TRY THE E-BIKE EXPERIENCE
O Challenge your preconceptions by taking a test ride on a Zero in 2021
Love the idea or hate it, electric motorcycles are not only the future, they’re right here, right now. US firm Zero Motorcycles have been at the forefront since the beginning. They made their first road bikes in 2009 and are frequently compared to their Californian neighbours Tesla. And while the idea of riding an electric motorcycle fills some with horror, for others it’s something they can’t wait to try. Zero know that making the change to electric takes a big commitment for riders so ‘try before you buy’ is very much the company’s policy.
Take the plunge
Zero have ensured all their dealers have at least two demo bikes for customers to try out in recent years, and this summer the company plan to introduce an ‘Experience Electric’ tour to give everyone the chance to try out a battery powered bike.
“It’s only when you ride a Zero that you really understand what it’s all about,” says Dale Robinson, Zero Motorcycles’ UK Country Manager. “There are a lot of prejudices but I’ve never once seen someone come back from a test ride without a smile on their face.
“I’m as much a biker as anyone else. I race classic bikes and love my two-strokes, but Zeros get me grinning just the same. The acceleration and sensation when you put it in Sport mode and twist the throttle is out of this world.
“Just because it doesn’t have a loud exhaust or a gearbox doesn’t mean it’s not fun. Indeed, in many ways it creates a more engaging experience because you can focus more on the ride and the environment around you, and I know quite a few experienced riders who have bought Zeros because they offer something no other motorcycle does.”
Get on a Zero
Covid-permitting, Zero are planning to kick off their tour with a series of demos in Scotland and North East England in May, moving to London and the South in June, and running at venues all over the UK through to October.
Robinson knows that not everybody who demos a Zero will be ready to make the switch, but by experiencing the bikes for themselves it will help overcome some of the fears they may have about electric motorcycles.
He added: “We see it online and when we attend shows. Bikers come up to us all the time and say that they don’t like this, or don’t like that, yet when we start chatting it turns out that they’ve not actually ridden an electric motorcycle and that their opinions are formed from preconceptions and stuff they’ve read on the internet. That’s why it’s important to give people a chance to try the bikes for themselves and even if they’re not quite ready to come on board as an owner, we hope that they go away with a smile on their face and that when they’re talking about electric bikes with their mates that they do so positively, using their first-hand experience. It’s never happened yet but if someone comes back, hands me the key and tells me that they didn’t enjoy it then that’s fair enough. At least they’ve given it a go and are able to form an opinion based on personal experience.” And the Tesla effect is having an impact on motorcycling too, with Zero posting a 10% increase in sales in the UK in 2020.
Robinson added: “Around one in 10 cars sold in the UK last year was a plug-in and EVs are very much in the mainstream. Electric cars are easy to use and suit their owners’ lifestyles, while people are buying high-end vehicles like Teslas because they are cool and exciting and deliver an experience like nothing else. Bikes are probably a few years behind that, but it is coming and much of that will be down to riders discovering that bikes like the Zero SR/F offer a riding experience like nothing they’ve known before. We’re seeing a steady rise year-on-year, and I encourage anyone who’s curious to come along and give it a go. They won’t regret it!”
O ‘Come and give it a go. You won’t regret it!’