Zero "Motorcycles"

Short 43
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Location
Germantown, TN, USA
Edited Date/Time 1/27/2012 4:08am
This is the funniest shit ever! I would like these a lot better if they were called electrical bicycles rather than "dirtbikes." ............ They cost $7200 and you only get one moto out of the battery before it dies. What do you all think about 'em?
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Goon
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USA
10/30/2009 6:34pm
I am hoping to pick up factory support with these bikes for my SX team coming out in 2014 Sit-To-Pee-Racing.
jmar
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Oklahoma City, OK, USA
10/30/2009 7:04pm
Short 43 wrote:
This is the funniest shit ever! I would like these a lot better if they were called electrical bicycles rather than "dirtbikes." ............ They cost $7200...
This is the funniest shit ever! I would like these a lot better if they were called electrical bicycles rather than "dirtbikes." ............ They cost $7200 and you only get one moto out of the battery before it dies. What do you all think about 'em?
I think it's great. They will get better as time goes on and eventually they will end up being better than the gasoline powered bikes today.

Why the all the hate for something that's different?
Pdub
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Wheaton, MD, USA
10/30/2009 7:08pm
It's the future staring you in the face, bud.
TerryB
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Cambridge, MN, USA
10/30/2009 7:19pm
My goal for the next year is a new KTM 2-stroke, then I will begin saving for a "Zero" or something comparable.

I hope to skip the 4-stroke phase entirely.

The Shop

jmar
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10/30/2009 7:27pm
TerryB wrote:
My goal for the next year is a new KTM 2-stroke, then I will begin saving for a "Zero" or something comparable. I hope to skip...
My goal for the next year is a new KTM 2-stroke, then I will begin saving for a "Zero" or something comparable.

I hope to skip the 4-stroke phase entirely.
The KTMs are great bikes and I think that's a good choice.

As far as skipping the thumper phase? It's to each his own but if you were a pro level rider you would be silly to ride anything but a thumper.
Wandell
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Cairo, GA, USA
10/30/2009 7:28pm
Two things. They still look weird and they cost too much. If they could make it look more like a dirt bike and sell it for less than $2000 they would not be able to build 'em fast enough!
jmar
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Oklahoma City, OK, USA
10/30/2009 7:33pm
Wandell wrote:
Two things. They still look weird and they cost too much. If they could make it look more like a dirt bike and sell it for...
Two things. They still look weird and they cost too much. If they could make it look more like a dirt bike and sell it for less than $2000 they would not be able to build 'em fast enough!
It's new technolgy and it's going to take some time before the cost comes down.

Why do you care what the bike looks like?
If the power is good and it handles well what difference does it make?
Pdub
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10/30/2009 7:40pm
Wandell wrote:
Two things. They still look weird and they cost too much. If they could make it look more like a dirt bike and sell it for...
Two things. They still look weird and they cost too much. If they could make it look more like a dirt bike and sell it for less than $2000 they would not be able to build 'em fast enough!
jmar wrote:
It's new technolgy and it's going to take some time before the cost comes down. Why do you care what the bike looks like? If the...
It's new technolgy and it's going to take some time before the cost comes down.

Why do you care what the bike looks like?
If the power is good and it handles well what difference does it make?
Ask the makers of the Segway about that "looks" thing... lol!
Wandell
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10/30/2009 7:53pm
I don't really care what it looks like, but my son was sitting next too me watching the video and the first thing he said was "that thing looks weird" followed shortly by "I'd be embarrased to ride that". Now he's only 8, but a lot of people have the mentality of the average 8 year old.
Pdub
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10/30/2009 8:01pm Edited Date/Time 4/17/2016 6:42pm
Wandell wrote:
I don't really care what it looks like, but my son was sitting next too me watching the video and the first thing he said was...
I don't really care what it looks like, but my son was sitting next too me watching the video and the first thing he said was "that thing looks weird" followed shortly by "I'd be embarrased to ride that". Now he's only 8, but a lot of people have the mentality of the average 8 year old.
Lol, your son sounds pretty cool for saying that!


Yeah, I was disappointed to hear that the Zero is not a "full-course" race bike, but the backyard market is much bigger. I also think the price definitely needs to drop somehow, without killing the quality.


