The 2019 Zero DSR is designed for offroad and on road use. So it is a master of neither but it is capable of either. The Zero DSR has a top speed of 102 mph which is great because you can use it to commute and you can use it when you're running late, just saying! The 102 mph though isn't actually the sustainable top speed according to Zero so instead you are looking at sustained top speeds of 90 mph, which is still not bad for a vehicle designed to go offroad as well. It has a curb weight of 419 lb which is indeed hefty but due to the various programming settings for power available with the twist of the throttle, combined with weight centering, it's quite maneuverable. The DSR is capable of a city range of 163 miles and a highway range of 105 miles due to the extra work it takes to keep the motor turning at that higher rate. So electric vehicles work the opposite of gas vehicles in that your city miles are going to be better than your highway miles. That said, the cost equivalency for running your shiny new Zero DSR on electricity, if you choose to acquire one, is 435 MPGe city and 207 MPGe. With a recharge cost to top off the battery of around $1.61. Yeah, I'll take that over $3.60 per gallon for gas since the average gas tank of a motorcycle is around 4.5 gallons. A cost of 10 times less to go for a ride we would say is a great exchange.

Breaking the miles down further, the DSR is capable of 98 highway miles at a speed of 55 mph or 78 highway miles at 70 mph. The DSR's max carrying load is 487 lbs. There are a couple of different power packs available and the max specs are from the 14.4 kWh pack, the other pack is a 12.6 kWh that produces less range. The standard Zero DSR with no addons will charge in 9.8 hours to 100% of capacity utilizing a standard input of 110 volts or 220 volts. Addons can be purchased to make the Zero DSR battery pack larger, or charge faster such as a charge tank that will increase the overall weight and takes an additional charge time of 2.5 hours to be fully charged. Then there are two accessory charger levels. Level One will reduce the standard charge time to 5.7 hours and level 2 will reduce the charge time to 2.8 hours. The thing is though, you can't have the charge tank and have the accessory charger, so if your the type who is all about the range and not the refuel time period then that is the choice for you but we find that it makes a lot more sense to utilize the max accessory chargers and to just take a break from riding and have something to eat for say thirty minutes to an hour while the DSR sits on charge then come back and continue the ride since a full charge can be reached in 2.8 hours. It's not really that big of a deal compared to basically waiting a day before you can ride again with the charge tank option.

The DSR utilizes a clutchless direct drive system to deliver power from the motor to the chain to the back wheel. This means not only less maintenance but for most people today that means an immediate familiarity and accessibility due to the ease of use of driving an automatic transmission vehicle. Long gone are the days when everyone had to learn how to drive a manual transmission if you wanted to drive a vehicle at all. Today it's hard to even acquire a sports car that has a manual gearbox, everything is automatic or they have gone the direction of the paddle shifters in order to make shifts faster due to the increased speed and handling of vehicles today. Instead of using a chain, the DSR utilizes a poly chain carbon belt to lower the maintenance required and reduce weight. The motor is an air cooled, radial flux, permanent magnet brushless motor that utilizes a 775 amp, 3 phase brushless controller with regenerative deceleration abilities. So whenever you go and stop accelerating the system will be braking and regenerating energy back into the battery from doing so. This automatic braking is programmable and can be adjusted within the Zero DSR graphical user interface (GUI).

The peak power of the motor is 70 hp at 3,500 rpm that produces 116 ft-lb of torque. In other words it will get you going real fast, so fast that there are multiple operational settings that you can set your DSR at for ease of use in the case of circumstance such as commuting, in the rain, or out for that high performance life. The DSR comes equipped with a 19 inch front wheel 17 inch rear, both sitting on Pirelli's. It has Showa front and rear suspensions with about 7 inches of travel. Front and rear brakes are Bosch Gen 9's. Wheelbase is 56.2 inches, with a seat height of 33.2 inches and a rake of 26.5 degrees. At a cost of over $15,000 this is indeed an expensive motorcycle but progress requires sacrifice and dedication. What gas guzzler comes stock from the factory with the ability to change the performance settings utilizing the interface that the bike comes with? For all those worried about not having a cool engine rumble to go along with the badass looks of their vehicle. If you think the tie fighters of Star Wars are badass, then you have nothing to worry about. The Zero DSR sounds like a tie fighter going by with its high pitch whine. Yeah, all because its electricity doesn't mean that it's silent. You'll be scaring old ladies, cats, and dogs all day long.

The Zero DSR has three modes of operation that can be selected in the GUI, Eco, Custom, and Sport. The readout on the DSR informs the rider of the battery, the time, the miles per hour, the mode, miles driven, power output, and range. Around the screen are two buttons, an adjustment button and a selector button. To select modes you have a button on the right handle bar that allows selecting through the three different modes. The software on the DSR can also connect to an App for your smartphone where you can make adjustments such as torque, regenerative braking, and max top speed. Because the vehicle is electric it also has the ability to help you when reversing. Zero does offer various accessories that can be added onto the DSR such as a windshield or storage for the road/off road warrior. The handling of the DSR is very nimble despite the immense weight of it. Not having to deal with gear shifts makes it so much easier to focus on navigating and handling the terrain, so it lends itself to being much more of a fun riding experience than a mental and muscle memory gymnastic session. Gaining some airtime with the bike is great fun, just not too much airtime. If you're the type that likes to be prepared for whatever life throws at you without the complications or discomforts of the noise and heat of a fuel combustion motorcycle. Then the Zero DSR is for you.

