Zero SR Range Test after 4 years of riding

[@shankly7]

You've proven the internet right! The cameras failed the range test 😸

[@NewZeroland]

Hahaha, I guess it says a lot that the motorcycle battery outlasted 2 camera batteries.

[@diemman70]

When I talked to Zero about the battery I remember them saying that they are way underrated for how long they will last. I have a 2016 SR with 20k on it. I’ve loved riding it. It just connects you with the road so much better than the gassers. The only maintenance I’ve done is to replace the tires.

[@NewZeroland]

Nice!! Thanks for sharing your experience. It's great to hear from other electric riders who are still loving their bikes 😁👍⚡

[@diemman70]

Just FYI but there are 4 batteries with the appropriate controllers inside the black casing.

[@thorstambaugh1520]

Mountains, curvy roads, beautiful scenery. Why do I get the feeling a battery test was just an excuse?

[@NewZeroland]

HAHA you saw right through me. Any excuse to get out there and shoot a video ;)

[@scubatrucker6806]

Yep

[@michaelvadney5803]

Oh, and I have just over 20,000 miles on it now and I still love pounding the pavement with it. Its the best commuter bike that I have owned out of 30 bikes. Love the electrics!

[@NewZeroland]

Niiice! They really are amazing and I hope more people give electric motos a chance 😁👍

[@michaelvadney5803]

@@NewZeroland they will eventually. My racing sponsor, a pretty big dealer, that sold a lot of different brands didn't know much about Zero. So I started telling them how I wanted one and how all of the eco wieners would come out of the woodwork in order to buy one and save the planet. So after a couple of months they picked up a dealership contract. I bought my SR and loved it. And later to my disappointment and dismay only a few bikes sold. The dealership model that Zero had in place at the time was not a good one either and so the dealer owned all of these bikes and could not trade them in for newer ones later. They got bitter and dropped the brand. All of the remaining stock went on a fire sale. Quite sad. The big problem was that talk is cheap and all of the supposed customers out there just didn't want to put $15 to $17K down for an electric bike when you could by a cutting edge 600 sportbike for a good bit less. Even the FXs did not sell well and this is all within 10 miles of Wash DC. Pretty liberal. So electric bikes will need two more things in order to truly go mainstream. More range or super quick charging and a lower price. But that's just my 2 cents. On another note, I never really like the wooden front brakes, but I purchased the bike anyway in order to support the company. I know that their margins are extremely tight. And at every International bike show or demo day at some dealership I would always suggest giving the bike at least another rotor up front. Well the SRF and S is getting a lot closer. Great brakes and quicker charging. Now about that price. Keep cranking out those videos. I love them. Can't wait to see your Lightning show up. Sorry for the LONG reply dude.

[@NewZeroland]

@@michaelvadney5803 whoa, thanks for that reply! It sucks that dealerships have to buy bikes to sell them, but I guess that's a risk with that way of selling bikes. Not only do they have to make a profit on the bikes themselves, but also pay building rent and employees. Maybe this is Tesla's reason for selling vehicles online. Less risk, and you only have to make what people buy. I agree about the brakes. Zero still builds their bikes to a price point and that means using cheaper brakes, suspension, and other components like the mirrors and dash. Even the chargers are cheap, and that could be why they fail all the time. I feel like MOST people buy used motorcycles. Everybody says "I can go buy an R6 for $5k or I can spend $15k on an electric bike that has less performance" and we know that's not a fair comparison, because a brand new R6 costs $13k.. but why buy new when you can buy used for way cheaper? This is what I'm most excited about, because Zeros have been around long enough to finally have a used market. I bought a 2016 DSR for $7k, and I've seen a few FX's for around $5-6k. I think this is how we'll get more people going electric. The wealthy enthusiasts will upgrade to the newest and pass their "old" last year models to people on a budget.

[@michaelvadney5803]

@@NewZeroland Yeah, their new model is much better from what I have heard from the other dealerships. I believe that they just order as needed. Not really sure how old models work out though.

[@gasdive]

I'm a year ahead, with a 2014 model built in 2013. I can't see any difference yet.

[@NewZeroland]

Dude nice!! Glad to hear it. We need more info like this to educate the world :D

[@VeeFour]

That's with 2012/13 battery technology, imagine how much longer lasting they will be with 2020> tech 👍👍

[@alexbrown7665]

What pack do you have? This video makes me very curious to experiment with what I can get out of my zf11.4.

[@NewZeroland]

@@alexbrown7665 my bike has the 12.5kWh pack.

[@GregHassler]

My 11.4 battery was warranty replaced in 2017.

[@markandrews8960]

Dude ... you are Awesome! That’s the kind of content people need. Real world situations and no over dramatic hype. Thanks bro... good luck on race day 👍🏾

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks man!! I really appreciate it. Hopefully this gets more people riding electrics in the future :D

[@kindcam]

I'm glad you are still making Zero videos. I just subscribed today after buying my first Zero yesterday. There's no good channels for modification videos and I think you have a solid opportunity to capitalize on a market starving for that type of content. You could buy a new Zero just for weird modifications and Adsense alone would pay it off within a few months.

[@NewZeroland]

Bwahaha thanks man, and congrats on going electric! I wiiiish this youtube thing could pay for an entire bike, but I'd have to upload content way more frequently. Also I'd need Zero to come out with a DC charging model, so I'll keep playing around with my "old" bike until then.

[@yokoza6440]

In France we have Laurent Zeromotorcycles but obviously it's in french ^^

[@josephyang3260]

Ad sense pays less than a penny per view in most cases. He’d need a huge increase in viewership to buy a bike with Adsense money. Like he’d have to get a million views on a few videos b4 he’d get enough money for a zero bike. But also the Adsense amount per view can change based on the type of video, his viewers, their age, etc.

[@wrightwells]

@@yokoza6440 avez-vous un lien. Je ne peux pas les trouver

[@TheChromeRonin]

You got my favourite welly roads here!! Great ride. And it’s the Aka-Tara-Wa mountain road. Another fabulous piece of narrow winding tarmac.

