Alan Dowds reports…
I’ve ridden some very rare bikes over the years. MV Agusta Serie Oro and Ducati ‘R’ superbikes; MotoGP and WSBK race bikes; high-end custom Harley-Davidsons; one-off turbocharged specials. But I can’t think of another machine as unusual as the one I’m currently thraping up and down my local photo corner. I’ve never seen one on the road, or parked up at Box Hill, or in a BSB bike park – not even on Douglas Prom during the TT.
Because the bike I’m on is a Zero Motorcycles SR/F, which is the American electric bike maker’s flagship performance naked bike. It’s a battery-powered take on something like a KTM Super Duke or BMW S1000 R; an unfaired machine with big power, premium chassis kit, and sharp styling.
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It’s the type of bike I like most these days, especially for riding around the south-east of England and London where I live. Comfortable, easy to control, nimble through traffic, no muss, no fuss. The very nice man from Zero Motorcycles has just dropped it off, and I’ve got a week to sample full-powered electric life.
The first thing I do when it’s parked in my back yard is plug it in. We’ve got a plug-in hybrid car in my house, so I’m well versed in keeping EVs charged. An hour or so has the battery level at 100 per cent, and we’re ready to rock.
My first ride out is a local photoshoot (it always makes sense to get the pics in the bag in case of mishap…) so a bit of a non-standard ride. I head to one of our favourite photo corners and meet John the snapper for the usual blast back and forth.
I notice one immediate advantage: the essentially-silent Zero means I’m not worried about the residents in the houses nearby calling the cops, as can happen when you’re riding a loud-piped superbike back and forth… I’m also getting a feel for how the SR/F rides. It’s a heavy machine, no doubt about it, tipping the scales at 227kg, and that mass feels like it’s held quite high up. You feel it, too, when braking, and turning into a bend.
I soon adapt though, and start to enjoy the epic drive from the electric powertrain. It’s the trademark of battery power: electric motors can make maximum torque from a standstill, so the drive needs to be measured out carefully by a smart controller circuit. But the result is instant: sharp acceleration, perfectly matched to your wrist movement.
The SR/F has ABS, traction control and excellent Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tyres, plus we’re on warm, dry Tarmac today, so I’m not worried about losing grip off the throttle or on the brakes. It’s got a load of ground clearance as well: with no engine, sump, frame rails or exhaust to worry about, the SR/F is narrow at the bottom, so you can lean to your heart’s content.
Once John gives me a thumbs up that we’re done, I go home, put the bike back on charge to 100 per cent, then pop out again and spend the rest of the day hooning about. I do a quick experimental run down the A3 to Guildford, which is just over 20 miles. I sat at 80-85mph, and did some hard acceleration runs from 40-80 just to sample the frankly nuts performance.
In Sport mode, it really does accelerate like a turbo Hayabusa hitting peak boost – instantly, at any speed. If you’ve been on one of those high-performance roller coasters at theme parks, you’ll have felt something similar: just relentless, turbine-smooth drive which makes you giggle in your lid like a loon. The dense, concentrated mass of the battery pack between your knees helps keep the front end down, and the Zero’s rider aids look after traction control and throttle response beautifully. The five power modes let you select more or less performance, so you can use the Eco mode when you need to save charge, or Sport when you’re going flat-out.
The Sport mode’s straight-line performance is unlike anything else I’ve ridden – but there is a downside, which we all know about, of course. My hilarious 45-mile blast to Guildford and back had knocked the hell out of the battery range, and I had just 25 miles’ range left on the dash.
I plugged it in again when I went home, and it took three hours to get back to 100 per cent. Shell out the extra cash for a 6kW fast charging unit in the bike (which takes up the cubby hole space under the ‘tank’), and you’ll get double-speed charging, from a car-type fast charger – meaning just over an hour to get to 95 per cent charged.
So – the SR/F is an absolute hoot to ride, with uniquely strong acceleration, and enough chassis to deal with the power. If you can deal with the range characteristics, have a fast charger at home and work, and enjoy a medium commute, it’ll work just fine day-to-day. But if you have expectations of long-distance touring or regular 250-mile blasts with petrol-powered pals then you’re going to struggle. Finally, the £20k price tag is stiff, even by today’s standards. All of which makes me worry that this hilarious electric rocket ship will perhaps remain a rare sight on UK roads for now.
SPECS: Zero SR/F
Powertrain: Z-Force 75-10 air-cooled, interior permanent magnet AC motor, 900 amp, 3-phase AC controller with regenerative deceleration, Z-Force Li-Ion intelligent integrated battery, 17.3kW/h max capacity. 6.6kW integrated charger
Power: 113bhp
Torque: 140lb-ft
Frame: Steel tube trellis
Wheelbase: 1,450mm
Brakes: (F) Twin 320mm discs, four-piston J.Juan calipers. (R) 240mm disc, single-piston caliper, Bosch ABS
Transmission: Single speed, belt final drive
Suspension: (F) Showa 43mm fully adjustable USD Big Piston forks. (R) Showa fully-adjustable monoshock, 40mm piston, piggyback reservoir
Wheels/Tyres: (F) 3.5×17” cast aluminium wheel, Pirelli Diablo Rosso III 120/70×17 tyre. (R) 5.5×17” cast aluminium wheel, 180/55×17 Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tyre
Seat height: 787mm (770 and 810mm options)
Charge time: Standard 2.7 hours (100% charged) / 2.2 hours (95% charged), with optional 6kW rapid charger 1.6 hours (100% charged) / 1.1 hours (95% charged)
Range: 176 miles (city), 117 miles (highway)
Weight: 227kg
Warranty: 5 years
Price: from £20,200
Contact: www.zeromotorcycles.com
