Content area
Full text
Find that extra charge in an on-duty motor bike
Before I tried out the Zero DS, an electric Dual Sport motorcycle by Zero Motorcycles of Scott s Valley, Calif., I theorized that an electric motorcycle would be impractical for a law enforcement application. But wouldn't you know, the Zero DS proved itself worthy, and even exposed some patrol applications that hadn't occurred to me until the test.
I rode Zero DS for over a week any time I had even a moment to run it. I used it for every conceivable situation, as often as possible, and I tried every charging scenario I could imagine. I ran it in shallow water, triple digit weather and over fairly uneven terrain. Throughout, the motorcycle ran as advertised and delivered impressive performance. I tried it with soft panniers, to simulate having clipboards and forms on board. But I got tired of dragging them through dirt and branches, so I took them off.
The Zero DS is a mid-sized bike at 297 pounds. If I were to compare its handling to a conventional motorcycle, I would say it feels like a 350cc to 400cc supermoto. It was competent in winding roadways with its 56.3 inches of wheelbase, coupled with a unique frame and swing arm.
The controls and console are pretty standard, except for the lack of a clutch, tachometer and the presence of a throttle switch. This is a rocker switch that sits where the right thumb rests. The large part of the switch disconnects the throttle for safety.
With the standard seat, it sits a little high at 35.8 inches. The optional seat brings it down almost 3 inches. Tm average height, and 35 inches was just right for me. This was the first advantage of having a dual sport law enforcement tool: The officer can see over the average sedan when seated.
Zero claims the bike has to have about a 4-hour recharge time. The charge indicator consists of a series of indicator LEDs. One plugs it into a standard 110-Volt outlet using a pigtail that looks exactly like the three -pronged male end of an old computer tower-to-monitor plug. The bike comes with the cord that connects to the pigtail, which I stuck...