[@NewZeroland]

I love that road!! It's so close to the city but feels so far off into the rainforest 😂

[@robertsmith7275]

I used to have a ZERO S 2014 and when I sold it in 2019, the battery was almost not degraded. I bought a ZERO SR/F for faster charging on longer rides. Great video that you filmed it (I wanted I have filmed the range too).

[@NewZeroland]

Nice! Glad to hear you stayed electric 😁 Have fun with that SR/F!

[@garynarborough]

Loved the video both the ride itself and seeing the roads you rode over which I've also driven over. Brings back a lot of memories from years go by when I lived in NZ and visited Wellington often. Thanks again for the blast from the past. I'm in London now.

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks, Gary! Glad ya liked it. I'll try and shoot more of these little tours to show more of the area, and how far the bike can go.

[@garynarborough]

@@NewZeroland Have you been over the Rimutaka Hill yet. Cool riding over there,well not on a super windy day.

[@NewZeroland]

@@garynarborough absolutely! Right now with nobody on the roads, the Rimutakas would be a DREAM (if it weren't for the risk of riding during this virus).

[@Errol.C-nz]

@@NewZeroland do Paikakariki... tried looking for that blue mountains event but nothing

[@pelegrinsamblas]

Great video, very interesting. As a new (and happy) owner of a Zero S from 7 months I like very much this kind of videos about range tests. Thanks a lot.

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks! And congrats on your Zero.

[@renegarcia1807]

That is a very good point and you were brave enough to leave your charger at home good for you thanks for the experience

[@NewZeroland]

Haha thanks Rene! All these years later the bike is still amazing.

[@stevenb7319]

Nice video. Great scenery and fun music. I especially enjoyed the technical difficulties picture. Yes please to some merchandise. Ill load up on a bunch of it.

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks bro! Haha ok, I'll order some more patches and design some stickers 😂

[@niceride]

@@NewZeroland My ears perked up @13:16 with the cut to black; "Did he just snap a belt?" Nice edit, as always!

[@NewZeroland]

@@niceride bwahaha that sound is from a sudden off-road loss of traction. Luckily no snapped belts in a while!

[@jasonshortphd]

Road closed off to ride like that sounds like an amazing event! Nice bike, and suit.

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks man! It was a blast :D

[@cedricpelloux9554]

nice video and nice taste in sweet synthwave ! thanks for the highly scientific procedure of enjoying the ride, because after all, that's the best real world usage.

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks man! Gotta love synthwave 😎⚡ Yeah I feel like a lot of range and acceleration tests are done on a dyno, or in fully controlled situations, so hopefully this helps people.

[@chasethedog23]

Your video popped up as a recommendation because I've been looking at Electric Motorcycles, and we'll damn you're riding around my entire childhood. I live in Australia now. Great videos.

[@NewZeroland]

Wow nice! Glad you enjoyed the ride down memory lane. Australia should have some good options for electric motorcycles. Check out Savic!

[@chasethedog23]

@@NewZeroland yeah they're down the road from my work.

[@peterwilliamson4296]

Great article and discussion about battery life which you present with good balance. The Zero bikes rock and always get great reviews on the web. In terms of their cost, I was in a bicycle shop the other day and there were quite a few e bicycles valued at between 15 and 20k!

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks man! Wow, that sounds crazy. Carbon frames and fancy suspension, I guess.. but bang for buck, I'd rather have more power haha.

[@TTemobility]

Thanks for the information. Love my SRF Cheers from Germany

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks for watching!

[@moestrei]

Hey Ove...bist Du überall? Before i moved to Australia i lived in Bonn and i cannot come to see the E-Cannonball because of the f%ck&ing Covid shit. Got the hoodie though.

[@michaelh5967]

You are a trailblazer my friend, and have done us a great service with this vid! I am literally looking at this exact bike here in 2021 for about half the original MSRP just like you said. idk what the internet is talking about, I've read these batteries should be good for at least 200k miles. If the dealer makes things easy, it's starting to look like I'm gonna have a hard time saying no!

[@NewZeroland]

Nice!! Thanks so much for the comment. A year later, I feel the same about my Zero SR. It's still such an amazing bike and I usually choose that over my Energica Ego 90% of the time.

[@michaelh5967]

@@NewZeroland Ahh interesting! I'll have to peep some more of your vids. I don't know anything about Energica. I'm in the US, not even sure if those are available here... Either way I'm a big Zero fan and I really hope they can keep things on the up & up. If I had more money I'd buy a new one without hesitating, but it's like you said, the fact that there's starting to be a used market for them will def help them trickle down to those of us of lesser means. Would hate to see them go the way of Alta!

[@NewZeroland]

@@michaelh5967 yeah for sure. I hope Zero is around for a long time! They'll have to figure out DC charging though. Energicas have been sold in the US since 2016 😂 Actually I got mine shipped over from California. That's another level of motorcycle, but expensive for sure.

[@michaelh5967]

@@NewZeroland Wow after a quick search I find not only are Energicas sold in the US but their corporate office is in my home state of North Carolina 😂😂🤦‍♂️. Although to be fair I have spent the past 3 years living in California and Zeros def rule the roost there. And rightfully so, good lord are these Energicas expensive! I'll def be sticking with Zero for now, but always cool to know about other stuff that's out there so cheers!

[@michaelkunaver2240]

I love your maps on the going! Thanx

[@NewZeroland]

Cheers! Google Earth is sweet 😁

[@fransmars1645]

Its nice to recognise the scenery!

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks! That was a fun ride 😁

[@sarbajitdas7659]

Really nice road looks very peaceful and relaxing...... Love ur channel a lot.

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks! New Zealand is a great place to ride :)

[@bikebudha01]

I have been watching this channel for a couple of years now, AND STILL, for the first half of the video all I can think is "holy shit, he's gonna die, he's speeding down the wrong side of the road!!!"

[@NewZeroland]

HAHAHA 😂 I've been living here for 6 years and I still feel that way.

[@thorstambaugh1520]

What I want to know is how they stick to the earth walking upside down

[@contessa.adella]

More countries than perhaps you think, use the ‘wrong side’ of the road. I feel the same watching You Tube driving vids which are predominantly American and therefor drive on my ‘wrong side’ of the road. Lets all just drive down the middle!

