2013 Brammo Empulse R vs Zero S ZF11.4

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With 100-mph top speeds and purported ranges beyond 100 miles, the 2013 Zero S and Brammo Empulse are the most advanced electric motorcycles in mass production. Let's see which bike comes out on top.
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[@MatthewShermanHappy420]

It's about time all electric bikes come with Transmissions, for multiple reasons! It just makes sense. Awesome to see some nice performance upgrades over other models! Think I'm going to get one

[@remyedstrom5539]

Please do another comparison for the 2014 models! This one has been the best comparison I've been able to find between these two bikes. I really like the way the Brammo seems so sporty, but I like the practicality of the Zero and am a bit disappointed Brammo did not improve much on range or cost like Zero did.

[@leukota]

My best friend just got the Zero, it hauls ass, and beats any bike on the road today between stoplights because there is no shifting. I have never been able to talk to anyone while at a stoplight or without turning the bike off until I rode that bike. It is magnificent. He did buy it to get to and from work, he's spending $5/month to commute a total of 34 minutes everyday. He also has the dual sport, because he loves to go off road on two-strokes a lot, needless to say he's happier than a clam.

[@JoeGo101]

When are yall going to do a comparison between the Zero SR and the Brammo Empulse R

[@MatLagos]

acceleration with these bikes must be amazing. total response

[@KingWillie76]

Just rode a 2014 Zero S! That bike was fun!!!!!!

[@CharlieMacMillan]

the range is much higher than that in normal conditions, but since they were really pushing them, going at least 70 MPH and drag racing at some points, the range was far lower. The range of the Zero is more like 110 miles at normal speeds and riding conditions.

[@JohnInSale]

About time you try out their latest 2015 range of Electric Bikes, as the technology is getting better all the time !!! Perhaps make it a Triple Header and try the Mission Bike too ?? !!

[@benswing]

Great review! It seems their California Bias was showing regarding the 220V vs 110V charging systems. Everywhere else in the USA there are very few 220V charging stations available, whereas most people won't use either of these bikes beyond their single-charge range in a day. You have to carry the 220V charging cord in your backpack with you for the Brammo as well. Both are great bikes, but I prefer Zero's philosophy and product though Brammo gets the edge in styling.

[@jmdavis984]

I love the fact that they both have the same china-sourced cheap headlight on them.

[@AdamSVT]

very cool.. I wonder how long until manufacturers get real longevity out of them? Id love to know how the instant torque of the motor feels..

[@GeoTexans]

Consider this, the zero has extra options to add-on a j1772 or a chadmeo outlet. The brammo comes with the j1772 and an add-on for the chadmeo. Consider this, research and studies show regular use of the chadmeo quick charge is detrimental to the battery (overheating and capacity loss) over a long time. For a car on lease, use chadmeo. For your bike?... Maybe. Also, I own a Leaf (lease) and I'm a car salesman for a Nissan dealership.

[@CaptHollister]

According to their website, the Zero can be equipped with an optional CHAdeMO plug, enabling it to use standard EV charging stations. For me the absence of this plug is a show-stopper, but with it the Zero has just made my shortlist, though I would opt for the DS version. It would be interesting to do a cost of ownership comparison between a Brammo R and a GSXR-600 and between a Zero DS and a KLR650. Given how expensive these EVs are, is there ever a break-even point ?

[@leukota]

We got it from 0-60 in 2.3 seconds on a flat strip. The trick is to snap the throttle as fast as humanly possible, because there is no latency from the throttle to the wheel like gas street bikes. He also cut weight to achieve that time, he weighed just under 150 lbs. You may have a home built bike, but Zero is an entire company dedicated to building electric bikes. It does shit on other bikes between lights, it just rarely goes over 95 mph :/

[@wickedleeloopy2115]

50-65miles 👁👁 WOW .I was not expecting that..I was expecting so , so , SO much more. 😯 It makes public transport look exciting. 🙊

[@renynzea]

I like how they pitted the empulse against the S instead of the SR.

[@peacekeepermoe]

I wonder how they would perform against the Mission RS. Now that's a beast!

[@CaptHollister]

Considering where Brammo placed the charging port, should an owner be concerned about charging it in the rain ? it looks like water can accumulate in the plug receptacle whenever it's in use...

