“Utter silence…this…is
the inevitable sound of the future or off-road and track
motorcycle racing”
- (Dirt
Rider Mag. 2007)
Last year I was given the opportunity to test Zero Motorcycles
first off-road electric dirt bike. I was thoroughly impressed!
So much so that I keep bugging them to let me help promote
the bike in British Columbia and beyond.
Well I finally received the first demo up here just days ago
and I could not wait to put it together and take it for a rip.
The bike comes in 4 separate boxes and can be shipped right
to your doorstep. All you have to do is put on the wheels,
attach the handlebars, insert the battery and go riding.
The bike comes with a slow-speed and high-speed setting and
trust me, on your first outing set it to low. The bike has
more torque than a trials bike and in the high-speed mode will
go from zero to thirty miles per hour in two seconds!
Will you miss the sound? Just like
you won’t miss gassing
it up you will not miss the sound of your favorite 2-stroke
or thumper. This thing is quieter than a mountain bike and
requires almost no maintenance. Welcome to the future…
23 horsepower
17,400 watts
Lithium Ion Battery that is fully recyclable, biodegradable,
and non-toxic
45-mile range
Recharge time is 2 hours
Clutchless one speed design
20 inch wheels
8 inches front suspension
9 inches rear suspension
Fully Hydraulic Disc Brakes
54-inch wheelbase
36-inch seat height
Frame weight-18 pounds
Battery weight-45 pounds
Total weight of bike 140 pounds
Typical Cost $.01 per mile
How loud is the bike?
It is totally silent,
even quieter than a mountain bike! Except for your yahoo’s
along the trails while riding it!
What if I run out of battery life on the trail?
It
is the same with fuel; the bike has an electric gauge that
lets you know how much charge is in the battery. It drops off
slowly so you know when it’s time to head back to recharge.
How much are they?
The bikes retail for $7400.00
US dollars and are bought directly from the company. They can
be shipped directly to your house or to the border for you
to pick up and bring over. There is no duty on these bikes
but you will have to pay 5% GST and 7% PST. Check into shipping
with UPS as you can get dinged brokerage fee’s.
E-mail
me for help at dave@davenorona.com They
keep track of the bikes I sell through a promotional code which
is SA-CN-0100 .
*********By putting
in this code you get $50.00 of free accessories.
So your first set of rubber is on the house!******
Where can I buy the bike?
You can buy the bike on the Zero
Motorcyles Website. Just go
to their eStore. Don't forget to add the promotion code SA-CN-0100 so
you get your discount!
Are they fast?
If you pull the throttle hard
you will wheelie forever! This bike will beat a 250F off the
line. It has beaten a 250F through a single-track course. It
is fast, lightweight and is easy on the trails. If you took
the best of a dirt bike, a trials bike and a mountain bike
and put them all together, you would have yourself a ZERO X
Motorcycle!
Can I ride it on the street?
In the US they
have been allowed in bike lanes although not in the high setting.
If your doing 65km/hr in a bike lane you deserve a ticket.
These bikes are strictly for off-road use. However in the fall
Zero Motorcycles will offer an on road version, which you can
license and use as a daily driver or to boot around the city.
If you just can’t wait for an extra $250.00 Zero Motorcycles
will add a 12 volt plug out of the battery for you to apply
your own street legal Baja Kit.
Are they fun?
I have ridden and raced mountain
bikes, dirt bikes, snowmobiles and tons of other amazing sports….this
is one of the most fun things I have ever tried! The idea of
ripping along with no noise is pretty unbelievable and very
cool.
Who is ideal for this bike?
This bike is
ideal for beginners who want to learn to dirt bike with a lighter
and easier machine. It is for hard technical riding due to
it’s trials like torque and lightweight. It is for those
who have a big back yard and want to build a track but have
neighbors who would complain about the noise, zero noise! It
is for anyone who wants to be out in nature exploring trails,
fire roads or backroads and doing it will alternate fuels.
Basically this bike is for anyone…
Is the bike strong?
The tubular aluminum
frame was designed by top engineer Neal Saki to be able to
handle the stress of off-road racing and riding. The bike is
very simple and has no gears, no clutch and very few breakable
parts. It has a front and back brake lever on the handle bar
and aluminum foot pegs. Other than that everything is within
the bike. It is simple to service yourself and all parts can
be bought from Zero Motorcycles and shipped to you immediately.
If you need assistance just e-mail me at dave@davenorona.com
Am I too big for this thing?
A lot of people
have no idea about how electric motors work. Electric motors
love weight on them and actually power up when they do. So
no worries if your 100 or 250 plus pounds, this thing rips.
I have doubled people on it and it loses no power, pretty cool
actually. The hardest things people have to overcome with this
bike is the preconditions that they have set in their minds.
Do I have to be from BC to buy this bike through you?
Not
at all, where ever you are in the world the bike is always
bought direct from the company. You do not pay me a dime. I
receive a small payment through the company for helping spread
the word and it helps me up keep my bike, this website and
other demo days. So if you are looking
at purchasing one and you heard it here and want the special
promotional gift of $50.00 in accessories then please use my
promotional code as it helps us see where the sale came from.
I thank you in advance. Promo code SA-CN-0100
If you have any questions or concerns please send me an e-mail
at dave@davenorona.com and
I will do my best to get you the answers. Happy riding!
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