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Author Topic: Hello everyone! Just picked up a Zero but still miss my Charger...  (Read 767 times)

bmwcyclist

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About 12 years ago I bought my first street-legal electric motorcycle a 1973 Auranthetic Charger from Kevin Combs. It was a great little pit bike but after I purchased an antique British bike I had to sell it. Turns out it was a really rare and collectible bike so I did alright*.

This weekend I purchased my second street-legal motorcycle a 2020 Zero SR 14.4. I have noticed some slight changes over the past 50 years of development. The purchase was a complete "accident". The bike had only 19 miles on it. It had been wrecked on a demo ride. Even with a very generous and steep discount, it has wiped out my personal budget and I now have to sell an antique bike to pay back my wonderful and caring wife Connie who lent me the extra money I needed to get the deal. (looking for a bike?)

I picked up the bike Sunday and with help from TimK and Jay Eakins, it was road-worthy enough to take my FIRST RIDE. This was especially significant as TimK and Jay go back to the "moped days" and he was also road testing his daughter's first motorcycle on the road for the first time. What a great day!!!!

So anyway, I am now restoring it with help from the Piston Society (Zero Dealer in Cincinnati) and Tom Heil (who BTW gave me the great idea of looking for a damaged zero to restore in the first place).

And please wish me luck and LOOK OUT for motorcycles (because you won't HEAR me ! 🙂 )
*(Turns out I rarely get as much $ out of a bike as I put in. Labor of love kind of thing)
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Richard230

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Re: Hello everyone! Just picked up a Zero but still miss my Charger...
« Reply #1 on: July 07, 2021, 08:09:28 PM »

Welcome, bmwcyclist! I remember seeing one of those Auranthetic Chargers in San Francisco during the 1970's gas crisis. It seemed like a great around town bike, but once the gas was flowing again, I never saw another one.  :(

I think you will see quite a difference in your riding experience between your vintage bike and your new Zero - as you might expect from almost 50 years of electric-power progress.  :)
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Richard's motorcycle collection:  2018 16.6 kWh Zero S, 2002 Yamaha FZ1 (FZS1000N) and a 1978 Honda Kick 'N Go Senior.
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