OK,I admit it.  I have some interest in electric motorcycles.  AfterZero Motorcyclesannounced its 2019 product lineup,I'm even a bit more interested.Zero's 2019 models have undergone significant redesigns.  Its base models are now more powerful.  Range has been extended and styling has been revised.  More power and range certainly are a good thing provided they don't add weight;aren't they?There are four different Zero models with two of them having separate configurations.The models are:

• S and SR – Naked bike
• DS and DSR – Dual Sportbike
• FX – Lightweight dual sport
• FXS – Lightweight Supermoto

Models having the "R" designation have extended range.  So the Zero SR and the Zero DSR have longer ranges over their non "R" model counterparts.  The FX models are smaller and lighter in weight at the expense of range.  In its press release,Zero claims to have focused on its dual sport line to support the increasing demand that they have been experiencing.  For this article,I'll be concentrating on the dual sport models.

Zero DS ZF7.2 Specs.

Their entry-level Zero DS ZF7.2 was designed for people who want to have a dual sport experience and don't want or need a larger battery.  Range is claimed to be 82 miles city/39 miles highway (@70 MPH).  Seat height is 33.2 inches.Zero claims that this year's model has 35% more horsepower and an 8% higher top speed.  Tipping the scales 96 lbs lighter than its longer-range counterpart,the entry level machine weighs in at 317 pounds.You can fully charge the bike from your regular wall outlet in 5.2 hours (4.7 hours to a 95% charge).  Or you can purchase either the optional "Charge Tank"  or "Max Accessory Charger" to cut charging time to 1.5 or 1.6 hours respectively.

Zero DS ZF14.4 Specs.

In contrast,the Zero DS ZF14.4 weighs in at 413 pounds.  For this weight gain,the range is extended to 163 miles city/78 miles highway.  Charging time is 9.8 hours to full charge (9.3 hours to 95% charge) from a regular wall outlet.  Those full charge charging times can be cut with the optional "Charge Tank"  or "Max Accessory Charger" to cut charging time to 2.5 or 2.8 hours respectively.   Seat height is the same 33.2 inches.If you find yourself needing even more range,you can add Zero's "Power Tank to boost range to 204 miles city/97 miles highway.  The additional range adds 44 pounds bringing the DS ZF14.4 Power Tank to a tank like 457 pounds.  Indeed there are tradeoffs for better range.

Lightweight Zero FX ZF3.6

The Zero FX ZF3.6 is Zero's smaller,lighter dual sport.  Its range is only 46 city/19 highway.  But it tips the scales at a relatively modest 247 pounds and a seat height of 34.7 inches,this bike seems like it's most off-road capable.Full charging time is 5.1 hours (4.6 hours to 95% charge) which can be cut to 1.6 hours with a "Max Accessory" charger.Zero has also thought about the lower range of the FX3.6 and built in a battery swapping capability.   So with an extra module,you can hit the trails and run the first battery to near exhaustion and replace it with a fresh fully charged battery quickly.A longer range ZF7.2 is also available,but it does not have the battery swapping capability.  Range increases to 91 city/39 highway at the expense of total weight of 289 pounds.An interesting feature is the ability to change performance profiles via Zero'ssmartphone app.  Going from asphalt to gravel?  You can customize some parameters like max torque,top speed and power regeneration.  The So all in all,I'm still interested in e-motos.  With so many models and so many options,you'll have to do your homework to decide which machine would work best for you.  With all the variations of models available,I have wonder how much weight would be saved if the DS models came with spoked wheels.Each DS model has a 5-year unlimited mileage warranty,including the power packs.Depending on what state you register your bike in,there may be incentives and tax credits on your purchase.  Check the Zero website for details.