This winter has been a rollercoaster of surprisingly mild days mixed with freezes so deep that electric car owners in Chicago found themselves stranded. Most motorcycle riders here in Illinois parked their bikes in December, or maybe even earlier, and were smart enough to ride in heated cars. I am not one of those riders. Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays this bumbling fool from getting on two wheels. I bought a motorcycle just for this winter season, but instead of riding my $1,000 Buell Blast, my steed of choice has actually been my 2023 Zero DSR/X long term tester. How does an electric motorcycle hold up to subzero temperatures, ice, and general misery? It’s been surprisingly good, but not flawless.
Zero loaned me this electric motorcycle back in June while I was playing around with an Indian Challenger Dark Horse and a Can-Am Spyder F3-T. Both of those bikes are long gone, back to the warm embraces of their press fleets. The wonderful folks of Zero have allowed me to keep this one around, which means I’ve been able to do deeper, more varied tests with the $22,995 electric motorcycle. I’ve been riding the 2023 Zero DSR/X as if it were my own motorcycle and have racked up over 1,200 miles in doing so. I have charged the Zero at least 10 times and it has remained my go-to choice for local rides over the past six months.
Along the way, I’ve learned a lot about quirks unique to electric motorcycles, and I’ll pass them down to you.
A Glorious Ride
If you haven’t been reading my updates on this journey, I’ll bring you up to speed. The 2023 Zero DSR/X is hailed by Zero Motorcycles as “the world’s first true electric ADV.” You’ll be quick to point out that the Zero is not the first electric adventure bike, but Zero says it’s the first electric ADV to put down the kind of performance you would expect from an ADV.
In other words, it’s an insanely powerful electric motorcycle with some legitimate off-road capability and the range to take you deep enough into the sticks. The DSR/X launched in 2022 and while it’s not Zero’s biggest motorcycle, it is one of the brand’s most important machines. Zero has packed all of its latest technology into this frame and, as I said before, Zero is making ambitious claims with this steed. When you tell a rider a motorcycle is a true ADV, those people will think of the adventure establishment like the BMW GS and the Triumph Tiger, two tough acts to follow.
I think Zero has the right bones here, from a previous entry:
The DSR/X was supposed to be based on the SR/F and SR/S sportbike, but Zero found out that sportbike bones aren’t really strong enough for off-road duty. Zero’s new machine needed a new, beefier platform. Thus, it rides on a new trellis frame and a new swingarm that is thicker and has more gussets. The DSR/X’s frame and swingarm look like they come from the sportbikes, but they’re longer and stronger.
Connected to that frame is a Showa Separate Function 47mm Cartridge Forks and a Showa 46mm shock out back. The forks have adjustable spring preload, compression, and rebound damping while the rear has the same tool-less adjustments. You get 7.48 inches out of both units.
Powering this 545-pound beast is a Z-Force 75-10X motor delivering 100 HP and 166 lb-ft of torque and it’s fed by a ZF17.3 kWh battery (15.2 kWh nominal), the largest battery ever fitted to a Zero. Zero says that the battery will charge from a zero percent charge to 95 percent in two hours, or to 110 percent in 2.7 hours. That’s when it’s able to charge at 6.6 kW. Optional is the Rapid Charger, which gives you 12.6 kW of charging power, capable of getting you from dead to 95 percent in about an hour.
In my last entry back in November, I wrote about how the 2023 Zero DSR/X is one of the most graceful machines I’ve ridden in recent times. I still stand by what I wrote. Yes, this motorcycle weighs 545 pounds, which is more weight than many ADVs of old, but is only slightly more than the 522.9-pound BMW R 1300 GS and the 529-pound Triumph Tiger 1200.
I’m a sucker for the soundtrack of Triumph’s triple and a BMW boxer can be the pen to your motorcycle love story. Yet, neither of those engines deliver the punch the Zero does. Over the past six months or so, the instant, wheelie-popping power of the Zero has never gotten old. I try to make myself the first vehicle at a red light just so I launch like a rocket the moment I get a green. A lot of electric motorcycle manufacturers try to entice buyers and journalists with ridiculous power claims, however, Zero is one of the manufacturers that have been proven to deliver. The Zero DSR/X will reach 60 mph faster than you can catch your breath. The Zero DSR/X will happily put more miles on its rear tire than its front tire. And the best part is that you never feel like you’re not in control.
