The seat height (adjustable to 36 or 37 inches) ...never realized that, or i forgot. Is that new to 09?
Interesting quotes:
The aluminum frame is Saiki's design and weighs in at 18 pounds, helping to keep the claimed weight of the complete bike at very light 140 pounds ready to ride. The fork has been updated from the first version we rode earlier this year and now is more stable at speed and supports the bike and rider weight better. Overall handling character is good for a playbike, but doesn't cut it for full-on motocross, as the soft springs and a small package give the chassis a toy-like feel.
Once the bike gets moving it really gets moving and is exceptionally quick. But controlling the power and weight of the Zero is not easy. Most motorcycle riders rely heavily on the clutch as a means to meter power delivery to the rear wheel, and since the X has no clutch, engine response is controlled solely by the rider's throttle hand. The job is made more difficult because the throttle is quite sensitive, so little jerks of the right hand bring big changes in the motor's output. It's challenging—if even a little fun—to try and tame your right wrist to have perfect control, but the X could be made easier to ride with better electronic throttle "programming."
Interesting critique of power delivery. I would definitly have trouble getting used to no clutch. Kinda scarey if the throttle got stuck or you got some serious arm pump in the right arm. But hey, i'm sure I could get used to it.
Read the whole article...
http://www.cycleworld.com/article.asp?section_id=3&article_id=888
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Topic: Cycle World Article on 2009 Zero X (Read 1179 times)