[@TechwheelswithPat]

People don't think that as you can't supercharge your Zero, the battery holds longer as supercharge is not that gentle for the batteries. Nice video bro 😉👍

[@NewZeroland]

People are dumb. What can I say? 😂

[@darrylhobbs3200]

You can come out on the road where the speedway is from Blue Mountain too - that is a nice ride as well.

[@NewZeroland]

Oh yeah! I used to race autocross over in Trentham :D

[@DominicNS]

very cool! Blue mountains are a very nice place to ride, love that spot

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks! Yeah man, that road is great.

[@condal32]

Great 360 cam!

[@NewZeroland]

I love that thing!

[@Pch100]

Greetings from Christchurch, I'm test ridding the 2020 model this weekend 👍

[@NewZeroland]

Whoa, in Christchurch?? Does someone have an SR/F here?

[@moestrei]

And....?

[@willyd-adv]

This is awesome. As a RTW rider (from UK now in NZ) and an EV fanatic I have found my new favorite channel. Would love to rock you stickers on my bike. I've been looking for a Zero here too but no luck yet 😥

[@NewZeroland]

Whoa awesome! Thanks for the comment :D I really appreciate it. I'm still deciding on a place to make stickers, but I have this so far: www.redbubble.com/people/newzeroland From your experience riding that insanely long distance, do you think it would be possible to do it with an electric bike? I'm planning a RTW trip in the next few years, but I'm not sure what kind of infrastructure some of the countries out there have. Any advice you can give would be amazing. Thanks again! - [e-mail]

[@codyroden719]

Haha tells everyone battery’s aren’t a big deal “ Camera Battery Dies so he can’t prove it” lmao

[@NewZeroland]

Ya got me there XD

[@go5582]

Hi. cody that's lol.

[@TheRealAlpha2]

Combined range back in 2015 was a little over 100 miles without the Power tank so definitely not bad! Seems like the millage might be a more significant factor than age and you're less than halfway to the rated battery life if the odometer is accurate. NZL branded beanies sounds like a great merch idea for the channel, and whatever you don't sell, you can wear yourself! Also, Love the little animated transitions, I know they probably come from some resource in particular, but I can't place them.

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks man! I just found the "anime transitions" on youtube. Anything to spice it up without having to do myself haha. And yeah, you could be right. It's probably more about how many charging cycles the battery has done. We'll find out!

[@musk-eteer9898]

daily commuting with E-drives are so much fun

[@pcarlson1979]

My bike makes a beautiful whining sound, sort of like a jet.

[@mvetter]

Oh yeah, 4 years is fine, but next 5 years. In 5 years your battery is gonna be totally dead. You're gonna have to throw it in a landfill because you can't recycle them.

[@NewZeroland]

HAHAHA you beautiful bastard

[@cowboy10731]

Or just replace the bad battery cells with new ones less money than whole new battery pack

[@darrengriffith9680]

@@cowboy10731 zero battery packs are fully potted and don't use cylindrical cells. You can't replace the bad cells.

[@joshuasmith7369]

@@NewZeroland, even non rechargeable batteries are 96% recyclable. Don't throw any batteries in a landfill; take them to a recycling center.

[@contessa.adella]

So what? You’re talking 9 years of riding! Even a petrol bike needs bits replaced over time! Yes, batts are expensive....but so is petrol . Lets say you get even just 500 cycles max on a pack at 100 miles/charge...that 50,000 miles riding...How much would petrol have cost at around say 50 mpg? In UK it would be 1000 Gallons or 4500L at £1.20/L = over 5 Grand in petrol cost. You can afford to replace the pack huh!

[@dumpthepump247]

"These tires are so confidence inspiring" - Famous last words... Being cooped up surely gives you more time to edit, love the style with those Google Earth thingies! But yeah, too bad there isn't a helmet with a integrated 360 cam on top, that would be awesome.

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks man! Sadly I'm working from home, so I don't have as much time as I'd LIKE, but still more time than usual :D It's probably hard to design a helmet that lasts 5 years around a camera that will be outdated in 6 months.. but that's a really cool idea. Forward and backward cameras!

[@MrSokkermasta]

Your video helped me out on my purchase. I bought a 2015 sr and I get the same range. Possibly more. Doesn’t look like the battery it’s been replaced or anything. Still works perfectly

[@NewZeroland]

Whoa nice!! That totally made my day. I'm so glad you're liking it 😁 Congrats!

[@MrSokkermasta]

@@NewZeroland oh im loving it lol. I parked my Harley bagger to commute with the zero. I’ve been watching all your videos on repeat to learn more about this bike 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@NewZeroland]

@@MrSokkermasta haha sweet! Be careful.. it's a slippery slope to selling all your gas vehicles and modifying the Zero to do long trips 😂 But I can confirm it's worth it.

[@MrSokkermasta]

@@NewZeroland hahaha I have parked the Harley for a while now. Hahah just finding some storage bags for the zero but you are right. I can see the beginning of that slope hahaha

[@lorencarlos6803]

i have a 2021 srs and havent ever been near 30%. wa state has plenty of hills to regen the battery. glad to know even the old batteries are working well!

[@NewZeroland]

Nice! Yeah as long as you take care of the battery it should last a really long time. Here I am coming up on 6 years owning this bike and the battery is still healthy.

[@FlyingFun.]

Nice ride and update on an older bike! I think the battery lasting thing originates from phones and rc models where the things are a abused more and not necessarily great quality in the first place and in the rc planes we deplete batteries in a few minutes rather than hours so not only hard on the battery but also shows even a slight loss in performance in a big way. Be interesting to see how this bike performs after 5 or 10 years in the uk with cold wet salty roads over the winters.

[@NewZeroland]

Great point! I plan on keeping this one a while so hopefully I can give it an even longer-term review in the future.

[@focused313]

As always...dope content and nice editing.

