Author Topic: Electric Motorcycle Review: Zero S by Zero Motorcycles (Read 17330 times)

rrocket · « **on:** May 07, 2009, 08:17:38 am »

Thought some of the electric vehicle/hybrid fans might enjoy the article:

http://www.motorcycledaily.com/04may09_zeromotorcycles.htm

EV Dan · « **Reply #1 on:** May 07, 2009, 01:07:32 pm »

Meh. For 10 grand US I would expect something that at least looks like a motorcycle, not a moped. Brushed motor and 400-500 cycle battery life don't inspire me either. It may reach 60mph some day, but it is crazy to ride it on a highway. I can build a bicycle that will go as fast for probably third the price but speed alone won't make it highway capable. If all you hear is sprockets, brakes and chain, nobody will notice you on the road, unless you ride in 50km neighbourhoods.

aquadorhj · « **Reply #2 on:** May 07, 2009, 01:38:21 pm »

I saw this bike featured in "Daily Planet" on discovery channel.

I thought it was pretty cool. it's entirely electric, and if everyone drove one of these in the city, there would be no fuel consumption(for the cycle during the day, anyway.) Not that i'm against using up fuel...

the silent operation part is remedied by recorded "Music" of exhaust notes from various motorcycles, the factory guy said on the show. You can choose harley-esque potato-potato or screaming 4 sound or ducati or whatever.

If I had money, I would sport one of these for city, for sure. ..when in the mood..

Careener · « **Reply #3 on:** May 07, 2009, 02:22:07 pm »

I'm looking forward to other electric motorcycles coming down the pipeline. A really good fit to an electric drivetrain in my opinion.
$5-6k would be perfect. (yes I want my cake and to eat it too)

EV Dan · « **Reply #4 on:** May 07, 2009, 04:54:50 pm »

I doubt there will be anything 'serious' offered soon, anything of the Tesla scale. However, for a budget electric conversion (read: using heavy lead-acids) one of these will be hard to beat. Lots of room for batts in the sidecar.

johngenx · « **Reply #5 on:** May 07, 2009, 05:03:39 pm »

I'd rather have a plug-in scooter that I could use in an urban setting that was priced far lower. Electric cars/etc are coming, but at first they sure won't replace the combustion engined vehicles, but supplant them. In our family, my wife has a short commute (34km return) and could easily use an electric car.

Even with most of our power generation coming from coal and natural gas, the higher efficiency of combined cycle natural gas plants and even cola fired plants combined with the tremendous efficiency of the electric motor compared to an internal combustion engine means we're way ahead.

rrocket · « **Reply #6 on:** May 07, 2009, 06:58:31 pm »

Quote from: DanYanoff on May 07, 2009, 04:54:50 pm

I doubt there will be anything 'serious' offered soon, anything of the Tesla scale.

Ha!! You think a $100K Tesla is a "serious" effort?? I don't....My idea of a serious car is one the masses can afford, and the Tesla ain't it.....And the Zero S does look like a motorcycle to me...a SuperMotard look to it...

Oh and JohnGenX...Yamaha has been selling exlectric scooters in Japan for several years now. The EC-02 even has an Ipod ready plug on it!! Rumor has it the EC-02 is coming to the US for approx. $2,000 or so. It's kinda small(ish)..but for tooling around town...it's kinda neat!

Sir Osis of Liver · « **Reply #7 on:** May 07, 2009, 07:05:52 pm »

I think it'd (Zero S) be a hoot around town. Performance seems pretty good other than the limited speed.
$10k seemed reasonable to me for a limited production effort.

johngenx · « **Reply #8 on:** May 07, 2009, 07:19:34 pm »

Quote from: rrocket on May 07, 2009, 06:58:31 pm

Oh and JohnGenX...Yamaha has been selling exlectric scooters in Japan for several years now. The EC-02 even has an Ipod ready plug on it!! Rumor has it the EC-02 is coming to the US for approx. $2,000 or so. It's kinda small(ish)..but for tooling around town...it's kinda neat!

That is cool. I'd like three two-wheeled vehicles. A sport-touring bike (like my ST, or a BMW GT), a balls-to-the-wall bike (like my now-sold highly modded Hayabusa) and one of those scooters. I don't really desire a $10K bike with scooter performance.

rrocket · « **Reply #9 on:** May 07, 2009, 07:30:30 pm »

Quote from: johngenx on May 07, 2009, 07:19:34 pm

Quote from: rrocket on May 07, 2009, 06:58:31 pm
Oh and JohnGenX...Yamaha has been selling exlectric scooters in Japan for several years now. The EC-02 even has an Ipod ready plug on it!! Rumor has it the EC-02 is coming to the US for approx. $2,000 or so. It's kinda small(ish)..but for tooling around town...it's kinda neat!