The 2019 Zero SR/F is a newer much more advanced form of the Zero DSR but focused completely on street driving. The SR/F is a naked motorcycle with no fairings and it looks beautiful! This is the motorcycle for you if you are a shorter person who simply doesn't have that leg length to ride the standard motorcycles comfortably. The naked motorcycle is all about the looks and power, and the SR/F has that in spades. There is just something raw and yet extra exposing the workings of a motorcycle a bit. Giving it some flair and styling that the plastic coverings just don't have. Of course since the engine is an electric motor instead of a gas engine the exposing of the internals is so much more comfortable since you're only dealing with the heat of the battery pack instead of controlled explosions going off between your legs. The SR/F gains things like a full color interface, and storage space where the gas tank would normally be on a motorcycle. Within the storage space is actually usb ports to plugin and charge up a device such as your phone. The SR/F is connected through cellular networks and transmits to the app that you can install on to your phone, at all time things such as ride information, bike status, and location. In the case of someone stealing your ride, you will be able to track it down through the app. Much like computer software, your Zero SR/F will get system updates over the network, increasing its capabilities as Zero improves over time.

The SR/F arrives with upgraded abilities to customize the dashboard to your liking by changing the bike info you want to see. It now has a 5 inch color display compared to the black and white display for DSR, this is leaps and bounds into the future. The new software has an updated app that goes along with it that has the ability to detect for you where the nearest charge stations are to help with those who are facing range anxiety. Not only can it do this but you can schedule charging and set a target of how much charge to reach and it will notify you through the app when the target has been achieved, simplifying your trip making. Ride data is saved and read for sharing including speed, location, lean angle, torque and power. New accessories like heated hand grips (our favorites) are also available with the Zero SR/F as the premiere model it is. The SR/F introduces a much more refined look. Just look at the headlights, two tiers, two squares side by side encompassing a bulb within a rectangle stacked two high. The seat just looks too sexy, with plenty of space for both riders, and decent hand hold placement! Oh, what's that? No exhaust? That means no pipe possibly burning you or your passenger! Is anyone checking that rear splash guard/license plate hangar? How it just seems to be hanging in space! This is that bad boy/model hot sex appeal!

Even the tail light on the SR/F makes the bike look futuristic and badass! The upgraded look comes with upgraded performance as well. The SR/F now comes with a Motor that handles 900 amps through its 3 phase AC controller. The upgraded motor produces 140 ft-lb of torque, 110 hp at 5,000 rpm, with a top speed of 124 mph and a sustained top speed of 110 mph. Gone are the days of feeling like a slow puppy of the wolf pack because you gotta keep it under 100! Why is that, oh that's because you were driving an electric motorcycle. The SR/F can go for 99 miles at 55 mph, and 82 miles at 70 mph. The power system is the same except the charger is improved and as such, the charge time is greatly enhanced. If you go for the premium model of the Zero SR/F it is an integrated 6 kWh capable of charging the battery to 100% in 2.5 hours. With the 6 kWh rapid charge option on top of that, that time is cut down to only 1.5 hours. So yeah, now you can roll out for reals! The Show shocks are upgraded with less travel than the DSR at 4.72 inches of travel in the front and 5.51 inches in the rear. The brakes have been upgraded to Bosch Advanced MSC. The SR/F is rocking Pirelli Diablo Rosso III 120/70-17 tires in the front and 185/55-17 in the rear. Rollin like a boss!

Dimensions of the SR/F are: wheelbase of 57.1 inches, seat height of 31 inches, which can be lowered to 30.3 inches or raised to 31.9 inches if need be. The rake angle is 24.5 degrees. Curb weight of the SR/F premium model is 498 lbs with an upgraded carrying capacity of 502 lbs. Despite the heavier figures and greater power the fuel economy is better at 430 MPGe city and 219 MPGe highway compared to the DSR. The SR/F has cruise control that you can activate for some more relaxed and economic riding. The interface of the SR/F now boasts 4 modes instead of three; street, sport, eco, and rain. From there the rider can actually customize up to 10 modes of their own. You can even turn traction control mode off to produce even more torque and horsepower at your disposal. Pickable instrument clusters come in a quadrant of 4 where you can select state of charge, estimated range, motor temperature, power pack temperature, efficiency, trip efficiency, lifetime efficiency and rpm. The selector controls for these items are on your left hand grip area. Off to the left and right sides of the screen are warning indicator lights. But all these upgrades come at a cost. The premium version will run you over $21,000. While both the DSR and the SR/F have their particular rider niche they are addressing. If you're like most of us and spend most of your time on two wheels on the tarmac, we would take the SR/F over the DSR everyday of the week, except when there is a massive rainfall and the road washes out. For those who like a more upright sitting position and an electric motorcycle that not only has style but substance. This baby should go into legendary status!