[@atomix2201]

Empulse R: 105 MPH Top Speed 54 HP 66 ft-lbs torque 470 lbs 115,000 miles battery life (1500 charges, 77 miles per charge) 10.2 kWh battery City range: 121 miles; Highway range: 56 miles Zero S: 95 MPH Top Speed 54 HP 68 ft-lbs torque 387 lbs 309,000 miles battery life 11.4 kWh battery City range: 137 miles; Highway range: 85 miles Straight from manufacturers' websites.

[@AMPATL]

Good road test. Just let down by the relentless hip-hop track. As for the bikes, a 60 mile range won't even get me to the city and back, let alone up to the mountains.

[@halllwd94]

You can get the "standard" adapter for charging stations if you want on the 2014 Zero. Although I wont, Most of the country doesn't have standard charging stations.

[@kgb1588]

Exactly!.. & they were talking about it like it's a bad thing (when you can just plug it into a wall socket)

[@MrAnders1976]

I looked at the specs for the zero S bike... 54 bhp might not sound like a lot but the bike weighs just 387 lbs and have , get ready for it .. 68 ft-lb torque. That is more than a suzuki GSX-R750. They need to have a model with a good wind-protective fairing. As soon as you go above 60 mph the resistance and drag of the wind gets substantial..

[@nyalldavis]

want one soo much, but expensive and not in uk (bike or charge stations)

[@BucketWheat]

Matthew...the POINT was to test RANGE! And that means running them OUT OF JUICE! Keep in mind, that it will be a LONG TIME yet before you can find a 'charging station' on every corner...

[@TecnamTwin]

Check out the new 2014 models from Zero. They have ranges up to 170 miles and a 0-60 as quick as 3.3 sec. Unlike the Brammo, you don't have to worry about a transmission which is the only thing I don't like about the Brammo.

[@TecnamTwin]

***** It's a typical sport bike, not a comfy cruiser. When's the last time you rode a sport bike for more than 2 hours straight? Yeah, like never. It's a urban fighter like the rest of them. As such, it will dominate because of the instant torque uninterrupted by shifts.

[@ultrasardine]

Zero S for your daily life and Aprilia RSV4 RF for your fun life. How great would that be?

[@ron1martens]

Well done Daniel for owning a leaf. Electrics in Western Australia are appalling. No Government initiatives. We had an electric show earlier this year near the perth airport . I test road electric cars holden volt nissan leaf 2 electric scooters. We only have elec scooters for sale the lower spec silicon lead acid battery ones. You cant get a zero in Aus there is one office but no distributer as yet. Native and catavolt make electric motorbikes.Electric bikes are a thrill to ride.

[@triumph157]

well by the look of them both they both look good,nice vidio.

[@TheCanadianCyclist]

Things that go vroom....no wait!...

[@75opocot]

sounds like an RC toy.. but I would love to own one considering the increasing gas price! they should make this available worldwide

[@Jodyrides]

I rode the BRAMMO belonging to a friend. This is his second one. The first one, the battery went bad because he took the advice of a blogger online. The blogger said turn the key on and leave it on overnight, that will discharge the battery. That way, when you recharge the battery, you will be able to go farther on the next battery charge. Not only did that not work, but it ruined The $42,000 batteries. That is not a misprint. There are seven batteries. Each battery cost $6000.. My friend ended up selling that BRAMMO for parts..He tried to resurrect the battery. He spoke to the factory techs and walked him through a checklist. They came up with a conclusion, the batteries are toast. so I got to ride one. I was riding my Honda GL 1800 that day that I stopped by my friends place. We went out together. Of course we drag raced. Guess what. My gold wing was faster/and quicker. I was stunned. I had heard that these electric bikes are faster than lightning. That is not true.. my friends electric motorcycle is the empulse/sport bike by BRAMMO..And the Bremo is faster than the zero.. it handled very well, the suspension worked well, the brakes were up to the job, it felt like riding a 250 motocross bike on the street with street tires, very nimble. I liked very much six speed transmission and clutch. Which was weird because, when I stopped at stop signs, I didn’t have to pull the clutch in.. I could dig one of these machines if it had the range of at least 250 miles. That’s probably all my ass could handle on this type of seat in one day. A reminder to anyone considering buying an electric motorcycle. Call the parts department, and price the replacement batteries. It really doesn’t make sense to me to buy an e bike it will be worth less than the batteries in five or six years when the batteries are done. A young person will say, well the battery in the zero is warranted for five years. Five years is not a long time in motorcycle years. I have three street bikes. My oldest is a 1994,, my newest is a 2007.Trust me, those years went by in a flash...

