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Range, range, range-- that's all EV buyers think about. And if you've ever been stranded because a vehicle ran out of juice, be it electric, fossil, or otherwise, you probably understand the engineering obsession with low rolling resistance tires, optimized aerodynamics, and?ultimate battery capacity.
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Zero Motorcycles has expanded the practical capabilities of their bikes for 2013, and the Scotts Valley, California-based company's flagship S model now claims 137 miles of city range, making it the longest legged EV motorcycle on the market.?
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During a recent test of the $15,995 DS ZF11.4 model, I flogged the thing on the highway, intermittently peaking at near triple-digit speeds, and extracted about 33 miles from a half charge, which is consistent with (if not, better than) their claims of 76 miles of range at a constant 55 mph. But the real treat came when I switched bikes and climbed aboard Zero's $11,990 FX model (seen above), a nasty little armaggedon-ready steed with aggro bodywork and a claimed combined range of only 43 miles.
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Why the modest mileage? The FX is the black sheep of the Zero lineup, packing a 70 ft-lb, 44 hp wallop in a package that weighs a feathery 275 pounds. Though my test ride was brief, it was far from forgettable: thanks to its rip-snorting power-to-weight ratio, the FX spent most of its time on one wheel, lunging ahead with the eager thrust of a short-geared flat track racer. Put simply, the FX is everything you'd never expect from an EV-- and for that reason alone, I'm relieved such a frivolous, genre busting bike exists.
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You may be craving more information about the perfectly sensible, range-focused DS model-- and you certainly may find it elsewhere on PM.com. But trust me when I say this: the FX is the one you'll want to cozy up with on a nice, bendy (and preferably short) road.
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Related: 2012 Zero S ZF9 Review
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