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[Richard230]

I keep wondering what Zero is planning in the way of styling for future years.  It must be difficult for them to predict future trends as they don't have the resources to switch from one basic style to another very quickly (if at all). There has been a lot of discussion about Zero needing an aerodynamic fairing to improve range and reduce power consumption at high speeds, but I just don't see it happening unless you see them first testing it on a racetrack - which hasn't happened yet.

The only manufacturers who really gave that a try in the recent past were BMW with their 1989 K1, which sold poorly as it was heavy, looked funny and was kind of impractical for the needs of their traditional clientele and Suzuki, with their Hayabusa. BMW never gave the aero design another try after that. While Suzuki's Hayabusa has several aero touches, that bike sold because most customers held their styling noses and bought the bike because of its top speed and power.  Even then, it has never a relatively big seller for Suzuki.

No production manufacturer has even tried to market a "dustbin" design since the racing bikes of the 1950's (which were considered dangerous at the time due to crosswind instability) and even the sales of sportbikes with racing fairings are fading fast in the market.  Right now I don't see aero-styling something that the market is going to want in enough quantities to interest Zero, considering the investment needed to create such product and the small number of potential sales.

Now the latest hot styling trend is the "scrambler".  A style that Zero could embrace with some minor modifications to, and sprucing-up of, the DSR - if only their could figure out how to deal with the lack of needing a high-mounted (or any) exhaust system to give it that "scrambler" look.   

From the point of increasing their sales, which I believe is Zero's primary goal, I think they should embrace the "scrambler" styling (or, if nothing else, at least the name - which is something the public can understand, instead of "DSR").

What got me started with this line of thought is this blog by Bike Bandit regarding the scrambler styling trend:
http://www.bikebandit.com/blog/post/what-makes-a-scrambler-a-scrambler

As a historical comment: I saw my first "production" Scrambler motorcycle in a 1959 Sears Roebuck catalog.  It was a 250 cc two-stroke "twingle" (two pistons in one cylinder), manufactured by Puch in Germany and sold under the Allstate brand by Sears.  See attached photo. BTW, that $700 price was pretty expensive for a 250 at that time, which is probably why it didn't stay in the catalog for very long. I think that was the only year it was offered for sale by Sears.

[ultrarnr]

There is no question that cruisers sell very well in the US. I have never been a big fan of cruisers but something like the Brutus V9 but coming from Zero might change my mind. I do like some of the features on the V9 but not willing to do that kind of long-distance trouble shooting if there are ever problems. Too bad they never decided to actually market and sell them. Would love to see a detailed ride report on them.

[MrDude_1]

The only manufacturers who really gave that a try in the recent past .... Suzuki, with their Hayabusa.

The Hayabusa was not special, unique or different. It fit in with the style of all the other Suzuki sportbikes, and was intended to beat the Honda Blackbird. The name itself is from a falcon that actually eats Blackbirds.

[Ranga]

I disagree with the idea of Zero trying to get into the scrambler market.  For one thing, I don't think you can make a DS look convincingly like a scrambler without seriously redesigning its frame and setup, and that would rob time and money away from things like battery and recharging R&D.  Even if they did start it, there's a chance the fad would die out before they got anything to market. 

The biggest thing though, is that I think the return of the scrambler is part of a larger "retro" trend that's been growing in popularity, and not just in the motorcycle world.  There's just nothing retro about Zero.

As per your comment about the Scrambler name being more recognizable than the DSR: there's nothing particular sporty or special about the letters CBR, DRZ, YZF or GS, but Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and BMW have established them with their history and engineering.  In time, I think DSR and FXS will earn some respect on their own.

[Ranga]

I would love to see an FX restyled as a scrambler though.  Some more body fairings to give it visual mass and a new tail section would do the trick.

