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[MichaelJohn]

http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/zero/2015-zero-new-model-introduction.html

Troy Siahann is Motorcycle.com's go-to guy for electric motorcycles and he has written a very complimentary article about the new Zero models. Love his quote about the SR - "Zero claims its bikes aren't meant to be high-performance sportbikes, but the SR is pretty damn close." Amen to that. I really liked the last 2 lines of the article, but you'll just have to read those on your own.

[protomech]

Zero reps say, in 2014, the company doubled its sales over the year before, and believe it or not, the FX was Zero’s best selling model

Interesting.

We don't have access to Zero's sales data. But I don't see that FX sales spike reflected in the France sales numbers or in frodus's ev owner chart.

2015 is another year of refinements and improved value (despite a small price bump), and both are welcome from Zero. Suspension, brake systems, and tires are closer to what is expected at their price point. It's still disappointing to see no new product from Brammo and little powertrain development from Zero.

[CrashCash]

Hm. I don't see that much powertrain development needed on my Zero, except cheaper bigger batteries, which isn't happening for anybody, and probably won't until Musk's gigafactory hopefully does it's job.

For 2015 they fixed the details that needed to be fixed. For example, I didn't consider it until it had ABS, because my bike's my daily transportation, rain or shine. The brakes/suspension upgrade really needed to happen. I could accept cheap shitty brakes & suspension on my $6K SV-650 but certainly not on my $17K Zero.

I certainly don't need more power and the thing couldn't be more maintenance free. What could you improve besides range?

[ultrarnr]

What can Zero improve? Charging!!!!!!!!! Based on a poll I started there is a lot of interest in faster charging. Right now everyone has to go through Hollywood Electrics to get fastr charging systems. It would be nice if Zero had that as an option.

[Justin Andrews]

Right now on-board charging is my most pressing issue, if I could get 4-5 kw charging on my bike it would expand its use.

Something like the charge tank that Brandon is working on would be perfect right about now.

[dkw12002]

Cheap gas, wonderful small, lightweight and cheap motorcycles like the Ninja 300, Honda 300s, and the new Yamaha r3, are going to cut into everyone's sales, and this is as true in Asia and Europe as it is in America. I still say we need a breakthrough in electric motorcycles. You just won't be able to pack enough batteries in a bike to satisfy mainstream motorcycle riders and the added weight is a huge negative in my book.

[Cortezdtv]

Cheap gas, wonderful small, lightweight and cheap motorcycles like the Ninja 300, Honda 300s, and the new Yamaha r3, are going to cut into everyone's sales, and this is as true in Asia and Europe as it is in America. I still say we need a breakthrough in electric motorcycles. You just won't be able to pack enough batteries in a bike to satisfy mainstream motorcycle riders and the added weight is a huge negative in my book.

I'll put my size 6 fx up against any bike stop light to stop light, and more than 9/10 I'll smoke anything.       FXr  >  Gsxr 750.  While gas bikes fight for gears I'm gone

290 lbs and a conservative 80 foot pounds of torque and 44+ horsepower is probably one of the best power to weight ratio's on the market cars bikes vehicles included

For around town riding you cannot beat that period


Yes power to weight and speed arnt everything to making a great bike, but how many are going to pick the slowest bike as their favorite. Don't get me wrong I love my neighbors KLX 110 but even if it was plated it wouldn't come close to topping a zero in terms of fun daily riding.

Honestly I think you would be hard pressed to find a mortars style bike that can out perform it. The 15s have a real suspension setup.  I would love to have it, but honestly I have yet to find time where a better suspension would have "saved me" and I'm not exactly a person who does t floor the bike or test its durability, hell I paid for it might as well get every dollars worth outta it

I once sold the bike to somebody who only road big gas bikes. Rides a  CBR 1000 every day to work. He bought a 2012 x that I wasn't using( I had a 13 fx aswell and got the 12 because I love the nimble ness of them).  Continuing, he  calls me the next day " I rode the bike to work this morning and there's a good 20 minute stretch of curvy roads and I just kept it pin through the whole thing. I've never had so much fun on the bike  in my life." He said he was smiling ear to ear the whole time with the sort of dumb grin, like we all had the first time experiencing motorcycle "warp" speed. Eyes watering tears dripping down your cheeks, or well back towards your ears because you can't stop speeding!

Am I the only one who has this happen to them?

[Burton]

"Mainstream motorcycle riders" You mean the ones who only ride 3k miles a year?

I came from a ninja 250 03, and still have it as a back up, the 2013 feels just a light if not lighter than it when in motion. Picking it up is a different story but it isn't too bad.

My 2013 is also hot rodded, see signature, and requires no effort to throw you into the back of your seat. My ninja 250 could never do this, which is why I bought it to learn on; 3 years and 46k miles later I decided to go electric --- I don't want to go back. Everyone I know who has ridden a zero is shocked when they get off, and they to have experienced the grin ear to ear phenomenon. Most of these people are what I would call "typical" riders putting on less than 5k a year while the weather is nice.

Most all of them balk at the range but rarely do I see them ride farther than that during the week ... They might spend 5% of their time going farther than a zero could provide even without the tank extender. And if they really wanted they could use a quick charger to go farther.

The big mental block is price for everyone who I have talked to. Most riders are cheap bastards who neglect their bikes and only take it in when it stops running or they wreck. However if they did maintenance it themselves or at a shop they could see savings if they rode more. For me that number is 5 years, for them it is likely 15 since they don't ride 13-16k miles a year like me.

So at that point they realize the motorcycle is really just a toy for them and not a tool. This is the biggest problem as the toy is really expensive and they would likely never see a return on their investment outside the great feeling we all know having owned one.

[dkw12002]

Motorcyclists always mention range as an issue. It probably isn't 90% of the time, but I think they want the reassurance. I do too, which is why I haven't bought an all-electric car, even though it would be fine for 95% of my driving.

Yes, the torque of an electric bike is unique and it's what I love most about the bike. You have to get into super sports to match the acceleration....at least to 60 mph or so....to match the acceleration of the Zero SR at 3.3 seconds. Gixxer 1000 is one of the very fastest at 2.8 seconds, but that is in a drag race where you burn out, rev the engine, pop the clutch and draw major attention to yourself. No doubt if you were on the SR next to someone on a Gixxer 1000 you could beat him to 60 mph because he would have no idea what was coming.  In fact, I have never had any race bike beat me off the line on my 2013 Zero S up to 60 mph or so. I don't announce I'm racing of course and by the time they catch up and pass me, they are way over the speed limit. Yes, there is that, and I suspect that torque is worth the extra money for lots of us.

[CrashCash]

Motorcyclists always mention range as an issue. It probably isn't 90% of the time, but I think they want the reassurance. I do too, which is why I haven't bought an all-electric car, even though it would be fine for 95% of my driving.

Well, some of the more interesting places in Central Florida are just a smidgen out of range of my non-power-tank no-elcons SR, like riding up to Sanford for German food, or over to Titusville to the space museums, or to Tampa or Daytona, or up to Ocala to visit my folks. I made it from Waterford Lakes to Sanford this weekend but I certainly had to charge while I ate to be able to get home.

I do have my FJR, but for the first month I'm trying to be all-electric.