New for the year 2020 and not yet released is the Zero SR/S which is the new and improved fairing version of the SR/F with fairings this time around. Key improvements include lowering of the foot pegs and raising the handlebars to provide for a more ergonomic riding position. Also widening of the passenger seat along with lowering their foot pegs to provide for a more comfortable riding experience. Another improvement is the addition of having three charging adapter accessory attachments to allow for charging the bike within 1 hour instead of 1.5 hour from zero for the premium model. Weight has been increased to 516 lbs from 505 lbs, but the windshield and windbreakers for your knuckles come standard. Though the carrying capacity has been reduced to 484 lbs. Dimensions on the bike are the same as the SR/F. Price will be around $22,000.

For a great article with amazing images of the Zero SR/S follow the link to the Verge website. https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/19/21144093/zero-srs-electric-motorcycle-bike-speed-mile-range-photos-price

Energica Ego is the premiere electric sports motorcycle designed to capture race level performance for the street. With Italian racing heritage you know the Ego is a high performance, beautiful designed machine that captures the essence of speed and power! The Ego is powered by a permanent magnet AC which is oil cooled. It produces 145 horsepower that powers the Energica Ego up to an electronically limited 150 mph which is absolutely astounding for an electric motorcycle! The Ego produces 148 ft-lb of torque but there is an plus option that can produce 159 ft-lb of torque. The range is 124 miles city and 70 miles highway for the standard version while the plus is capable of 250 miles city and 112 miles highway. These specs for the plus version leave the Zero SR/F in the dust for range and either version has a higher top speed that the SR/F doesn't even come close to. It will cost you about $4,000 more to get the plus version than an SR/F though at around $24,000, but we believe it's worth it for tackling range anxiety issues and being able to roll with your friends when they decide its track day! Also you don't have to trade off the rapid charge feature in order to have a higher battery capacity. The motorcycle weighs an astounding 645 lbs though!

Energica Ego is the premiere electric sports motorcycle designed to capture race level performance for the street. With Italian racing heritage you know the Ego is a high performance, beautiful designed machine that captures the essence of speed and power! The Ego is powered by a permanent magnet AC which is oil cooled. It produces 145 horsepower that powers the Energica Ego up to an electronically limited 150 mph which is absolutely astounding for an electric motorcycle! The Ego produces 148 ft-lb of torque but there is an plus option that can produce 159 ft-lb of torque. The range is 124 miles city and 70 miles highway for the standard version while the plus is capable of 250 miles city and 112 miles highway. These specs for the plus version leave the Zero SR/F in the dust for range and either version has a higher top speed that the SR/F doesn't even come close to. It will cost you about $4,000 more to get the plus version than an SR/F though at around $24,000, but we believe it's worth it for tackling range anxiety issues and being able to roll with your friends when they decide its track day! Also you don't have to trade off the rapid charge feature in order to have a higher battery capacity. The motorcycle weighs an astounding 645 lbs though!

The Ego has a 4.3 inchs WQVGA TFT color display for its dashboard with an integrated GPS receiver. It has Bluetooth communications. Around the outside of the actual display are indicator lights to the left and right as well as a light bar that follows the top edge of the screen. The Ego comes with 4 riding modes: eco, standard, wet, and sport which you can select using the selector on the left handle bar. It also has 4 regenerative braking presets at low, medium, high, and off. It has what they call a park assistant which allows for a max speed of 1.74 mph in forward and reverse to help you when you are attempting to park the bike. The dashboard of the motorcycle will have the nearest five charging station information pop up automatically when in the vicinity of charging stations. It will inform you of the type of charging station, the distance, it's general direction, and if it's in an operational state. In order for this function to work you need to have the GPS activated and the My Energica app must be running on your smartphone and connected to the motorcycle. While the Ego dashboard is not customizable in the same way as the SR/F by placing the information you want in the way you want it within the 4 quadrants available, the Ego does have the ability to switch between dashboards to show the information you would like to see.

The app for your smartphone allows you to see the speed, rpm, torque, power, odometer, and trip odometer from your ride. You can map out where nearby charging stations are and set up navigation utilizing Google Maps, run diagnostics and even find your Energica should you need to from the app. It even allows you to activate the horn remotely. Good for some laughs! The settings of the Ego are actually capable of 6 levels of traction control to get dialed in to your heart's content! Like the Zero SR/F the Ego comes with a cruise control system as well. The dimensions on the Energica Ego are: seat height of 31.9 inches, wheelbase is 57.7 inches, length is 84.2 inches, width is 34.25 inches and height is 45.9 inches. The Ego comes with an actual chain instead of a carbon fiber belt drive. We would like to see more color options available such as the silver and white versions you see in the pictures we have accompanying this article. Currently the Energica Ego is limited to grey and red with a third option called the Sport Black Kit that has various signage on it. That will set you back another $2,714. The sound of the Energica Ego is like a high pitched wine that just gets higher as it accelerates harder. The Ego is every bit a scream machine designed to take you to the edge of what you are capable of as a rider while providing the comfort that you are helping make history by being a part of the electric motorcycle movement! If you have the means, and are one of those who doesn't settle for less than the best, the Energica Ego is for you!