E-car Owner/MC Group Publisher Rides the 2015 Zero S | DOIN' TIME

WRIST: Ari Henning
MSRP (2015): $17,840 (as tested)
MILES: 601
MPG: NA
MODS: None
Update: 1.1

The Zero S is getting a fair amount of attention around the Motorcyclist offices, most recently from Andy Leisner, our group publisher and the owner of an all-electric Fiat 500e. (Andy is also a former 250GP racer.) Andy had the Zero's key for the better part of a week and came back with this to say about the heavily updated 2015 bike:

“The new suspension (from Showa) and brakes (from J-Juan) finally make this feel like a real motorcycle. Not only is it more stable in corners, but it just feels more substantial and planted when riding straight-up-and-down on a smooth road.

“The motor controller has improved every year on the Zeros, and this is the best yet. It has smooth, progressive delivery of kilowatts. It doesn't give it everything at once like the Zeros did years ago.

“The seat is weird. I like to sit up against the tank, but the seat is hard and has a ridge there. Sliding back a few inches puts the butt in a soft, more comfortable space, but it puts one dangerously close to looking like a dorky guy sitting on the pillion portion of the saddle while riding a KLR650.

“The app shows the range being drastically higher than what is displayed on the dash. Range is good, though. I could get an easy 100 miles out of mixed riding, and it appears that it would be significantly more if I went 100 percent in town.

“Fit and finish were excellent. I had to take the seat off (not with a key, but torx bolts...) and everything is neat and tidy. And everything stays surprisingly cleaner than a motorcycle that is combusting fuel.”

Who will ride the Zero next? If the people checking the bike out in our garage is any indication, it could be anyone from a cruiser rider to a motocross racer.