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AFP Relaxnews
One of the most beloved electric bike brands to date among both motorcycle and alternative fuel enthusiasts alike, Zero, announced Tuesday the release of its 2019 model line with more power, longer range, and a fresh new look.
Zero Motorcycles has been in the electric motorcycle business for 13 years paving the way for rival brands’ upcoming green bikes that are trailing behind across the world. Company CEO Sam Paschel noted that “having sold more electric motorcycles annually than all our competitors combined, we continue to be the driving force behind two-wheeled electrification. This is going to be a very exciting year for Zero Motorcycles” — which brings us to the company’s new and improved 2019 motorcycle portfolio.
The dual sport line for on and off-road riding, Zero DS, received some major updates. At the starting price point, the 2019 model comes with a DS ZF7.2 battery whose horsepower increased 35%, and top speed rose 8% faster from its predecessor. Weighing in at 96 lbs., it’s one of the lightest bikes on the market.
The second battery option for the DS is actually the same as the premium one used in the Zero DSR. With a range of 204 miles in the city and 97 on the highway, the DS ZF14.4 doubles the range possible with the lower power battery.
As for the DSR itself, the “pinnacle bike in the dual sport line,” it still performs with 116 ft-lb of torque capable of ripping through dirt, but now the bike is equipped with some of the company’s most popular accessories like the dual-sport windscreen, tank grips, hand guards, and a 12V accessory socket.
To assist the upgraded motorcycles, Zero also released a Charge Tank accessory to replenish the battery six times faster than a typical wall outlet which amounts to 85 miles of city riding in just an hour. Updates to the bikes’ operating systems also preserve range via a “Long Term Storage Mode” that indicates to the bikes when to utilize a low-power mode to, “optimize state-of charge,” and keep the battery in working condition as long as possible.
The Zero DS with the ZF7.2 battery starts at US$10,995 and with the ZF14.4 at US$13,995. The DSR, which is only available with the latter battery, begins at US$16,495. The entire line is available globally today in select dealerships and online with immediate shipping.
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