Speaking of control, one of my favorite attributes about the DSR/X is the fact that it’s not just blinding speed, but graceful handling and respectable off-pavement stability. The standard Pirelli Scorpion Trail II tires have some grip off-pavement, but mostly on dry surfaces like a dirt road, a trail, or a dirt pit. I would not recommend taking these tires into mud or sand. Zero offers optional tires that sacrifice range for off-road capability. Get those if you really want to use the “adventure” part of this motorcycle.
Obviously, the Zero DSR/X is not the greatest at everything, but it is a deeply satisfying all-rounder with a hilarious punch of power. I am also surprised about how much I like the noise or the lack of it.
Most of our readers know how I roll. I love large diesel engines, smoky two-strokes, the sounds of triples, and hopelessly complicated German rides. The DSR/X is the opposite of all of that. The most noise it makes sounds similar to an old washing machine on its spin cycle. Otherwise, it’s just you, your thoughts, and the wind. One of my favorite things to do with the Zero is hit up one of the many otherwise boring and flat country roads in Wisconsin and just relax and have a good time.
The Biggest Difference In Riding Electric
Alright, so you’ve heard me sing praises for this bike more than once now. However, in having the Zero as my daily driver, I have learned that there are some unfortunate limitations to riding electric.
During the summer, I laid out a testing loop for the motorcycle’s range. It wasn’t scientific: I just chose my favorite local spots and rode the same roads to get there and back. These roads were of the “country” variety. In other words, they were far faster than city streets, but not as fast as a true highway ride. I regularly achieved speeds of 60, sometimes 70 mph, and had occasional stops due to traffic lights. I guess some people would call this “mixed” riding. In doing this, I discovered that I could reliably get 120 to 130 miles of range out of the battery pack.
If I moved my route to lean toward highway riding, my range often dropped down into the low to mid-80-mile range. If I kept my riding closer to the slow rides you would do in a place like Chicago, it seemed as if the battery would never run out. This was the same when I took the motorcycle off-road and kept it slow. Zero claims the DSR/X can ride about 180 miles in a city, about 85 miles on a highway (so long as you don’t exceed 70 mph), and up to 200 miles off-road. My testing, in which I didn’t change my riding style, suggests that it is possible to hit those numbers. However, you’ll want to treat the throttle with ease. My best city ride was 150 miles. To be fair to the Zero, I often used that right grip like it was an on and off switch, which is bad for range.
Still, in normal day-to-day warm riding, which included full send starts and a few instances of turning into a unicycle, I’ve been able to hit 120 to 130 miles to a charge consistently. I’ve had gas-powered bikes with worse range than that.
What makes the Zero significantly different, at least to me, is putting the juice back in. With an ICE motorcycle, you just slide by your favorite gas station, fill up, and then be on your way. With the Zero, you have to rely on America’s charging network not sucking.
I planned to take the Zero through the duration of Wisconsin’s Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive. It’s a 115-mile route that starts in southern Wisconsin and dumps you out near Sheboygan. It doesn’t even cover half of the state, but the route has some of the best driving roads you’ll find in the region without having to go to the Mississippi River or the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The start of the scenic route is 47 miles from me, making the total ride 162 miles in one direction.
On my ICE motorcycles, this isn’t a problem. I would leave in the morning, ride those 324 miles, and be home by sundown. I’d usually stop for fuel three times during this trip. Unfortunately, I’ve yet to complete the Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive on the Zero. Assuming 120 miles of range, I would have to charge three times to comfortably do the trip. Perfect, that’s no more charging than fuel stops. The difference is time. The Zero can charge in about an hour, if you find a faster level 2 charger and have the Rapid Charger option. However, the majority of the Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive goes through rural Wisconsin, where you might find a slow level 2 charger or two with big gaps between them.
