I bought a 2019 FSX last week, swapped my GSXR1000 K7, its got the same pull as the 1000 and so much lighter. I only need it for my 20 mile each way commute and can plug in at work. So im saving over £130 a month on fuel.
John - if you are ever looking for an upgrade to the standard Zero rear pannier rack (which is rather prone to rust on our salty roads!) I am pleased to report that the US-based Happy Trail company do a very high quality rear pannier rack with optional Givi adapter plates for the DS bikes. It is well-made, securely fitted and has a better quality paint job than Zero used. They ship to us in Blighty too. Once Customs had bitten my arm off with the fees it only took me a couple of hours of fiddling to get the new rack fitted. The panniers sit a little lower but a little further out than the Zero ones and I was able to reuse the plastic Givi monokey panniers that I had bought with the bike.
Thanks, Daniel. Good to know! I just have the top box on my DSR, but have considered adding panniers and I know what you mean about Givi racks and rust. I have one on my petrol bike and it was the first thing to show its age on the bike. I'll definitely make a note of Happy Trail for future reference. Thanks! 👍😊
Top review, thanks for taking the time to make it👍🏻 I reckon this would be the perfect commuter for my needs, I used to have a Suzuki DRZ400SM back in the day, it reminds me of that bike which was a lot of fun. I test rode the Harley Davidson Livewire recently, it was fantastic, the price however is fantastical! One question as a seasoned owner with many miles under your belt on electric motorcycle ownership, has your battery pack lost any charging capacity over time? Dose the cold weather make much difference to range. I know that's two questions, you are our experience expert.👍🏻
Glad you enjoyed the video. It's certainly a fun bike! Yes, the LiveWire is crazy money and I'm decidedly underwhelmed by its maximum AC charging rate of 1.9 kW, which, let's face it, is how people will ordinarily charge. Re your questions, I've seen no discernible loss in range over time at all. I know other long-term owners have had similar experiences. On the weather, cold and wet does make a bit of difference, but I don't feel that it's a big difference. It's never been an issue so I've never tried to measure it.
Thank you. I'm a National Observer with IAM RoadSmart and hold the IAM RoadSmart Masters with Distinction qualification and RoSPA gold, so I try to practise what I preach! 😊 That's not to say I don't have the odd harsh word with myself about my riding now and again! The day I can't be critical about my own riding is the day I'll start to worry. 👍
Fantastic! It's a great bike. I struggled to connect to my phone with the FXS I borrowed. The firmware update can be done on a bike from 2018, I believe. I can't do them myself on my 2016 DSR. It's to do with the on-board memory limit, apparently. If your bike supports them, they can be done from the app itself, once connected to the bike. There is, of course, a school of thought which says don't update firmware unless you need to, but you're supposed to be able to roll back an installed version anyway, so I wouldn't be too concerned about updating firmware.
The extra chargers can be bought from dealerships. They plug in to normal domestic sockets, as they're only 1 kW each. To use Type 2, you'd need to get a customised T2 to domestic socket configuration, but those external chargers aren't really made to be used on the road, although some people have mounted them to their bikes. They're quite heavy and bulky and are better suited to charging at home or work. I did use such a set-up on my Zero DSR on my Land's End - John o'Groats - Skaw trip, because I didn't have a Charge Tank at the time. See ruclips.net/video/pWhc3FUbB0s/видео.html. As stated in this video, there is no Charge Tank option for the FXS, so the external chargers would be a good option if faster charging is required. I'm not convinced about carrying them around though.
@@jtchivers the delta q quick chargers are the ones? I guess they are not supplied with correct connectors,unless you get them fro a dealer at twice the price. I can't see anyway I can get to the coast and back(70mile)practically, without buying a different model zero...( Not in my price range)
Since passing my CBT I have been looking for a learner bike and coming from a high power ebike I immediately looked at electric my options where SOco TC Max / Horwin cr6 or the Zero FXS, the soco i removed as an option as it looks pretty small and scooter esk and being a big guy it wouldn't not look right, as for the horwin cr6 while no where near zero levels I like the look but also I like that it has a built in fast charger that full charge on 3 hours or a 20min charge gives around 18miles so all you need is a charge lead in the storage tank and range well they claim 90 miles, the zero is twice the price but i really like the look and more importantly the acceleration it has but charge time and range are a concern so I am steering more to the Horwin, so i guess my question is have you tried the horwin and if so how good do you think it is and is its charge and range claims accurate, sadly I am unable to test drive as all the bike shops in my area are firmly anti electric with 3 of them giving comments like " haha sorry no we only sell real bikes " >.< On a side note is it just me or is EV bike insurance insanely high? I mean ok being a new driver I expect to get ripped off but when i compare a combustion 125 next to an electric equivalent and same bike price the insurance is 3 times as much with a £350 exes for the 125 and £1500 for the EM bike
I haven't ridden the Horwin, but you may want to check out James and Kate's channel for some budget electric motorcycle options, including the Horwin. In all honesty, I'm not focused on testing lots of different EV bikes, but prefer to recount my own experiences of ownership. However, when I am offered the chance to test ride another Zero by my dealership, I'm more than happy to oblige. 😊 Re insurance, it's such a wide area and a whole load of parameters affect premiums: your postcode, age, riding experience, any claims, annual mileage, business use, garage situation, bike age, excess, any advanced riding qualifications, and above all insurer. Mine have been reasonable to be fair. I've used IAM Surety (you have to be an IAM RoadSmart member to use them) and Devitt. Insurance for this current year was £160 fully comp and included cover for my activities as an IAM RoadSmart observer.
