Everyone crows about horsepower, but torque is what you feel when you nail the gas pedal or twist the throttle. It’s a better measure of acceleration, and for 2014, Zero has cracked the infamous 100 pound-foot mark with its new SR electric motorcycle.

Torque is measured in pound feet — or, for the rest of the world, Newton-meters — and the Zero SR puts down 106 lb-ft — 56 percent more than its standard S counterpart, and a figure that brings it in line with some of the biggest, brashest, and beefiest bikes in the world. But unlike those bruisers and cruisers, the SR tips the scales at a relatively svelte 400 pounds. High grunt and low mass let you hit 60 mph in 3.3 seconds.

In addition to the extra twist, the new 660 amp motor is good for 24 percent more horsepower, giving you 67 ponies and a Vmax of 102 mph — 7 mph over the standard S.

But the extra grunt and go is only half the story for Zero’s 2014 lineup. The California electric bike manufacturer has addressed many of the shortcomings of its current models, including some we’ve encountered with our Zero DS long-term tester, by revising the suspension and brakes and offering an optional battery pack that extends range to a maximum of 171 miles.

The front suspension gets beefier 43 mm forks and a rear shock that doesn’t look like it was pulled from a mountain bike. The front and rear brakes have also been reworked to improve stopping performance and overall feel (hallelujah!), and the dinky, generic gauge cluster has been replaced by an LCD display with blue backlighting. And you can toggle between “eco,” “sport,” and a new “custom” riding mode set through the updated Zero Android and iOS app. Even better, all three settings can be switched on-the-fly, rather than having to pull over and change the mode with the bike shut down.

But the biggest upgrade for the 2014 model year is the ability to add even more juice to the range-topping 11.4 kWh Zero S, SR, and DS models. The power tank accessory replaces the parcel container under the dummy fuel tank with a 2.8 kWh battery pack that can be installed before or after you purchase a 2014 Zero. The extra cells boost range to a maximum of 171 miles in the city, 106 miles on the highway (at 55 mph), or 131 miles combined. Not that we would ever exceed the posted speed limit, the new battery will let you go 88 miles at a sustained 70 mph. Too bad the added juice is available only for the redesigned 2014 models.

All this good stuff doesn’t come cheap, however. This is an electric motorcycle we’re talking about, after all. The base price for the Zero S has been reduced by $1,000 to $12,995, with the range-topping SR coming in at $16,995. Add in the power tank accessory, and you’re looking at another $2,495 for the additional juice.