Zero SR/DSR Review: Introduction, Positioning, and Rivals of the Zero SR/DSR
There are now several brands that can boast of having electric motorcycles in their catalogue. There are fewer that can boast of manufacturing electric motorcycles exclusively and since their foundation, but only Zero can boast of having been building electric motorcycles for almost two decades.
It was in 2006 when Neal Saiki, a former NASA engineer, set out to build and market electric motorcycles. Over the years, the company Zero Motorcycles (originally called Electricross) has been developing off-road, road and mixed motorcycles.
There are currently three ranges of motorcycles: the FX range, light and explosive, the DS range, trail-oriented and the S range, exclusively for road use. Today we are testing the SR and the DSR; although they are different ranges, they share a common target: customers with an A2 licence. Both have the equivalent little brother (for an A1 licence) in the Zero S and Zero DS respectively.
Above, they also have equivalent versions exclusive to the A license. But the Zero SR and the DSR have an ace up their sleeve: After the two years of A2 license, they are easily reprogrammable to increase their power and performance.
The Zero SR’s Z-Force 75-10 AC engine with 28 kW continuous power (52 kW peak) and 140 Nm of torque can now be cranked up to 64 kW and 166 Nm of torque. The same goes for the DSR: the Z-Force 75-10x engine with 33 kW continuous power (52 kW peak) can be cranked up to 60 kW and 195 Nm of torque. To give you an idea of the figures, a Ducati Panigale V4 delivers a peak torque of 124 Nm.
How is all this possible? Through its new Cypher III+ operating system, which, in addition to controlling Bosch’s Motorcycle Stability Control (MSC), allows drivers with an A2 licence to update the SR and its features for users with an A licence without having to change motorcycles.
It also allows for fine-grained customization with a multitude of parameters via the NextGen app and the instrument cluster. Thus, to the Rain, Eco, Standard, Sport and Canyon driving modes, you can add the combinations you want. As we will see later, this is very useful.
Rivals? Until the Harley Davidson Livewire S2 arrives from the Sea, the only electric motorcycle rivals available for the A2 are from Zero Motorcycles itself, as the FX range is entirely for the A2: the Zero FX enduro and the FXE supermotard. We are witnessing the beginning of a new era, in which Zero is the most established brand in terms of experience and sales. And it is often true that he who strikes first, strikes twice.
Zero SR/DSR Test: Technical characteristics of the Zero SR/DSR
We have already discussed the power and torque figures of the Zero SR and DSR in the previous paragraph. Both have an exposed tubular frame, but they differ in the rest of the chassis elements, especially in the suspensions, whether in the travel or the diameter of the fork.
In both cases the fork and shock are Showa and adjustable in all directions, but while in the SR the fork diameter is 43 mm with 120 mm of travel (140 in the shock), in the DSR the fork diameter is 47 mm, while the travel is 190 mm in both trains.
Both are fitted with Pirelli tyres, in the case of the SR Pirelli Diablo Rosso III in sizes 120/70-17 and 180/55-17. For the DSR, Pirelli offers Scorpion Trail II in sizes 120/70-19 and 170/60-17.
The brakes are J.Juan, and work well as long as you don’t push them to the limit, because after all, they’re still 223 kg for the SR and 242 for the DSR. Both have double 320 mm diameter disc brakes with 4-piston radial calipers, but they differ in the diameter of the rear disc (240 mm for the SR and 265 mm for the DSR). The DSR is equipped with a combined braking system (eCBS) and off-road mode, although it’s not a bike for very daring escapades, mainly because of its weight.
Autonomy has been a critical factor in electric motorcycles. Unlike motorcycles with internal combustion engines, the best performance is found in urban environments, where both exceed 260 km, a distance more than sufficient for daily travel. In the city environment with a motorway, without exceeding the legal limits (both are limited to 150 km/h), the autonomy is reduced to just over 160 kilometres in both cases.
The Z-Force lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 15.6 kWh is recharged in both cases with a 3.3 kW onboard charger, which can recharge a battery to 95% in 3.9 hours or 4.4 hours to 100%. With a Rapid Charger, a full charge is reduced to 1.9 hours, or 1.4 if we charge it to 95% capacity.
It just so happens that there is a fantastic promotion where, together with the bike, you can buy the fast charger for €350, when its price is €4,500. A real opportunity.