[Ndm]

Cool picture Richard, but a minor correction to your post , two Pistons share a combustion chamber not a cylinder (think monumental crashing, or ridiculous compression!) mechanics can't let go 

[NEW2elec]

My first and only other bike was a Honda 125 trail bike which was basically a toned down scrambler so I have always liked that style.  I'm not a big guy so the huge Harleys and liter sport bikes never interested me.  But what I think most people like about the scrambler is the smaller liter weight that they feel they have control of.  Without  all the plastic gear and dirt only limits of true dirt bikes.  Lets face it most people have no business on a liter sport bike, they can't bring out its true performance and if they try they either get hurt or nearly hurt and sale the bike.  If you get a scrambler you go "of course I don't go 190 MPH its a scrambler" which I think is a good thing for the "image", having more people enjoying riding and not getting themselves into bad situations.  With all that being said I think the Zero fit pretty nicely with the "feel" they want from a scrambler.  Easier, fairly lite, some off road i.e. trails so you feel you have most bases covered.
If they could just bring down the price it would be a no brainer.

[Richard230]

Cool picture Richard, but a minor correction to your post , two Pistons share a combustion chamber not a cylinder (think monumental crashing, or ridiculous compression!) mechanics can't let go 

That is true.  I knew better. I just didn't type and proofread better.   

And another correction:  Puch motorcycles were manufactured in Austria, not Germany. These sort of details are getting hard to recall after 60 years. 

[Richard230]

My first and only other bike was a Honda 125 trail bike which was basically a toned down scrambler so I have always liked that style.  I'm not a big guy so the huge Harleys and liter sport bikes never interested me.  But what I think most people like about the scrambler is the smaller liter weight that they feel they have control of.  Without  all the plastic gear and dirt only limits of true dirt bikes.  Lets face it most people have no business on a liter sport bike, they can't bring out its true performance and if they try they either get hurt or nearly hurt and sale the bike.  If you get a scrambler you go "of course I don't go 190 MPH its a scrambler" which I think is a good thing for the "image", having more people enjoying riding and not getting themselves into bad situations.  With all that being said I think the Zero fit pretty nicely with the "feel" they want from a scrambler.  Easier, fairly lite, some off road i.e. trails so you feel you have most bases covered.
If they could just bring down the price it would be a no brainer.

I have a couple of liter and larger motorcycles, but ride them like a 250. Go figure.  Those things are so expensive, heavy and fast that I am afraid to drop them or start going faster than my reactions can deal with. I am very happy with my Zero, but I do think its styling could use a little updating and a larger chassis would be nice too.    When it comes to year-t-year changes in the looks of their bikes, Zero is nothing if not conservative.  They don't even apply Bold New Graphics to distinguish a new model year.   

[CrashCash]

The only manufacturers who really gave that a try in the recent past were BMW with their 1989 K1, which sold poorly as it was heavy, looked funny and was kind of impractical for the needs of their traditional clientele

Actually, the K1 failed because it was limited by the current laws to 100hp, and with the weight it was a slug at a time when acceleration ruled even more than it does today. This compares to a K1600 today which is 158hp or so. I wanted a K1. Everyone I know that test rode it said felt like they could get off and push it faster, so it was no sale.

The problem is manufacturers try several things on a new bike and trash everything if it doesn't work out, so they go "nobody wants aero" when that's not the case at all.

Motorcycle styling (except for Harleys - cruisers are their OWN SEPARATE MARKET) changes about every 4 years. First it was plastic race replicas, then it was naked bikes, now it's scramblers. Who knows what it'll be next.

Personally. I think Zero knocked it out of the park style-wise, and I very much like the current styles. The only reason I want a fairing is function - I hate watching my charge click down so fast on the expressways around here. I want a Zero with a FUNCTIONAL fairing - i.e. not just a sportbike plastic wrap. That is what I'll fork out money for. I'll buy either a fairing kit for my SR, or a whole new bike in 4 or 5 years.

I don't think trying to emulate a particular piston-engine current fad is a good idea. I think Zero needs to stick to their style and not follow pointless trends.