Zero SR

[Stichill]

Buddy in Colorado Springs bought this to rip up the pavement on Pike's Peak. Makes total sense! This is not really the future of motorcycles...this is the present!

If you are a fan of low-end torque and don't like to shift, the electric motorcycle is your jam.

 

[Tev62]

I would definitely have one if I thought I could justify the outlay. The zero has to be the best of the bunch and the faired one looks well too. I like the idea of an electric bike for a few hours blast like that but it is too much to pay for an extremely limited return.

I am off to the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District National Park in the UK next month, travelling from Dublin, up to Belfast, ferry across to Scotland and down to England. Depending on which route I take I have between 1000km-1300km and I am limited to four days. That Zero just wouldn't cut it but I do understand the appeal.

 

[tommymck]

It's InhouseBob Approved

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

The Zeros are lookin' better all the time. Even a dual front brake system.

 

[LongRanger_imp]

Cool bike. Reservations are now required to park atop Pike’s Peak, so he’ll need to plan accordingly.

 

[the Ferret]

Nice!

I've test ridden one too,

but I agree with Tev at $19,000 for a Zero SR for 100 mile range and overnight charging (unless you are set up with 220 wherever you happen to be when you need it) the value just isn't there for me. At $8K I might play though..or $15 K with a 250 mile range and 30 minute charging.

Next month, I'm off to New England to pick up 4 of the 5 lower 48 I hadn't ridden in. An electric wouldn't make the first 8 hour day.

Hopefully they will get there

 

[Nachodaddy]

Prolly see a lot of those parked at Starbux.

 

[LongRanger_imp]

With its regenerative braking, your buddy could probably leave home on a full charge, ride up Pike’s Peak, then return home fully charged again.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Prolly see a lot of those parked at Starbux.

:rofl:

 

[Stichill]

With its regenerative braking, your buddy could probably leave home on a full charge, ride up Pike’s Peak, then return home fully charged again.

I'm pretty sure my buddy bought the optional extended range version which goes 227 miles. He said most of the small towns in the mountains have a Level 2 charger that will get him good to go in about an hour and a quarter, so basically a lunch stop. He said the primary maintenance task is keeping an eye on belt tension but there's an app that listens to the frequency when you rap on it with a wrench. Pretty cool!

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

With its regenerative braking, your buddy could probably leave home on a full charge, ride up Pike’s Peak, then return home fully charged again.

I'm pretty sure my buddy bought the optional extended range version which goes 227 miles. He said most of the small towns in the mountains have a Level 2 charger that will get him good to go in about an hour and a quarter, so basically a lunch stop. He said the primary maintenance task is keeping an eye on belt tension but there's an app that listens to the frequency when you rap on it with a wrench. Pretty cool!

Sounds like a guitar tuner ... app.

 

[bioman_imp]

With its regenerative braking, your buddy could probably leave home on a full charge, ride up Pike’s Peak, then return home fully charged again.

I'm pretty sure my buddy bought the optional extended range version which goes 227 miles. He said most of the small towns in the mountains have a Level 2 charger that will get him good to go in about an hour and a quarter, so basically a lunch stop. He said the primary maintenance task is keeping an eye on belt tension but there's an app that listens to the frequency when you rap on it with a wrench. Pretty cool!

I am very tempted to go electric. I am even willing to sell my 2 gas-powered bikes for it, but it is the range that stops me. 227 miles is certainly getting close (although the Zero website claims a max of 223 miles). However, those are city-miles!! If one rides mainly on highways or without stop&go-traffic, the Zero site tells me that this number comes down to 112 miles, or to 150 miles for a combined city/highway trip. Also, if the weather is colder than sunny California (e.g. in all of Canada during 9 months of the year), the range decreases by a lot!
My wife commutes to work in a Tesla Model 3 - and loves it, but there is a serious difference between theoretical and practical range.

All in all, if the range goes up to a real-life figure of 200 miles (300 kms), I am sold. Until then, I will wait.

 

[Gone in 60]

I demo rode an SRF at the last IMS show here in California. In sport mode, I hit 70 before my brain knew what happened, and it was a very nice ride. If money weren't an issue, I could see owning one.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

I demo rode an SRF at the last IMS show here in California. In sport mode, I hit 70 before my brain knew what happened, and it was a very nice ride. If money weren't an issue, I could see owning one.

Price aside, EV motorcycles are ideal for LA climate and commutes.

 

[Gone in 60]

Depends on the commute, of course. I can get a full five-day week of commuting with 150 miles, which is the tank range of my three bikes. If I wanted to go electric, I'd probably need to charge during the week. But, I'd think that a full charge on a motorcycle could be had overnight with a standard 110v outlet. Probably wouldn't bother upgrading my electric to 240v, like most of my neighbors with electric cars are doing.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Depends on the commute, of course. I can get a full five-day week of commuting with 150 miles, which is the tank range of my three bikes. If I wanted to go electric, I'd probably need to charge during the week. But, I'd think that a full charge on a motorcycle could be had overnight with a standard 110v outlet. Probably wouldn't bother upgrading my electric to 240v, like most of my neighbors with electric cars are doing.

Yeah, the standard single phase 115 VAC should suffice for the bikes.

 

[the Ferret]

If you are not in a hurry to recharge

 

[Tev62]

Voltage here is 220V as standard (240V in the UK). My work colleagues Nissan Leaf will take a zero to full charge in 6-8 hours on a 32A charging circuit. It is pretty impressive. He will do that at night on a timer for the cheaper rate electricty too.

 

[Gone in 60]

I was thinking about that, Tev. So, you guys don't have to upgrade your household electrics to charge EVs, right?

 

[Stichill]

I was thinking about that, Tev. So, you guys don't have to upgrade your household electrics to charge EVs, right?

The reason Europe runs 220-240V is to double the voltage and halve the amperage, so the wire gauge can be smaller / cheaper. Smart in some ways, though I'm not a fan of the huge, awkward isolating plug/receptacle standards.

So, although the voltage is double, the circuit ampacity is half...so kVA is about equal.

US: 120V * 20A * 80% safety derating = 1.92 kVA
EU: 240V * 10A * 80% safety derating = 1.92 kVA