can charge my SR/F at 12kW which means a full charge in about an hour, which I needed to do every 3 hours or so because the SR/F punishes my arse in a way the DSRX does not ...
@@caspianprince 🤣😜🤣
excellent review, i think you answered every question i had about this motorcycle... i think a better alternative is the smaller electric bikes less weight so less energy required... the future could be the BMW C4... of the Royal Enfield flying flea, or even the smaller Zero's,
These bikes are actually very cool imo, the problem is just range and price. Even if i'm going to spend 24k on a motorcycle, 180km range on a good day just isn't enough. It's way too short for long trips, it's half of my usual weekend rides and barely covers my round trip to the office a few days a month. Not even considering battery degradation due to usage and temperature. I really hope range goes up, 300km range might start to look interesting but even then... 24k... damn
It's not even 180km, in their own site specifies 179km for "high speed travel", but the small letters specify that consists in 50% motorway and 50% stop and go, and a top speed of 113km/h. I can't even go to the office and back in the motorway at 120km/h. And these are bikes, are not meant to be ridden just at 113... you have to have some fun.
Couple years and they will have solid state batteries 2x energy storage. It's sad that you can't self repair or have any other shop touch Zero bikes.
All motorcycles are approachable. It's height has nothing to do with whether or not it can be approached.
There's an electric motor rotating like mad in it. It's just well balanced.
Humans don't "feel torque." What you are feeling is acceleration. That acceleration is produced by converting the electrical power from the battery (current & voltage) to rotating mechanical power (torque & rpm) at the rear wheel.
It takes very little power to make a lot of torque at a low rpm. The front end didn't even come off the ground when you pinned it. Don't buy the hype. That said, the best thing about electric motors is they provide perfectly linear power. That's also why they have perfectly flat torque curves. It's how the math works. It's what good road bike gas engines try to emulate.
One problem with EVs is they lose range in the cold, so your idea of riding year round may only work if you do short trips. These things will be far more interesting if they ever bring solid state batteries to market. 400 miles on a charge could pique my interest.
Not a bad looking bike. Be better if they offered it in something besides funeral colors tho.
By the time these get into used markets it come at a more real world user cost eventually
@@mbk1251 actually good news evs are right now depreciating like crazy because no one wants to buy them so you can get some for prices that are actually competitive to a gas powered equivalent ☺️
the depreciation cost of this bike compared to let’s say a BMW adventure bike? I can’t imagine anyone wanting to spend good money on Electric Bike after the 5 year warranty on the battery is finished? Where has the BMW could potentially last you a lifetime with routine maintenance and even if you sell it after 5 years the BMW will still fetch a decent price , it doesn’t matter how well you look after the electric bike the battery will still be junk eventually and nobody will want to pay you any decent price for it?
My bike only had two modes, on and off.
I hate to admit it, but no matter how much I love the sound and feeling of gas bikes, ev is going to get pushed out and be forced on people.
I would love to have that ev bike, but as a secondary commuter.
Try looking here (lens) and not there (screen)
Thank you for the informative review.
Zero build quality and support has not garnered a positive reputation. A someone with a 1250GSA that does 500-1000km on-road in a day this isn't going to work. And with 180km of range (without panniers, crash bars or sporty riding, no doubt) you will find yourself _very_ limited, even in Europe. This looks a decent commuter... for the price of a GS that can do so much more. I see exactly 1 Zero on my commute and he's usually slipstreaming behind an HGV on the motorway... which is insanely dangerous as he can't see a damn thing.
If you want to save the environment/your wallet: Ride an old bike.
I have en electric car and that works well. However the only compelling features this bike has over other models are torque and silence.
Considering that Zero's main rival in the market, Energica, recently went into bankruptcy and liquidation I wonder how much longer Zero will last ... the US manufacturer Fuell has also just folded too. It's not looking bright for the future for electric motorcycles ..... seems no one wants them .... overpriced, heavy, lack of range, long charging times, meagre public charging network.
I am actually very curius what we will get Electric motorcycle wise from China as they are doing pretty well when it comes to afordable Electric Cars
@@FreeMilesMC they should be able to get prices down ... but it's very unlikely they'll be able to do much at all to address the other issues of weight, range and charging times / networks in the near future.
But a cheaper bike would already Open This up as an Option for other usage like comuting and so on as if you would manage to get the Same Range for around 8grand it would quikly pay for itself and if you then have a bike that you can work on yourself then it would be a very good Option but we will not get that from any amarican or European Company.
@@FreeMilesMCSo, you're reviewing the Surron Ultrabee next?
Not the same range, but electric and under 8 grand.
Still fairly capable, from what I hear.
@ i actually would love to i need to See if i get the Chance
0:39 I think electric vehicles use electric motors not engines 😉
I dont get why electric motorcycle manufacturer's go for this category o bikes which is nowhere reliable or practical at 2025 compared to gas powered motorcycle
I believe they should focus on making them practical and reliable in the city and over the years the chargers and all the stuff electric bikes need will be solved by increasing the users and they will add chargers at gas stations ...
There are good deals out there where you can get a brand new 2023 model for less than 20k€.
My opinion on this bike is that it beats any other bike out there in terms of fun. It's perfect for a day tour or commuting, not so much for crossing a continent. I love it and will never go back to an ICE bike. You have to ride one to understand how it feels.
I would also not recommend the extra charger. It uses the same 2 phases as the internal charger, which is stupid and does not help at all on a 11kw charger. Very American to ignore the 3 phase electrical system in Europe.
