Electric motorcycle Zero FX ZF 5.7 in the test

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Electric motorcycle Zero FX ZF 5.7 in the test

Dynamic driving fun with a 126 kg enduro

Until now, e-bikes have usually been defined by rational arguments: environmental protection, low energy consumption, low maintenance costs. The Enduro Zero FX ZF 5.7, which weighs 126 kilograms, is also extremely dynamic driving fun.

A warm October morning in southern Germany with an electric enduro from the US west coast, from Zero from California. First board: 91 centimeters seat height with 30 centimeters ground clearance speak for themselves. This also applies to long suspension travel: 24 centimeters at the front and almost 23 at the rear. A real off-roader, but also a quiet stepper. Older walkers greet them in a friendly way when you roll past them on the dirt road with the Zero FX ZF 5.7 whirring. As a pedelec owner, you think electric is good per se.

Electric motorcycle Zero FX ZF 5.7 in the test

Dynamic driving fun with a 126 kg enduro

New in Germany: Zero S – street motorcycle with electric drive

Photographer asks for drifts and wheelies…

Until the photographer quite harmlessly asks for drifts when driving off. As a photo driver, you can switch from the energy-saving eco mode to the unleashed sports program. The on-board electronics now release full power earlier, 33 kilowatts, or 45 hp. What that means catches you cold: The gas, pardon: open the power handle abruptly, stones are supposed to be thrown for the photo. You don’t hear the engine roar, you just notice how the rear tire of the Zero FX ZF 5.7 tries to lurch to cling to something. With success, after what feels like five meters, the front wheel rises so high that it almost pulls you off the back of the seat.

A constant 95 Newton meters practically from the first revolution of the engine can also be nasty. Definitely not for gross motor skills. Or would someone voluntarily set off their 1000s, which are twice as heavy, with 7000 to 10,000 turns? After a steep increase in power, real 45 hp actually reach the rear wheel – about as much in the last gear as a Honda NC 700, which also runs faster. Except that the Zero FX ZF 5.7 is much more dynamic when it comes to intermediate sprints: The FX shakes the pull from 60 to 100 km / h in a splendid two seconds. respect.

The electric driving fun stands and falls with the range

A big bike rider just thought about shifting down to fifth or fourth gear in order to keep up with the American sling. Sure, the picture changes tremendously from the top, even at a speed of 133, speedometer display 145 km / h, the electronics of the Zero FX ZF 5.7 lock off. Otherwise the 5.7 kilowatt hours of battery capacity would be absorbed in a flash. Because electric driving fun stands and falls with the range.

That is also clear to the onlookers at the Lowensteiner Platte motorcycle meeting place. In rows of two they surround the essence of the other drive star, wanting to know everything about the now quite neatly finished American bike with aluminum frame and aluminum swing arm. The modular battery system of the Zero FX ZF 5.7 couples two battery blocks, each weighing 19 kilograms, with a total of 5.7 kilowatt hours. They are removable and can be charged in just under eight hours. Thanks to the integrated charger, this is also possible when installed. Electricity costs: around 1.50 to two euros per hundred kilometers.

There is a simple connection behind this. You could drive for exactly one hour with a constant 5.7 kilowatts of power. With a full 33 kilowatts, theoretically only ten minutes. In practice, however, you get significantly more: Zero indicates a range of 71 kilometers at a constant 88 km / h. MOTORRAD determined 70 to 80 kilometers in careful rolling mode on the country road. This included several spurts when determining the mileage. 60 kilometers are probably always possible with the Zero FX ZF 5.7.

At the Lowensteiner Platte motorbike meeting point, the driving dynamics provided amazed all drivers on site: so much smoke – without any combustion and without any acoustic spectacle. The small Zero FX ZF 5.7 catapults itself electrically from 0 to 100 km / h in just 4.5 seconds. The engine (no oil, no spark plugs, no valves) and drive train including toothed belt should be practically maintenance-free. Ambitious off-roaders can optionally convert to chain drive.

