The ZERO SR/F EV is a high end bike with top spec kit you expect north of $40k. It does everything the same, yet you don't need to put fuel in it! Action Pics: ShotByRoth Statics: HMC Photography
I love bikes. Fast bikes, slow bikes, big bikes, small bikes, petrol bikes and EV bikes. As long as it has an engine and two wheels, I’m thoroughly entertained. Every now and then, however, a bike comes along that stands out and the grin is a bit wider than usual. Enter the ZERO SR/F.
Need an arm extension? Save money on a medieval rack. Just go ride a ZERO SR/F in Sport or Custom mode.
I picked up our Jet Black-Gold press unit from a ZERO dealership, in the pouring rain. Fortunately I was already in the area with a trailer, as it wasn’t charged enough to get me home. I’ve had this experience before with an EV car I was reviewing – picked it up from the manufacturer and it was not fully charged. I missed a funeral as a result. If you want to push the EV thing to the media, the least a shop can do is charge the unit. After charging overnight at home, I had 98 per cent battery (more on that later) and an indicated range of 213km to play with, along with charging options organised…
Check out our ZERO content here… and our Electric section here…
Despite the rocky start, fortunately, I found, few if any motorcycles on the market can replicate the thrill of the throttle on the ZERO SR/F with its 3-second 0 – 100km/h fun, and certainly not many can in the nakedbike segment. And some that will challenge the SR/F in straight-line acceleration, might be left behind when the road turns twisty. It goes, handles and stops as well as it looks. This is no poser EV, this is a seriously good nakedbike that surprised even this seasoned reviewer after some test time and a little bit of a tweak here and there on the clickers… Check the breakout below for my settings.
Looking stunning, the 2024 Jet Black-Gold ZERO SR/F has a shredding 190Nm of torque, 40Nm more than a ‘Busa!
And if you want to experience torque and acceleration like nothing else, the ZERO SR/F has a gob smacking 190Nm of torque and 84kW on hand from the trick gold anodised Force 75 – 10 motor. To put that into perspective, the biggest most powerful Harley-Davidson, the 1977cc 2024 CVO Road Glide, has 183Nm of torque and 86kW. A Ducati Streetfighter V4 S has 123Nm of torque, a Suzuki GSX-S1000 has 107Nm… the old Yamaha VMAX had 166Nm and it was mental. It’s just totally nuts. Our long-term Livewire had 78RWkW and 116RWNm, with a similar top speed and 0 – 100km/h time.
A walk around the $41,800 naked reveals some nice parts, although not absolute top shelf, the running gear is good. SHOWA BPSFF forks and SHOWA fully adjustable shock, J-Juan radial-mount front calipers, radial pull master-cylinder, 320mm rotors, cast alloy wheels and Pirelli DIABLO ROSSO III tyres. There is a neat 127mm TFT dash with torque meter, smart key, immobiliser, steering lock, tip over sensor, LED lights all around, traction control (MTC switchable – Street, Sport, Rain, Off), Drag Torque Control (DTC) ride modes (Eco, Street, Sport, Rain, Custom), cruise control, heated grips, BluTooth connectivity, Battery Management System and we had an Optional Charge Tank.
The 2024 ZERO SR/F runs a 120/70 – 17in front and 180/55 – 17in rear Pirelli DIABLO ROSSO III.
The Charge Tank allows for up to 12.6kW at a fast charger at the expense of losing pretty much all of the handy storage in the front boot (which would normally take the charge cable). At home on a 2kW outlet there is no advantage, as the standard charger is a respectable 6.6kW/h anyway, unless you have a 7kW home fast charger installed. But out on the road the Charge Tank can make a lot of difference and save you time. It does mean you need to carry the charge cable in a backpack or rear luggage back, as almost no Type 2 public chargers have cables, and you lose that storage.