That is cool. I'd like three two-wheeled vehicles. A sport-touring bike (like my ST, or a BMW GT), a balls-to-the-wall bike (like my now-sold highly modded Hayabusa) and one of those scooters. I don't really desire a $10K bike with scooter performance.

The electric Yamaha scooter is cool....but for my money ($2200 US or so), I'd get an Aprilia SR50R. It's a fuel injected (direct injected) 2 stroke that's cleaner than most 4 strokes...sips the oil...and gets an amazing 140 US miles per gallon. (thought most get around 2L/100kms when ridden hard) Oh yea..it also goes 80km/h de-restricted and looks fantastic....and the underseat storage will swallow a full face helmet. I've ridden them a couple of times and they are an absolute hoot. If several of my buddies and I had one...it would be like a mini-grand prix on the street I'm sure.

Oh..and do tell of your modded Busa. I had a slightly modded ZX9R that ran 9.90s@139 when I took it to the track.....

johngenx · « **Reply #10 on:** May 07, 2009, 07:38:04 pm »

Quote from: rrocket on May 07, 2009, 07:30:30 pm

Oh..and do tell of your modded Busa. I had a slightly modded ZX9R that ran 9.90s@139 when I took it to the track.....

Big bore, modded top end, remapped FI. 220 rwhp. 340km/h, 10.0X's @ 13Xmph, depending on traction and balls. The new owner has added a larger turbo, nitrous and carbon bodywork. On the squeeze it nukes 300rwhp and is so fast it's almost unbelievable. No 1/4's, but it rockets through 300km/h.

Mine was a non-limited early model. In 2001, the factory buried a 300km/h limiter in it, and it's difficult (or was, last time I was 'busa crazy) to break.

rrocket · « **Reply #11 on:** May 07, 2009, 07:40:46 pm »

Quote from: johngenx on May 07, 2009, 07:38:04 pm

In 2001, the factory buried a 300km/h limiter in it, and it's difficult (or was, last time I was 'busa crazy) to break.

Yea...they found a way around it....

Oz · « **Reply #12 on:** May 07, 2009, 09:16:05 pm »

Somewhere out there.. is a hippie going omg omg omg omg....

toolatecrew · « **Reply #13 on:** May 07, 2009, 09:57:22 pm »

Quote

But expect a hefty charge to your wallet when it's time for a new battery: the smaller battery pack in the X is $2950, so expect the S pack to be 50% more. If you cover 30,000 miles in five years, that's 15 cents a mile not counting the cost of electricity if a replacement battery pack is $4500. A 50 mpg motorcycle or scooter costs 16 cents per mile when gas is three bucks a gallon; making operating a Zero a wash, economically speaking.

So 10K for a bike that won't hit 60mph and doesn't give you any cost of operation savings to speak off? Thank goodness for early adopters I guess.

Turbo Bob · « **Reply #14 on:** May 07, 2009, 10:36:00 pm »

Scooter riders should be shot.

rrocket · « **Reply #15 on:** May 07, 2009, 10:47:45 pm »

Quote from: Just Bob on May 07, 2009, 10:36:00 pm

Scooter riders should be shot.

Sorry man....they're a hoot!! Not much fun alone (unless doing city errands) but with a group of guys...it's a hoot!!

The SR50R is loads of fun!

EV Dan · « **Reply #16 on:** May 07, 2009, 11:15:33 pm »

This is more like it, size matters..

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/05/07/video-brammo-shows-off-enertia-ttr-bike-for-ttxgp/

Turbo Bob · « **Reply #17 on:** May 08, 2009, 12:45:44 am »

Or you could always get one of these...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o15EALghp0

johngenx · « **Reply #18 on:** May 08, 2009, 10:02:08 am »

Quote from: rrocket on May 07, 2009, 10:47:45 pm

Sorry man....they're a hoot!! Not much fun alone (unless doing city errands) but with a group of guys...it's a hoot!!

Last summer I saw a pair of young women in micro bikinis on scooters. THAT looks like my kind of "bike gang."

rrocket · « **Reply #19 on:** May 08, 2009, 11:24:18 am »

Quote from: johngenx on May 08, 2009, 10:02:08 am

Last summer I saw a pair of young women in micro bikinis on scooters. THAT looks like my kind of "bike gang."

Pics or ban??