To infinity and beyond... A week with the ZERO SR/S

The world of electric vehicles moves on at some pace, with manufacturers now offering more hybrid, plug-in hybrid and fully electric models as we move towards global net zero ambitions.  So, what is happening in the world of motorcycles?  Almost quietly, unless you are in that marketplace, several manufacturers, many previously unheard of, now offer serious electric motorcycles for a wide range of riders and riding styles. 

At Motorcycle Live I spent some time admiring the range of ZERO motorcycles on their stand and was particularly smitten by the looks of the ZERO SR/S. A conversation was had and recently I was very pleased to be offered the opportunity to experience a week with ‘ZERO’ petrol using the rather elegant bright red ZERO SR/S.

I have ridden motorcycles for many years, and all have been conventional combustion models of varying capacities.  I am currently riding a Kawasaki Ninja 1000 SX, and I do really love that bike. It's my go anywhere, do anything sports tourer.  Could the ZERO SR/S stack up against the Ninja?  Only one way to find out.

A cold and damp Rob Portman of ZERO Motorcycles arrived on the SR/S to drop it off, a quick guide around the bike, a chat about charging, and he said enjoy and let me know what you think.  I’m already geared up at home for the future with solar panels, home battery and Type 2 charging facilities.  I’m acutely aware that the whole subject of electric vehicles can be divisive, so leaving aside all the politics, let’s just look at the aspect that concerns us as bikers. Could an electric motorcycle work for me?

What is a ZERO?

Incredibly ZERO have been making electric motorcycles for over 15 years, the brainchild of NASA engineer Neal Saiki, who started by messing around with scaled-up mountain bike frames and electric motors in his garage.  Sheds and garages are the home of invention in this world and long may that innovation space continue.  Taking a long look at the ZERO SR/S I realised it really is the sum of its premium parts. 

Contained in a steel trellis frame is the fully adjustable suspension by Showa, MSC (motorcycle stability control) electronics by Bosch, excellent dual front discs with 4 pot radial callipers by J.Juan with a single disc/calliper on the rear, on this model Michelin Power 6 tyres but it comes with Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tyres as standard.  The 17.3kW power pack and Z-Force 75-10 electric motor deliver 190 N-m of torque and 84 kW of power driving through a Gates belt drive system.

I do look at this gold motor and think The Doc could have invented it. Just like the Flux Capacitor straight out of the movie Back to the Future. It really looks great! Weighing in at 235Kgs it was a similar weight to the Ninja. So it won’t damage any public car parks then!

On the road

In my role with IAM RoadSmart I spend a lot of time on the road riding with our members taking the Masters Motorcycle Test. I do around 5000 miles a year alone doing this.  So, could the ZERO replace the Ninja and is it up to the task?  I spent a week on the road testing and assessing candidates using the ZERO and after only a short time of acclimatisation, like you would with any change of vehicle, I felt completely at home on it.  Of course, being electric it is ‘twist and go’ and oh yes, it does go!

Feeling a bit like Buzz Lightyear, I may have said his immortal words as I twisted on the throttle and was propelled forward to infinity with that fantastic instant, but very controllable, linear torque only an electric motor can deliver. The handling is also very good, I always felt stable and with the weight of the battery and motor being low down, I found it easier to manually manoeuvre than the Ninja. Also, it has a ‘parking mode’ where you can move forward and reverse under very low-speed electric power.  I used it in one location as my candidate got off his BMW GS and gingerly pushed that weight backwards on an incline, I hit parking mode and reversed into my space.  Brilliant.

Price & Range & Charging

So far then it is very well screwed together, has all the performance you could need, is made up of premium parts, and is great to ride. But we now deal with a couple of the big questions. How much is it, what range does it have, what about charging?

About 5 years ago electric cars had a price premium for early adopters. Which is still mainly true of electric motorcycles.  This ZERO SR/S is just over £20K and is therefore in BMW GS pricing territory. However, I fully expect that price point to go down as the industry gears up with their electric ranges and they become more commonplace. 

Next then - range. I think some journalists may have been using this ZERO for acceleration testing. As with my use the range indicator improved as the week went on. Better advanced Observation Anticipation and Planning in my riding maybe? On an electric motorcycle, you have a fuel gauge that shows you a percentage of battery and then a range meter making a prediction based on riding style.  Whilst I had a choice of modes from Eco, Standard and Sport I preferred Canyon Mode, the best of all-round performance and regeneration. I also used the ZERO all week with the heated grips switched on to medium. I never tried to max out the range. I just rode it like I would ride the Ninja, and I did use the brisk performance!