[@aec258]

How cloud you let a product to go out with a hanging brake line like that?

[@leukota]

He cut weight for a week and a half, the road was really hot, and the bike fully charged (though I doubt that last bit had much to do with it). He had been practicing drags for a few days prior, and learned that snapping the throttle as fast as he could improved his times by a quarter to a half second. I was there, I didn't have video, but he had his phone, my phone, and his GPS all recording his 0-60. The phones said 2.4, the Garmin said 2.3, so that's what we tell everyone.

[@hoodritch619]

If i had a couple of extra money i think i would buy the empulse. I mean why now it looks nice and im not 100% sure but i think every electric vehicle can drive on the carpool right?

[@arrow0872]

Brammo is so much better looking in my opinion. Zero is nice, but it still kind of looks lika an overgrown bicycle, it's more toy like. I'd definitely get the Brammo if I had the cash... which is interesting because I still love IC engines. The electric bikes have gotten so much better in such a short time so even an IC nut like me is warming up to them...

[@anubis1100]

i love the brammo empulse r, but unfortunatly they dont sell them anywhere near where i live, or hardly anywhere in canada. where as the Zero S i can get one from a dealer in halifax NS, i live in NB. that and the Zero cost quite abit less then the brammo.

[@BluzBazz]

Until charging stations are more readily available, they're both commuter bikes. And I don't know of anyone who'd be willing to pay $20k for a commuter bike (2016 Brammo/Victory Empulse). Zero is half the price and has better range... I think I'd go with the Zero.

[@chri77777777]

finally a comparison - would have loved 0-60 comparisson .. but thanks anyway

[@v12tommy]

How does insurance work on an electric bike? I mean, motorcycle insurance is generally by engine size right? There is no displacement. Does that mean you can register it as 50cc or less and avoid most of the bureaucracy all together?

[@nyalldavis]

idk, but in the UK, at least from a license standpoint, it counts as a 400cc bike, because of the power in killowatts

[@CaptHollister]

Up here in Québec they are categorized as 250cc bikes.

[@nyalldavis]

^ maybe true also, i was just going by the max engine size due to uk license law They should ask you the bike model before engin size, so they know what it is anyway, if in doubt just phone them, worth the call compared to what will happen if it turns out you bought invalid insurance

[@KingWillie76]

They are considered 250cc by insurance companies.

[@streetbikerer-572]

It depends on the power out put, in the UK most categories are limited by engine size and power out put. So these bikes will fit depending on power out put www.zeromotorcycles.com/eu/licence Check this link, zero claim that due to power out put all of their bikes can be ridden on an A2 license

[@lemmor6791civ]

They seem great, but where do i put my Termignoni exhausts on these bikes??? ;)...

[@leukota]

Ya, electric is hundreds of times better than gas in terms of performance. Maximum traction, maximum torque, super efficient, quiet, etc. I'm preaching to the choir here, you know all this. The battery on the Zero DS my friend has is OVER 9000!!!! [dollars] [seriously], which is why it's so expensive. It's super light, and charges in three hours. The whole bike's weight is a bit over 350 lbs, it's extremely light compared to other bikes on the road.

[@TecnamTwin]

The Lightning electric motorcycle is more advanced than both of these. Unfortunately, it cost as much as both of them combined ($38,888). However, it does do 0-60 in 3 sec., top speed of 218 mph, and a range of over 150 miles combined EPA. It can also do the equivalent of over 50 mpg while traveling at 200 mph. It's a true superbike. I know you can always build a faster one for less or buy a gas one with great performance for a whole lot less. But this isn't about money. It's about the future.

[@Motorcyclecom]

2013 Brammo Empulse R vs Zero S ZF11.4 Video #ElectricMotorcycles #ElectricBikes #Brammo #ZeroMotorcycles

[@OohhPajjelloo]

I'm all for electric vehicles, and am excited to see how they progress, but until electric vehicles can increase their mile range, the average commuter will always pick a gas alternative.