I have found a few quicker level 2 chargers in some of the bigger towns along the route, but those chargers are usually taken by people who, like me, planned ahead to find faster chargers. That leaves me sitting at a charger for 2 to 2.5 hours depending on the unit in question, and a few stops with extra juice-up time extended my ride by another 6 to 7.5 hours – mind you, the trip was going to take most of the day without charging, so we’re talking a lot of saddle time. I haven’t quite figured out how to make this ride work without getting home past midnight. Maybe I might do it, anyway, just to see. Here’s a PlugShare map of eastern Wisconsin, most of those rural chargers are all slow level 2 units:
For a twist, my loaner does not have the Rapid Charger option, which also means I couldn’t charge faster than 6.6 kW even if I could find a charger capable of doing so.
One potential solution is DC fast charging, a feature Zero has not implemented. Zero’s logic is that 90 percent of motorcycle trips happen within Zero’s range, so fast charging isn’t necessary. Zero also says that the DC fast charging is only “slightly faster” but more inconvenient since fast chargers are still very rare outside of highways. A DC fast charger could do far better than 2 hours, but there aren’t many of those in rural Wisconsin, either.
For now, I keep the Zero within a 120-mile radius of home. That’s more than enough for most of the things I’ll do in a day.
The Winter Soldier
That brings us to wintertime. As I said before, most people put their toys away for the winter. Even motorcycle journalists hang up their helmets in the winter. As a result, winter range testing for motorcycles, especially electric motorcycles, is rare.
The most famous winter electric motorcycle review is probably the 2016 Aerostich Zero Below Zero blog. The folks of RevZilla did their own winter ride on a SR/S in 2021. Motorcyclist Magazine also reviewed a SR/F in a Chicago winter last year. My experience has been closer to that of the Aerostitch riders, who didn’t fear snow for a cold ride on a Zero FX. So long as the roads were clear, I rode the Zero, no matter the temperature on the thermometer.
Riding a motorcycle in the winter is quite the different experience than riding in the summer. I’ve been riding in the winter since I got my motorcycle endorsement six years ago and am comfortable doing it.
The first thing you need to know is that motorcycle snow tires are a rarity. Germany’s Heidenau Tires claims to make a snow tire, as does Turkey’s Anlas. Slovenia’s Mitas also claims to have a winter tire. That’s pretty much it. At best, most of those you’ll see riding on a winter day will probably be riding on all-season tires. The Pirellis on this motorcycle are not winter tires. When they’re cold, grip is limited, which can be dangerous. My rule is that I don’t ride when the roads are rough or covered in snow.
You also need to bundle up for the ride. Treat riding a motorcycle in the winter like riding a snowmobile. You’re going to have icy wind beating down on you, so your gear needs to be more than just warm. My solution for now is wearing my regular gear under snowmobiling gear. I look ridiculous, but I’m plenty toasty!
Riding the Zero DSR/X through the cold and snow isn’t much different than riding any other motorcycle through the same. Controls may be stiff before things warm up. The motorcycle also makes much more noise than usual when it’s cold.
If it’s cold enough outside, say, under 20 degrees Fahrenheit, the motorcycle may run in a reduced power state. Zero says cold temperatures have a temporary impact on the energy the batteries can release. Thus, if the motorcycle deems it necessary, it will limit power and top speed. This power reduction happens without any indication on the motorcycle’s display, but you’ll feel it as acceleration is gradual rather than brutal. Still, even in reduced power mode, you’ll be faster than most traffic and can still hit 85 mph or so. Besides, do you really want wheelie-popping power when the temperature is just 15 degrees?
I’ve been putting a few hundred or more winter miles under the Zero’s tires. The coldest ride thus far was 15 degrees and I got caught in some light snowfall during that ride. The Zero DSR/X has been plenty fun through all of it and the heated grips have helped my hands stay nice and warm. My one complaint is the lack of a second source of heat. On an ICE bike, your legs can stay nice and toasty thanks to the engine. Here, you’re relying totally on your gear.
In terms of technology, the Zero DSR/X has various riding modes, traction control, and ABS for maximizing range, canyon carving, off-roading, or riding in the rain. You’ll note that winter is none of those. In my experience, Rain mode, which dulls acceleration and reduces regeneration, is a good setting for winter. ABS and traction control also aren’t tuned for winter, either, but hold up well enough if I goose the brakes too much on a surface covered in road salt. Of course, I’m not trying to sling out of apexes in the winter, but I feel reasonably safe riding the DSR/X around in the cold.
