the new 2015 Zero DS

[trikepilot]

I want one of these! But grad school has me stuck where I am with bikes for now. Hopefully technology will continue to improve and this will be in my garage in a few years.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R679oVVtEg&list=PLujpK5PEzIUVHS5wcFzhoUUCDWO30Pq9N

I can already see this thing with some Mitas e09's on and some sturdy crashbars.

 

[BravoBravo]

No exhaust note. No personality. No like. ::007::

 

[Travex]

No exhaust note. No personality. No like. ::007::

Echo that.

 

[Ramseybella]

They do look fun but from what I have seen up close the frame seems like one step above a bicycle to make it light.

 

[oldbear]

No exhaust note. No personality. No like. ::007::

Not to worry, they make up for it by not having any Range!! Why would anyone, other than a short range commuter, even think about a machine that will go <100 miles and run out of juice? Heck, I don't even like a gas burner that won't go at least 150 miles on a tank. I know, technology is cool, save the world, yada yada yada, BUT to plunk down your $$ and have something that limited just doesn't make sense to me. ::021::

 

[Tupperware]

Why would anyone, other than a short range commuter, even think about a machine that will go <100 miles and run out of juice?

Because it's so damn much fun to ride! 70 ft-lb torque available INSTANTLY! Lightning fast handling. Almost no maintenance. Yeah, range sucks, but I'd love one for QUICK runs from home base. I make a lot of quick trips on my bikes that could easily be handled better on a short range electric. The main reason I'm waiting is economic, they cost too much at this time.
My Zero test ride was the closest I have come to the feeling I experienced when I was a kid on my first solo mini-bike ride.
Have you detractors ridden one?

 

[Checkswrecks]

I saw this and the police/commuter bike (windshield and bags) at AIMExpo in Orlando. Pretty darned cool.


As for the quiet, it means that you can stealth ride in places where you might otherwise not be able to.

 

[trikepilot]

Nice to see the thread revived and that at least some folks - Tupperware and ChecksWrecks - have an open mind.

I will own one of these someday. It will likely be a few years down the road at this point when I am done with grad school. But it will be for all the reasons Tupperware stated - quiet, instant torque (grin factor), and the fact that I have a ton of outrageously good dirt to explore within a 50 miles radius of my home in WV. Plus my commute for work will be around 50 miles of slab so it should work there too. I am also hopeful that by the time I get to where I can acquire a bike like this, that the technology has improved and the cost has decreased.

 

[2112]

At the end of the day this will most likely be our personal transport of the future, oil will not last forever and Hydrogen is proving difficult to master at an economic level (although this will change I'm sure). We had a Mitsubishi Ion car on trial at work and the lack of noise is odd and I did notice pedestrians do walk out in front of you because the car is very quiet. The 100% of available torque at all times makes for brisk acceleration and the Mitsi' had an energy recovery system which helped (slightly) with the range. Battery technology is moving quite quickly now and in a few years we should see some 300 mile+ cars and probably 150+ mile bikes. In Europe there has been some talk of making a minimum noise a vehicle can make to try to prevent the enevitable 'sorry mate I didn't hear you' scenarios.

 

[JRE]

I think they are wicked cool but range is still a problem IMO and when juice gets low, even if you can find a charge station, it surely won't be a quick as putting a few gallons of fuel in.

 

[EricV]

I want an electric motorcycle too... so I can fix it. Remove the battery, (what were they thinking!?), and recycle that properly, then fit a diesel generator and a capacitor bank and enjoy extreme long ranges. Basically, take the the toy and make it a tool. The electric vehicle industry is stuck in the toy market and can't see outside that box yet. The only useful vehicles are either stupidly expensive or hybrids, but they are ignoring technology that's been around for a very long time, (diesel/electric locomotives).

One of these days I'll find a wrecked electric bike and build this concept, just for fun. Might be an interesting 'hopeless class' entry in the IBR.

