Zero Testride Day 2: Three Bikes in the 190-km Rain Test

Day 2 of the Zero reader testride: 190 kilometres through the rain to Hohenwarte reservoir, all three bikes compared and all ten initial questions answered. Part 3 of the series.

After the sunny introductory ride the previous day, the actual test day greeted us with dark rain clouds. But the weather conditions offered the perfect opportunity to test the Zero bikes in all riding modes: ECO, RAIN, STREET, SPORT and FULL R+P.

The route

The reader testride covered around 190 kilometres through the Thüringer Wald. We set off at ten o'clock in the morning from Hotel Rennsteig in Masserberg. Along the way, we stopped for photo breaks, and when the rain began, I slipped into my orange rain suit.

We headed along winding country roads to Hohenwarte reservoir. We spent the lunch break here and charged the batteries. Luckily, the rain stopped — the return journey became sporty. Including lunch and photo breaks, the tour lasted around seven hours. GPS data as ZIP.

Anecdotes along the way

One scene has particularly stayed with me: our group of around twelve motorcycles rode through a small village. An elderly gentleman looked at us in astonishment, grabbed his ear and shook it. He was probably wearing a hearing aid and thought it was defective — because apart from a quiet hum, the motorcycles could barely be heard.

Passer-by: “Why do you have yellow-and-black number plates?” Participant: “Because we failed the licence test.”

Shortly afterwards, we passed a brass band playing a tune for an elderly woman. With twelve normal bikes, we would have drowned out the scene — with the Zeros, we hummed past and received admiring looks.

The three bikes compared

Zero SR/F

The Zero SR/F is a typical naked bike: agile, nimble, insanely fun on winding country roads, plus the unfiltered wind in your face. Thanks to its easy handling, the SR/F was particularly popular with the female participants. I just could not get on with the mint green — fortunately, the streetfighter is also available in black.

Zero SR/S

According to the spec sheet, the faired SR/S and the naked SR/F hardly differ. In practice, the SR/S feels a little stiffer and requires more effort when turning in. Despite its fantastic acceleration, I see the SR/S more as a sporty tourer than a superbike — fittingly, there is a three-piece luggage set from SHAD and a large screen.

Zero FXE

The recently unveiled Zero FXE was the secret star of the testride. The small supermoto put a smile on every participant's face. Light as a bicycle, playful handling, rocket-like drive: 44 PS, 106 Nm of torque, 135 kilograms in weight. I wish I had to commute to work every day…

Battery, range and riding modes — the practical check

Here is my consumption log for the 190-km tour, stage by stage:

Tour start — 10:00

• State of charge: 100 %
• Estimated range: 129 km
• Note: The Zero only shows realistic values while riding. The 129 km quickly increased.

First break — after 72 km in RAIN mode

• State of charge: 71 %
• Estimated range: 160 km
• RAIN mode takes some of the Zero's brutal power (190 Nm) away and saves energy.

Lunch break at the reservoir — after 102 km in STREET mode

• State of charge: 49 %
• Estimated range: 88 km
• STREET sits between ECO and SPORT — plenty of power, plus recuperation when rolling off the throttle.

After recharging — around one hour later

• State of charge: 94 %
• Estimated range: 169 km

Bike swap — after 138 km in FULL R+P

• State of charge: 77 %
• Estimated range: 167 km
• FULL R+P means full power and full recuperation. Ideal for the mountains — as soon as you roll off the “throttle”, the bike brakes. Configurable only via the mobile app.

All answers to my initial questions

I had formulated ten questions before the testride. Here are the answers:

1. How big does the difference between petrol and electric feel? Visually small, huge in handling. Electric motorcycles are particularly easy to ride and allow you to notice more of your surroundings.

2. Will I be noticed in traffic? Difficult to judge in a group on lightly used country roads. In city traffic, you will probably be more likely to be unheard and overlooked.

3. How do passers-by react? Positively surprised, usually with a smile.

4. Can I judge the speed without changing gears and engine noise? Definitely yes — through wind noise and tyre noise.

5. Are multi-day tours possible? Yes, but plan well. Apps help with route planning via charging stations.

6. Handling despite heavy batteries? Good. The SR/F with a dry weight of 220 kg rides like a streetfighter with an internal combustion engine.

7. Suitable for everyday commuting? Very. Low maintenance (no oil, belt drive), charging costs little, range is sufficient for daily commutes of up to 100 km.

8. How does charging work? Dependent on the charging station and optional fast-charging function. During the testride, recharging to 94 % took around one hour.

9. Are there route-planning apps? Yes: Chargemap, EnBW mobility+, chargEV, Ladefuchs, Cleve-Laden.

10. Would I swap my Ducati Hypermotard for a Zero? My diva is already a little older — I would have to put too much money towards it. 😉

Conclusion

Without a doubt: the future belongs to the electric motorcycle. Zero is already proving today that electric bikes are superior to combustion bikes in many areas when it comes to performance, acceleration and handling. My favourite: the Zero SR/F (from 20.790 €). It looks like a streetfighter, rides agilely and sportily, and with a real range of around 200 kilometres, tours of up to 400 kilometres per day can also be planned. Anyone looking for a more affordable entry into electric mobility should take a look at the Zero FXE supermoto (from 13.650 €).

This concludes the series. If you missed it: Part 1 — Anticipation and 10 questions and Part 2 — Introductory ride in the Thüringer Wald.