As well as the optional Charge Tank there is an optional Power Tank, which is an extra battery upping the battery capacity total from 17.3kW/h to 21kW/h, increasing range, the Power Tanks and Charge Tank are located in the same space, so you can’t have both options fitted to your bike. During our testing period, we were more than happy with the performance of the Charge Tank, it meant we could take advantage of the 12kW/h chargers we were using when not home charging. And the way I look at it, you really only need a cable when travelling, and you pack luggage then anyway…
During my testing I had access to Worthington Motorcycles chargers, which meant I had somewhere halfway between my hometown and riding area to charge if needed. The Charge Pack allowed 8kW – 12kW/h most of the time, so charging was great. Unfortunately, there were no other Type2 public chargers within range for me where I live.
Home charging from near flat to 95 per cent is going to take up to 10 hours, usually sitting on around 1.7kW/h, and taking the option to charge to 110 per cent (you can override the 95 per cent built in charge target for special occasions) will take 12 hours or so. I just plugged in at night and let it charge during off-peak power pricing, so a full charge was only a couple of dollars, or the cost of 1L of fuel. There is no Aussie pricing yet for the Charge Tank or Power Tank. I would have been happy enough with the standard 6.6kW/h charger and battery range, I think I would rather the storage personally.
The many personalities of AI range
So what was the true range of the ZERO SR/F? It is so hard to state this, as I say with all of my EV tests, just like fuel, a rider can burn electricity. Range depends on the right wrist and on the amount of regeneration use on a particular ride. What I can say is that I got what averaged out to 197km (Highway/Urban/Combined City) and 149km (Fast Sports/Twistys), during my two weeks. Ultra Urban riding, as in commuting, I have no doubt would be well into 250km-plus, as there were numerous times where I left home with over 200km of range and that would actually creep up to 230km-plus after 15km of stop/start traffic before I got out of town. Where I live, that is about as long as the traffic gets.
“From upright to full lean the ZERO falls with predictable progression, no stand-up on the brakes or over bumps, and with good feel from the rear tyre”…
The Ride
Enough of the tech stuff, at the end of the day, you ride the bike, then plug it in to charge instead of filling it up with fuel. Planning and preparation are the key to EV success and fun and once that is sorted, the freedom from range anxiety leaves one with the capacity to enjoy the grin factor, not to mention the savings and the contribution to local and global air cleanliness, if that is your thing. I reckon the best way to tell you about my ZERO SR/F test is to just run you through one of my testing days…
My first ride is a cracker, a mini launch if you like, as I had the luck of being able to spend most of the day with ZERO Motorcycles Australia’s Tom Reynolds, who was on the DSR/X that I’d test next. That meant I had a walking owners manual on hand, and we could swap bikes. It was great day of riding, regardless of what was powering the motorcycles. I left BikeReview HQ with 95 per cent and an indicated range of 213km. However, after 15-20 minutes of stop start traffic, I arrived at the start of my local twisties with a range of 200km/90 per cent, despite a 22km trip in ECO mode, which is great. That is a genuine Urban range of 22km/10 per cent, or 220km. Not bad!
Sadly, where I live on the Central Coast of NSW, there is a shortage of public chargers. There are two public fast chargers in a 100km area. Not to worry, I dropped into my local BMW car and bike dealership and used their 12kW wall charger to top back up to 95 per cent. The handy location of the shop at the end of my test road meant I could utilise it throughout the two weeks and not worry about carrying a charge cable. I topped it back up, using reverse to back out of the park area. I then chucked the ZERO SR/F in Sport mode and did a 40km run south through my favourite road…
“Initial turn-in is quick, then from upright to full lean the ZERO falls with predictable progression”…
The first sections are bumpy and as the pace is upped, the ZERO is not as compliant or stable as it could be with a few tweaks. For now, I test it standard and am pleasantly surprised. The SR/F is balanced and lively and the weight is carried in such a way that it is disguised. Initial turn-in is quick, then from upright to full lean the ZERO falls with predictable progression, no stand-up on the brakes or over bumps, and with good feel from the rear tyre. The front-end could be more communicative, but it is forgiven given the weight of that battery! The grip is there, so that gives confidence.
Ground clearance is good. I did not scrape the footpads, only my boots. Plenty of edge grip from the Pirelli’s.