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks! That means a lot :D

[@Sublimed89]

@ 7:07 taking a page out of Takumis book!! Had me rolling!!😂

[@NewZeroland]

Hahaha the ghost minivan of Akina

[@octopusenvy]

An excellent mixed range test! also not mentioned is that the regen on "REGEN" (number plate) is still the same. It's not great, but it's the same. I'm more thinking that time will degrade the frame and external parts, rather than the battery and motor. Plus every bike is different and ridden different in different conditions. We've seen bearings go, belts pop, screws and frame bits come loose...but just like any other bike. Well done on 4yrs of Zero ownership and put aside a beanie for me (i'll have to print some E-otearoa merch now lol)

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks bro! True that.. my battery has out-lasted a lot of parts on the bike (hand grips, dashboard, charger(s), and even that R&G tail tidy is showing wear). These bikes are really solid and this range test made me proud of what Zero accomplished 5 years ago. That said, it's definitely time for something new ;)

[@davegillette953]

Great video thank you for sharing

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks for watching!

[@moestrei]

Tops, man. NewZeroland beanie....where can i put my preorder?

[@NewZeroland]

Haha man I need to make those, huh?

[@moestrei]

@@NewZeroland Yep, is cold in Straya too, can't wait to put something Ebike related onto my skull everyt time I take that cosy helmet off. Edit: Also a beanie would not be any channel merch, it would be very relevant 🥳

[@eggyrepublic]

The sound of the electric motor whirring when you accelerate is so cool

[@NewZeroland]

I love it!

[@rs9K78]

that's just crazy range you got there buddy ;) and nice scenery too. I wish I could ride in NZ once.

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks man! Not bad for a 5 year old bike 😁

[@rs9K78]

@@NewZeroland Yeah. I've got an Energica Esseesse9 and I'm quite sure I won't get that range at all. (haven't really tried yet, what with the current 'Exile for the Good of the Realm' business, the bike is still new to me). The bike's amazing though, and quick charging is a boon (15min 20>80% SOC!)

[@NewZeroland]

@@rs9K78 THAT is a game changer, man. I really want to ride an Energica for longer than a test ride. The whole DC fast charging thing is a huge deal, and I hope Zero gets on board soon. What kind of range have you been getting on your SS9?

[@rs9K78]

@@NewZeroland I haven't been riding in better than 10°C temperatures (and far worse usually). The weather is turning better now but we can't ride ;) so take that as a disclaimer. Now the highway range (@120-130) isn't great in my experience. I'd be happy to get 70-75km. I did only one multi-charger-trip, which took me from Ghent to Utrecht with 3 interim charges of about 20%-80%. This was a purely highway trip (though there were stretches of 100km/h) and every 80-20% stretch would be about 50-55km. I have noticed that at lower speeds the power consumption is a lot better, but haven't had the time or opportunity to experiment with that at all.

[@NewZeroland]

@@rs9K78 holy cow, that's lower than I expected. I realy thought Energicas got about the same range as Zeros. Guess I'll have to try this same route on an Energica!

[@fransmars1645]

As someone who is only "interested" in the electric bike concept, its nice to hear some positive feedback. There is a lot of negative feedback online about electric bikes. I don't currently ride anything. I used to enjoy my dad's 125cc Honda Deputy, doing lots of mileage at little cost. I see electric bikes as a low cost riding option and will cast a keen eye on future developments. Batteries are a constant issue and cant wait for solid state tech to become mainstream. Keep it going, mate!

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks Frans! I've found that a lot of people are waiting for the tech to get better. They say "maybe in 5 years".. but the tech is already amazing. Why not ride an electric motorcycle for those 5 years while we wait? 😂

[@x1tekja]

Really need one of these

[@NewZeroland]

They're so fun!

[@motoryzen]

I appreciated this video. Regardless, it cements my decision NOT to buy an electric motorcycle until the range per charge triples and the recharge time reaches at or sub 30 minutes.

[@NewZeroland]

I feel ya, and I don't think you'll have to wait long. The new Energicas and Lightnings have twice the battery capacity that my Zero has, and DC fast charge 😎

[@JSabh]

@@NewZeroland Don't forget that when the battery does finally die ( about 10 years really, maybe 15 ) all you need to do is upgrade with the new tech and youll have a bike with much more range and power for a fraction of the price. Have to consider that, just like the VCR that was once 400$$ is now found at goodwill for 5$ , the batteries tech of today will be like buying AA batteries at walmart and the motor will NEVER die if it is brushless and if not, replacing brushes is a hell of a lot easier and more affordable than rebuilding an engine. In other words, the bike will never lose value, not really.

[@mortongosh983]

Dude good vid. Don’t listen to those battery prognosticators! They’re full of it. I’m driving a 2002 Toyota rav4ev on the original batts. Runs like a top.

[@NewZeroland]

Wow awesome!! Coming up on 20 years of EV life. That says a lot!

[@Ayzill]

Thanks, nice video!

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks for watching!

[@jamieniche]

Great Video, some of the degradation of this type of battery if down to how you treat it. Always helps to not leave it fully charged for long periods and slow charge when possible.

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks! You're totally right. I've abused my battery a lot and it's still in perfect health 6 years later, but it would definitely last longer charged up to 80%.

[@skonkfactory]

I get about 140 miles range out of my 2017 DSR (so bigger battery, but even less aerodynamic) after three years of riding it literally every day. Or about 75 if I cane it on the freeway.

[@NewZeroland]

Holy cow that's amazing range! Do you have a power tank? I can only get that kinda range if I ride 100% at city speeds.

[@spike_spencer]

You must have the power tank? Have you run it out to 0% or are you basing that on the rate it goes down? I'd have 120 miles of range if it continued to deplete at the same rate as the first 60% of the charge.

[@skonkfactory]

@@NewZeroland I'm personally on the smaller side, I have a windshield and I run Bridgestone A41s on it at a higher pressure.

[@skonkfactory]

(Oh and Morgan couldn't believe it either. He was forced to believe when I rode down from SF to meet him in Santa Cruz- I did a safety stop in Cupertino to charge, but arrived in Santa Cruz with about 50% having "made progress" in sport mode all the way.)

[@skonkfactory]

@@spike_spencer I do not have the power tank. I have run it down to an indicated 0%- heavy pucker factor there.

[@russianvoodoo]

I think this is insane range for a terrain like this. Amazing. For people who will use it city this is more than enough.

