Zero SR-X electric sports bike gets exceptional performance to back its Sigma looks

Concept electric bikes can be resounding hit or plain chalky eyesores. Thank god, the Zero SR-X concept motorcycle is from the former camp. Not taking the futuristic styling to unpractical realms, the electric sports bike looks ready for the showroom floors in a couple of years’ time.

The two-wheeled sigma male is a result of a collaboration between California-based Zero Motorcycles and Huge Design who have their base setup in San Francisco. This is not the first time the two motorhead camps have come together. The Zero FXE which was initially a concept design turned out to be a successful production model with some cosmetic changes of course.

Designer: Zero Motorcycles and Huge Design

Dubbed the Zero SR-X, Huge Design went wild with their imagination to create this concept. The bike is based on the Zero SR/S electric platform, and it eventually turns out into a streetfighter ready for some action. Obviously, both companies managed to hit the sweet spot for a futuristic electric motorcycle design. A perfect mix of clean sweeping lines and intricate detailing. The final result, Zero SR-X has an aggressive stance and the DNA of raw performance injected into its veins. That’s what you are destined to get when two passionate automotive camps come down to the drawing board for brainstorming.

Huge Design founder, Bill Webb passionately talks about the creation as an attempt to “define a new sub-category for high-performance electric, something between a streetfighter and a track bike.” To achieve the script for this near-perfect build, the team adopted a balanced design approach “without sacrificing raw performance look and the mechanical appeal of high-performance motorcycles.” For this, most of the SR/S bike’s base was left untouched. Other modifications were made to make the forward-leaning ride a lot wilder and more intimidating than its donor.

The sci-fi element is evident from the front-heavy silhouette accentuated by the muscular front fairing. Then it flows down to the waspish tail section from the tank cover and the tapering. To conceal the slabby look of the electric motor on the bike, Bill and his team cleverly shift the visual attention to the aesthetically sexy bodywork on the back. As all motorheads know, the biggest roadblock in marketing an electric drivetrain bike is the lack of visual appeal. Those inviting LED headlights, taillights, and bump fore of the bars having the dashboard are meticulously blended into the frame design. The inclusion of aluminum details and red outlines on the front adds pep to the bike’s appeal.

Zero SR-X is all set to change the perception of performance electric bikes and the adventurous future of motorcycle production. It gets an advanced ZF75-10 electric motor and ZF17.3 lithium-ion battery. That’s enough to generate 110 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of torque. With a top speed of 120 mph and a total range of 80 miles on a single charge, the dapper motorcycle has a high probability of making it through to a production-ready version soon. Till then, Let’s bask in the sigma status of this thrilling ride!

The post Zero SR-X electric sports bike gets exceptional performance to back its Sigma looks first appeared on Yanko Design.

Michael “Woolie” Woolaway facelifts Zero Motorcycles SR/S into a retro-futurist café racer

When master fabricator Michael “Woolie” Woolaway gets down to fabricating a bike using old school techniques – it results in pure magic. A visually-pleasing form that resonates with the perfect symmetry of shapes that evoke a sense of excitement even before one pushes the throttle. For a change, Michael embarked on creating a custom electric bike – the first electric motorcycle that he has laid hands on for a thrilling collaboration. The collaboration between Zero Motorcycles and Deus ex Machina – courtesy of Michael’s creative inputs has resulted in a stunning custom-made all-electric SR/S café racer.

Zero Motorcycles SR/S was introduced in February this year, and it instantly resonated with buyers given its superior design and better range over the street bike Zero SR/F. Rewind back to last year when Woolaway came across Zero Motorcycles Race Team engineers at the 98th running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb competition in Colorado Springs – the idea to customize a Zero electric motorcycle was sparked in the legendary fabricator’s mind. And what better way to do it than on the Zero Motorcycles SR/S – it’s a clean slate that can be modified with creative freedom. That’s because there are no gas tanks and the presence of a trellis frame makes it ideal to weave the magic. He was sent a stock SR/S before its unveil and even though he had to counter the difficulties related to coronavirus lockdown, Woolaway used decades of industry connections to keep things going. As he elaborated, “I wanted to do something kind of old and new, old shapes that I grew up with and new technology, no computer work, just foam, plastic, shaping and measuring tools, transfer tools and kind of the old school way.”

The custom SR/S capable of churning out 114 hp and a top speed of 124 mph is crafted from a single carbon mold of carbon fiber composites and Woolaway also took help from aerospace engineers from Lockheed Martin who helped with the monocoque assembly. Of course, there are custom inclusions like hand-blown windscreen from Zero Gravity, race car-style winglets, a brand-new seat from Saddlemen, custom thumb brake from Spain, Showa suspension, and ultra-light Dymag carbon wheels. Apparently, this is the first time the master crafter has been able to unleash his creative bits to organically shape something. As he added, “You’re thinking about function and seating position and weight distribution, distance to the pegs… I’ve never been able to just organically create a shape for a motorcycle like this ever. And it was a great experience and I hope everybody likes it.”

Designers: Zero Motorcycles with Michael “Woolie” Woolaway

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The failing weather reminds us we're fast approaching the end of another year, but Zero Motorcycles wants to brighten our day with the announcement of its 2013 all-electric line-up. Immediately noticeable are the harder lines and healthy dose of matt black on the frames of the Zero S, DS, XU and MX refreshes. New to the team is the FX "Stealth Fighter" (pictured above), touting the fastest acceleration of any Zero moto to date and taking design cues from the late Zero X, which has been removed from the roster. As well as aesthetic improvements to the bikes, each Z-Force motor should produce up to 125% more power than previous iterations, and an optional CHAdeMO charging accessory will juice you up in around an hour. Companion iPhone and Android apps will also be available, allowing you to customize your ride's performance and review other info. The class of 2013 will be hitting retailers throughout January and February, with MSRPs of the basic spec models running from $7,995 to $13,995, depending on your wants and needs. Head over to the source link to review your hardware options and, more importantly, choose your color scheme.

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Zero Motorcycles reveals its 2013 models: Zero X dropped, FX drafted in originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 19:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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