Zero S ZF9. An urban sport bike

At Plusmoto we’ve written several articles about the benefits of electric motorcycles, especially now that filling up at the petrol station costs an arm and a leg. We’ve spoken with manufacturers and cleared up doubts, but we’ve almost always seen urban vehicles. Scooters, to be precise. Today we present an urban alternative with range, but sporty in its concept.

The Californian brand Zero has been experimenting with electric motorcycles for several years now. They started with an off-road bike, which was more of a mountain bike than anything else, and which featured large swappable batteries. The bike we’re showing you today is an evolution of that model.

The Zero S is the first mass-produced electric motorcycle capable of offering more than 183 km of range in the city. To achieve this, it features a new Z-Force battery pack that lasts the entire life of the bike. The batteries are rated for close to 500,000 km, calculated at around 3,000 charge-discharge cycles. Its top speed is 142 km/h, with a more than respectable motor torque and acceleration.

Its motor has no brushes, which makes it clean and maintenance-free. It is air-cooled. It features a regenerative braking system that recharges the battery pack when we brake or decelerate, and it can be ridden in two modes, “Sport” and “Eco”. The chassis is an ultralight, rigid aerospace-grade aluminum frame. The Zero S is designed to have a low centre of gravity, which makes it manoeuvrable and responsive. An optional passenger accessory is available.

It rides on cast wheels developed specifically for this model, giving a new and sporty touch to the bike. Its brakes are more precise, easier to modulate and require less effort. Its large-diameter front disc is designed by Zero itself. It also has stainless steel braided lines for better feel and braking precision. The suspension features an inverted fork, one of the lightest on the market, and its rear swingarm has a spring-preload adjustable shock absorber.

Its instrument panel shows you the necessary information quickly and precisely, such as speed and motor temperature. With no gears or clutch, you choose how it behaves according to how you ride it. Its drive is by belt, which makes it direct and lets the bike accelerate quickly and efficiently. Furthermore, it requires no maintenance.

The only drawback we find is its high price, although we all know this type of vehicle is expensive. The ZF9 model costs €13,995. One advantage is the exemption from the road tax for being electric, and depending on the autonomous community, you may get an additional tax benefit.

Source and photos | Zero Motorcycles