[@NewZeroland]

Yeah! And that probably cost $2 😂

[@garywest3763]

Interesting video. I am thinking that Battery Health boils down to a couple things, 1. how far down you discharge to on a regular basis, (That said I am sure Zero Engineers have done a Great job of protecting against that), and/or how high the discharge Low threshold cutoff is engineered in to the Battery. and 2. the Rate of Charge, Like level 2 charge as a average charge over the life of the battery vs a wall charger at a lower rate charge as a average way of changing over the batteries life. What type/ Rate of changing are you doing on your zero on average? I would like to see the difference between two of the same bike, one using a low rate on average and the other using a level 2 as a Average rate of charge. I would think a Battery that has had a Life of Level 2 charging would have Less charge cycle Life. I would love to see a review of the 96Volt DC Fast charger, as it sounds like the best Option to me, at 100miles per 1 hour charge, But what is the degradation of the number of cycles over the life of the battery at that rate of charge.

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks! About 99% of my charging has been at 1.3kW (the stock AC charger it came with) and the other 1% was charging as fast as possible at 1C with a bunch of aftermarket chargers. For the first 2 years I followed Zero's suggestion to keep it plugged in at 100% whenever I wasn't riding it, which really wasn't the most healthy way to go, but that didn't seem to affect it. I've also taken it to the race track, overheated it so much that it refused to charge, and drained it to 0% a few times. So I haven't treated it very well haha, and the battery still gets the same range it did 4.5 years ago! Zero did a great job.

[@DaBinChe]

Spirited riding thru the Santa Cruz Mountains I get 75mile range on my 2018 SR 14.4.

[@NewZeroland]

Oh wow! You must be going faster than I was 😂

[@devislu1]

Nice video, great road apparently so yes I am envious since we do not have such mountain roads in Belgium. I have a brand new SR/F (560 kms) since 1.5 months, so I reckon the range of 160 kms should be easy at these speeds (no highway). Thanks for this video, loved it (have also Pirelli diablo on the bike so that is good news).

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks, Luc! Congrats on the SR/F 😁👍 Stay safe over there.

[@michaelvadney5803]

Hey NewZeroland. Of course you know that the range test only is accurate if you ran the same path, speed, and conditions that you did when you purchased the bike. The only hint that I have for range/age is how far I get going to work. The exact same path for 5 years. I'd buy a beanie btw. Thanks for the videos dude.

[@NewZeroland]

Yeah for sure. It's really hard to do that kind of test without a completely controlled situation, so I was just happy to see that it could do a range that was close to Zero's estimate from 2015 for "mixed speed".

[@MikeInTheWoods]

2023 checking in--how's the battery holding up? xD

[@NewZeroland]

Sold the bike 😂 but I'm sure the battery still gets the same range as always.

[@pureman777777]

Just bought a 2014 Zero SR for $4400usd. Only had basic maintenance done by the original owner. At 12k miles now and it has great range and power. Looking forward to much more riding in the near future!

[@NewZeroland]

Awesome! Glad you're enjoying it. Zeros are fun bikes 😁

[@pureman777777]

If you want to get rid of that Zero motor I'll gladly pay for it!

[@markbright7845]

Thanks. I had never considered buying used, but now I will, especially if they are, as you reckon, 50% of original price.

[@NewZeroland]

Absolutely! The Zero SR my wife rode in this video is 5 years old, and still gets the same range, so the used market is where it's at 😁👍

[@avlanche7777]

See you in 4 years. Nice countryside there!

[@NewZeroland]

In 4 years I'll be trading my Zero in for an electric plane haha

[@MrSnowMen]

In 2025 we will have the "Mr. Fusion Home Energy Reactor" to power your bike. Who needs batterys

[@NewZeroland]

Hey sign me up for a swap!

[@richardhobbs9038]

'Back to the Future' Mr. Fusion . YES !

[@contessa.adella]

Who needs roads?

[@Duobusyt]

at 6:50 what kind of a map is that?

[@NewZeroland]

I used Google Earth for that one.

[@Gaverny]

Sorry if you've answered this question before: Can you describe how you take care of your battery in cold weather? I've read the official Zero recommendations, but wanted some real world expertise. Thanks for the video... I think I was your 5,000th sub 😁

[@NewZeroland]

Whoa, thank YOU for subscribing! 😁💪🔋⚡ I usually only charge to 80% and never leave it sitting at a low state of charge.. usually above 40%. That's about it though. I've abused this battery a lot in the past 4.5 years and it still feels the same as it did when I bought it!

[@jimporter7418]

What about charging in the winter - those battery packs don't look like they are heated or cooled

[@NewZeroland]

They don't like charging below 0*.. if you've seen Long Way Up, it's like that with all electric mptorcycles. Luckily I can park inside and it never gets that cold here.

[@stevemccormack9948]

Interesting. I wonder how much does it cost now for a replacement battery from Zero?.. Now that batteries are improving in performance and coming down in price there should be some options. And because its a small battery it would be easier to line up some 3rd party arrangement than if we were talking about an electric car.

[@NewZeroland]

About $6-7k usd the last time I checked. Luckily these battery don't NEED to be replaced though.

[@pinaero]

Night on fire! 😍

[@NewZeroland]

Eurobeat is a must for all touge videos

[@mvetter]

Night OF fire! kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpisYnt4qLSjaac

[@dustinbrown6753]

I would wear the full NewZeroland body suit if you sold it.

[@NewZeroland]

The future of fashion!

[@MrFerb078]

Subscribed! Awesome video.. gotta say: I really want to buy a second hand Zero but I am anxious about the range drop of the battery.. Stupid right? it's just a feeling that I have...

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks a bunch! Yeah, I understand completely. This is a good and bad problem for Zero.. they did such a great job engineering their bikes that there isn't much reason to buy a brand new one. Even 5-year old bikes are still awesome :D

[@moestrei]

Find out capacity when new. Charge from 0 to 100% and read kWh from charger. Degradation [%] = 100% * ( 1 - Cnow / Cnew). Not sure if you can check the voltage difference between cells. If possible check when there is no current and it should be

[@theknifedude1881]

I live in Twin Falls Idaho (USA) and the nearest dealer is 421 kilometers (261.7mi.) away in Provo Utah. I’m old (77) and have some medical issues so I’m probably not going to drive over until a vaccine is available. I’ve ridden M/C’s since my 20’s but nothing lately. I have a SurRon now that I exercise my dog with. @ my age I don’t want to break anything but I really want to try the Zero. Thanks for the video. And thanks to the people who wrote comments.

