“The Future of Motorcycles” – Zero Motorcycles…

where it started

BACK in 2006, when Zero Motorcycles was known at Electricross, Neal Saiki, a former NASA engineer and innovator, designed ‘The Drift’. A powerful electric motocross bike, which had the power of a Honda CRF150 and weighed only 140 pounds

So great was the enthusiasm for The Drift among professional mountain and motocross riders that it led to the opening of the first store on June 11, 2007. In the same year, “Electricross” was rebranded as Zero Motorcycles and the development of the Zero X has begun.

Launched in 2009, the Zero S is the world’s first electric street motorcycle. The Zero S is making global news and causing such a stir that the company’s website crashed on launch day.

In the same year, they developed the Zero MX, which offered a more robust suspension for off-roaders.

After that, Zero Motorcycles broke into Europe and Australia, and in 2010 avid bikers and “cyborg” Arnold Schwarzenegger praised Zero Motorcycles at a ceremony in Sacramento, California. “Zero Motorcycles has developed the kind of technology that will save us all by reducing greenhouse gases while using renewable energy.”

Of the…

• 2011 Zero XU – Their first street bike with a removable power pack and “quick charge” capabilities.

• 2014 Zero SR – 0-60 in 3.3 seconds.

• 2016 Zero FXS and Zero DSR – Their supermoto and adventure offerings.

• 2020 Zero SR/F and Zero SR/S – Superior performance and on-board charging options.

Advanced technology

Unsurprisingly, Zero Motorcycles has led the way with electric motorcycle technology and introduced a new category of “smart bikes”.

Their Cypher Operating System (Zero’s OS) integrates all of their motorcycle systems and offers a wide range of customization and tracking through the Zero apps.

Cypher II and Cypher III (only available on SR/F and SR/S) Connects: Zero Motorcycles NextGen App, Color Dashboard, 14.4kWh Power Pack and Battery Management System, Motorcycle Stability Control Bosch (MSC), ZF75-10 Motor and Motor Controller, Charging Systems, Advanced Telemetry Logging, Bluetooth and Cellular Connectivity Modules, and more.

This operating system allows customization of the driving experience like no other vehicle, as well as the ability to download the latest firmware.

The Z-Force® motor features an interior permanent magnet (IPM) design and the compact brushless motor requires no liquid or forced air cooling or routine maintenance. While the Z-Force® power pack uses state-of-the-art lithium-ion cell chemistry and advanced battery management systems. Thus, each motorcycle is able to travel further, faster and last longer. A typical Zero S or Zero DS can travel over 200,000 miles with the batteries retaining 80% of their original maximum capacity.

An industry first, a Zero will automatically enter long-term storage mode after long periods of inactivity to optimize battery state-of-charge and further improve long-term battery health. Plus, Z-Force® battery technology requires no active cooling or routine maintenance.

Record Breakers with Star Appeal

Zero Motorcycles has broken its fair share of world records. In 2009, while still Electricross, they set a new world record at the world’s first 24-hour electric motorcycle race held in San Jose. Ten teams competed, finished, and the winning team completed 1,015 laps and covered 502.1 miles.

In 2010, Zero won the first North American Electric Superbike race, and the following year they set a world speed record for electric motorcycles at the famous Bonneville Salt Flats, averaging 101.652 mph for a distance of a mile.

And, with fans such as skateboarder and X Games legend Bob Burnquist, TV star Perry King, model and actor Fabio, comedian Jay Leno and The Terminator, the Zeros are popular with all riders and of all levels of experience.

The future is now!

This year, Zero Motorcycles announced its 2023 lineup. The DS, FX, and FXE models secured their position in the commuter bike class, as well as the electric, motocross, and commercial categories.

The latest Zeros can be specified with almost 21kWh of battery capacity, which means at least 200 miles of driving between charges. Moreover, with the deployment of more charging stations, the electric motorcycle becomes more accessible than ever, so there is no longer any excuse to take one for a test drive.

The feeling of flying is much more present on a Zero, due to the absence of noise and vibration from the motor. It’s a riding experience like no other, which is why they run their annual “Experience Electric” tour to give UK riders a no-obligation opportunity to try the bikes for themselves. You can check the latest dates here.