 

[RED CAT]

Guy here had one last summer. $20,000. No thanks. I can get 3 DRZs for that price. Yes oil will last forever. There is plenty of of it being discovered everywhere every day. N.A. is easily self sufficient. Just have to get rid of a few politicians.

 

[snakebitten]

First time I rode in a Prius, I became an instant ANTI hybrid bigot.
Pathetic excuse for human transport, was my opinion. Rather PAY for gas and actually enjoy going down the road.

But then my wife decided she wanted a CMax. I rarely veto someone who takes care of me. :

What an amazing LEAP forward from my early impressions!
Quiet, fast, smooth,....even luxurious.

And if you actually learn how to drive it, it exceeds mpg estimates. (Very few Americans actually do, however. I just don't get it. Lead the horse to water.........)

So, I suspect someday there just might be a high-tech bike on the porch. But just like that early Prius, I'll be waiting on all those beta testers to move things along, before I pony up.

 

[2112]

But just like that early Prius, I'll be waiting on all those beta testers to move things along, before I pony up.

It's a good point, if we cast our minds back to early motor vehicles they were neither reliable or particularly well designed, deathtraps even. We're about at the equivalent of the 1930's with battery technology relative to the internal combustion technology of today. It will get a lot better. Nissan are opening up a battery research facility near me at their Sunderland factory, the idea is to test & develop new technology fast. For me the biggest breakthrough has to be in charge speed to make electric vehicles viable.

 

[2112]

Yes oil will last forever.

I may be wrong but i don't think we are making any more ? When it's gone, it's gone...

 

[Dirt_Dad]

I originally bought my WR250 with the fantasy that I could build a motocross track around the perimeter of my property and have the greatest home workout machine on the market. In reality I couldn't stand making all that noise. My neighbors are not all that close, but they are close enough. My WR was stock exhaust to keep it quite, just could not be quiet enough for me not to feel like an ahole. Getting an electric motocross bike was an ideal solution, then I saw the price. The beginnings of my track are all grown over again.

I love the concept of an electric bike. I want torque and speed. In rare cases sound can be nice, but more times than not it brings negative attention, complaints, and motivated adversaries. I'd gladly give up sound as long as I can keep my torque and speed.

Range, ease of refueling, and price are what keeps me from giving an electric serious consideration. Keeping an electric motocross bike at home solves the range and refueling issue, but price made it a non-starter for a toy. For street use addressing the range and ease of refueling would go a long way towards getting me to overlook price. Fix all three of those issues and I'll take one or two ebikes right now.

 

[Clifford]

Ok, I may be different. But, that's not that unusual in my world. Before I retired I rode motorcycles 40 miles one way to work every day. Retired almost 6 years now and I still run into town on one of my bikes when weather permits! Otherwise I drive my WVO Diesel powered Isuzu I Mark that I built. (45 MPG with the AC on)

I am a retired Technician for the Electric Company and I would have loved to have the Zero Dual Sport to get me back and forth to work every day. (When I lived within 15 miles of the Office I rode my bicycles.)

I say that because my Son and I actually went to our local dealer and test rode the Motard version. We rode it till the battery barely got us back. (ABOUT 2 HOURS WORTH)
I weight in a 250 lbs with my clothes on and the one we rode would fly even with me on it. Running 83 MPH was top speed and you could watch the battery drain as you rode that fast. Slow down to the speed limit (65) and the Motard would have made my commute no problem. And, I could have charged it up at work for free. The savings would have made the payments.
If you haven't ridden one yet, go ride one, then make the decision if they are worth it or not.

As for "No Noise"!
I ride in a full face helmet and run a stereo Bluetooth in it with Pandora Music playing from my phone. So not hearing an engine would not bother me. Maybe it would be a problem for Harley riders and the other Loud Pipes Save Lives Crowds. I have my head on a swivel and make sure I ride where Cagers can see me. And I ride like they are out to kill me if I forget. So it's habit with me to NOT put my safety in being heard! I wear a GOOD Helmet and Armor Riding Gear because I am the crumple zone! My bandana is in my pocket, not on my head!