[@BucketWheat]

I don't disagree with you at all! And I ACKNOWLEDGE and ENCOURAGE the advancement of development with electric bikes! I was simply stating that FOR NOW, in MY situation, I cannot yet make a choice to own one. I would LOVE to "have one in my Garage". But it's current limitations still make it not suit my needs... I look forward to more development, and more "filling stations" and FASTER 'filling... And YES, we DO need a GOOD President in Office, who can build "infrastructure" with OUT borrowing!

[@TecnamTwin]

I like the Zero better. It looks better and I hate shifting, esp. in an EV.

[@weirdshibainu]

The major manufacturers are watching from the sidelines. As soon as the technology matures, they'll build electric bikes and the small pioneer companies will disappear overnight.

[@merilae2267]

Make the Brammo without a transmission and I dare u I will buy that beast! But now, it does not make any sense

[@taedom]

part of safety when riding is the sound factor. That kinda worries me when riding around town if its just bat power.... But if I only get 50 miles or 70 miles........ F*&^ that

[@INUID]

Hm, Getriebe am E-Fzg? Bissl am Sinn vorbei, find ich.

[@anwar.termizi]

they sound like Shinkansen bullet trains in Japan

[@panpipesjohn]

put on an akrapovic and your're ready to go !!! LOL

[@mitch8916]

Electric motorcycles just don't even come close in the fields of power, ease, range, cost, or - most importantly - reliability. Unless you have an extra 20 grand sitting around somewhere. I would ABSOLUTELY NOT even consider getting one.

[@s.k.9774]

Zero is way better, these guys are doing a horrible job at comparison test and are clearly a couple of failure beer pongers, unfit for this job.

[@hunkyleepickle]

I'd still rather take a powerful gas sport bike, and get a beater scooter for a couple grand for putzing around town, and still have 5k for gas and maintenance over one of these...

[@mitch8916]

Although they are getting better and better, I still think the technology is very primitive compared to a gas motor. There is just no advantage to buying electric over gas.

[@hunghuge7717]

Never seen a test where they run gas bikes till they drop. There ARE gas bikes with similar range when used hard too. Getting a bit bored of this way of testing anything electric.

[@untitleduser666]

Yes, buy on a gas powered bike you can fill up in a couple of minutes and keep going. This means that range for a rechargeable bike is more important for comparison than on a gas bike.

[@pedrobotinasguedes]

Summary: Zero = Crap. Brammo thumbs up!

[@josephbrody3663]

+Pedro Guedes look up the Zero SR. The Brammo is slower, heaver and now it is $4K more expensive no that they have been bought-out by Victory. The Zero SR has ~20% more power.

[@leukota]

He was all the way tucked down, and wasn't wearing a helmet (it's legal here in Ohio).

[@iwansnt]

mantap

[@TheCanadianCyclist]

Bad loop job on the music

[@mauriciohernandez061]

Where are vídeo un spanish

[@Bitsinator]

they look nice but the problem for me is they sound like jacked up vibrators.... just anj opinion.

[@olutobii]

An electric bike will never sound as good as an inline 4 or a v-twin. I stick to petrol for now thanks...

[@kamilk8848]

I like the idea and the progress, but the sound...it's terrible.

[@melv7040]

Totally useless for me, range is way too limited to be at all practical. Bring a windmill or a solar panel, should be good to go in about a week. I like to fill up and be on my way in 3 minutes, can't do that with electric.

[@3dscott]

ugh the music...

[@pcranebmw]

We have a great president in office!!!!!!

[@mitch8916]

These would just be a toy to play with.... And not even a cool one!

[@GeoTexans]

Just like it was a looong time before there was a gas station on every corner, just like it was a looong time after cars were starting out that there were paved roads connecting major cities. Granted it took a good president in office to build infrastructure, which created jobs during a depression. Much better than our current president. And I'm considered very liberal by right wing standards.

[@justinm410]

Ha 50 miles. That's pitiful.

[@NDB-AK]

honda looks plasticy? try kawi or suzuki bro....

[@MatthewShermanHappy420]

you guys should do electric a favor and stop show how every location is a charge pump...like while you were doing that bull shit clip you could have been showing them charging in the background....you can't do that with old school fossil fuel! Show that advantage instead of running it out of gas!...that's weak! piss pour approach think outside the box boys!