Much of this is like other bikes I’ve ridden in winter. My old winter steeds have included a 1980 Gold Wing, a 2005 Suzuki Burgman 650, a 1982 Suzuki GS850G, and a 1999 Triumph Tiger. All of them, like the Zero, have gotten me through some Chicago winter blues without drama.
What has been different is range and charging. I’ve been riding the Zero on my normal summer route, the same roads I was reliably able to hit 120 to 130 miles of range on. Lately, I’ve been reliably hitting 95 to 100 miles on my riding runs. I’ve calculated my average range loss to be about 18 percent overall, which isn’t that bad. Zero says to expect up to a 30 percent hit to range in cold weather as opposed to summer weather, so my observations are better than expected. Sadly, this means taking the Zero out for a highway run in the winter means running out of power in 60 miles or less. Riding in the city still results in well over 100 miles.
Things Are About To Get Weird
In the middle of last month, a prolonged cold snap hit Chicago and the rest of the northern portion of this state. We had more than a whole week of low temperatures under 0 degrees and more than one day when the high temperature was still negative.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 80 percent of EV charging happens at home. That leaves 1 out of 5 EV charging sessions happening in public. These are people on road trips or those who just don’t have charging access at home. A lot of people in big cities park on the street, where there are no EV chargers. Until recently, I was one of those people. I had no way to charge the Zero at home, so I had to charge it up at a public charger before or after a ride. To illustrate how rough things got, take a look at my BMW E61, most of that snow was from a single storm!
During that January cold snap, EV owners were hit with a surprise when their vehicles either wouldn’t charge in the subzero temps or the chargers themselves were out of commission. Most articles focused on Tesla owners, but the truth is that the cold was a surprise to everyone who didn’t prepare ahead of time, myself included.
The Zero is a bit weird about cold weather. According to Zero Motorcycles, the DSR/X will refuse to charge in temperatures under 32 degrees. The motorcycle will also refuse to run in temperatures under -4 degrees. Based on this, you can ride your Zero somewhere in 25-degree weather, but not be able to charge the unit once you reach your destination. In terms of heat, the motorcycle has an electric heater for its 12-volt battery. This activates when the temps are either below 41 degrees or have been recently recorded to be below 41 degrees. The motorcycle will not run if the 12-volt battery’s temperature is below 32 degrees. Because of these limitations, Zero does not recommend riding the DSR/X in temperatures under 23 degrees.
Cold weather also brings some challenges to storage. I parked the Zero with maybe 20 percent or so remaining, expecting to top it up before my next ride. The motorcycle sat for about a few weeks while I didn’t have time to ride. In the summer, I measured standby battery drain to be about 1 to 2 percent a week, even at a low state of charge. I wanted to take a ride before the Illinois deep freeze, but the deep snow we got the night before put a damper on that. The morning after, I decided to steal some space in my wife’s garage for the Zero. That’s when I saw the bike’s display reading a big fat zero percent charge remaining. The cold zapped the juice out of the poor bike.
Things then started getting complicated. Remember how I said the bike won’t charge if the temps are below 32 degrees? Well, at the time, my area hadn’t seen temperatures that high for even longer than we had the cold snap, so the bike wouldn’t charge. To make matters worse, the 12-volt battery died during the deep freeze, so the Zero turned itself into a pretty paperweight. I couldn’t even get the screen to turn on.
To bring the Zero back to life, I had to first put the 12-volt battery on a charger. That restored function to the bike’s screen and systems. Next, I had to heat my wife’s garage warm enough for the bike to start charging. After a few days of setting all of this up, the bike finally started charging.
If I could suggest future features, I would have the motorcycle display a warning on its screen about what’s going on. Otherwise, the end user may think their bike is inexplicably bricked when it is just a bit too cold.
Even if you aren’t riding your Zero in the winter, you may need to be concerned with its long term storage. Zero says that if you’re storing the motorcycle for longer than 30 days, store it at a 60 percent state of charge, and then charge it back up to 60 percent when the charge reaches 30 percent. Of course, if you live in a place that gets seriously cold, that may not be possible. In that case, just leave the charger connected and the bike will top itself back up when it gets warm enough. Zero also warns not to store the motorcycle anywhere that may see temps below -31 degrees, as that can cause permanent battery damage.
