#zero #electricbike
Our Office Manager, Alison has been living with the Zero DSR/X electric bike for a year. Find out what it’s been like in our new video. Read more about her adventures here: https://www.motorcyclenews.com/mcn-fleet/zero-dsr-x/
We’d love to hear your views so get them down in the comment section!
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43 Comments
24k for a scooter than has none of the pros of a sccoter and none of the pros of a motorcycle, 10/10
This information is gold, right down to the point that tea and cake is more expensive than a recharge. Cafe owners must have shares in EVs, especially those within close proximity to charging stations.
Sorry but did she just say that the price of charging was roughly the same as petrol prices? Why in Gods name would anyone buy an electric bike, 24K??? Its no cheaper to buy, its no cheaper to charge, its way heavier, you have to worry about finding a charging point then you have to wait to charge the bike if the charger is working in the first place. Tell me why anyone would buy an electic bike again? Oh yes sorry saving the environment thats why!!!!
No..thanks!!!!
She should be paid more to ride that heap of junk
I learnt 2 things in particular from this excellent review. The infrastructure is even worse for bikes than cars so makes it impractical for almost everyone. Also, women are obviously much tougher than men : T-shirt vs winter coat and woolly hat!
Wow, losing that much range riding 2 up? I guess this isn't the bike for 140Kg me.
Not that I could afford it anyway.
The DSRX is probably the most pointless electric bike right now because it is a 'touring' machine that you cant tour with. Zero have done the same mistake here like the auto manufacturers when they build 3 ton SUVs that can only do 200 miles – hugely expensive and you are late to arrive anywhere beyond the permitted range. The FXS / FXE and D/DS make sense for daily commuting and at the end of the day you return home to charge it overnight. In order to brake-even your upfront cost I recon you need to do at least 100k miles with your electric bike. Fingers crossed you battery can stand 1000 charging cycles. Food for thought. PS I do own a Zero. Awsome machine but I regret buying it.
Electric bikes are a theif magnet. Mine was stolen twice
Electric bikes where not created to replace petrol bikes – they are marketed to car drivers to swap their car with a bike
The only thing that sounded any good was the reverse gear…
I really liked the idea of getting an electric bike but this has really put me off. Great video though.
Where are all the Japanese electric bikes?,or they just won't be motorcycle manufacturers anymore?
love to have one , looks nice aswell .
What it doesn't need is a rear brake where the clutch should be! When I test rode a zero I went for the clutch about 20 times. If it had a rear brake there I'd have locked the wheel up approaching every set of lights!
Guys thanks for this format of review very insightful 👍
This review only for people who aren’t passionate about motorcycles.
I guess if one has a "garage with charging station" and only travels approximately 90 miles it would be OK as in ok (IMO, as for all EV's, the proper infrastructure is not there, not to mention the typically long waiting times to re-charge)
This is just so blatantly not acceptable, how is this the future.
I really like these reviews thanks for all the content you guys put out.
That is not an electric bike it's an electric motorcycle
Excellent review. Very informative and insightful !
You didn't ask her if she'd buy one 🤣🤣
I really couldn’t be bothered to watch a 30 minute video to tell me what I know already.
How many times are we going to do this ?
An electric short distance city bike, which you can charge at home or work makes perfect sense if you think you’re saving the planet. ( a different can of worms )
As an alternative to what the majority of us use our bikes for they are utterly useless.
The promised technology to give us super batteries hasn’t arrived, because it’s not there !
The laws of physics have taken care of that.
The electric cars that give higher range, only do so by cramming more batteries into the ample floor space.
You cannot do that with a bike. It is as simple as that.
So please. Stop buying these useless electric motorcycles unless your only destination is the nearest Starbucks.
We need more bikes with DC-charging. It is not only faster but it is also more reliable and easier to use. Less problems with cards, less problems with reliability, no worrying about the speed of the charger (1phase, 3 phase,…), typically at places where you can go inside (shopping malls, gas stations) Charging in 20min.
That makes the energica's and harley davidson livewire's more interesting for people who don't always charge at home.
It would be interesting to do the same test with a DC-charging capable bike. Like the Harley-Davison or the Energica's.
