The baby boomers who made up the bulk of big bike buyers are aging out of the sport, and younger buyers want cheaper, lighter, more maneuverable bikes. So what’s the industry to do? Perhaps add electric motorcycles to their mix?

Harley-Davidson announced recently it will produce an electric bike by next summer, after showing off its Project Livewire concept a couple years ago (which we rode and loved). For help and technology getting there, Harley bought into Silicon Valley electric motorcycle maker Alta Motors. Alta offers three electric motorcycles of its own: two dirt bikes and an urban commuter. Other companies like Energica, Lightning and Curtiss have their own takes on e-Motos. Even BMW offers the C evolution scooter, and we wouldn’t be surprised if another electric model came out of Bavaria soon.

But the king daddy in electric motorcycles has so far been Zero. Zero has been making electric two-wheelers since the company was founded in 2006, and we’ve enjoyed every one of its products we’ve ridden.

Published media reports peg annual output of Zeros at 2000 a year. That’s good by e-Bike standards, but to change the world, something big’s gonna have to happen. And something big might.

“You have to believe in three things,” said Zero’s energetic moto-riding CEO Sam Paschel. “You have to believe that electric vehicles will continue to grow as a percentage of transportation globally; you have to believe motorcycles will be a part of that EV revolution, especially as infrastructure continues to grow and battery technology continues to improve; and you have to know that lithium-ion battery technology is improving at roughly 8 percent a year -- so we have this natural tailwind where we’re getting better energy density, better power density, improvements in range and a tailwind on cost because as volumes go up, the costs are generally coming down.”

Zero’s 2018 models benefit from the company’s own advances in technology, too, which adds to the product’s already impressive performance. The new Zeros get 10 percent more range and, with a new optional high-speed onboard charger, can recharge six times faster than before, Zero says.

Zero introduced three new batteries for 2018, the biggest being the ZF14.4. On top of that, you can add an optional extra battery “tank” called the Power Tank that puts capacity at 18 kWh, more than the battery in the Mitsubishi iMiEV car. That would give the Zero SR street bike a claimed city range of 223 miles and up to 112 miles at 70 mph on the freeway. Who needs more than that?

Well, if you do need more than that, the 6-kW Charge Tank charger will give it to you and give it to you quickly. From empty to 95 percent charge takes just two hours for the ZF14.4 battery. And if you don’t want the $2,295 Charge Tank, like your cellphone, you can just plug your Zero SR in every night and it’ll be full in the morning. (Since they occupy the same space, you can’t have both the Power Tank and Charge Tank.)

So with all this in mind, soon after my talk with CEO Paschel, a shiny red Zero SR rolled out the back of the company truck and into my driveway. I have admitted here that I am already a bike slappy -- I like them all. But I reserve a special kind of excitement for Zero electric bikes. With them, you don’t have to shift, and for the most part, you don’t have to brake. You can use the Zero app on your phone to tune the bike’s performance to your liking. Once set up, which for me is admittedly on the sporty side, you can just leap on it and start having fun.

The SR feels a little smaller than you might expect, but it’s really not. The seat height is 31.8 inches and the wheelbase is 55.5 inches, so it’s roughly the same size as the popular Honda CBR650F or CBR600RR.

The biggest difference between an electric and an internal combustion bike is power and torque delivery. No matter how smooth a shifter you are, you can’t beat the even response from an electric motor. Ease the accelerator grip around and you pour on exactly as much power and torque as you want, with all the torque available as soon as you start twisting the throttle, er, accelerator.

The coolest thing, handlingwise, is when you unwind the accelerator entering a corner. While an internal combustion bike requires that you downshift and brake while steering into a corner, the Zero only requires easing off the accelerator and leaning as you steer through. As you ease off, the electric motor becomes an electric generator, so the energy of decel goes into making electric battery power. You usually don’t have to grab the brakes, just let the motor suck up the speed. This is an advantage for both skilled rider and beginner alike. The more you play with it, the more you appreciate Faraday’s principle of the dynamo.

Since I had the bike cranked up to performance at the expense of economy, I got slightly less mileage than is listed for city riding -- probably around 100 miles per charge on my SR without the optional Power Tank. But I was really cranking the electrons. For instance, I am able to verify that top speed is indeed 95 mph, which I got while tucked down behind the cowling like some kind of speed rodent. I am further able to verify that electric bikes are fun!

Zero electric motorcycles offer 10 percent more range and six times faster charging for the 2018 model year. We rode this Zero SR street bike and loved it.

That is, until you have to pay for them. The Zero SR I had starts at $16,495. Add the $2,895 Power Tank and my press bike stickered at $18,390. You can get a Zero S with the smallest ZF7.2 battery for $10,995. There are other options in between.

Take the long view and tell yourself that electricity is 12 cents per kWh, or $2.16 to fill up your 18-kWh tank, 86 cents to fill up your Zero S with the ZF7.2 battery. Maybe you could make an argument to your spouse based on sound financial principles. Electrons are still way cheaper than gas, you could say. A comparable gasoline-powered bike like the Honda CBR600RR has an MSRP of $12,179. The CBR650F is only $9,629. So there’s a premium for an e-Bike. But if you were to put a price on the quiet ride and that smooth even torque delivery, plus the savings on brake pads and all the other maintenance, well, you might still have to pay a premium over the years of ownership.

But it’d be worth it. And as Paschel says, these things are only going to get faster and more efficient, with commensurate price drops. I, for one, am ready to plug in to an electric future. See you at the charge station.

Vehicle Model Information

ON SALE: Now

BASE PRICE: $10,995

AS TESTED PRICE: $18,390

POWERTRAIN: Air-cooled, permanent magnet, brushless electric motor

OUTPUT: 116 ft-lb (157 Nm); 70 hp

CURB WEIGHT: 414 lbs

FUEL ECONOMY: Range up to 223 city miles, 112 miles at 70 mph

FUEL ECONOMY: Around 100 miles

OPTIONS: Power Tank

PROS: Smooth, quiet; easy cornering

CONS: Pricey

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