by Andy Saunders
It was one of those days when San Francisco was burning up in unnatural heat. And the second thing to go (first being people’s tempers) were the traffic lights.
I would have got to Fort Point, at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge, quicker if not for several blacked-out traffic lights south of market—electricity seems like it’s always there, until it isn’t…

When I arrived at the rental RV that was Zero motorcycles base for their San Francisco electric motorcycle introduction, I found a forlorn crew waiting for the test rider they’d sent away oh so long ago. They had only one test bike, can’t have anything happen to this one (uhh-oh) When Gabe pootled back-for it was he, and anyone who has ever written for a motorcycle magazine simply cannot be satisfied with a ten-minute test ride-I got my first look at the first Zero Electric street bike.

And it reminded me of a bike I owned long, long ago. Another motorcycle that weighed a tad less than 250 pounds, believe it or not. My  1979 Yamaha DT175 MX, including transmission oil and a full tank of gas, weighed 240 pounds. Handled like a charm, on dirt trails or on the street. But delivered just 38 mpg flat-out at a steady 70 mph, and emptied its tiny tank every sixty miles or so.
The Zero street bike weighs just 250 pounds, can be delivered by UPS in a big box (there’s a special delivery charge, $500, because there have to be two of the boys in brown to unload the box). No dealer set up required. Just remove the brown wrapping paper, and out on the street you go. And Zero say it can go around sixty miles on a charge. But with no gas to pay for; instead its fuel comes out of the wall socket.
According to Gene, Zero’s CEO, servicing costs are so minimal as to be almost non-existent. Adjust the chain, replace the tires and brake pads—and that’s it. No motor servicing required, electric motor is sealed for life (no, he wouldn’t be more specific about how long life is), and if the battery pack fails, replace it (several thousand dollars).
Asked about crash damage—a major part of every service department’s chores- and Gene was a little less forthcoming. Modular construction, he told me. Meaning if you break it, maybe you’d better think about buying a new one (at $10K).
With the news (News, Clues April) that Brammo electric bikes will sell through non-motorcycle industry outlets, and Zero will sell bikes through Amazon.com, the future looks bleak for traditional dealerships, if electric bikes catch on. The only service work required will be to change tires and chains (which can be done at the equivalent of jiffy-lube for bikes, doesn’t require a fully set up workshop), so you won’t need the parts department either, and if sales doesn’t need a motorcycle in stock, they won’t need much space- so perhaps the motorcycle shop of the future will be a kiosk next to a lock-up, just like in Tokyo….
I asked Gene, “How much will a battery pack cost?” he quoted $5000. (I’ve since heard lower prices, around $2,800 or so. Still a substantial sum). Asked how many charges it will take, before its time to recycle, and Gene said, “400 to 500”. Now, at $5k per pack, that’s $10 per charge—but I’m assured by Gene, that topping up is not counted as a charge…. Hmm. I remember all those electric drills I’ve bought, that are still hanging in the shed. Still in  perfect shape, just need new battery packs- at cost more than a new drill.
Enough petrolhead cynicism. Time to climb aboard. The bike feels small, because it is, although the seat is paradoxically mounted quite high, which seems to exclude the majority of women riders from Zero ownership. The seat is based on Zero’s motocross bike, being a thin, narrow item. It’s like a high-density foam plank bridging the divide between front steering neck and rear subframe. Obviously, there’s no need for a gas tank or exhaust system, two things that usually take up space in back.
Riding the bike is interesting: I’ve ridden electric motorcycles and scooters before, and one of the drawbacks is that most of the torque is available right now, so the power delivery system has to be engineered to not give all possible power at takeoff, or the front wheel would be up in the air. I didn’t try to wheelie the bike—I had promised to bring it back in one piece, after all—but electric-bike wheelies may not be possible, with the Zero’s electronic control system, which functions apparently like traction control.  The throttle twistgrip is familiar, with quick action, but lacking the regenerative braking that Vectrix thoughtfully provides on its electric two-wheeler (it would add weight, of course, and push the bike over 250 pounds).
Zero motorcycles claim 0-60 mph in 4 seconds, which would require a light rider, I think.
But there was no way I could get up to this kind of speed—we were restricted to a small area of the Presidio—so my riding impressions were at low speeds.
The weirdest feeling on an electric bike is of being invisible- nobody hears you coming, and pedestrians walk right out in front of you. Nobody notices-except perhaps the bemused motorcyclists, wondering why that odd looking bike makes no sound-and that’s a hard feeling for some egos, perhaps (definitely mine). No loud pipes possible here.
But what it means, is that you really can cover more ground with less sound- and you can hear what’s happening around you, just like while riding a bicycle (but with less huffing and puffing up the hills). And the bike pulls well up steep hills, impressively.
The front brake was efficient enough, the rear also, because at 250 pounds they don’t have much to do, but I was surprised that the rear brake was mounted in the standard motorcycle position, under the rider’s right foot, rather than the scooter standard position, on the left handlebar.
Perhaps one of the reasons for that choice is that Zero initially thought it would be green enthusiasts who a wanted low-cost vehicle, who would buy their bikes, but soon realized it’s motorcyclists who are interested, while everyone else is a little scared off by the motorcycle looks. (There’s a reason why Vectrix chose a scooter theme for its electric two-wheeler).
Every time I’ve ridden an electric motorcycle (and I’ve sampled half a dozen, over the last couple of decades, from the Badsey Bullet through the EMB Lectria, and of course the Corbin Sparrow) the promoter has told me “…when our new battery packs are ready, of course they will be cheaper/last longer/give more range…”
I think that line has remained unchanged, in Electric Vehicle Salesman’s spiel, since the first EVs were winning races, about 1899. And sure enough, I heard it again this time, from Zero’s CEO.
But what I mainly heard, once I brought the bike back, was moaning. “Oh no, we can’t let anyone else ride it…” because one of the rear fender bolts loosened up on the test bike I was riding, carving a pretty deep gouge right into the tread of the back tire. Apparently 300 vehicles have already shipped, so I hope they’ll now be checking every one.  And that was it for the test day. Oops…sorry about that, SF Examiner readers. But maybe motorcycle workshops are still needed? The maintenance free motorcycle isn’t here yet.