In general I think this review is too negative. I have a zero myself, and I am very happy with it. A lot of people do not use the bikes to do multi-day journeys. Electric has also many advantages not mentioned here: free solar charging, no noise, no maintenance, easy to operate.
Brilliant review
This is just never going to work for most riders, is it? Not without the doubling of range and halving of charge times as stated. Mad.
Alison is excellent and very articulate. Please give her more screen time.
Great review. I really want to like electric bikes but having to change riding style/mindset, sub, a sub 100 mile range, faffing with carrying charging cables, 11hrs to do 220 miles.. All for the princely sum of 25 grand? Mental that this bike exits. It sounds terrible.
Can’t believe Alison had to live with that bike for a year. Despite the huge challenges of living with an electric bike given where the technology is at the moment and the lack of supporting infrastructure, she still managed to highlight some positives. If Neevesey had that bike for a year, I think the review would be him standing next to small square of compressed metal after the bike had been through a crusher. Super well done Alison. She should only get premium bikes from now on after that ordeal…. And I know the future of bikes will be electric and for good reasons which I support, I don’t think bikes transfer as well to electric as cars. I love cars as well as bikes (bikes first love) and I have a Tesla and it just works and the sound difference from a Petrol/Diesel is there but not a game changer. To remove the sound of a motorbike engine would remove one of the key elements of its personality. It’s why the exhaust aftermarket is so huge. For me, a motorbike without the feel and sound of the combustion engine would be soulless and sad. I’m sure new generations growing into electric bikes will have a very different view so on that note, in whatever form it has to be, long live motorbikes 🙂
I would be worried about leaving a bike in a public space charging. Easy theft target
Carry a large power bank in the topbox? Amazed at the range and charge times and at that purchase price. 👀 Double the range and better components and it still seems expensive.
A honest and accurate test, which proves electric at this stage is only suitable for short range such as a MX bike, trials bike or small commuter. In those situations electric can match petrol in terms of performance if not initial cost, although running costs tend to be less. To me it’s about picking the right tool for the job – hence we need petrol for a long time to come in the two wheeled world.
Kudos to you Alison , well done for enduring that ….. what a massive insight into what’s it like living with that bike , I had no idea what you have had to endure , I am sure you will be pleased to out that riding year behind you (mainly). Nice interview neevsey 👍 another great enjoyable watch Thankyou all 🙏🏼
The barrier to entry is just so big. You need atleast a half million house because you need a garage, you need to fit a 1500 topbox for the chargers, 2500 for a charger and the bike itself also costs a fortune.
I wouldn't mind an electric bike as my daily and a petrol bike for this weekends, but my bike budget is 4000 and i don't have a garage.
Good video team, but there is no discussion on insurance costs? Costs are out of control in London and South East. Electric bikes suitable for London riding can't be insured. How will this new fuel market actually grow?
It should be a legal requirement to be able to pay with a swipe or tap of your debit card. All this app/ company specific card nonsense is a farce.
Electric motorcycles are 🐂💩, governments must realise the limitations of electric vehicles. Climate change is real and has to be addressed BUT electric vehicles are NOT the only solution. I live in Australia and you could NOT ride this bike outside a city or major town. Even electric cars are a problem; if you drive from Sydney to Melbourne it will take approx. 10 hours in a petrol powered vehicle including two (maybe three) stops for fuel. If you did the same trip in an EV (car) you would have to add two or three hours for charging. On a bike like this it would take two days. Simply not on!!! Better fuels is probably a better solution.
Multistrada territory 😂 I’ll stay there for now👍🏻😁
Thank you so much for this type of honest review here, just really shows what a lot of people already described before about living with elec. bike, I guess Zero will be very “pleased” with this review…😅 another decade and I will pay attention again for this sort of bikes! 🫣
So to summarise, it's expensive, heavy, adds hours to your journey time, noisy in a bad way, not very comfortable, less so two up, more apps than a school kids phone, stand outside in a back street carpark to charge. Loosing the will to write anymore. Or i could by a V4 Ducati 🤔. Tuff choice 😂😂😂
No, ok next question
How the hell did you put up with that thing for a whole year.