By James “Hollywood” Macecari
I guess the old saying “Evolve or go the way of the Dinosaurs” is true. Maybe Harley-Davidson was on to something when it started to get into the electric motorcycle game. Of course us older tramps shook our heads in disbelief when the “Live Wire” was introduced. Maybe, just maybe, those suits in the company are on to something. Problem is they introduced a less superior product compared to what is out there. When I seen the current info on the Zero S. The whole idea of electric motorcycles and their viability as an actual reality started to kick in. The whole problem that has been facing electric cars and motorcycles have been range and lack of infrastructure to support them. By the looks of it, some of these companies are starting to overcome all these obstacles.
Lets check out some stats for the Zero.
Longest Range Electric Motorcycle
The Zero S is our farthest traveling model (and the longest-range production electric motorcycle on earth). At its core is the highest power and energy density battery in the EV industry. The higher the battery capacity, the more range.
Select the battery size that works for you. Ride over 200 miles city / 100 miles highway using the highest capacity ZF14.4 battery coupled with the Power Tank accessory (adds an additional 3.6 kWh). Or, shed weight and gain storage space with the ZF7.2.
Here is some of the specs for the “Livewire”
Yea, Harley-Davidson is behind the curb to say the least when it comes to this kind of technology. One would’ve thought with almost 115 years of experience they would’ve made sure they had it all together when they went to market. But that has been the problem with Harley-Davidson lately hasn’t it? Always doing something half-ass to get the almighty dollar for the share holders. Let’s take a look at some more from Zero.
Z-Force® Motor
Instant Torque. Impressive Power. Incredible Efficiency.
The Z-Force® motor was developed from the ground up by Zero Motorcycles to be optimized for efficiency, power and size. With nearly the same weight and volume as competitive brush less motors used in similar applications, the revolutionary Z-Force® motor produces up to 130% more power and 150% more torque. The Z-Force® motor features an interior permanent magnet (IPM) design that significantly improves performance during hard riding and allows higher sustained top speeds. Even more impressive, the compact brushless motor requires no liquid or forced-air cooling and requires no routine maintenance.
When combined with a Z-Force® battery, the remarkably compact and light motor delivers amazing horsepower and breathtaking acceleration. Providing a unique ride quality, the motor produces 100% torque from a standstill for instantaneous throttle response and incredible off-the-line performance.
While sophisticated, the Z-Force® motor is designed to make the ownership experience simple and exhilarating. All extra parts, maintenance concerns and weight have been eliminated to help riders focus on the best part of owning a motorcycle – the ride.
Builds
Tailor the Zero S to the performance, range and charging specifications that meet your needs. Each build is compatible with the Charge Tank option or Power Tank accessory. Add a Charge Tank to recharge in 1-2 hours (based on battery size). Need maximum range? The Power Tank adds about 40 miles of range in the city or 20 miles on the highway.
Pricing isn’t all that bad considering it only costs about $2 to go on a 200 mile average trip. MSRP for the S starts out at $10.995 and has the options of putting on the power tank and charge tank. The Zero SR which is the bigger of the two models starts at $16,945.00 with of course the same options to add to it as the S.
Insane Throttle Facebook Question of the Day– Do you think you would ever consider getting into an electric motorcycle? Especially if the range is expanded even further? Shoot us a comment on Facebook. Let us know your thoughts.
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We’ve talked about this on the podcast at length and ad nauseam. As devout Harley guys who love our fossil fueled v-twins, we still say the same thing. Show me an electric bike that looks like my Heritage Softail, feels like my Heritage Softail, is priced my like Heritage, takes the same time to fuel and gets me the same distance…. Then I will be interested. Until then, I’m only marginally interested in an electric bike. We may have no choice in a few years, the governments of the world may decide that gas powered vehicles are banned and we will be left with little option. But for now…..
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