Zero Motorcycles returns to the UK
From zero to here now
AFTER pulling out of the UK in 2013, electric bike manufacturer Zero Motorcycles is back with a new dealer for 2016 - Streetbike in Halesowen.
We caught up with European sales manager Eric Huisinga at Motorcycle Live, who showed us round the firm’s flagship model, the Zero SR, which costs £13,450 on the road.
The SR is Zero’s most powerful bike and although it’s existed for a few years, it’s been updated since it was last on sale in the UK. It’s marketed as an aggressive, fun and powerful urban bike with enough poke to be thrilling out of town.
The SR makes a claimed 67hp and 106.2lbft torque, delivered to the rear wheel via a Kevlar belt that Eric said should last for 40,000 miles. He also told us the bike will do 0–60 in 3.3 seconds.
Power comes from a brushless electric motor with a ‘regen’ feature, so under deceleration the engine puts current back into the battery which helps extend the available range before it needs charging again. The battery itself is under warranty for five years, and Zero says that after that time, it should still have 90% capacity left.
The aluminium space frame weighs a claimed 10.4kg and Zero says the complete bike comes in at 188kg.
There’s Showa suspension front and rear, Bosch ABS as standard and it comes on Pirelli Diablo Rosso II tyres with a 140-section rear and 110 front.
Like all Zero’s bikes, the SR is built in Santa Cruz, California.
It has three charging options. It can be plugged into a standard plug socket at home (which takes 7.5 hours from empty to full), charged via an eternal charging unit (which halves the charge time, and halves it again if you add another charge pack). For £1,800, the SR can also be fitted with a charging tank, meaning it can be charged at motorway charge points, enabling it to get maximum juice in two hours.
The SR’s dash display can be customised via an iPhone app, as can the riding modes and available power. The app also gives owners additional information such as mileage, charge and range levels.