[@NewZeroland]

Hey knife dude, thanks for the comment! How do you like the Sur-Ron? I would love to ride one of those off-road. They look like the perfect bike to be a hooligan on. Zeros are way heavier and way more expensive, but a ton of fun. Definitely take an SR/F for a test ride when the world opens up again. Looks like the closest Energica dealer is in Portland, but those are also quite the experience to ride. Thanks again and stay safe over there!

[@theknifedude1881]

Hey NewZeroland, I like the SurRon but at my age I’m kinda afraid to ride it like I want to and like it’s made to be ridden. I invested in an Onyx RCR, got tired of waiting for it, was commenting on a SurRon video and my wife (who probably hadn’t been paying attention to me when I said the RCR was taking too long and didn’t realize it was on the way) said “if you like it so much get it “. Not wanting to offend the wife I did. The day it arrived I got the phone call asking where I wanted it delivered. I sold the RCR last month. It’s build quality was lacking. The SurRon looks like it was built in a real factory by robots. Really good build quality. I want a bike with brake lights, turn signals and enough power to be legal on the freeway. I’m thinking about the FX/S. Or maybe FX. The SurRon is pretty small. Try one out before you order it. Keep up with the videos. You look like a real person. Someone who would be fun to meet. Next time you’re coming to the USA let me know.

[@theknifedude1881]

What I was trying to say was the day the SurRon arrived I got the call asking where I wanted the RCR delivered. I was waiting for it to be done on Indiegogo. I had been waiting a while.

[@NewZeroland]

@@theknifedude1881 thanks man! That means a lot. Bummer about the ONYX. From what I've seen, it shares a lot of parts with other bikes, so they may have searched for the cheapest way to produce it, rather than the best way. Zero tries to find a middle ground by designing a lot of it themselves but still building to a price point (they share the same dash as the ONYX and the headlight is from a Yamaha MT03, cheap mirrors, etc). I haven't ridden an FX yet but they look like fun. You might be able to find an affordable Alta, although there's no service for those in the off chance something breaks. Once the world goes back to normal and we can travel again, I'll let you know when I'm back in the states 😁👍

[@gcprost]

I'm surprised. I really like the sound of this bike.

[@NewZeroland]

Me too! The Zero belt sound is cool.

[@somewhat7]

13:28 GOLD

[@NewZeroland]

😂😂😂

[@somewhat7]

@@NewZeroland Looking forward to the new video in 2 years 😉😁

[@NewZeroland]

@@somewhat7 unfortunately I sold the bike last year, but it's still running great up in Rotorua!

[@johnhopkins6260]

Thank you for the extended, informative videos (watched several already); As a decades-long rider of BMW R100GSPD (35liter fuel tank), I tend to be a bit of an "iron butt" rider: which model of Zero would you recommend for long, lazy, European (Germany) touring? (good, country highways, limited Autobahn... no need for the "crotch-rocket" scene) the Zero model letters are about as confusing as Harley.

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks, John! I guess the only bike Zero has that's similar to yours is the DSR Black Forest. The range is about the same as my bike but I think it has faster charging. If you want to do more distance in a day though (let's say 500km+) the new Energicas are the only way to go. Check out the Eva Ribelle or the SS9.

[@brobinson8614]

Good test thank you! Is there any way to have less wide angled lens on the front camera? It distorts things too much and makes the speed faster than it really is. I’ve noticed this issue on most other peoples KZbin videos also. From skiing to drone flying everything is distorted. It be good to know if the lenses are able to be changed?

[@NewZeroland]

I used an insta360 just so I could do both views with one camera, but yeah different settings on a gopro could get you the look you're after. Most people like wide lenses because it helps you see more. I think the sensation of speed is caused by the shutter speed / motion blur, but yeah it's all up to your own personal style. I prefer a gopro on the helmet.

[@CoasterRob]

When eventually the battery does die can the original dealership replace the battery?

[@NewZeroland]

If it's within 5 years, Zero will replace the battery under warranty. If it's older than that you'll have to pay for it yourself.

[@GiorgosSaronster]

waiting for next year...

[@petrihietanen1102]

Such a cool video. And talking about commitment! No degradation at all. Eat your hearts out, internet nay-sayers.

[@NewZeroland]

Thank you! Glad ya liked it. I was genuinely curious about my range, too.. and it was really cool to see that it can still do the same distance.

[@CampbellZeroOne]

Great test on some real world varied terrain. As for your Insta battery - If you can get your hands on a 'cold weather' battery for it, they last a lot longer. Batteries! Batteries! 😂👍🏼

[@NewZeroland]

Oooo, cold weather battery?? I bought a second one right after this test. Gotta get a waterproof housing now so I can ride underwater 😁👍

[@CampbellZeroOne]

@@NewZeroland Lol. I've got the adventure case already. Makes it quite bulky, but no need to stress about the bottom of the camera breaking. Also bought the Ulanzi frame for it which takes away the bulk of the adventure case and still allows for the use of GoPro mounting accessories. Never noticed... is there a USB charger on your Zero? Not that it would have been an option on your range test anyway.

[@NewZeroland]

@@CampbellZeroOne ohhh nice! I'll look those up. Zero sells a usb charging adapter but I haven't put one on my bike yet.

[@CampbellZeroOne]

@@NewZeroland That'll come in handy. Means you won't have to worry about camera batteries at least. The cold weather one lasts much longer but seem to be really hard to come by. Well, here in the UK they are at least. Fingers crossed you have more luck 🤞🏼

[@georgepelton5645]

This is my kind of range test. 100 to 2% with a mix of fun and scenic roads.

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks! It's the kind of riding we love doing, so I figure that's pretty realistic.

[@ronaldb479]

Twenty seventh. But on a serious note. I've been waiting for your videos like a kid waiting for a cookie at Superstore bakery... This self isolation got me jonesing for the road, but happy to see you out and about again brother!

