Last week I got the chance to ride the new Zero dirt bike. I was very skeptical of how an electric bike would compare to my new KX450. Well, they don’t really compare, except for price! The Zero held its own though with fun. I was very surprised with the acceleration. It was awesome and it pulled my 185 pound body around better than a 125 2 stroke. OK, so I am more like 190, you got me! Anyway, it has great acceleration and it would definitely be competitive against ”normal” bikes under the right conditions. It goes 0-30 in 2 seconds and 0-55 in about 4. Unfortunately the top speed of about 45. Sure you can change the gearing(it has a 71? tooth rear sprocket stock), but then you will lose some acceleration.
45mph is about 2nd-3rd gear on a 450, just so you can compare.
The Zero is 1 gear, fully automatic. There is no clutch. The front brake is in the standard right hand position and the rear brake is on the left hand(clutch) side. There are no foot controls.
The suspension was bad. The forks were bicycle forks. They bottomed quickly and made me nervous on some jumps. The rear was too soft and had no rebound. The rear was not adjustable at all but there were 3 different springs available.
The battery retains charge for about 2 hours, or 40 miles. Then it takes about 2 hours to charge.
The Zero has 4 different settings! Talk about complicated! The first switch can be set on 0-30 or 0-60. This regulates the speed for beginner riders. I don’t know why it is 0-60 though, when the bike tops at 50. The second switch is fast accel or controlled accel. I really enjoyed the fast accel mode.
The bike is quiet. No noise at all. Imagine, where could ride on a bike that makes no noise and has no engine? Amazing!
A quiet bike is also bad. Think if you are riding with your friends, stop to talk, and touch the throttle on accident. Just touching the throttle on this bike throws the front end in the air! There is a key to turn the bike on and off, but you have to be careful about accidentally flipping your bike!
The bike is very light. It weighs about 105lbs and the battery weighs 46. So it is 151lbs total.
How competitive is it? Well, it depends on the track. If I was riding endurocross or very tight woods, this bike would be great. The high speed stability isnt great(crappy suspension) but it corners awesome. Any track with a lot of turns and small jumps, this bike could compete against gas bikes.
The overall feel of this bike is very comparable to a downhill mountain bike. Only instead of riding down hill, you have full momentum everywhere! The fun factor was through the roof. I would give it 11 out of 10 for fun. You also have the freedom to ride anywhere which is a great feeling. With improved top speed(possibly 2 gears) and improved suspension, this bike will be competitive with gas bikes.

Likes
-Awesome acceleration
-Ride anywhere(Even underwater)
-Low maintenance(No engine,airbox,exhaust,radiator,fuel tank,carb/FI)
-Feels great to sneak up on other riders and pass them without making a sound!
-Light!
-Comfortable but aggressive ride position
-Good brakes

Dislikes
-suspension sucked
-need more top speed
-price $7500 or $9500 for upgraded suspension and engine
*I rode the upgraded one, I wonder how the suspension was on the 7500
bike:(
www.zeromotorcycles.com

www.zeromotorcycles.com