Braking into turns doesn’t upset the steering, and despite the lack of front feedback, there is bite there from the front Pirelli and enough intimate modulation at the brake lever to keep things smooth while slowing at a rapid pace thanks to the J-Juan calipers and big rotors. I’m sure the ABS is brilliant, I didn’t get to that point. As mentioned, the rear brake is underwhelming, and for riders like me, it makes keeping the bike balanced a tricky job. No amount of regen can help, it just needs a better brake. The shock performs well, no excessive squat and for a linkage-less system, the set-up works adequately.
“The shock performs well, no excessive squat and for a linkage-less system, the set-up works adequately”…
As I reach the smoother, more flowing section of the road, the SR/F really shines. Without bumps, I can flick the bike side-to-side with aggression, get on the power hard and really get into a rhythm. Make no mistake, this is a serious performance nakedbike, chassis-wise and engine-wise. It stops, corners and goes like an animal. The acceleration off the corners is instant yet so controllable no ICE bike could match how smooth it is. Endless torque, no gears to worry about, just point and shoot. Heaven…
I cruised at 60km/h for 10km to check a new charger at Berowra, which was no use, then returned.
“Anything this quick that is this heavy but still handles as good as many top spec nakeds is going to make me laugh”…
I arrive at our meeting point buzzing. I really don’t care whether a bike is a two-stroke, four-stroke or EV, anything this quick that is this heavy but still handles as good as many top spec nakedbikes is going to make me laugh out loud…
By 4:30pm I had enjoyed a full day of riding, 100km of it being up and down my local hills, and I still had almost 70 per cent charge…
I needed a pie and Coke Zero to calm myself down. Tom (who had ridden the DSR/X North from Sydney to see me) and I chatted about the spec’s and performance over lunch, then we headed back North where we could top up at the same place I had earlier on. I still had 117km range showing. We swapped bikes halfway. Fark. I will tell you about the DSR/X next time. The R1 owner had no chance…
We have a full review coming up on the DSR/X, a whole different animal to the SR/F. Fast as hell, I tell you what…
Another fantastic run North, Tom on the SR/F and me on the DSR/X, and the SR/F still had 70km of range showing despite 40km or twistsy road, this time in Street mode. We chucked them on the charger for 45m this time, while we went and had a cold drink, relax and a catch up inside. Both bikes have the Charge Pack fitted, so ran at 8-12kW charging. We soon left with around 80 per cent each, a stock charger would give around 50 per cent in that time. A 25km cruise at 110km/h down the M1 Motorway on cruise control chewed 2 per cent per 3km… This was followed by more fun riding.
By 4:30pm I had enjoyed a full day of riding, 100km of it being up and down my local hills, and I still had almost 70 per cent charge… I headed home via one last blast along the hills. I pulled over and made some quick changes to the suspension with my own tools, which made an enormous improvement. I had already upped the front tyre pressure to 39psi, which is 7psi more than standard. The SR/F was now more balanced and compliant, and ready for some action. It did not disappoint…
Another 45km of mixed twisties and highway, all done in ECO this time, and some urban riding, and I arrived back at BikeReview HQ with exactly 50 per cent charge remaining in the battery and an 88km range showing. I was knackered, and would not want to ride another 88km anyway, so for me, for this type of fun riding, the whole EV thing made no difference to me, and it was a cheaper day riding. I would have burned through around 10L of fuel on a 1000cc ICE nakedbike, or $20.00 AUD, and charging was around eight bucks, so there was lunch in it for me…
Not huge savings, so it’s not always going to be about saving money unless you are a commuter, but I will leave the reasons you may want an EV bike your business. After an overnight charge on long range, which boosts battery level to 110 per cent for some extra miles, I began my second full day of testing, I would then spend the rest of the week doing short trips and the charge lasted all week.