[@NewZeroland]

HAHA thanks man. That means a lot! Sorry it took so long. I'm still quarantined, too.. I actually shot this video like 3 weeks ago and it took that long to edit it. Hopefully the next one goes quicker :P

[@ronaldb479]

@@NewZeroland All good! Just keep em coming, please! :)

[@Jan-cg1pq]

Not sure if anyone asked this already, but whats your total km driven? Anyways, awesome vid as always, keep it up ^^

[@NewZeroland]

Only around 21k km's, which is about 13k miles. I've heard battery health is dependent on age and charge cycles, so I guess I need to ride it more haha.

[@pinaero]

Remember when you tore me to pieces... and threw them into a fire?

[@NewZeroland]

Haha fat chance

[@juggernautherculesgarcia6076]

If you add an super capacitor battery bank you can recharge then with your regenerative breaking you get more range and I believe more power since the capacitors charge so quick and can discharge quick for power

[@NewZeroland]

As far as I know, super capacitors don't have great range, but you're right about the power. Hopefully bikes in the future can use them.

[@zoomboom3003]

I'm about to get a 2016 SR. I have zero experience with electric bikes. How do I check 2nd hand bike? from your 4 years experience what would be your checklist to know if the bike worth buying except for the normal checks of cosmetics, etc (Maybe I gave you an idea to make a video on how to buy a 2nd zero bike 😘) BTW why you have changed your plastics to black?

[@NewZeroland]

Hey, awesome! Yeah the normal stuff like making sure there isn't any damage to the frame or plastics.. check the brakes and make sure the steering isn't wobbly.. make sure the belt is ok (not missing any teeth and isn't loose). If you're able to charge it to 100%, or have the seller charge to 100% before you meet, that's good to know. Usually when chargers start to die they won't go all the way to 100%. Check that the buttons on the dash work, too. Worst case, it might still have a battery warranty until the end of the year. Good luck and have fun!

[@usmcsaxoki]

Finally watched this. Great video! How many miles do you have on yours now? I'm almost at 9k. Range has only once been an issue. It's funny... I know a few Harley riders and it seems they work on their bikes more than they ride. Rode mine to work three times this past week and I think I only plugged it in to "top off" once. Can't just go for ride now because of coronavirus restrictions so only time to ride is to work and back. Still love my SR and rarely charge it all the way to 100% because I simply don't need that much range. Usually try to keep it in the 40 to 85% range.

[@NewZeroland]

Nice! Yeah man, our bikes seem to be closer to smart phones than gas bikes. You'd never think of doing an expensive service on your phone 😂 And thanks! It was a fun excuse to go ride (pre-lockdown). I only have about 13k miles on it now because I just used it as a toy on the weekends for the first few years. I'm lucky enough to live within walking distance to my work, but my wife commutes on the Zero during the week now so she's been riding it way more than me, thus the need for another bike 😁

[@usmcsaxoki]

@@NewZeroland Ha! Closing in on you then. Yeah, not really worried about battery degradation.

[@spike_spencer]

I used to get what seemed to be about 90-100 miles on a charge (approximately 1% to one mile) but ever since they replaced the battery and the charger I feel like I'm getting a lot less. The worst part is I don't have a way to accurately tell because I can't rely on the percentage left after about 24%, anything below that and the percentage points tick off every five to ten seconds and I only get about 7 miles of range using 23% of the remaining range. Anyone else experience this shifting disappointing range on the 2017 and up SR models once you get down the to last quarter of your charge? I think I always had this problem but I never ran it below 24% until the day the battery failed.

[@NewZeroland]

Wow, that doesn't sound right. Mine's been really accurate, but like I said, I'm on 5 year old firmware 😂 You should still be able to get another 20+ miles down there.

[@justaguyfromreddit]

So the highway limit in NZ is only 100khm??

[@NewZeroland]

Yep, and the police are very strict about it.

[@jace2wheel762]

I gotta ask. Where is this? Because damn dude. That was a beauty ride! 100 miles on a 4 year old zero battery pack lol Worthy investment! I'm thinking of adding an electric to my stable. Thanks for the video dude.

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks! This is all around Wellington, New Zealand. Totally worth going electric if you can! They're super fun.

[@jace2wheel762]

@@NewZeroland test rode a Zero SR/F last year and the livewire about 2 months back. My only real complaint is the cost. The range? Let's be honest, its only going to get better. These things are just getting started lol But I will always love my speed triple and Tuono 😍 lol

[@NewZeroland]

@@jace2wheel762 haha hey I understand. I have a Street Triple and love it 😂 It just sits for most of the year.. and now that I have the Energica and can do long road trips, I feel it'll sit even longer.

[@250MotoMark]

Another excellent video. What mode do you ride in my phone screen is so small and I'm watching this while charging my bike up at a charge station

[@NewZeroland]

Whoaaaa rad!! Zero rider watching a video about a Zero rider. This is the future, man. I started off in eco mode until I hit the twisties and then it was sport mode the whole way. I feel like if you're easy on the throttle, both modes can get you a similar range. Some people even say turning off regen and coasting gets you the most range.. stuff to try out there!

[@awo1fman]

@@NewZeroland I have a tough time going into regen unless I'm slowing down to stop. Riding down even steep hills I slow down too much just coasting to be able to get regen while riding and maintaining speed. Regen is utilized much more in the city where there are lots of stops. In theory coasting should be more efficient, but that's only true of vehicles that are very aerodynamic and have very little rolling resistance or friction of any kind. You have to be able to coast a really long way without slowing down much. Otherwise you're spending more energy getting back up to speed than you are saving by coasting. But again any time the brakes come into play regen does far more than coasting ever could.

[@bev8200]

We are really in the future. On an average day to and from work I don't drive more than 40 miles the furthest I drive outside of long trips is about 75 miles.

[@NewZeroland]

Right?? An electric car or motorcycle would be perfect for you!

[@cincouno3314]

What kind of battery do you have ??

[@NewZeroland]

It's the 12.5kWh pack that came in the 2015 Zero SR.

[@awo1fman]

I finally installed my DigiNow belly pan kit. I tested it on my Tesla HPWC at home and that worked great (once I figured out how to get charging started, which is far from simple or easy), but I can't connect to the brain box to change the settings for wall socket charging. I've tried several phones and tablets, but nothing works. That's a deal killer, because wall sockets are everywhere but there are too many places I need to go that don't have a Type 2 charger. I'm really bummed and frustrated. 😞 The sole reason I bought the kit was because it was supposed to be flexible.

