Are electric motorcycles ready to be the future? We ride over to Barrow, near Bury St Edmunds, for a days outing on the Zero SR (and Zero DSR) to have a chance to play around on the latest from the all-electric Californian marque Zero Motorcycles. We even had a stop midway through the day at Gridserve in Braintree for some recharging and a bite to eat.

The Zero SR is an exciting bike – again, like the DSR, it’s A2 licence-compliant and decked out with top-spec componentry. Priced at an expensive £16,200, the SR may be expensive but it’s a very well specced electric bike… but is it worth considering?

You’ll no doubt know all about electric, but at this price-point does the Zero SR offer enough incentive to provide more than just an ‘eco-friendly’ alternative for a rider with an A2 licence (or full Cat A licence) who is after a top spec naked electric machine with the positives of electric riding?

Priced at £16,200, the 2024 Zero SR is available in the ‘black effect/ruby’ colour scheme only (as ridden). This does place the SR in the premium category of motorcycles, and for the same money you could theoretically purchase any motorcycle you’d like (new and used, naturally). Only you can really decide if an electric motorcycle is worth it.

There is also the A1 / CBT friendly S model, or the SR/F and SR/S which uses the same framework as this SR – but with motor putting out increased power – should you be riding with the SR and fancy unlocking that potential, Zero is currently running an offer to ‘maximise your ride’ and include a 6 kW rapid charger and performance upgrades for £350, valued by Zero at £4,000 (note that you’ll need an A licence if you’re eyeing up this offer).

A UK wall outlet adapter is not included in this price, and to acquire one you’ll be looking at an additional £455. On optional extras, the storage space can be fitted with either a power tank for more range (at £3,055), or a 6 kW rapid charger (at £2,585). You do get a standard 5-year warranty though.

Electric power offers a unique experience on the road, with the patented Z-Force 75-10 motor now being available for new riders for the first time. With a huge 140 Nm of peak torque, and rated at 70 bhp peak and 38 bhp continuous.

Due to the way that electric motorcycles are rated, favouring continuous power for the power rating, A2 riders can get on one of these to sample power that on the road is bordering the experience of a full Category A licence – and that’s before you potentially opt in for the full software unlock for power of the SR/F (they share the same battery and motor). There are plenty of lower-powered options for electric transport out there.

On the road, that power is delivered smoothly yet instantly, in true electric fashion. Power delivered to the rear wheel with a belt drive. Depending on your selected power mode (standard, eco, sports, canyon) the engine will have varying delivery and regeneration settings, or you can dive deeper into the app to set your own custom modes.

For those who are yet to experience electric motorcycles, the lack of a clutch can be a completely alien feeling – though once up and running it really allows you to focus on the ride at hand, not worrying about gears at all, and therefore able to focus more on your cornering and twisting that throttle on corner exit.

On the road, it’s simply a sporty and engaging naked bike, which is top fun. Torque is a man’s best friend, and in my mind exactly where the most fun is found on two wheels.

That being said, with a top speed noted online of 93 mph and the caveats of electric power, you may find yourself holding back where you can – forgoing the fun from the electric whine of a low-speed pull in favour of preserving your battery percentage (and ultimately less time stationary at a charging point).

You’ll be forgiven for holding the battery and recharging element to the Zero SR as the primary concern to talk about. The Z-Force 15.6 battery pack, a lithium-ion battery that recharges on the base 3.3 kW charger in a quoted 4.4 hours to 100%, 3.9 hours to 95%, and then good for a quoted 162 miles of lower speed ‘city’ riding, or 102 miles of higher speed riding. We were jumping between bikes and doing lots of back-and-forth at speed for photos and videos, so I can’t quote the exact mileage from the day.

That range will heavily depend on your usage, and your general speed of riding (with a few other variables, like the ambient temperature and how much weight is on board). Naturally, these apply to combustion engines as well, though a 2-minute stop for a full tank of fuel will always be better than an optimistic 3.9 hours on the standard charger.

Should you opt for the 6 kW rapid charger, this does drop to 1.9 hours to 100% and 1.4 hours to 95% - though that’s still a considerable chunk of time if you’re out on a tour, and any petrol companions are already well away to the next stop.