@@jtchivers I understand I was just curious if you had tried but not documented the Horwin and yes like you i would jump at the chance to try out the latest Zero as the look like a lot of fun to ride, Reg insurance is what i was curious about as sure i am a new driver on a provisional and cbt with zero car or bike experience so i expected a raw deal but it struck me as odd that a petrol power 125 with a cost of £5000 was £35 per month and mandatory exes was £350, but for an electric bike like the Horwin that is also £5000 they where wanting £95 to £130 per month with mandatory excess from £900 to £1600, even though the situation was the same but the only difference was a petrol to electric so was just curious.
Zero have made a play for the learner legal bike, but there are cheaper, less powerful, and lower spec electric motorcycles and they are of course cheaper and make potentially ideal commuter bikes. Take a look at the Super Soco TC Max, for instance.
Hi John, we are looking at this model amongst a few others for my wife. It looks light and nimble and has the range needed for commuting but the seat height may be an issue. Do you know if there is a lowering kit available?
Hi Mike. Sorry, I don't know. It'll be worth contacting your nearest dealership or and asking the question. A quick Google search suggests it can indeed be done, but I don't know the details.
Thanks John, The electric motorcycle scene is poorly catered for in Australia. We have one Zero dealer for the whole country and that's only a recent development. Plus I'm unsure if they are an authorised dealer or a grey market importer. The only other choice apart from a couple of Chinese models is the Live Wire. We have no incentives to go electric and are even taxed higher on a per km rate in some states. Given that our federal environment minister just gave the go ahead for 3 new coal mines in the last month you can see that there is little political appetite for change here.
There is two version of this bike as you reviewed (11kw) I'd love to know how the power feels when compared to the regular version, have you test ridden the other ...
I haven't test-ridden the non 11 kW version, so can't compare them. All I can say is that this is far more powerful than a conventional 125 to ride and would suit many people as a bike to keep. If you look at the official specifications, you'll see that both versions are almost identical, so I suspect the difference is minimal.
@@jtchivers Appreciate reply good video I'm considering one of these bikes, would like to be able to test both but as I'm CBT focused can't test the other which is a shame probably the only way to get a feel, think I will contact Zero direct and find out what the situation is here Specs say both have maximum 30kw peak, one is A2 license, the CBT is A1
Been reading around round this..... Although the The FXS is offered in both an 11 kW and standard version, both make the same peak power of 33 kW (44 hp), with the standard version offering 36% greater continuous power at 15 kW.
Hi John ...the 11kw version has great performance ...the a2 version is very much the same performance as you say in the video ....wonder why you would choose one over the other as the price is the same ? Regards mark
Hi Mark. Someone learning to ride might well consider the 11 kW, so they can do their training on such a bike and then keep it having passed their test, rather than bother swapping the bike for a nominally higher powered one. I know just such a person who made exactly that decision.
@@jtchivers thanks John ..yes I get that ...it was more of a question of I wonder why they make the a2 version aswell because as the electric motorcycle company told me it's pretty much the same performance as the 11 kw version just seems strange having two bikes the same but different ratings ? Just my curious mind as I've just test ridden five of these zeros on an open day and I'm really impressed Regards mark
You mentioned the battery being removable at some point in your video. Is the battery now fixed in place or is it still removable? It would be good if it was removable.
@@jtchivers Ah thats good. It would suck if you lived in a flat and had issues charging it. I misunderstood what you meant in the video. Thanks for clearing it up
Like most electric bikes, they are not quite there yet and there are still compromises i.e price, charging time and range. This bike only suits a small percentage of people who's lifestyle it will work for.
As per the video, this bike, with half the capacity of the larger capacity Zero motorbikes will do 95% of people's daily travel distance at a fraction of the fuel cost of petrol or diesel. That's based on the latest stats in the UK for the last year. It's not designed to be a touring bike. It's not the right tool for that job. But it doesn't suit a small percentage of people. It actually suits the great majority of people, based on the stats. That doesn't mean that everyone will like it, of course.
D Plummer - I have owned my 2018 DS 7.2 11kw since new and took my test on it as it was the first bike I had owned. I live 7 miles away from the nearest shops and place of work and use it as my only means of transport. I have never run out of charge on my 7.2kw battery and have had no mechanical failures with the bike itself. Servicing is very cheap and so far the only consumable required was a set of branded brake pads when I got a load of grit under the original ones and the hydraulic fluid at the 2 year mark. I too pay standard rate for my electricity so tend to put about 60p of "fuel" into the bike every three trips into town. I do agree that the purchase price is higher than an equivalent branded petrol bike of the same class. That is completely correct but it is a fun, clean bike that works well for an urban commuter or semi-rural bike for exploration rides. If you can afford the up front cost you will be paid back over a few years due to reduced running and service costs.