[@NewZeroland]

Aw man! Does it have bluetooth? Have you tried connecting with a terminal app? Did Morgan give you any instructions on how to use the chargers? I haven't used their new brain box but I might be able to help.

[@awo1fman]

@@NewZeroland No instructions whatsoever. Just the hardware, and there was one obvious mistake in the way it was wired up; there was no ground connection for one of the chargers. It's not clear whether there is Bluetooth or not, but there is no other way to connect anything to it other than the plugs that connect to the chargers. When scanning for Bluetooth devices, there is a MAC address that I can't identify or connect to but there is nothing showing up with a human-readable name at all, much less anything that includes "SC" in the name. I'm stumped. Morgan stopped responding to email. There is no longer any mention of the chargers on DigiNow's site. So I guess I'm on my own.

[@NewZeroland]

@@awo1fman eeeee, aw man. I'm so sorry to hear that. I feel bad for promoting that charging setup and then having the company let you guys down. Maybe the new ones don't have bluetooth... but then, how do they expect you to charge at home without a 3.3kW outlet? Have you tried a full power 9.9kW charge yet?

[@awo1fman]

@@NewZeroland Yes, I got it to work on my home Tesla Type 2 charger after some trial and error, but still couldn't connect Bluetooth even while successfully charging. I'm really ambivalent about the whole thing. I know the guys tried really hard to do the right thing and things just didn't align for them, but I wish they hadn't given up just when they were about to break through and do great things. Maybe they'll regroup and get back to it later after they've had time to recuperate, but I don't see a big market for their current product lineup. They are portable DC chargers 6 to 40 kW. Anybody with a 4-wheeled EV has an AC charger in their trunk that covers the lower to middle part of that and that will get them to a public DC charger that will go way over the top of the range, so it's a solution looking for a problem. The Motorcycle fast chargers, on the other hand, are a sorely needed solution where no other exists.

[@awo1fman]

@@NewZeroland I finally got a response from Morgan just now. He says there's no Bluetooth. Could be a major problem if there is no way to adjust the chargers. I'm getting the impression that they programmed the brain box before they potted and sealed it, which means there's absolutely no flexibility any more. But I might be able to make a 3-phase 32A adapter similar to the Type 2 inlet configuration that will significantly increase my options on the road. But not being able to turn down the amp draw for a regular wall socket is a really, REALLY big problem. There might be one last hope: maybe the brain box can be replaced with something more flexible, or maybe I can get another one that has the setup I need. It would be relatively easy to swap out on the fly, since I would only have to take off the seat.

[@motoryzen]

8:34 to 8:50 um no. Math doesn't lie. If a battery can only contain a max of (to keep it simple) 14000 Watts, that doesn't mean you can use MORE than 100 percent of that amount of " fuel" just because you use 40 percent and then regen a total of 5 or 10 percent of that much more usable fuel. At the beginning, middle, and end of the day..that battery( in my example) STILL only has a max capacity of 14000 Watts.

[@NewZeroland]

Actually if I started with 14kW and used regen during my ride, at the end of the day I might have used 14.5kW because energy was created as I rode downhill or slowed down. The motor works as a generator to charge the battery, which is how some people recharge Teslas by towing them behind trucks.

[@hashwall]

Nice ride enjoyed it

[@NewZeroland]

Cheers! Thanks for watching :D

[@brodarrin]

I love how quiet the ride is with electric bikes

[@NewZeroland]

So peaceful!

[@VeeFour]

I concur with the Rosso 3 choice. I love them on my MT09, and I wish I had an EV bike to put some on

[@NewZeroland]

Have you ridden an Energica Eva? That seems like the closest electric moto to your MT09.

[@VeeFour]

No I haven't unfortunately. They're like venus' arms in the UK alas 😕

[@NewZeroland]

@@VeeFour I know English Electric Motor Co in Norfolk has Energicas, and MotoCorsa down south. Definitely try one if you get the chance!

[@entonces1986]

Hi man, very cool video. I'm struggling with if i should change to electric motorcycle or not. You show that the battery lasts more than what they advise, but what if you need to change the battery, what's the cost? I didn't found the answer anywhere.

[@NewZeroland]

Hey thanks for watching! If you buy a Zero, they have a 5 year battery warranty, so they would replace it for free if something happened. Otherwise a new battery is about $5-6k usd, and you can actually buy them online.

[@phileldridge1901]

Looks like the Akatarawas - good ride except for the vehicles taking up too much road!!

[@NewZeroland]

Haha, too true man

[@alunjones2550]

It would be interesting to know how much a replacement battery is for the zero.

[@NewZeroland]

AF1 Racing offers new ones for about $6k, which actually isn't bad!

[@alunjones2550]

@@NewZeroland That's what I wondered. You're obviously going to get many more years out of the batteries before they lose viability but, you can still affordably refresh the bike. When you take the money off that 6K that you haven't had to spend on servicing as well.

[@jtchivers]

Great video in beautiful scenery and beautiful weather! Hey, I'll definitely grab a NewZeroland beanie. What's been your standard regime in terms of charging? Do you charge to around 80% if the bike's going to be sat a couple of days or just always charge to 100%? Or is the bike used so often that it's always just charged to 100% and ridden? Have to say, I've not noticed any discernible difference in range in my DSR in the last three years. Hope to see you again before 2025 anyway! 😁 👍

[@NewZeroland]

Thanks buddy! Glad to hear your range hasn't changed either 😁 My wife uses it for a really short commute so we usually plug in around 30% and charge it up to 85-90%. They say if you want to charge all the way to 100%, you should finish charging right before riding, so the battery isn't at 100% for long, and it's all warm amd ready to go. That said though.. my whole first year and a half, I left the bike plugged in 24/7 because that's what the manual said to do. I'm glad it didn't hurt the battery!

[@jesuisravi]

the Zero seems to be a good bet for commuting, just as my Leaf is a good bet for that end. But for going from city to city...unless you are staying overnight in city 1 you are going to be sol.

[@NewZeroland]

Yeah, without fast charging, Zeros are super limited.