California’s Zero Motorcycles has already surprised the business with its Zero X off-road electric bike. Now it’s adding the street-legal Zero S supermoto to the mix. Zero says that the huge torque of an electric motor is available "from a standstill" via their own "Z-Force TM" lithium-ion battery pack.
It’s believable. While the horsepower rating is an okay 31 hp, Zero claims an unbelievable 62.5 ft-lb (84.6 Nm) of torque … that’s half again what a 600 supersport produces, and only about 20 ft-lb below a 1,000 cc sport bike. With a claimed weight (including battery pack) of 225 pounds (102.1 kg), this thing should be unbeatable in any stop light grand prix you’re likely to run.
Top speed is said to be just under 100 km/h (60 mph), with a range of 96 km. Zero says the recharge time, from a standard outlet, is "less than four hours."
The drive train is a clutchless single-speed, just a scooter-like throttle with considerably un-scooter-like acceleration.
Disc brakes, standard supermoto-sized 16-inch wheels designed specially for the bike, an "aircraft grade aluminum" twin-spar frame, inverted front fork (203 mm front travel), Fox shock (229 mm rear travel), preload and damping adjustments front and rear – all the right stuff appears to be there.
If you’d like to see the Zero S in action, check out their video at zeromotorcycles.com .
Lots more information at the Zero site, including ordering information, if you think you can get one past your local DMV.