Daniel Coffey Thanks for such a thorough review and comments. I was looking to learn and take direct test on a petrol bike, then buy the FXS when I have a full license. Would you say it might be better to get the 11kw version FXS and stick with it, as the power difference is unnoticeable (in normal riding). Also, were you able to take your test on your 11kw DS? Many thanks.
@@jeremygoslin5472 Yes I was able to take both parts of my A1 on the 11kW DS but I did have one issue that made it take a little extra time to book... I was the first rider to present to my Test Centre on a Zero bike and it wasn't on their current list of "permitted machines". They have to check that you are within the power limits for the license category, remember. Both my Instructor and Examiner were very happy for me to do both the lessons and the two test parts itself on my Zero so we all had a chat about the "permitted vehicle" issue. All it took was one phonecall from the Examiner to DVLA head office to get the exact make and model of bike checked and registered and I was good to go. The Examiner advised allowing a couple of extra days so they can make sure you are cleared to test before booking. They will need to know the brand, year and EXACT model of bike (DS 2018 7.2 11kW for me) and we got a booking approved in two days. You may find yourself listed as "automatic only" on some of the paperwork but at the end of the day it should not make any difference (at the current time) to your A1 license. Ask your Instructor and Examiner in advance. The bike counts the same as a "125cc twist-and-go" scooter. From the Instructors point of view, he loved the bike. He found it very easy to tutor me in the practice yard but had to be more aware of my position when pairing me with a 125 user at the same time due to my relative silence. I did pull away from him at junctions because he had to pause to change up gears but he enjoyed the "lack of a face full of cheapo 125cc fumes". I had no significant problem with the u-turn and slalom even though I had no clutch because I was able to make use of the rear brake. I would advise setting up a Custom profile on the bike that is like "ECO-Lite" with about 30% torque on the throttle. That will give you finer control on the throttle at the low end. The Examiner was pleased with the way the bike handled and sounded too. You will need to be aware there is a minimum speed on the emergency braking test so practice this with your Instructor. On the Zero you will have to go into the turn at a moderate speed due to lack of rear traction control then add a lot more speed once you emerge from the turn. Practice it and ask the Instructor to monitor your speed on the Emergency Stop and Slalom/Stop exercise. That test centre tarmac is good sticky stuff so don't be afraid on giving it some welly! Oh, and make sure your L Plate placement is fully compliant in terms of "no trimming" and proper forward and rear visbility. We have a local traffic cop who has the nickname "Cop-zilla" because he loves to pull over Learners and check L Plates. It can be an instant loss of provisional if he does you for both plates being trimmed or too sloped.
Very detailed review, thanks John 👏 a lot of fine details mentioned, worth to know moving upwards from scooters to motorcycles 😊 Are you able to get TC Max for review?
Thanks for the kind words, buddy. 😊 I'm not sure on the TC Max. I don't really want to concentrate too much on bike reviews outside Zero, mainly because I know the Streetbike folk and Zero range best, and they take a lot of effort to do. This one and the upcoming review of the 2020 Zero S 11kW were offered to me, so I wasn't going to turn down the opportunity. But I want to do them with a script and voiceover, like this one, as it means I can concentrate on the riding and say more meaningful things about the bike. And then I can produce the subtitles, which helps non-English speakers. From what I could see from the auto-translated German subtitles, the translation was not bad at all. But, like I say, it takes quite a bit of time to put them together like this. That said, I can see that one of my nearest Super Soco dealers is also the MG dealer, so I might end up there with the ZS EV, and if they're servicing the car, it would be rude not to take out a TV Max, right? 😁👍
Not sure if it's a stupid question to ask, but in terms of power and acceleration what would you compare this bike to? I know it's a difficult one to answer since every bike is different, but it's so difficult to get an idea of this things performance since an electric motor is so different to an engine. With the release of the new FXE I'm seriously considering getting one of these for short commutes since their eMPG is something ridiculous like 533 and they're dirt cheap to run, but I have no way of test riding them since I'd have to get one imported where I live.
You're right that I can't answer it, because the torque curve makes an electric motorcycle a different beast. Rest assured that it's way more powerful than it looks. I get asked this about my Zero DSR and I can never answer it properly. I want to give an answer, but all I know is that if I pull back on the throttle, it'll give anyone I'm riding with on a petrol bike a shock. They've told me on countless occasions that "that thing goes like stink!" 😂
@@jtchivers Thanks for your reply! So would you say it's in any way comparable to my previous Street Triple 765RS? This bike produces more torque than that, but considerably less power. I'm curious as to whether it sort of balances out.
Torque tells how hard it will accelerate and hp tells the top speed. The zero fxe most likely has a higher torque than ur bike so it will out accelerate yours but ur bike will catch up at high speed. City commuting is where the fxe belongs
Battery warranty is 5 years and it's estimated that battery pack is good for 200,000 miles. It's typically going to outlive the bike. For reference, my Zero DSR has no discernible loss in capacity after 4 years. I don't know the cost of a new battery. I wouldn't envisage having to replace the packs. I certainly haven't encountered anyone who's had one replaced, unless there were manufacturing defects.
can I buy Zero FXS 7.2 11KW Electric motorcycle in India if yes perfect but what if I have to buy it and ship it to my address is there any procedure please do let me know I love this bike for a very long time I was looking for this type of product and here I have found it today
I'm not affiliated with Zero. I'm just an owner. To investigate the possibility of having one shipped to India, I suggest you contact the company directly at www.zeromotorcycles.com/. India would of course be a huge market for any bike manufacturer. I'm really surprised that Royal Enfield haven't yet considered producing an electric motorcycle there. 👍
It would be a great learner bike if it wasn't triple the price of petrol 125s. It doesn't even come with premium features like TFT dash, heated grips, cruise control ect.