The Dual Sport Version would have done my Round Trip Daily Commute on one charge easy. Imagine, being able to run to work and hit the bike shops on the way home, (Or Grandkids) and not have to spend a dime on fuel. I had an electric outlet in front of my parking spot.

The only complaint I have is I would miss shifting gears, but I could get over that. But I'd miss it! The interesting thing is you don't have to mess with the clutch and match the revs to get going from a stop light. You twist the throttle and it goes ,and goes, and goes!

The Motard Version steering head angle was awfully tight. It felt like it was going to toss you off at highway speeds if you hit a bump on the road. Too Twitchy for me.

I have a standing request with the Dealer that when he gets in a Zero Dual Sport Bike, that I can test ride, he should let me know.
I'd buy one and enjoy every minute of it if the steering was more stable at speeds above 60 mph and the range is at least 100 miles.

My son drive a Leaf Electric car and loves it. He also has a Harley Night Train. (What ever that means, I'm a metric guy!) and he feels the same way I do about the Future of electric bikes. I like the Leaf car, but it doesn't have the range I need for my drives into town from my Ranch where I live now. So, I'm waiting for an electric car that will do 150 or more miles on a charge. And just so you know, his Leaf Lease is $200 a month and he says that's what he use to spend a month on gas. (Chevy just announced a 200 mile Electric Coming)

My Solar Panels at the house would make charging a lot easier. Since I run my house on them, MOSTLY!

You can bet my Dino Powered cars and bikes would get ignored some, but I'll keep them for the long trips and rides across the Country.

Now, if they would just build a Diesel Hybrid Bike I'd have the best of both worlds.

ICE Vehicles are going to be around for many years to come, but if we substitute some electric powered ones for the short runs, when we can, we'll come out ahead!

And if you really have to have engine noise, I guess I need to patent my "engine sound generator" that hooks up to the accelerator/ throttle on electric vehicles. It can give you the sound of a Lamborgini in your Prius if you want. Loud Speaker on your Electric bike and you could be a "Harley Loud Pipes Saves Lives" rider while you burn electrons!

Wow long post! but that'S my 25 cents worth on the subject!

 

[klunsford]

I bet after doing the video, they had to trailer it back to town. Electricity is for the battery and electric start on my Super Tenere...

 

[FrontRangeRider]

I wouldn't mind the lack of sound, as riding to me has never centered around listening to myself, and the 150 mile or so range seemed ok, but read further and find range at 70mph is 50 miles, and max sustained speed is 80. I'd hate to see range at 80, most likely 40 miles or less. The technology may come to the point that electric is usable as transportation, but time has not come yet. I don't know about the diesel electric system as Eric mentioned used on locamotive engines for over 100 years it seems, but that would be an interesting idea.

I test rode one at Fremont Motorsports and it was huge fun. I loved the quiet and the awesome, instantaneous torque. Darn near dropped it when I grabbed a tad too much throttle while turning. Back end was working real hard to pass the front end and was really surprised when I saved it. The range on the highway for the motocross version (quoted by the manufacturer) is 44 miles and something like 80 miles in town. That range would not work for our combined dirt/ highway loops that we do when camping in Lake City. That and the price made us decide to go with dino fueled dirt bikes.

 

[shrekonwheels]

Not to worry, they make up for it by not having any Range!! Why would anyone, other than a short range commuter, even think about a machine that will go <100 miles and run out of juice? Heck, I don't even like a gas burner that won't go at least 150 miles on a tank. I know, technology is cool, save the world, yada yada yada, BUT to plunk down your $$ and have something that limited just doesn't make sense to me. ::021::

Because, for 99 percent of Americans driving distance in a day is well under that 100 mile limit.
Zero vehicles are not selling because Mericans live in a dream world of irrationality, That needs to change.

I love lectric vehicles, always have and would love a zero in my garage. The older I get the less I like loud exhaust AR all.