I got to put a few miles on a Empulse the other day and really enjoyed it! Lucky for my wallet that they didn't have one they could sell me that day. The power felt right between my Zero and Buell XB12. The handling felt really solid and suspension was better than my Zero. The instrumentation I liked more than my Zero. The chain was quieter than I expected but I like the belts on my Buell and Zero more than a chain. We have a lot of J17 charging stations so the level 2 charging is really nice but I did miss the ability to just plug in to a wall socket, the bike comes with a converter but you have to back pack it with you. The transmission feels like it is geared tall, I'd like to drop the countershaft sprocket a tooth or 2 for even more acceleration. The regen comes on very strong and had the feeling of taking up slack in the chain and transmission if you roll off the throttle too quickly. On my Zero I get some regen by just touching the front brake before the brakes start. I like that method more than reverse throttle control. I personally like the looks of the Empulse way more than my Zero with its fake radiator shrouds. I was not keen on how much more the Empulse weighs although it was not noticeable around town. I am not sure who designed the ergos but at 5'9" the Empulse felt like it was built for me. The Brammo dealer is 200 miles from me and my Zero Dealer is just 12. I have not yet ridden a 2013 Zero S but as of right now the Empulse was the most enjoyable ride of the year including ICE bikes for me.