Three times the price? By all means pay £3,300 for a decent, brand new 125 if you can. It all depends on how much you use it. All explained in the video. If you're a fair-weather rider, it probably isn't suitable, because you won't recoup the cost in fuel and service savings if you do 1000 miles a year. If you use it to learn and then keep it and do the miles or sell it on (perhaps to another learner), you can easily justify the outlay. People spend way more than this on petrol bikes without batting an eyelid and then have to pay for fuel and servicing costs on top.
It depends how far you want to go. But this isn't a bike designed for longer journeys. It's just not the right tool for the job, any more than a cruiser would be suitable for motocross.
Would be interested to know where the statistics came from? Apart from that they are subjective as I cannot imagine all the biking community took part in a survey which makes reciting these figures as fact incorrect because it doesn't incorporate everyone. I'm pretty sure those bikers that use a bike as their every day transport are probably too busy to partake in a survey and if half of the community have not been consulted the figures are not truthful! I'm also pretty sure they definitely do more than 3000 miles a year! When giving out these stats. you should accompany them with a caveat as too many people are too easily swayed because someone can give them a statistic! That said very nice, real world review but still the price point on the electric bikes makes them out of reach to most people! I have the issue of working on an MOD establishment where parking is very specific, so no access to any power source which means i would still have the range anxiety on my 60 mile daily commute!
I made a point of stating the source of the average mileage figures at 10:48 - Department for Transport's 2019 National Travel Survey for England, released on 5 August 2020. Fuel cost figures were of course subjective. My petrol bike will do around 150 miles for around £20 (I rounded down, so gave the petrol bike the benefit of that). So, my 13p per mile figures were based on that, as I explained at 18:06. If you do a 60 mile commute a day, you're the exception, not the norm, based on the DfT figures. That said, I'd be interested to know what your fuel costs are per month. You don't need to disclose them here, of course. Just work them out and then investigate those costs compared to the costs of financing an electric motorcycle. I have no axe to grind on this - just pointing out things some don't consider on matter of costs of ownership. The more you ride, the more electric makes sense. If you can't cope with a 50 mile range bike and have no means to charge at work, the 2016 Zero DSR I have owned since 2016 will do 85 miles quite easily on mixed roads and I've managed 100 on a few occasions. "The price point on the electric bikes makes them out of reach to most people!" I saved up a deposit, then I paid £150 a month on a PCP package for my Zero DSR over three years, then paid off the balance to keep it. I have several biker friends who spent more on petrol motorbikes than I did on electric and then have to pay considerably more on fuel and servicing. I can quite easily flip this around and say that those costs are out of the reach of most people. Let's face it, for many bikers, their bike does comparatively few miles per year and costs them a lot of money. I've done 18,000 miles on my Zero DSR in the last three years. That's around £2500 I saved in fuel costs alone, before we get to oil changes, valve clearances, etc.
I bought a 2019 FSX last week, swapped my GSXR1000 K7, its got the same pull as the 1000 and so much lighter. I only need it for my 20 mile each way commute and can plug in at work. So im saving over £130 a month on fuel.
Fantastic, Richard! Glad you're pleased with it. 👍😊
LOL. BOOM, they got yurrrrrrrrrr MONeyyyyyyyyyyyyy.
@@ribalderr6052 what
This is a great video :) That's plenty fast enough for me.
John - if you are ever looking for an upgrade to the standard Zero rear pannier rack (which is rather prone to rust on our salty roads!) I am pleased to report that the US-based Happy Trail company do a very high quality rear pannier rack with optional Givi adapter plates for the DS bikes. It is well-made, securely fitted and has a better quality paint job than Zero used. They ship to us in Blighty too. Once Customs had bitten my arm off with the fees it only took me a couple of hours of fiddling to get the new rack fitted. The panniers sit a little lower but a little further out than the Zero ones and I was able to reuse the plastic Givi monokey panniers that I had bought with the bike.
Thanks, Daniel. Good to know! I just have the top box on my DSR, but have considered adding panniers and I know what you mean about Givi racks and rust. I have one on my petrol bike and it was the first thing to show its age on the bike.
I'll definitely make a note of Happy Trail for future reference. Thanks! 👍😊
Top review, thanks for taking the time to make it👍🏻
I reckon this would be the perfect commuter for my needs, I used to have a Suzuki DRZ400SM back in the day, it reminds me of that bike which was a lot of fun.
I test rode the Harley Davidson Livewire recently, it was fantastic, the price however is fantastical!
