#electric bike

Have you seen our Stromer ST1 video review? We published it about 2 weeks ago and already it’s got over 3000 views! This powerful and well designed electric bicycle is our most popular on the market. 

Did you say 140 ft-lb of torque? This is gonna be fun…

My left hand extended for the clutch, but it came up empty. My left foot tapped down, but the shifter peg wasn’t there. As I rolled to a stop on Fairfax Blvd, I realized that I didn’t need to downshift. I didn’t need to rev-match. Hell, I didn’t even have to click into neutral once I was settled. What the hell was I on?

From the moment I rolled Zero’s new SR/F off the dealer’s lot, it felt like a foreign experience. Where was the grumble and burble of a combustion motor? Where was my trusty clutch lever? Where was the engine heat? 

For me, motorcycles are synonymous with manual transmissions. The clutch modulates the power to the back wheel. The upshifts jolt the bike as you kick into the next gear. But with an electric motorcycle, the drive train is closer to that of a scooter, twist n’ go, and it wasn’t easy to get past that association. That is, until I hit 85 mph with the turn of the wrist!

With the lack of a transmission, the SR/F preserves as much power as possible and sends it directly to the 17″ rear wheel. Eliminating the transmission leaves us with just the engine. Can I actually call it an engine? Ok, powerplant, let’s go with that. The powerplant in the SR/F easily steals the spotlight on this bike. For touting 140 ft-lb of torque and 111 horsepower, it sure delivers all that power in a manageable fashion. I really wish I could see a dyno sheet for the bike (how would that be possible without RPM readings?), because I think it would contain the smoothest power curves known to man. 

From takeoff, the torque feels like it’s closer to 70 ft-lb. It isn’t jarring. It rolls on in a controlled manner. It’s as if you were releasing the clutch slowing, though there isn’t one. But as you continue to crank the throttle, the torque ramps up and send you ripping through time and space like a fighter jet (it sorta sounds like a jet too). 

Unlike Cruisers, where the torque starts out around 100 ft-lb and diminishes, or Supersports, where it tapers off while the horsepower continues to climb, the SR/F feels like the torque and horsepower escalate inseparably. It provides one of the smoothest, linear powerbands I’ve ever experienced on a motorcycle and is certainly encouraging for anyone looking to “go electric” in the future.

While I only rode on surface streets, and didn’t get a chance to toss her about in the twisties, the suspension held up like a champ. Los Angeles public roads are notorious for uneven pavement, potholes, and debris, but the suspension handled all the irregularities with ease. For me, suspension is best when it goes unnoticed and that’s exactly how I felt with the SR/F’s springs. 

With fully-adjustable 43 mm Showa forks up front and a piggyback reservoir monoshock out back, the suspension is confidence inspiring and very accommodating. The ride comfort is high. The road chatter is low. The handling is predictable and snappy. Unlike the FZ-07 I rented in April, the SR/F doesn’t skimp in this category. That quality exhibits not only the capability of the bike but makes the rider want to exhibit their capabilities on the bike.

Speaking of the FZ-07, the riding posture of the SR/F is similarly neutral, if not slightly aggressive, but the attention to detail and aesthetic of Zero’s new naked truly set it apart from anything in this cluttered category and from everything else they’ve produced to this point. 

The trellis frame, the futuristic front light, the tasteful mix of angles and curves all contribute the aggressive look and ultimately coalesce in a visually appealing motorcycle. For Zero, the design of the SR/F is a big leap from their past offerings. I’d compare their other models to Tesla’s lineup in the sense that they opt for a minimalistic aesthetic. When it comes to simple designs, there’s a very thin line between looking refined and looking generic. Historically, Zero’s models were on the wrong side of that fence, but the SR/F is changing that for the company. The fit and finish should be considered “premium”, and that level of quality is reflected in all the separate components of the bike, including the brakes.

With radial-mounted clampers on 320 mm dual discs, the SR/F practically stops on command. The J.Juan branded calipers pack a suitable amount of stopping power, considering they’re stopping a 500 lb bike and they aren’t emblazoned with the Brembo badge. The feel was responsive yet smooth, stiff but progressive. 

Out back, you have a single 240 mm rotor and a 2-pot caliper. Compared to the robust braking components up front, the rear would seem considerably underpowered, but it does an above average job of slowing down the bike (albeit, my “average” standards are quite low, as I ride a Harley). Coupled with Bosch Advanced MSC (a fancy acronym for traction/stability control), the braking system of the SR/F upheld the premium status of the bike. Sure it doesn’t offer the name recognition of Beringer or Brembo, but they get the job done. And isn’t that what brakes should be about, getting the job done?

Now, I know what you’re probably saying:

Yeah, that’s all great and all, but would you buy one yourself?

And the short answer is no, but let me explain. The SR/F is a revolutionary machine. In my humble opinion, it marks a sea change for the electric motorcycle market and ups the ante for competitors like Lighting, and dare I say, Harley-Davidson. 

But the infrastructure hasn’t caught up with the product yet. I can’t confidently say that I would (or could) go on a Pan-American trip with this or any electric motorcycle yet and that’s disheartening because I know that will act as a barrier for potential customers. 

As the technology progresses and charge stations are erected, I know the viability of these machines will increase. They won’t just be considered a commuter bike. You won’t have to stay within a certain distance from home when you go for a rip about town or through the twisties. But right now, I don’t have the disposable income to spend $20K+ on a motorcycle that would need to stay regional.

Electric vehicles (cars & bikes) are the future. Whether you’re happy, excited, or ready for that change is beside the point. I fully intend to be an adopter but we’re currently in a stop gap of that transition and I need the baton to be firmly in the grasp of EVs before I make the jump (I’m never selling the Harley though). To me, it’s inevitable, but only time will tell when the takeover takes place. 

However, if you have the money to purchase an SR/F, do it, now! If you’re someone fortunate to own multiple bikes, this one would be a purposeful horse in your stable. At my income level, I’m relegated to bikes that are Swiss Army knives but the SR/F could easily be your X-ACTO knife. 

Whether you’re opposed to electric motorcycles or a proponent of them, do yourself a favor and give one a try. It’s a motorcycle, guys, you’d be hard pressed not to have fun.