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My commute is 13 miles each way so I'm not really worried about the range. I live in California.
During the test drive I was only able to touch 90 mph at about 98% SoC, so it didn't really help me understand what happens as charge drops during sustained speeds. My current bike is a kawi concours with a 1400cc engine and I may (or may not) routinely cruise at 100mph+ speeds as the road conditions and traffic allow it.
Because of the test drive I really want to get one. I was amazed at the acceleration and feel of the bike in general. Again, I REALLY want to get one, but one of the things I want to know is if I'll be able to cruise at 90mph for extended periods of time. I know that over 100mph is really not possible though and that's of real concern to me, as silly as it might sound.
Just to check you test rode the SR not the DSR, DS or S, right?
Since you live in California you are lucky. Even luckier if its in the LA area. There is a shop in West Hollywood called Hollywood Electrics on the corner of Willoughby and Fairfax. They have been the #1 Zero dealer in the world since 2009 when they opened. They also focus on racing Zero's and aftermarket upgrades. I can guess 2 things they can do to increase your top speed but I'll bet Harlan and the guys there have a bunch of tricks up their sleeves.
First is to do a 30/130 to 30/98 gear change. This would get you a theoretical top speed of 135 mph, but perhaps more like 115-120 if you are in a full race tuck because of aerodynamic resistance. Or perhaps do a 28/98 gear swap. That would give you 126 mph potential top speed.
The other is to have the RPM limit raised from about 6000 to perhaps 6500. Or whatever you like to get the top speed you want. This would technically void your warranty, but on the IPM motor, one of the biggest concerns that caused the 6000 RPM limit was dislodged magnets from the surface mount rotor design from 2013-2015. So for 2016 it shouldn't be a concern.
Good luck on your new bike! I think you'll find the Concours collecting a lot of dust after you get an SR. I never had a desire to ride my Yamaha YZF-R1 even once after getting my Zero and so finally sold it after it sat for 10 months feeling neglected.
Remember stop in and chat with the guys from Hollywood Electrics. They can do anything you want there. That's what they are known for.
My 2015 SR cut back power and speed so I could only go 100km/h at about 4% I think it was. It was before it hit 0%. Honestly its so low it doesn't matter.
Ignoring reports of power drops, you will get very poor range at high speeds. 70mph is really what you should count on for their range figures. [I have a DSR]
Hey all, I know this sounds like a pretty crazy question, but in looking at moving from an ICE bike to an electric, I just have to know what users are experiencing outside of marketing information.
What's your maximum sustained speed on a 2016 or 2015 SR? I've heard rumors of power drops under 50% SOC and not being able to hit the 95mph anymore.
While I know that maximum top speed is just over 100mph, I don't care so much about that as I do being able to stay at the 90ish level for extended periods of time.
You can do that on a SR, you just have to get ceramic bearings and ride like this. The shirt and pants off are key to the aerodynamics says Zero's newly hired Aerodynamicist, Flow.
A Vetter fairing and gearing could help.
The sustained top speed is 10 mph faster on the 2016 because of the IPM motor. Just curious though, where do you live? Texas? I know they have an 85 mph speed limit there. But I wouldn't expect more than about 60 miles range at those speeds. Or 75 miles with the powertank and that's if you're in a race type tuck.
How far is your commute? If less than 30 miles each way, you should be fine. Or if you can find a place to plug in at work than don't even worry about it. At about 80-85 mph I get about 80 miles range and it will hold highway speeds of 70 mph on my bike all the way down to 0%. Then it starts to slow down gradually while I can go another 5 miles with the throttle twisted all the way, 10 miles if I slow down and milk it. I have a 2015, the 2016's should be even better.
Zero's speedometer is pretty accurate within about a mile per hour. Many gas bikes I've had like my R1 the speedometer read 5-8 mph fast. So when it said I was doing 100 mph I was really doing 92-95. Do you ride your gas bike at 95 mph indicated? What kind of bike is it? Only reason I say this is you might really only be going 90 mph. But the 2016 Zero SR should hold 95 mph for your entire commute. Go take one for a test ride and tell us what you think!!!