One question as a seasoned owner with many miles under your belt on electric motorcycle ownership, has your battery pack lost any charging capacity over time? Dose the cold weather make much difference to range. I know that's two questions, you are our experience expert.👍🏻
Glad you enjoyed the video. It's certainly a fun bike!
Yes, the LiveWire is crazy money and I'm decidedly underwhelmed by its maximum AC charging rate of 1.9 kW, which, let's face it, is how people will ordinarily charge.
Re your questions, I've seen no discernible loss in range over time at all. I know other long-term owners have had similar experiences.
On the weather, cold and wet does make a bit of difference, but I don't feel that it's a big difference. It's never been an issue so I've never tried to measure it.
In a way, it's like the bike equivalent of the original 24kWh Leaf.Thanks for the excellent review, John.
And if the useable capability of the battery is around 6.3 kWh, it's even cheaper to recharge. 🙂
Very good video. Your riding indicates a advanced riding qual or knowlege of!
Thank you. I'm a National Observer with IAM RoadSmart and hold the IAM RoadSmart Masters with Distinction qualification and RoSPA gold, so I try to practise what I preach! 😊
That's not to say I don't have the odd harsh word with myself about my riding now and again!
The day I can't be critical about my own riding is the day I'll start to worry. 👍
@@jtchivers excellent! I passed my iams with a first just before lockdown. Great course.
@@ontheroad2279 Congratulations! That's a great achievement. 😊
Very pleased to hear you enjoyed the course too. 👍
Cracking review, John 👍🏻
Thanks, pal. Hope it's helpful for your work colleague too. 👍
I got an FXS couple weeks ago.
Love it so much,iam out on in nearly everyday.
Havnt been able to connect to phone,how do you get a "firmware" update?
Fantastic! It's a great bike.
I struggled to connect to my phone with the FXS I borrowed. The firmware update can be done on a bike from 2018, I believe. I can't do them myself on my 2016 DSR. It's to do with the on-board memory limit, apparently.
If your bike supports them, they can be done from the app itself, once connected to the bike.
There is, of course, a school of thought which says don't update firmware unless you need to, but you're supposed to be able to roll back an installed version anyway, so I wouldn't be too concerned about updating firmware.
Where do you get the extra chargers from and do they connect to charge points- type 2?
The extra chargers can be bought from dealerships. They plug in to normal domestic sockets, as they're only 1 kW each. To use Type 2, you'd need to get a customised T2 to domestic socket configuration, but those external chargers aren't really made to be used on the road, although some people have mounted them to their bikes. They're quite heavy and bulky and are better suited to charging at home or work.
I did use such a set-up on my Zero DSR on my Land's End - John o'Groats - Skaw trip, because I didn't have a Charge Tank at the time. See ruclips.net/video/pWhc3FUbB0s/видео.html.
As stated in this video, there is no Charge Tank option for the FXS, so the external chargers would be a good option if faster charging is required. I'm not convinced about carrying them around though.
@@jtchivers the delta q quick chargers are the ones? I guess they are not supplied with correct connectors,unless you get them fro a dealer at twice the price.
I can't see anyway I can get to the coast and back(70mile)practically, without buying a different model zero...( Not in my price range)
Helpful review
Since passing my CBT I have been looking for a learner bike and coming from a high power ebike I immediately looked at electric my options where SOco TC Max / Horwin cr6 or the Zero FXS, the soco i removed as an option as it looks pretty small and scooter esk and being a big guy it wouldn't not look right, as for the horwin cr6 while no where near zero levels I like the look but also I like that it has a built in fast charger that full charge on 3 hours or a 20min charge gives around 18miles so all you need is a charge lead in the storage tank and range well they claim 90 miles, the zero is twice the price but i really like the look and more importantly the acceleration it has but charge time and range are a concern so I am steering more to the Horwin, so i guess my question is have you tried the horwin and if so how good do you think it is and is its charge and range claims accurate, sadly I am unable to test drive as all the bike shops in my area are firmly anti electric with 3 of them giving comments like " haha sorry no we only sell real bikes " >.<
On a side note is it just me or is EV bike insurance insanely high? I mean ok being a new driver I expect to get ripped off but when i compare a combustion 125 next to an electric equivalent and same bike price the insurance is 3 times as much with a £350 exes for the 125 and £1500 for the EM bike
I haven't ridden the Horwin, but you may want to check out James and Kate's channel for some budget electric motorcycle options, including the Horwin.
In all honesty, I'm not focused on testing lots of different EV bikes, but prefer to recount my own experiences of ownership. However, when I am offered the chance to test ride another Zero by my dealership, I'm more than happy to oblige. 😊
Re insurance, it's such a wide area and a whole load of parameters affect premiums: your postcode, age, riding experience, any claims, annual mileage, business use, garage situation, bike age, excess, any advanced riding qualifications, and above all insurer. Mine have been reasonable to be fair. I've used IAM Surety (you have to be an IAM RoadSmart member to use them) and Devitt. Insurance for this current year was £160 fully comp and included cover for my activities as an IAM RoadSmart observer.
