2023 Zero SR/S First Ride: Electric Commuter Motorcycle Packs Just Enough Fun – SlashGear

After a couple of short trips in town, I pulled on full leathers for a jaunt up in the canyons of Malibu. Cruising up the PCH at highway speeds, I kept an eye on my remaining range and distance traveled, just in case hauling up the hills drew down too much power. Range anxiety on my first long ride should be expected, I figure.

Equally as important, the SR/S felt nimble enough to lane-split at stop lights and eminently powerful enough to pull ahead of traffic when those lights turned green. Heading up to Topanga on Las Flores, though, I switched the drive mode to Canyon for the first time—which unleashes the e-motor’s full torque figure and extends the top speed to 127 mph. All of a sudden, the bike transformed into a new beast, even given the relatively heavy battery pack that contributes to a total weight of 518 pounds.

Because the mostly hidden frame cradles the battery and motor so low, even such a heavy bike still delivers much of the thrill of lighter ride. Showa suspension with 43-millimeter forks and a 40-mm rear piggyback coilover shock damp all but the worst road imperfections. Bigger bumps or wavier sections do overwhelm the setup, though, creating something of a rafting effect on two wheels. A set of J.Juan brakes similarly perform just alright, though in Canyon mode, Zero sets the regen at around 85% to help with predictability while approaching corners. Personally, I tend to like regen in electric cars, so I debated creating a personal drive mode with full power, full traction control, and full regen—but more on that later.