This is all to say that no matter the EV you’re driving, be sure to read all of the fine print about keeping it charged. An ICE vehicle may run so long as you can get the engine running, but your EV may not be a fan of the cold. Overall, I’d say the Zero is holding up really well. It hasn’t let me down and despite my love of ICE vehicles, I’m still stoked to ride it.
Now that we’re past the cold snap, I’m back to riding the Zero again and I’m having the time of my life. It’s been such a fun all-rounder that it makes me excited for the future. Once batteries, charging, and electric infrastructure improve, electric motorcycles will be even cooler. For now, I’ll continue to enjoy green light launches.
(Images: Author, unless otherwise noted.)
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This is why you’re the best Mercedes. You’re out there doing things nobody should do, answering questions nobody asked, and it turns out we did actually want to know the answer to. We just didn’t know we wanted to know!
Thank you so much for braving the chill and ice-slick roads. Do you know if it’s a question of chemical reactions or risk of freezing that prevents the recharging below a certain minimum temperature?
Also, I briefly considered selling my car and current motorcycle to get an Ural as an only vehicle. Living in Michigan, I discarded that idea–but now I’m thinking I should reconsider…
Interesting. I plan to drive from the Sheboygan area to Whitewater this weekend. I may have to take the scenic route!
“My solution for now is wearing my regular gear under snowmobiling gear. I look ridiculous, but I’m plenty toasty!”
You need to post some pics of your winter riding getup. It sounds too good!
I have a Thermoscud that I install on my Piaggio BV350 for the cold months. I saw on their site that they have solutions for pretty much every model/manufacturer out there.
Probably would be better to call those ‘summer’ tires than all-season. The minimal groves, combined with large flat land areas with no sense of siping is not all-season – even on an enduro-style Scorpion.
Having ridden a few times in sub-freezing temps (laughed with my BIL who also used to ride his dirtbike in the winters), learning the value of things like heated grips, I have to say that there’s a solid reason why most motorcyclists hang up their helmets. And it’s not the cold, or snow – it’s the unexpected ice and/or frosted-over road.
After one too many precariously sketchy attempts to stop and coming to an unexpected polished road surface: I, too, have decided that I don’t need to ride in the winter and I probably shouldn’t for both my safety and those on the road. I too hunted down brands of “winter” motorcycle tires but ultimately determined I needn’t launch a 500lb two-wheeled lump of aluminum & plastic into any unsuspecting pedestrian, car or, even, just the ground purely due to my poor choice of vehicle-to-weather selection.
Right tool for the job.
Good honest entertainment for the reader. (-:
How do you handle deicing salt or is that not a concern?
Salt would be more desirable over the alternative. Rinsing the bike regularly of the salt, and ensuring it’s well lubricated help significantly.
I haven’t ridden a bike in the winter since the 1970’s, but IME rinsing is easier said than done. Heated pressure car washes are a evil unto themselves when it comes to bikes.
A warm(er) garage makes all the difference.
My question is probably answered elsewhere, but I’ll post it here: What’s the battery upgrade situation like? Out of all possible BEVs out there, the Zero is the only thing I’d consider this year. But that’s assuming my ever prolonged full time conversion does finally happen….I would probably do mostly highway riding so it’s really looking like a no go, which makes me sad : (
Is there no way to override any of the cold weather restrictions? If the choice is either freeze to death in the middle of nowhere or run the bike anyway and destroy the battery, I’m sure people would choose the latter.
I wish someone would take a platform like that and build a nice naked retro bike, something that looked like a 1958 R50 or equivalent. Or a Royal Enfield. That fat, ugly “streamlined” “tank” just doesn’t do it for me, nor the ridiculous upswung tail that you sit on.
I have a Polaris Kinetic that has an electric drive system courtesy of Zero. It has limits on cold, but much lower because it has a heater for the traction battery. I wonder why they didn’t do that for the bike. Yes, it takes some power, but it also keeps you going when you need it.
The low-temperature restrictions are disappointing. For 23k I’d like a battery heater. The battery has liquid cooling, right? How hard would it be to throw in a glow plug?