@@jtchivers I understand I was just curious if you had tried but not documented the Horwin and yes like you i would jump at the chance to try out the latest Zero as the look like a lot of fun to ride, Reg insurance is what i was curious about as sure i am a new driver on a provisional and cbt with zero car or bike experience so i expected a raw deal but it struck me as odd that a petrol power 125 with a cost of £5000 was £35 per month and mandatory exes was £350, but for an electric bike like the Horwin that is also £5000 they where wanting £95 to £130 per month with mandatory excess from £900 to £1600, even though the situation was the same but the only difference was a petrol to electric so was just curious.
Are there cheaper alternative electric 11 kW motorcycles right now or is that a thing of the future?
Zero have made a play for the learner legal bike, but there are cheaper, less powerful, and lower spec electric motorcycles and they are of course cheaper and make potentially ideal commuter bikes. Take a look at the Super Soco TC Max, for instance.
Hi John, we are looking at this model amongst a few others for my wife. It looks light and nimble and has the range needed for commuting but the seat height may be an issue. Do you know if there is a lowering kit available?
Hi Mike. Sorry, I don't know. It'll be worth contacting your nearest dealership or and asking the question.
A quick Google search suggests it can indeed be done, but I don't know the details.
Thanks John, The electric motorcycle scene is poorly catered for in Australia. We have one Zero dealer for the whole country and that's only a recent development. Plus I'm unsure if they are an authorised dealer or a grey market importer. The only other choice apart from a couple of Chinese models is the Live Wire. We have no incentives to go electric and are even taxed higher on a per km rate in some states. Given that our federal environment minister just gave the go ahead for 3 new coal mines in the last month you can see that there is little political appetite for change here.
There is two version of this bike as you reviewed (11kw) I'd love to know how the power feels when compared to the regular version, have you test ridden the other ...
I haven't test-ridden the non 11 kW version, so can't compare them. All I can say is that this is far more powerful than a conventional 125 to ride and would suit many people as a bike to keep.
If you look at the official specifications, you'll see that both versions are almost identical, so I suspect the difference is minimal.
@@jtchivers Appreciate reply good video I'm considering one of these bikes, would like to be able to test both but as I'm CBT focused can't test the other which is a shame probably the only way to get a feel, think I will contact Zero direct and find out what the situation is here
Specs say both have maximum 30kw peak, one is A2 license, the CBT is A1
Been reading around round this.....
Although the The FXS is offered in both an 11 kW and standard version, both make the same peak power of 33 kW (44 hp), with the standard version offering 36% greater continuous power at 15 kW.
Hi John ...the 11kw version has great performance ...the a2 version is very much the same performance as you say in the video ....wonder why you would choose one over the other as the price is the same ?
Regards mark
Hi Mark. Someone learning to ride might well consider the 11 kW, so they can do their training on such a bike and then keep it having passed their test, rather than bother swapping the bike for a nominally higher powered one.
I know just such a person who made exactly that decision.
@@jtchivers thanks John ..yes I get that ...it was more of a question of I wonder why they make the a2 version aswell because as the electric motorcycle company told me it's pretty much the same performance as the 11 kw version just seems strange having two bikes the same but different ratings ?
Just my curious mind as I've just test ridden five of these zeros on an open day and I'm really impressed
Regards mark
wonderful creativity when we hope in Bangladesh ..
You mentioned the battery being removable at some point in your video. Is the battery now fixed in place or is it still removable?
It would be good if it was removable.
Yes, I covered that at 9:05. It's fixed in Europe, I'm told. There was insufficient demand for battery swapping.
@@jtchivers Ah thats good. It would suck if you lived in a flat and had issues charging it.
I misunderstood what you meant in the video. Thanks for clearing it up
Like most electric bikes, they are not quite there yet and there are still compromises i.e price, charging time and range. This bike only suits a small percentage of people who's lifestyle it will work for.
As per the video, this bike, with half the capacity of the larger capacity Zero motorbikes will do 95% of people's daily travel distance at a fraction of the fuel cost of petrol or diesel. That's based on the latest stats in the UK for the last year. It's not designed to be a touring bike. It's not the right tool for that job.
But it doesn't suit a small percentage of people. It actually suits the great majority of people, based on the stats.
That doesn't mean that everyone will like it, of course.
D Plummer - I have owned my 2018 DS 7.2 11kw since new and took my test on it as it was the first bike I had owned. I live 7 miles away from the nearest shops and place of work and use it as my only means of transport. I have never run out of charge on my 7.2kw battery and have had no mechanical failures with the bike itself. Servicing is very cheap and so far the only consumable required was a set of branded brake pads when I got a load of grit under the original ones and the hydraulic fluid at the 2 year mark. I too pay standard rate for my electricity so tend to put about 60p of "fuel" into the bike every three trips into town.
I do agree that the purchase price is higher than an equivalent branded petrol bike of the same class. That is completely correct but it is a fun, clean bike that works well for an urban commuter or semi-rural bike for exploration rides. If you can afford the up front cost you will be paid back over a few years due to reduced running and service costs.
Daniel Coffey Thanks for such a thorough review and comments. I was looking to learn and take direct test on a petrol bike, then buy the FXS when I have a full license. Would you say it might be better to get the 11kw version FXS and stick with it, as the power difference is unnoticeable (in normal riding). Also, were you able to take your test on your 11kw DS? Many thanks.