No, this is not the future. My local dealer can’t sell them at half RRP.
i'd be fine with it if it wasnt so expensive
Overpriced electric scooter. Only for those who can afford this as a toy.
Isn't every motorcycle a toy? At least, in Europe and USA?
It's far away from a scooter. But a toy nevertheless. But that's probably true for all motorcycles.
Sry bro, but i came over just to comment and leave. 40+ minutes is waaaaaaaay too much for a Zero review.
Yes 40 minutes is super fucking long. With this bike being quite controversial i wanted to give basically a complette Picture of the bike for everyone who actually is looking in to This bike
@@FreeMilesMC It's still just a zero. We already know what to expect from about 100 different 5-20 minute long videos. Don't really need a 40 minute long one.
@@daniilvolkov8790 Watch at 2x speed, and it's a 20 minute video. Problem solved. Worth a watch though - there is a lot of nuance and insight in there.
👍🏼
i drive an EV car and really like electric mobility, but i dont want an electric bike atm. Problems are Charging spots (if you only charge AC and the spots on my tipical bike routes) and the Range. I think there are 2 nice EV Integrations. These are Dirt Bikes and Scooters/ cheap small commuter Bikes because the low maintanance, hassle free usage.
Your enviroment stats are very accurate, but lithium is not rare and also you can recycle batteries over 90%. The Nickel at hardened steel (in engines and so on) is lost forever and can't be recycled
But you didn't "factor in" the pollution caused by end of life recycling of the EV motorcycle.
Being left with a bike and a massive dead battery that needs to be "vanished" isn't going to be cheap
or Eco-friendly.
Overall this ZERO is a good commuter bike disguised as a Adventure Motorcycle. That's not really good
enough for the money. Ignore tax cuts and other government handouts, these are merely persuasive tricks
to enforce adoption of a bad product to endorse a crazy ideology.
You can recycle the battery for the materials, even if it's "dead".
Noise can save ur life
loud pipes saves lives 🤘
@@heimdall4148not driving like an idiot saves lives but you do you 🤟
@@hiebrantsify filtering in big cities is more dangerous for pedestrians with a silent bike than a loud pipe. It's because people walk through the still standing traffic assuming nothing is moving but they don't expect motorcycles coming in between.
@@heimdall4148 you are the type to blame things on everyone except of taking accountability. More power to you 🤟
@hiebrantsify aah you are the type who knows what type I am based of 2 comments. Why are you acting like this? I just gave you a valid example of why loud motorcycles can be more safe than silent ones and all of a sudden you start acting so childish. What's wrong with you?
Not a realistic option . Too expensive, servicing problems and repairs , too heavy , not enough charging hubs . A two wheels nightmare. Thank you . 😊
Nope !! I'll give up bikes if i have to ride electric
Comparison, husband and wife touring Europe for 5 months on a GSA, no plan for fuel stops, they are everywhere. 36000+ km. Two adults, full front and rear compliment of bags and boxes, fuel never an issue and bike filled within 3 mins and 400+ km range even at highway speed.
2 adults and all the loaded bags and boxes on that Zero🤣🤣🤣🤣😀
How far will the Zero shit get you fown the highway 🤣🤣, 80km orvso if you're lucky🤣🤣
I shall never drive electric motorcycle.
It has steering, brake, and two wheels...OK... But why do you call this a motorcycle?
Mmm because it has a 'motor' and it's a bicycle 🤷🏻♂️
@@kevindarkstar My ebike also have a motor, and it is a bicycle. But it is not a motorcycle.😆
@@BladeRicsi I mean, if it doesn't have pedals, and > x power, then it would be reasonable to call your e-bike a motorcycle.
@@icykenny92 Not in my dictionary, mate👍
@@BladeRicsi Lol, you use a dictionary to define a motorcycle, dictionary is usually notoriously bad at accurately defining things and ideas.
Sorry I am just not interested in these bikes. Just hate them.
I really don't understand why people hate them, if they don't suits your purpose for some reason, fine. But hate, why?
That Zero is absolute SHIT and a complete failure as an adventure bike!
At best it's a fast luxury comuter bike and no more and Zero's way of doing business seems far from honest!
The number of charging points is a huge issue around Europe. All the way through comuter not adventure!
My first trip in 2024 started with 800+ km on first day with much of it at 130kph +.
Seriously, how the hell can that EV nonsense piece of shit compete. Other rides this year if 1000km + in a day. It's what many of us do on riding adventures.
@MotorProsa-Channel well that's rather strange as I travel a lot in Europe and have friends in numerous EU countries and Charging sites must be well hidden 🤣 I've also seen cars queuing at convenient location EU charge points!
A lot of people on biking touring adventures in Europe travel long distances fast at the start and end of their trips to get to the destinations of their interest!
So it seems you are both unaware and pretty clueless. Traveling from Netherlands, Britain Belgium, Germany, Poland etc to southern Europe destinations is very common before day to day touring!
The problem is that proper adventure riders aren't the primary demographic for adventure bikes, nor are they the primary customer for that class of bike. I've find that adventure riders will make due with what's available, with simpler being better as field repairs are a fact of life; conversely "adventure" bikes typically make poor adventure bikes because of the weight, and the high tech causing reliability/repair complexity, and just being all around cost-prohibitive. It's a lot like SUVs: no one actually buys an SUV for the "Sport Utility" in its namesake - it's a status symbol destined to roam urban paved streets. And in that regard, that Zero is an excellent adventure bike.