Therein lies a large ‘issue’ with electric machines, the benefits of cheap ‘refuelling’ do come with the caveat of charge times, and if it’s a spirited ride you’ll be forced to stop before you tick over 100 miles per plug-in, followed by a lengthy wait for charge (with the added risk of no chargers available at your chosen spot). This wouldn’t apply for short rides or commutes, where this bike may find a market.

It’s realistically the standard for electric motorcycles until there are significant developments in battery technology (with affordability in mind), and you’ll just have to plan your routes ahead of time if you’re doing anything over 50 miles – just to be on the safe side. During our stop at Gridserve, Zero reps noted that they would recommend charging up enough to get to your next selected stop, as opposed to 100% every time.

For those looking at the rapid 6 kW charger, note that it does eat into the little storage space where the fuel tank of an combustion engine bike would be – you’d be left with enough space for a wallet. Much the same for the bonus battery in that same space.

As a taller rider it was relatively comfortable throughout the day, though I did get a bit of leg cramp (I have long legs at 6’3”). Riding position is a touch on the side of sporty in the 787 mm saddle, but nothing too much for comfortable riding, and when the route of the day heads along twisty B-roads and faster stretches, the Zero SR does everything to inspire confidence in your riding.

At speed, the Showa 43mm forks with adjustable preload compression and rebound damping are joined by a 40mm piggy-back reservoir shock (also adjustable for preload, compression and rebound damping). On the road the suspension was great, only getting out of sorts when the weighty 223 kg curb weighted machine was faced with particularly harsh country roads – though I didn’t tweak the suspension. 17-inch wheels are given sticky Pirelli Diablo Rosso III hoops, and you have twin J Juan discs up front with a single rear, plus Bosch based MSC and ABS.

Given the battery and motor is all held down low, on the road this contributes to a brilliant road feel – and furthered by the smooth and consistent power from the motor. Subtle inputs from you as the rider results in consistent and expected outcomes, and should you be moving the bike at low speed the parking mode comes in nicely.

Brakes are from J Juan, and overall performed very well on the ride day. The rear brake was a tad stiff, but a good stamp should get it working – Zero told me this was something to do with the ABS and traction control?

You have a few rider modes to play about with, all of which refine the feel of the Zero SR – namely battery regen and engine braking influenced by these modes, and you can get your Zero app on your phone to customise and set your own user mode (adjusting engine braking from 0 to 100%, for example).

The technology found on the Zero SR includes cruise control, ABS and traction control, parking mode, and those 5 rider modes. All very useful stuff – though you’d expect it all at this price point.

It’s the same 5” TFT system and switchgear here as found on other Zero models of this age, which is clear, visible and relatively intuitive to navigate. The mode button does lack in a bit of quality, but it all did the job on the day.

That TFT display also connects to your smartphone for ride mode customisation, personalised dash options, and further info like bike status and alerts, charging info, ride data sharing, and over the air system updates. You'll also find that the storage space is enough for your valuables, and lockable, though that space is also used for the accessory options of bonus battery storage or the rapid charger.

Pros

• Engaging ride
• Super commuter
• Ability to upgrade specification (for money).

Cons

• Standard electric considerations – charge and range
• Price
• Capped top speed (though above the legal limit, so is that a negative)

It’s the indomitable question, is an electric bike worth buying? The Zero SR makes a good case for itself in isolation as a commuter, with the added potential for a serious B-road machine. Though, that’s on the basis that you are in a position to be ‘won over’ by an electric bike in the first place.

Chances are if you’re reading this, you’re at least a bit interested in electric motorcycles and not instantly dismissive of their value in their particular use cases, despite the obvious downsides of purchase price, charging and range. Also worth considering is the resale value of an electric machine, once the 5-year warranty is up and you’ve clocked a decent mileage, will you be able to recoup some of that initial £16,200 (or more) outlay?

But, as with all reviews, you have to take the bike as it is – it’s a seriously fun machine to ride, it’s well-specced, and at the very least you know you’ll be able to commute to and from work for pennies! Saying that, there have even been a few plucky adventurers who have travelled far and wide on an electric motorcycle, like on the recent Maudes Trophy success on Zero motorcycles – so it can be done!

Cheers to Zero Motorcycles for having us on the launch, head to the UK website for more info and specs.