@@jeremygoslin5472 Yes I was able to take both parts of my A1 on the 11kW DS but I did have one issue that made it take a little extra time to book... I was the first rider to present to my Test Centre on a Zero bike and it wasn't on their current list of "permitted machines". They have to check that you are within the power limits for the license category, remember. Both my Instructor and Examiner were very happy for me to do both the lessons and the two test parts itself on my Zero so we all had a chat about the "permitted vehicle" issue. All it took was one phonecall from the Examiner to DVLA head office to get the exact make and model of bike checked and registered and I was good to go. The Examiner advised allowing a couple of extra days so they can make sure you are cleared to test before booking. They will need to know the brand, year and EXACT model of bike (DS 2018 7.2 11kW for me) and we got a booking approved in two days.
You may find yourself listed as "automatic only" on some of the paperwork but at the end of the day it should not make any difference (at the current time) to your A1 license. Ask your Instructor and Examiner in advance. The bike counts the same as a "125cc twist-and-go" scooter.
From the Instructors point of view, he loved the bike. He found it very easy to tutor me in the practice yard but had to be more aware of my position when pairing me with a 125 user at the same time due to my relative silence. I did pull away from him at junctions because he had to pause to change up gears but he enjoyed the "lack of a face full of cheapo 125cc fumes". I had no significant problem with the u-turn and slalom even though I had no clutch because I was able to make use of the rear brake. I would advise setting up a Custom profile on the bike that is like "ECO-Lite" with about 30% torque on the throttle. That will give you finer control on the throttle at the low end.
The Examiner was pleased with the way the bike handled and sounded too. You will need to be aware there is a minimum speed on the emergency braking test so practice this with your Instructor. On the Zero you will have to go into the turn at a moderate speed due to lack of rear traction control then add a lot more speed once you emerge from the turn. Practice it and ask the Instructor to monitor your speed on the Emergency Stop and Slalom/Stop exercise. That test centre tarmac is good sticky stuff so don't be afraid on giving it some welly!
Oh, and make sure your L Plate placement is fully compliant in terms of "no trimming" and proper forward and rear visbility. We have a local traffic cop who has the nickname "Cop-zilla" because he loves to pull over Learners and check L Plates. It can be an instant loss of provisional if he does you for both plates being trimmed or too sloped.
Daniel Coffey Thanks for letting me know, and all the advise! Most definitely looking forward to the electric riding experience!
Very detailed review, thanks John 👏 a lot of fine details mentioned, worth to know moving upwards from scooters to motorcycles 😊
Are you able to get TC Max for review?
Thanks for the kind words, buddy. 😊
I'm not sure on the TC Max. I don't really want to concentrate too much on bike reviews outside Zero, mainly because I know the Streetbike folk and Zero range best, and they take a lot of effort to do.
This one and the upcoming review of the 2020 Zero S 11kW were offered to me, so I wasn't going to turn down the opportunity.
But I want to do them with a script and voiceover, like this one, as it means I can concentrate on the riding and say more meaningful things about the bike. And then I can produce the subtitles, which helps non-English speakers. From what I could see from the auto-translated German subtitles, the translation was not bad at all.
But, like I say, it takes quite a bit of time to put them together like this.
That said, I can see that one of my nearest Super Soco dealers is also the MG dealer, so I might end up there with the ZS EV, and if they're servicing the car, it would be rude not to take out a TV Max, right? 😁👍
John Chivers sounds like a plan already 😁👌
This guy could sell anything
If this is rhe 11kw bike, what's the most powerful version? Thanks.
i'm 27 no liscence at all and looking to get this bike, what do I need to get it drive it on road? Just CBT and provisional ? or ? Thanks
Yes, as a class A1 motorcycle, you can ride it with L plates, so long as you have completed your CBT and have the provisional licence.
can you ride with 2 people
Yes, but not as a learner under UK law.
Great Video.
Not sure if it's a stupid question to ask, but in terms of power and acceleration what would you compare this bike to? I know it's a difficult one to answer since every bike is different, but it's so difficult to get an idea of this things performance since an electric motor is so different to an engine.
With the release of the new FXE I'm seriously considering getting one of these for short commutes since their eMPG is something ridiculous like 533 and they're dirt cheap to run, but I have no way of test riding them since I'd have to get one imported where I live.
You're right that I can't answer it, because the torque curve makes an electric motorcycle a different beast. Rest assured that it's way more powerful than it looks.
I get asked this about my Zero DSR and I can never answer it properly. I want to give an answer, but all I know is that if I pull back on the throttle, it'll give anyone I'm riding with on a petrol bike a shock. They've told me on countless occasions that "that thing goes like stink!" 😂
@@jtchivers Thanks for your reply! So would you say it's in any way comparable to my previous Street Triple 765RS? This bike produces more torque than that, but considerably less power. I'm curious as to whether it sort of balances out.
Torque tells how hard it will accelerate and hp tells the top speed. The zero fxe most likely has a higher torque than ur bike so it will out accelerate yours but ur bike will catch up at high speed. City commuting is where the fxe belongs
So how long/how many charges can one count on it working for? And what does a new battery cost?
Battery warranty is 5 years and it's estimated that battery pack is good for 200,000 miles. It's typically going to outlive the bike.