The transmission is direct, without a clutch, which is responsible for the amazing feeling of smooth simplicity of electric motorcycles. It has no chain, but a carbon transmission belt that eliminates maintenance.
Finally, the dimensions. The SR is more compact and lower. The seat is 787 mm from the ground and the wheelbase is 1,450 mm. The ergonomic triangle is certainly sporty, but does not put too much strain on the wrists.
The DSR has a more relaxed posture, but at the expense of shorter riders: the seat is 828 mm high and the wheelbase is 1,525 mm. As you will see later, it is a little less agile, but equally easy to ride. At 178 cm tall, I could reach the ground with ease and a certain amount of knee flexion.
Accustomed to the figures of thermal motorcycles, it is sometimes difficult to get an idea of what things are like when we move on to electric units. As for consumption, on the Zero website they make an equivalence of how much they consume if the kW were liters of gasoline: 0.59 l/100 for the SR and 0.62 l/100 for the DSR.
Still not convinced? If that’s not enough, the warranty is 5 years with no mileage limit, so €17,910 (SR) or €18,925 (DSR) doesn’t seem like a crazy idea anymore.
Zero SR/DSR Test: How the Zero SR/DSR perform
Dynamically, the laws of physics are the same for an electric motorcycle as for a combustion engine. However, the ways of driving them end up being different. The main difference is the absence of crankshaft inertia and transmission in the electric one. The weight is more or less the same, but since there is no internal inertia, driving is much simpler.
Basically, you just have to think about the line. Even giving the gas is easier, because it is much easier to regulate, especially at low speed, a feature that greatly facilitates manoeuvres when stopped and between cars. And an extra gadget: reverse gear, only seen in a few thermal models (heavy and very well equipped). Parking on a downhill side is no longer a limitation.
So, once you’re on the move, the main thing is the fluidity of movement. That doesn’t mean that the bike doesn’t accelerate or brake. Quite the opposite: the acceleration of the SR and DSR is truly lightning-fast. I don’t think there’s any A2 bike that accelerates so much, to the point that, once you have the A license, you might not want to take the limits off it, because it really doesn’t need more features than it has for daily use. Although we all know that curiosity killed the cat and you’ll end up taking the limits off it.
It is true that the final power and torque of the unrestricted version is not the same as that of the higher-end models, but given the performance of the SR and DSR, which are so overwhelming, it is probably not worth the price to pay for the higher versions. These two bikes give a lot of themselves.
Smooth riding, we said. It’s a joy to reset your motorcycling concepts to simpler ones and concentrate on your lines smoothly. Jorge Lorenzo would call it “butter”. There is one factor that I haven’t mentioned yet: the regeneration of the battery when you cut the throttle. The sportier the mode, the less engine braking and the less energy regeneration. But in Eco mode, you will hardly use the brakes, such is the braking capacity.
Far from being uncomfortable, you discover a new way of riding, in which it is possible, under certain conditions, to finish a section with more energy than when you started it. I liked the regeneration so much that the mode I rode in the most was Eco, until I discovered that it could be customized. Once you find the configuration that convinces you the most, you are completely happy and every motorcycle ride is like going out to play.
Of course, there are differences in handling between the SR and DSR. The SR feels (and is) lighter and is more effective in twisty sections, where changes in direction are instantaneous. The centre of gravity is positioned very low and the front wheel tread conveys immediate confidence.
The DSR is heavier and has more suspension travel, but is much more comfortable in all respects. The screen adjustment mechanism is brilliant.
There are also some points to improve. The 20 kilo difference between the two is noticeable in motion (it means 10% more on the DSR). There are also finishing details, such as the plastic handlebars for bikes of more than 15K, as well as 12V sockets instead of USB ports or the inexplicable presence of the most conventional key you can imagine in such technologically advanced products. The truth is that the points to improve do not weigh much on the scale and except for the weight issue, they are easily remedied in future versions.
After a route in which we were able to test both models, it is inevitable to speculate on whether any of these motorcycles fit into your “navigation plan”, as their seductive capacity is instantaneous and if you grab a calculator, you realise that electric motorcycles are more of an alternative than they were a couple of years ago. Technology is advancing quickly and so is the economy of scale.