Zero FX ZF 5.7 handy and accurate

Bilski

Digital cockpit with basic information and important display of the battery charge as a "fuel gauge".

The Zero FX ZF 5.7 circles corners on asphalt with great precision on its narrow tires. Also handy thanks to the wide handlebars, short wheelbase and rather steep steering head (64 degrees). The upside-down fork from the US manufacturer Fastace shows a high breakout force when stationary, but responds reasonably when driving and smooths even large, deep potholes. On the other hand, the directly hinged shock absorber of the single-seater works a bit more jerkily.

The Zero FX ZF 5.7 puts you in a great mood while driving. Until the bars of the "juice display" gradually fade: only two, one, half … Now the electronics vigorously regulate the energy output. After the engine stops for the first time, it starts again for a kilometer or two. It is better not to run the expensive batteries completely empty, because their durability suffers due to deep discharge. Treated with care, Zero promises 2500 charge cycles and gives a two-year guarantee. MOTORRAD would like to check this with an endurance test machine. Full Lotte!

Technical specifications

TRILLION

Performance diagram of the Zero FX ZF 5.7.

engine
Air-cooled brushless permanent magnet motor with energy recovery on the rear wheel, integrated charger 650 W, battery: lithium-ion battery, 56 cells, maximum battery capacity 5.7 kWh, clutch-free direct drive, toothed belt.
Rated output: 33.0 kW (45 hp) at 3700 rpm
Max. Torque: 95 Nm
Max. Speed: 6300 / min

landing gear
Bridge frame made of aluminum, upside-down fork, Ø 38 mm, adjustable rebound damping, two-arm swing arm made of aluminum, central spring strut, directly hinged, adjustable spring base, rebound and compression damping, front disc brake, Ø 221 mm, double-piston floating caliper, rear disc brake, Ø 221 mm, single-piston floating caliper.
Spoked wheels with aluminum rims: 1.60 x 21; 2.15 x 18
Tires: 3.00 x 21; 4.10 x 18
Tires tested: IRC Trail Winner GP 110

mass and weight
Wheelbase 1438 mm, steering head angle 63.9 degrees, caster 112 mm, spring travel v / h 240/227 mm, ready-to-drive weight 126 kg, load 137 kg, seat height 910 mm, charging time 8.0 hours, quick charge cycle (CHAdeMO) 1.5 hours (95%).

Colors: black
Price: 11,995 euros
Contact: www.zeromotorcycles.de

Readings
Driving performance top speed: 133 km / h
acceleration
0-100 km / h: 4.5 sec
Draft
60–100 km / h: 2.0 sec
Speedometer deviation
effective (display 50/100): 46/93 km / h

 

consumption
Country road *: 6.6 kWh / 100 km
theoretical range of road: 80 km

* with a maximum usable battery capacity of 5.275 kWh over a maximum range of 80 km.

Alternatives from Zero

TSR

Even more power, even more range: the S and DS can cover up to around 200 kilometers.

There are two versions of the Zero FX ZF 5.7: ZF 2.8 and ZF 5.7. Equipped with just one battery, the Enduro costs 9495 instead of 11995 euros. Saving 19 kilograms in weight and 2500 euros in price compared to the version tested. However, the range is then halved. The 107-kilo featherweight FX ZF 2.8 has a maximum of only 27 instead of 44 hp.

The road models S and DS offer more range and power. They are 40 kilowatts (54 hp), but like all current Zeros, they can be driven with an A2 driving license: their approval-relevant continuous output is only 22 hp. The S and DS have a battery capacity of 8.5 or 11.4 kilowatt hours, depending on the battery pack. This should allow a range of around 200 kilometers in city traffic. Depending on the batteries, the S and DS weigh between 161 and 179 kilograms and cost 13,395 or 15,995 euros.

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