For reference, my Zero DSR has no discernible loss in capacity after 4 years.
I don't know the cost of a new battery. I wouldn't envisage having to replace the packs. I certainly haven't encountered anyone who's had one replaced, unless there were manufacturing defects.
can I buy Zero FXS 7.2 11KW Electric motorcycle in India if yes perfect but what if I have to buy it and ship it to my address is there any procedure please do let me know I love this bike for a very long time I was looking for this type of product and here I have found it today
I'm not affiliated with Zero. I'm just an owner. To investigate the possibility of having one shipped to India, I suggest you contact the company directly at www.zeromotorcycles.com/.
India would of course be a huge market for any bike manufacturer. I'm really surprised that Royal Enfield haven't yet considered producing an electric motorcycle there. 👍
Can I ride this bike even though I only have a provisional license and only ride a 125cc with L plates ?
Yes, you absolutely can. And it's way beyond what a conventional 125cc offers! All is explained in the video.
It would be a great learner bike if it wasn't triple the price of petrol 125s. It doesn't even come with premium features like TFT dash, heated grips, cruise control ect.
Three times the price? By all means pay £3,300 for a decent, brand new 125 if you can.
It all depends on how much you use it. All explained in the video.
If you're a fair-weather rider, it probably isn't suitable, because you won't recoup the cost in fuel and service savings if you do 1000 miles a year. If you use it to learn and then keep it and do the miles or sell it on (perhaps to another learner), you can easily justify the outlay.
People spend way more than this on petrol bikes without batting an eyelid and then have to pay for fuel and servicing costs on top.
Does this Bike have a Room to carry a perssenger?
Yes, you can see the rear footpegs when I walk around it. 👍
Was that kind of a motorcycle joke that your destination was a graveyard? :D
Just coincidental. A quiet village and nice place to record a bit.
I'm doing my utmost in terms of my biking to avoid the graveyard!
can you open it to the full power later on?
No, it's an electric motor, so it's rated at 11kW. You'd have to swap out the motor entirely.
Nice one!
Ithangyou!
Seems good shame that you can't actually get anywhere and if you manage to get somewhere can't get back the same day
It depends how far you want to go. But this isn't a bike designed for longer journeys. It's just not the right tool for the job, any more than a cruiser would be suitable for motocross.
GREAT VIDEO
I think the "S" denotes "Supermoto".
Ahh, ok. That figures too. 👍
Would be interested to know where the statistics came from? Apart from that they are subjective as I cannot imagine all the biking community took part in a survey which makes reciting these figures as fact incorrect because it doesn't incorporate everyone. I'm pretty sure those bikers that use a bike as their every day transport are probably too busy to partake in a survey and if half of the community have not been consulted the figures are not truthful! I'm also pretty sure they definitely do more than 3000 miles a year! When giving out these stats. you should accompany them with a caveat as too many people are too easily swayed because someone can give them a statistic!
That said very nice, real world review but still the price point on the electric bikes makes them out of reach to most people! I have the issue of working on an MOD establishment where parking is very specific, so no access to any power source which means i would still have the range anxiety on my 60 mile daily commute!
I made a point of stating the source of the average mileage figures at 10:48 - Department for Transport's 2019 National Travel Survey for England, released on 5 August 2020.
Fuel cost figures were of course subjective. My petrol bike will do around 150 miles for around £20 (I rounded down, so gave the petrol bike the benefit of that). So, my 13p per mile figures were based on that, as I explained at 18:06.
If you do a 60 mile commute a day, you're the exception, not the norm, based on the DfT figures. That said, I'd be interested to know what your fuel costs are per month. You don't need to disclose them here, of course. Just work them out and then investigate those costs compared to the costs of financing an electric motorcycle.
I have no axe to grind on this - just pointing out things some don't consider on matter of costs of ownership. The more you ride, the more electric makes sense.
If you can't cope with a 50 mile range bike and have no means to charge at work, the 2016 Zero DSR I have owned since 2016 will do 85 miles quite easily on mixed roads and I've managed 100 on a few occasions.
"The price point on the electric bikes makes them out of reach to most people!"
I saved up a deposit, then I paid £150 a month on a PCP package for my Zero DSR over three years, then paid off the balance to keep it. I have several biker friends who spent more on petrol motorbikes than I did on electric and then have to pay considerably more on fuel and servicing. I can quite easily flip this around and say that those costs are out of the reach of most people. Let's face it, for many bikers, their bike does comparatively few miles per year and costs them a lot of money.
I've done 18,000 miles on my Zero DSR in the last three years. That's around £2500 I saved in fuel costs alone, before we get to oil changes, valve clearances, etc.
Can I ride this without a license
You need at least a motorcycle learner licence in the UK.
"naked bike" It's a supermoto. A dirt bike with 17 inch tires...
Yes, it's a supemoto, as I mentioned in the video. It's "naked" as in unfaired, with no wind protection.
But people can see what it is anyway.
American bikes & cars are better. Nothing from UK is wanted here in usa. Learner license lol. Everything in England is neutered.
It's an American bike, Kyle. And you have provisional licences in the U.S. too.
@@jtchivers I'm aware it's an American product. We do not have restricted motorcycle licenses in the USA.