Zero Motorcycles cranks out whisper quiet electric bike

Can't scrape together enough coin to pick up an electric whip? Fret not, as your options in the not-gasoline-powered motorcycle realm are quickly expanding. Enter Zero Motorcycles, which already offers a Zero X dirt bike for a mere $6,900, and hopes to unleash a street-legal commuter motorcycle soon that will be "slightly larger and more powerful than the Zero X" and will sport the obligatory lights and turn signals necessary for street riding. Currently, the off-road flavor will cruise 40 miles on a single charge, can be recharged in just two hours, can be shipped in a cardboard box, and reportedly accelerates beyond 30mph in "just a few seconds." And if you're just now daydreaming about how splendid it would be to take one of these out for a spin, be sure and visit the read link below to live vicariously through a few lucky CNET employees.

[Via UberReview]

[Pedro @ Aug 3rd 2007 7:14PM]

Who'd want a quiet motorcycle?

[modeless @ Aug 3rd 2007 7:25PM]

Me! I'd totally ride this thing to work; I don't ride a regular bike because traffic sucks and it's a bit far, but this would be perfect. It would go fast enough to keep up with traffic, so I could use normal traffic lanes instead of the side of the road or sidewalk, and avoid getting sideswiped by inconsiderate SUV drivers. On weekends I could stuff it in the trunk (it's light enough at 120 lbs, and I think it would fit with the back seats folded down) and take it out to the desert. With that quick acceleration it would be loads of fun.

[Ed @ Aug 3rd 2007 7:32PM]

The military for one. Night infiltration missions would be perfect for a whisper quiet vehicle like this one.

[Emceay @ Aug 3rd 2007 9:05PM]

Because you don't want people hearing you when you take an electric motorcycle shortcut through their backyards.

[james.kingston @ Aug 6th 2007 10:33AM]

Lazy hunters

[Glazun @ Aug 3rd 2007 7:19PM]

Is it just me.. or does the middle of the bike look like an guitar amp?

[Kavit Kumar @ Aug 3rd 2007 8:08PM]

yeah, it does look like a guitar amp. haha.

[bob cobb @ Aug 3rd 2007 9:05PM]

Hopefully it goes to 11 :o

[newgalactic @ Aug 3rd 2007 7:25PM]

If price can be improved to the point that it's competitive with a scooter, I could see these for commuting to work. Might not be as practical for northers states, but would be quite nice for southern California:) ...though, a silent scooter has one huge disadvantage. No one can hear you when your driving in their blind spot.

[stephen @ Aug 3rd 2007 8:33PM]

I'm unable to view the video (filter), but in the past, electric vehicles i've seen (on video) are pretty loud. Due to the high RPM of the motor.

As much as i love the idea of a silent motorcycle, I do admit there are dangers to that ghost like element.

[Nick @ Aug 3rd 2007 8:35PM]

Yeah, the "whisper quiet" thing might not actually be a selling point here. Obnoxiously loud motorcycles are...obnoxious but I think if you're riding this thing, you do want a little assurance against getting run over.

[Mike Klein @ Aug 3rd 2007 9:25PM]

Verrry old news man.

Check out http://www.electricmoto.com/.

They've been around for a looong time.

[sellec @ Aug 20th 2007 2:43AM]

I have looked at that site several times withing the last 6 months. I have emailed them and I never get a response. The only person that has ever gotten back to me is supposedly a distributor over in Europe. They were supposed to have a new bike come out last Nov. It looked way cooler then the Zero but I still haven't seen it. Zero is the only one doing something right now. If Electric Moto would get their stuff together they could probably blow doors on Zero. Their bike looks way better, more like a MotoX bik.

[Briancnorton @ Aug 4th 2007 12:28AM]

Quiet is dangerous on a street bike. You're practically invisible as it is on a street full of cars, and running silent would be suicidal.

[johnzilla @ Aug 4th 2007 12:29AM]

I guess it is cool to see people building new stuff, but seriously...how hard is it to hook a battery up to a motor, the motor up to a chain or driveshaft, and the chain/driveshaft to a wheel?

What's new or innovative here that hasn't been done before?

[Steven @ Aug 4th 2007 12:56AM]

Well, theres probably some custom parts in there, like that "whisper quiet" motor or maybe the battery. Creating things isnt all about buying stuff and putting it together.

[Greg @ Aug 4th 2007 2:10AM]

China has had electric bikes for years and years. Is the US copying CHina? :)

[kp @ Aug 4th 2007 8:21AM]

“Simplicity, Ease of starting and Noiselessness in Operation are the Features of This Electric Motorcycle” - 1911 Popular Mechanics Magazine

[Greg @ Aug 6th 2007 6:38AM]

Soudns like the Chinese bikes :)

[greg @ Aug 4th 2007 2:12AM]

China has had electric bikes for years and years. Is the US copying
CHina? :)

[The ZeroCorpse @ Aug 4th 2007 2:21AM]

1. When in my car, I can't hear motorcycles on the road, even if they have "loud pipes", because the car is damn near soundproof, and I have air and stereo on. The "loud pipes" are worthless, and the only reason people want them is to make them seem badass.

2. My electric bicycle goes 30 miles on a charge and only costs $600 on average. It's top speed is 17 mph, but that's only because it legally has to be under 20 mph to be considered a bicycle. If I wanted it to go 40 mph, I could do it by simply switching out the controller and adding another 12v battery. -- So why is this thing so damned expensive?!?! If I could get the same results for around $900 total (bike plus new controller and battery) then where's the other $6,000 these guys used up?

They're spitting out some B.S. to prospective buyers. You can do better than what they're offering.

[Scott00 @ Aug 4th 2007 8:48AM]

It's not a bicycle that is why it cost so much. It's not competitive to a $100-500 bike, it's competing for the $4,000-$6,000 dirtbike market. It's stupid to even compare your weak electric bike to a dirtbike (I laugh at this since I've owned 5-6 dirtbikes and ATVs in my life), Lets see you climb a 70+ degree hill with your electric bicycle, lol.

[Ben @ Aug 4th 2007 9:54AM]

Whats the point of a silent bike, didnt we all use to put playing cars on the side the wheels of our bikes just to make a sound that resembles a real motorcycle?

[Adam @ Aug 5th 2007 2:37PM]

continuing with the electric powered / green theme...

anyone heard of this? http://www.metaefficient.com/archives/cars/100-electric-suv-recharges-in-10-minutes.html

[Duke @ Aug 6th 2007 3:20PM]

What they didn't show was that the bike has two different power options.

http://picasaweb.google.com/rumblestripradio/MotoGPLaguna2007/photo#5090855131305774306

[Nick @ Aug 8th 2007 8:31AM]

I sell electric bikes for $500-$1000USD. Most go over 30km/h (20mp/h) and some go over 40km/h (26mp/h) unmodded. Spare batterys are only $60USD so you never have to wait for a charge. They go about 30 miles on a single charge and if you feel like pedaling, it will charge the battery. I shouldn't advertise here, so if you email me me at [e-mail] I'll tell you about my store which sells and mods bikes, and exchanges batteries for different country's voltages. [e-mail]