About that video, Ping's engine noises were hilarious!
Brtp4
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Location
Bend, OR, USA
10/30/2009 8:10pm
1. Innovators
2. Early adopters
3. Early majority
4. Late Majority
5. Stragglers

BP
jmar
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Oklahoma City, OK, USA
10/30/2009 8:22pm
Wandell wrote:
I don't really care what it looks like, but my son was sitting next too me watching the video and the first thing he said was...
I don't really care what it looks like, but my son was sitting next too me watching the video and the first thing he said was "that thing looks weird" followed shortly by "I'd be embarrased to ride that". Now he's only 8, but a lot of people have the mentality of the average 8 year old.
Pdub wrote:
Lol, your son sounds pretty cool for saying that! Yeah, I was disappointed to hear that the Zero is not a "full-course" race bike, but the...
Lol, your son sounds pretty cool for saying that!


Yeah, I was disappointed to hear that the Zero is not a "full-course" race bike, but the backyard market is much bigger. I also think the price definitely needs to drop somehow, without killing the quality.


About that video, Ping's engine noises were hilarious!
If its like everything else the quality will be better and the price should go down.
twizzler
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USA
10/30/2009 9:08pm
The future for sure. I'm just pumped that Elsinore looks prepped! When was the last time that happened?
wardy
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USA
10/30/2009 9:24pm
if this is referring to the racer x / ping test video...........


what i thought was interesting..............when they made "dirt bike noises"


they sounded like two strokes to me!


Smile
GuyB
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Aliso Viejo, CA, USA
10/30/2009 10:25pm
I rode one of the new ones today. It's head and shoulders better than the first one that I rode.
Goon
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USA
10/30/2009 10:52pm
The biggest jump that Ping could do on those bikes was like maybe 15 or 20 feet and the suspension looked like a Walmart mountain bike.
MPM64
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Rochester, MI, USA
10/30/2009 11:14pm Edited Date/Time 4/17/2016 6:42pm
GuyB wrote:
I rode one of the new ones today. It's head and shoulders better than the first one that I rode.
Hey Guy B, I have been wondering what the power delivery is like and how it jumps. Can you chop the throttle like a 2 stroke or is it more roll on 4 stroke style? Do I dare ask if it has "seatbounce" capability? LOL

I thought I read somewhere that it has no rear foot brake pedal and only hand brake levers? Must be a little weird to have no clutch, transmission, and both brakes up on the bars.
ando
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Perth, AU
10/31/2009 12:09am
Short 43 wrote:
This is the funniest shit ever! I would like these a lot better if they were called electrical bicycles rather than "dirtbikes." ............ They cost $7200...
This is the funniest shit ever! I would like these a lot better if they were called electrical bicycles rather than "dirtbikes." ............ They cost $7200 and you only get one moto out of the battery before it dies. What do you all think about 'em?
You only get one moto from a tank of gas. What's your point?
GuyB
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10/31/2009 12:29am
MPM64 wrote:
Hey Guy B, I have been wondering what the power delivery is like and how it jumps. Can you chop the throttle like a 2 stroke...
Hey Guy B, I have been wondering what the power delivery is like and how it jumps. Can you chop the throttle like a 2 stroke or is it more roll on 4 stroke style? Do I dare ask if it has "seatbounce" capability? LOL

I thought I read somewhere that it has no rear foot brake pedal and only hand brake levers? Must be a little weird to have no clutch, transmission, and both brakes up on the bars.
The powerband's really electric. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

It comes on hard enough that you have to pay attention, but not so hard that you have to worry about it looping out or anything like that. Once you get up to maximum velocity, it just flattens out. They jump okay, but the suspension's pretty soft if you weigh more than maybe 150-160 lbs.

Yep, I did the stab and miss on the non-existent brake pedal. Well, once anyways. Smile

The brakes are set up with the rear on the clutch side, and the front in its usual position. It took some thinking to not do something dumb. (That's the reverse setup of all my bicycles.)

When I rode the previous version, if there was an imaginary scale where there was a mountain bike on one end, and a motorcycle on the other, I'd have categorized it a lot closer to the mountain bike. On this one, it'd be a little past mid-point between the two. It's hard for me to categorize it as a motorcycle, even though they've definitely made it more motorcycle-like with heavier tires, wheels, and geometry changes.