This time with the suspension tweaked from the previous day and a custom mode called BikeReview set up by me in the excellent ZERO Motorcycles app, which allows you to set your own mode, plan charging, set traction control settings and more, I was off riding…
“The ZERO SR/F went and handled like a beast again all day, and to me made no difference being EV or ICE”…
This time a bit more motorway, some country roads and like the previous day, I made it home with one charging top up along the way. The ZERO SR/F went and handled like a beast again all day, and to me made no difference being EV or ICE. But that is just me, and the places I went. Obviously, with the lack of Type2 Charging around outside of cities, this is not going to work for anyone wanting to tour…
“The ZERO SR/F went and handled like a beast again all day, and to me made no difference being EV or ICE”…
For this reviewer, I’d own a ZERO SR/F purely for the performance factor. It just gives a feel and buzz that no ICE motorcycle can offer, something refreshing and different, and looking at some of the long term owner reviews and videos out there, the SR is a very reliable motorcycle. I suggest you ride one!
2024 ZERO SR/F Specifications
Price: From $41,800 Ride Away
Colours: Jet Black-Gold, Thermal/Black
Warranty: Two-Years on bike, Five-Years on Powerpack (unlimited km).
Claimed power: 83kW [110hp]@5600rpm
Claimed torque: 190Nm [140ft-lb).
Top Speed: 200km/h
Wet weight: 227kg
Range: km Claimed (City) 283km
Range: km Claimed (Highway) 188km
Range: km Measured: (Combined City/Urban) 220km (Sports/Twistys) 149km (Highway/Urban) 187km
Servicing: 1000km then 6000km or every 12-months (Owners Manual here)
Engine: Z-Force 75-10 enhanced thermal efficiency, passively air-cooled, interior permanent magnet AC motor, high efficiency and power dense, 900 Amp, 3-phase AC controller with regenerative deceleration, clutchless direct belt drive (20/90 gearing)Â Power:Â Z-Force Li-Ion intelligent integrated system, 17.3kW/h battery (15.1kW/h nominal), Â 6.6kW/h integrated charger, 2.7h charge time (home), 1.6h charge time with max 6kW charger (see article for optional Charge Tank or Power Tank).
Chassis: Steel trellis from and alloy swingers and footage plates.
Rake: 24.5º Trail: 94mm
Suspension: SHOWA 43mm Big Piston Separate Function forks, with adjustable spring preload, compression and rebound damping, 120mm travel, SHOWA 40mm piston, piggy-back reservoir shock with adjustable spring preload, compression and rebound damping, 140mm travel.
Brakes: Bosch Advanced MSC, dual J-Juan radial four-piston calipers with radial master-cylinder, 320 x 5mm rotors (f), Bosch Advanced MSC, J-Juan single piston floating caliper, 240 x 4.5mm rotor (r), conventional master-cylinders both ends, switchable ABS.
Wheels & Tyres: Cast alloy wheels, 3.00 x 17in (f), 5.50 x 17in (r), Pirelli Diablo Rosso III 120/70 – 17, 180/55 – 17 tyres.
Dimensions:
Wheelbase: 1450mm
Ground clearance: 130mm
Seat height: 787mm (810/770mm options)
Overall height: N/A
Overall length: 2135mm
Overall width: N/A
Instruments & Electronics: 127mm TFT dash with torque meter, smart key, immobiliser, steering lock, tip over sensor, LED lights all around, traction control (MTC switchable – Street, Sport, Rain, Off), Drag Torque Control (DTC) ride modes (Eco, Street, Sport, Rain, Custom), cruise control, heated grips, BluTooth connectivity, Battery Management System, Optional Power Tank (as tested)
Our Suspension Changes v Stock
Front Preload + 2 turns
Front Rebound – 5 out
Front Comp – 4.5 out
Rear Preload + 3 turns
Rear Rebound + 1/8
Rear Comp + 7 clicks to 8 out
2024 ZERO SR/F Gallery
Ratings | Bike Review | 2024 ZERO SR/F Electric Nakedbike
Fast!
The ZERO SR/F comes in at $41,800 Ride Away, with top spec running gear and electronics, plus performance that will blow your mind. If the range works for you in your riding world, this is definitely worth looking at. Here is our review.
The Author
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