Responding to numerous rider requests, Zero Motorcycles has launched a torquey electric adventure bike called the DSR/X that's designed for cruising the highway, navigating twisty mountain roads or motoring along dusty desert tracks.
"Our owners and advocates have been asking for a full-sized ADV bike from Zero for years," said the company's CTO, Abe Azkenazi. "We invested over 100,000 engineering hours into designing a motorcycle that lives up to both our customers’ expectations and Zero’s mission to redefine the riding experience."
The new e-moto is built around a new Z-Force 75-10X direct-drive motor that's reported capable of delivering a very healthy 166 lb.ft (225 Nm) of torque and a top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h) over five ride modes. The bike also comes with a low-maintenance Gates Carbon Belt Drive and no clutch or gear changes to factor in for the prospect of a smooth and easy ride.
Riders can look forward to up to 180 miles (290 km) of city riding, 85 miles (137 km) of highway range or 115 miles combined from the 17.3-kWh Li-ion power pack onboard, but there is an option to sacrifice some storage space to add a Power Tank, which takes the battery capacity up to almost 21 kWh. Level 1 and Level 2 charging are supported, plus 6.6-kW fast-charging for up to 95% capacity in about an hour.
Zero says that the DSR/X is the first electric motorcycle to ride with the full suite of Offroad Motorcycle Stability Control technologies from Bosch, which includes linked braking to help prevent loss of traction and hold braking that engages when the bike comes to a complete stop on a slope.
A brand new chassis has been optimized for "maximum strength, minimal weight, and maximum capability." The bike has a curb weight of 544 lb (247 kg) and offers 556 lb (252 kg) carrying capacity, and there are three storage nooks dotted around, including one in the "fuel tank" and another under the seat.
Almost 8 inches (190 mm) of hand-adjustable Showa suspension are available front and back, seat height is 32.6 in (828 mm), and the bike rolls on Pirelli Scorpion Trail II tires wrapped around a 19-inch wheel to the front and a 17-incher out back.
Riders can adjust "a nearly limitless amount of ride characteristics from speed to torque as well as battery performance and regen functions" by tapping into a companion mobile app running on a linked smartphone. And Zero has partnered with Backcountry Discovery Routes for coast-to-coast adventure mapping as well as pinpointing available public EV charge points along the way.
The 2023 DSR/X electric adventure bike is available now in green or white for US$24,495. The video below has more.
Product page: DSR/X