Do you notice a difference in battery use with the heated grips on? Again – a pair of resistive heater strips in the seat wouldn’t cost much on the BOM but would improve cold-weather comfort probably by a lot.
I understand why they didn’t do any of that though… Cold weather is bad for battery life and you make a good point about there being almost no winter tires for motorcycles. Be safe out there!
I did not notice a significant difference in range with the grip heat on. I should also note that the grips don’t get super sizzling hot like the bars of a snowmobile do, but warm enough to help your gloves keep you warm.
Put some Hippo Hands on there! They make such a difference.
What gloves are you wearing? I’ve never found a pair of gloves that could keep my hands warm while riding in 30-40 degree weather.
I have heated grips, heated gloves and hippo hands, and the cold can still sneak through a little, especially on my left hand if I have to hold the clutch a lot.
Sweet! I’ll check out Hippo Hands. Looks like what all the State Patrol bike cops have around here.
I had been waiting for this article since Jason posted the snow covered zero on Twitter. I did not know about the fail safes that Zero imposed on the battery systems, like No riding under -4 degrees? Thats great frozen lake racing weather.
The real reason why the bike in cold weather intrigued me was because of Long Way Up and the issues Ewan and Charlie had with their Harley’s. Early on in the docu- series their range was destroyed from 130ish miles down to sixty, and this was not riding on the highway. I mean they poorly planned the trip and did not account for South American winter, but it has been on the back of my mind with all electric vehicles how much cold weather effects range.
Even ICE motorcycles run poorly in the winter. My fuel mileage is down and that’s when my starter showed signs of fatigue and weakness. I will ride below freezing but not all the time. My big fear is black ice.
I always liked the Zero brand and I think of them as the top of the line leader in electric motorcycles. Its what Charlie and Ewan Should have used on Long Way up.
The Zero is a gorgeous machine. If anybody can do electric, it’s them. But this just proves my point about hybrid PHEV machines. A very small ICE could be part of the design, and it would both heat the machine and do added charging while you ride.
I’m not a masochist, but I have warm protective gear, (snowmobile suits with hard armor underneath work well) and I’ll ride no matter what the actual temperature is, as long as there isn’t ice everywhere. You have to be aware of the patches that form near stop signs and lights, and plan for them, but it’s doable. Except for night. I will not do night rides, because you can’t see the dangerous spots.
It’s already heavy. Adding an ICE and fuel would make it even more so.
The size of the battery pack could be reduced with this strategy, ameliorating the weight issue somewhat. However, weight isn’t really all that important here. It would be very easy to design such a machine below the weight of your average Harley, for instance. If what you want is purely off-road, then a different set of parameters apply. We haven’t gotten to the place where EV designs can compete with ICE, really. They are fine for a few laps in the woods. But they cannot really do long range back country stuff. Yet. Maybe in a few years. But not now.
It won’t charge when the temperature is below 32 degrees? So you’re just not supposed to own one of these if you live in a place that has winter?
Zero is based in California lol. They probably don’t know the definition of winter or rain for that matter. When I ride my Zero in the rain the belt drive, motor, and brakes make horrendous noise.
Yeah, how hard would it have been to add a simple resistance heating circuit inside the battery compartment to bring the cells up to temp when you plug in the charger below feeezing?
Why would they not follow electric cars in having some sort of heating feature?
Presumably the vendiagram of people who would buy one of these for $23k, and have access to heated storage is a circle. That said, I can think of plenty of people who store their powersports toys in unheated outbuildings. It would be convenient to at least maintain the battery in that situation.
I rode MY PC800 in 13 degree weather once.
ONCE.
It rattled like a bin of Tupperware thrown down a staircase.
You are a brave person.
I rode my ZXR400 on snow once, because I’m an idiot. Never again.
Uh, ‘….and here’s how the…’
minor edit there 😉
Thank you! I could have sworn that was already in there. Can I blame
KinjaWordPress?Of course: writer’s perogative 🙂
It’s -prerogative-, from the Latin praerogativus ; in Roman law, the one whose task it is to voice a verdict in an assembly. Thus ‘pre’ (prae) ‘before’ and ‘rogare’ ‘to ask’.
I tend to read too quickly, which results in mistakes such as that:
thank you.
Kinja’d!