Overnight contained inside my home fuel station I call a garage. The ZERO with the onboard 6.6kW standard charger and my 7kW charging system were up to 95% in around a couple of hours, all whilst I slept soundly.  You can also do it from a standard 13AMP plug charger too, taking longer but easily achievable overnight.  The max charge is set to 95% for effective battery management. But, you can also use ‘Extended Range’ charging to charge to 110% if you have a longer journey ahead. 

All I know is that I never worried or ran out of power testing. And some days I did 90-100 miles and still arrived home with around 25-30% of power left.  I predict I could easily get 120 miles out of the ZERO charging to 95%. Out on the road, you can time your ‘fuel’ stops to coincide with coffee and cake as we bikers do.  Putting it politely, I only have a ‘100 mile bottom range’ anyway before needing refreshment! Another important sustainability point is that the ZERO batteries are fully recyclable at the end of life. It is also possible to add a ‘Power Tank’ option, but you lose the handy frunk storage. This takes you up to 21kW of available power and even more range.

The System

IPSGA.  As Advanced Riders we all know what that means. The system of motorcycle control where we always consider our information and ensure we are in the right position, travelling at the right speed, have selected the right gear, and use the acceleration accordingly.  Does this change on an electric motorcycle? Absolutely not. Sounding a little ‘Clarkson,’ some say Roadcraft and the IAM RoadSmart Advanced Rider/Driver courses will need complete rewriting with the advent of electric vehicles. Now, I could add one meaningful paragraph to all those publications to include such things as regen braking and consideration of the rear brake lights and the job is done. Why? Well back in the 1930's, Lord Cottenham, on writing Roadcraft for Police drivers and later riders, future-proofed this publication by writing that ‘each feature (now phase) of the system is to be considered in sequence at the approach to any hazard.’ There you have it, I considered my gear phase, and it wasn’t required.  The ‘G’ in IPSGA is preserved.

Maintenance & Running Costs

It is well known that losing the internal combustion engine slashes maintenance costs.  A simple annual 45-minute health check at a dealer is required and they are mainly checking tyres, brake pads/fluid, and drive belt adjustment. As advanced riders, we take care of all of this with our regular POWDER checks.  A big plus point, ZERO motorcycles also come with a full 5-year warranty, more than I have ever had on any machine.

All costs are October 2024.  A 10% to 95% overnight charge took around 9.5kW of electricity. So at the Standard Variable Tariff of 24.62p/kW = £2.33.  On a 7p EV overnight tariff that would be down to 67 pence!  That same 110-mile range on my Ninja would use 2 gallons of unleaded fuel. So at £1.36 per litre or £6.17 per gallon = £12.34.  If we extrapolate those figures for my normal 5000 miles that would mean, £33.50 for 5000 miles charged at an overnight rate of 7p, or £617 for 5000 miles using unleaded petrol.  Very interesting indeed.

Summary

My time on the ZERO SR/S has been great fun. Something we all seek as motorcyclists, and it has been a real proper motorcycle, thoroughly enjoyable. Remember it is just the method of propulsion has changed from combustion to electric. Everywhere I went people commented on it, ‘Looks a bit like a Ducati’ said one chap, I know what he means.

Time to return the ZERO at the end of the week. I used another trick in the ZERO armoury, as mentioned you can charge to 110% in the Extended Range option. This took an additional 2.7kW of electricity and the range meter professed 136 miles. Okay, I thought, challenge accepted. I then rode around 100 miles from mid-Dorset to Guildford. Not by motorway, but as I would normally using the A class road network across to Salisbury, Stockbridge, Winchester, Alton, Farnham and Guildford. A pleasant, positive, and progressive ride was enjoyed. Again, using Canyon Mode and heated grips set to medium with an outside ambient temperature of 10-12C.  I was fully prepared for a quick ‘Volt & Bolt’ on the way if needed. The EV equivalent of a combustion ‘Splash & Dash’, but I arrived still with 24% of battery power still available. There really is something in this Advanced Riding then!

My thanks to Rob Portman, Chris Tate and all at ZERO Motorcycles for the experience.

Written By:

Shaun Cronin

Regional Service Delivery Team Manager (Southern)
IAM RoadSmart