In its current form, the MX model is about 15 pounds heavier than the X model.
10/31/2009 12:29am
The sad thing is, in the future, all us petrol guys will be thought of like we think of steam engine fanatics today...outdated and novelty / oldschool.
Pro circuit will be an electrical engineering company, and williams motoworks will probably sell after market battery terminals (with dimples on them)...
ando
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10/31/2009 12:33am
And if we thought the 2 stroke/4 stroke debate was a doozy I can't wait to see how all the interested parties will deal with allowing electric dirtbikes into competition...
the_wood109
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Edgewater, FL, USA
10/31/2009 3:19am
I just don't see electric being the way of the future, and I probably never will until I'm well into the straggler category. In fact, I'd fight it kicking and screaming if it would make a difference.
J.F.S
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Stockholm, SE
10/31/2009 3:26am
I love that concept, especially now when its rather new and people cant figure out if it is a motorcycle or bicycle, I feel I could ride that silent thing anywhere without complaints. Would be awesome!
GIwasB4
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Beverly Hills, CA, USA
10/31/2009 3:58am
I just don't see electric being the way of the future, and I probably never will until I'm well into the straggler category. In fact, I'd...
I just don't see electric being the way of the future, and I probably never will until I'm well into the straggler category. In fact, I'd fight it kicking and screaming if it would make a difference.
People said the same thing in 98' when the YZ400F came out. Wink
TerryB
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Cambridge, MN, USA
10/31/2009 6:16am
TerryB wrote:
My goal for the next year is a new KTM 2-stroke, then I will begin saving for a "Zero" or something comparable. I hope to skip...
My goal for the next year is a new KTM 2-stroke, then I will begin saving for a "Zero" or something comparable.

I hope to skip the 4-stroke phase entirely.
jmar wrote:
The KTMs are great bikes and I think that's a good choice. As far as skipping the thumper phase? It's to each his own but if...
The KTMs are great bikes and I think that's a good choice.

As far as skipping the thumper phase? It's to each his own but if you were a pro level rider you would be silly to ride anything but a thumper.
I'm no pro level rider, I'll be 45 years old this Summer, and have ridden 2-strokes since '77. I have no intentions of switching to a 4-stroke with the electric movement this close to being a "viable" choice.

The Zero would be an awesome machine for my back yard. I could tear it up every time I've got a fresh charge, and my neighbors won't know the difference.

A trio of them would be awesome for bonfire nights.
OldGuy
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Location
Red Neck, MO, USA
10/31/2009 6:36am
I if I had one of those, I would be out building a back yard track.
Be great just to keep you in shape.
Buy a couple decks of cards and cloth pins and you are ready to go.
wardy
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USA
10/31/2009 6:41am
talk about a great "pit" bike?

we need to make a "class" for those and woods race them, wonder how they do in 3 ft deep creek crossings???? maybe ya get a little "shock" or something to make you go faster?

~!
DC
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Morgantown, WV, USA
10/31/2009 7:10am
I mentioned this before but what they need to do is get with Kicker, put some speakers on the bike, and load it up with an iPod Mini so riders can choose their own sounds (like MC's '95 CR250, or Paul Malin's YZ125 from '94) and blast around....

Riders could even choose their own danger music. Coming up on a nother rider? "Dun-dun-dahhhhh!!!!"

DC
MX Sports
TerryB
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Cambridge, MN, USA
10/31/2009 7:17am
Ear buds in your helmet, could help dial on the power delivery.
Shenzi
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SWFL, FL, USA
Fantasy
10/31/2009 7:18am
DC wrote:
I mentioned this before but what they need to do is get with Kicker, put some speakers on the bike, and load it up with an...
I mentioned this before but what they need to do is get with Kicker, put some speakers on the bike, and load it up with an iPod Mini so riders can choose their own sounds (like MC's '95 CR250, or Paul Malin's YZ125 from '94) and blast around....

Riders could even choose their own danger music. Coming up on a nother rider? "Dun-dun-dahhhhh!!!!"

DC
MX Sports
LOL!

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