In the world of motorcycling the motard is a bike for crazies -- not packing much power but offering plenty of grunt for wheelies and other urban antics, making them quite popular amongst those who ride the city streets. They're typically modified off-roaders, as is the case with Zero X's new Zero S. The company took its
electric dirtbike, added some street-friendly tires, tweaked the suspension, and doubled the battery life to offer 60 miles to a charge despite keeping the weight down to just 225 pounds. While a zero-to-60 time of five seconds won't win any awards from two-wheeled aficionados, that's more than quick enough to ensure victory at stoplights. A top speed of just 60 mph means highways are to be avoided, but they're no fun anyway. You can throw your leg over your own later this month for $9,950, or catch a video of this near-silent screamer right now after the break.
posted April 8th 2009 10:03AM
Wind screen. Try it.
Air conditionioning and power windows. Try it!
On the microphone, man, on the microphone.
I am loving the battery innovation that has been fueled by the high gas prices. I hope I live long enough to see everyone with electric cars.
Keep dreaming. Normal bikes sell for 2k, while electric ones sell for 10k. I'd rather own 5 bikes than 1.
In the UK, I can't find a decent bike even for £2K, let alone $2K... Typically, a half-faired 600cc costs between £4k - £5k, with commuters (non faired 600), slightly cheaper, at £500 less than that.
Can you point me to a motorbike (real, not a Moped or something 'tarded as such) for $2K? At that price, I'm importing; it's a damn sight cheaper!
Sadly Samo Americans don't have an MOT so you can buy anything that still has wheels that turn and ride/drive it on the road.
This is really dangerous, being in bike with all those irresponsible drivers out there is bad to start with, but being in a bike with almost no noise coming out of it, no way to alert other drivers that I'm right there, it's a recipe for disaster...
@Riverama if you're relying on the sound of your bike to keep you safe you're in trouble. If a distracted motorist with the radio blasting can't see you do you really think they can hear you?
@Tim Stevens: It's always good to have MORE saftey features, and making noise to get the distracted drivers attention is another byproduct safety feature :)
Major4Play,
Is this why Germany, the land of strict vehicle standards, allows you to register and drive a quad (4-wheeler) on the street, yet the US does not?
@UnixSystemsEngineer: Probably because that quad-bike in Germany is in a better, more reliable shape than that car in the ol' US!
...Hehehehe... Just imagined a quad bike on the autobahn :D
UnixSystemEngineer, don't be dumb. There are registered quads all over our roads here in the US.
Maybe where you are but on the west coast definitely not.
You can have street legal dirt bikes, but quads? No way.
ive heard of it, you'll see one in san diego every once in a while
Hells yeah! I'm definitely going to have to try and break a few bones on this bad boy!
I just found out Motard is a real term and DOESN'T mean retarded motorbike. :(
And here I thought it referred to the person ON the bike.
MotoTard = retarded motobike...
Hahaha, I thought they were talking about the Nitro Circus guys
Actually it does refer to the person on the bike. Motard is just French for "rider". When Americans adopted the sport from Europe they got a bit confused about the terminology. It's more accurate to refer to the bike as a supermoto.
And when you crash, at least you'll know you died trying to save the world.
On the other hand if we kill off half of the planets human population, it will make the world much much greener...
2 Posts by 2 non bikers..Normal bikes cost 2K? What do you consider normal?Have you ever ridden a motorbike? and as for crashing. It happens..everyone who slings a leg over a motorbike is well aware of that and the risks.
I love this bike. It's a step in the right direction and finally a bike that's not fugly. Although I will be sticking a lolly pop stick in the spokes to produce that motorbike sound just like I did when I was a kid on my Grifter.
Shini would probably be a good place to start.
0 to 60 in five seconds? *Snore*
I can only hope that one day I pull up on my MV Agusta F41000, next to some dude riding one of these things.
That's *almost* as ugly as this one, if it were in white.
now that your e-penis is ever-so-slightly larger, can you post something relevant?
you know some people ride to get from point a to point b.
Read the post knucklehead... even references the fact that it is slow for a bike but will still beat 95% of the vehicles on the road in 0 to 60.
Boy, you must have all the fun driving up to Priuses and Corollas, and "racing" them (maybe you even race people on bicycles). I have not seen a case of worse penile dysfunction.. See a doctor, there are other options.
Actually it is kind of ironic, because it is the dorks in the Prius and Corolla that want to race. Dudes in Porches/Corvettes/Camaros, etc. are smart enough not to even try.
Your statements:
1. Diddug would race an obviously slower vehicle
2. Smart people don't race an obviously slower vehicles
Conclusion:
Digdug is not smart.
Leave your stupid trolling to another site.
This thing is..... SILENT???? Does it come with a free body bag?
I was kinda of thinking that myself... Drivers can't see us, and now they can't hear us?!
Next stop... Morgue!
When lanesplitting and in general the sound is directed behind you. So in most cases the only thing a loud bike does is piss people off. I prefer a quiet bike on the street I can go much faster and, A:) not look like some chump just trying gather attention, B:) Not draw the phone calls to the police on favorite routes early in the morning, C:) Spend more time learing to be smooth and imrove my skills rather than rely on horsepower to make up for my lack of abiltiy to ride, D:) Just assume nobody sees me and ALWAYS have an exit plan.
Years ago I had the best description of riding given to me by an Apache helicopter pilot. He claimed riding in traffic and general was very similar to flying Apaches, His quote that summed it up, "Survival comes down to threat assesment and how everything around you can potentially kill you" hence the exit plan strategy.
Carry some solar power panels in the back pack xD
For $10,000 I can buy a Ducati that can do 200mph and do 0-60 in like 3 seconds.
Ducatis are great in the Yan, err... US... You guys just have straight roads leading for forever, but what if y'know... wanna turn? :p
MadMike: No you cannot buy a Ducati that can do 200mph for $10,000...unless there is some philanthropist subsidizing the purchase of Ducatis. Even then, I would guess the only Ducati available to the public, from the factory, that would hit 200mph would be the Desmodeci.
Why do folks always exaggerate when it comes to bikes?
1098 R should hit close to 200mph with some basic "upgrades". Now, new its way more than $10,000.00 but used, you can pick one up for $8,750.00 in decent shape. Then $1,250 in some minor tweaks and you have a $10,000 mike that should get close enough to 200mph to not exaggerate.
Only just picked up on the 200MPH, the 'Busa was first to break the double tonne mark, and only just did it, and that bike is 1400cc.
I'm guessing by upgrades you mean the turbos, like the one GhostRider had for the Turbo 'Busa? That looked fun :)
Ahh, I can only dream about 200... My bike only goes 115MPH on a good day, tail wind, down hill, and slipstreamed.... Even then I have to buckle down hunched over like a monkey and keep an eye out for radar guns!
I've seen turbos, nitrous, you name it.
Easiest way is to convert the bike to a 30/70 Nitromethane & Methanol fuel mix and add a simple dry nitrous oxide kit. That should cost around $750 USD. Then spend another $500 on lightening the body.
you will also be getting less than 50mpg and you will also spend another 10,000$ in maintenance and repair in the next 5 years. You will also loose 2,000$ in plastic costs when dropped. And you won't be able to do any awesome jumps.
In other words, you're comparing two completely different bikes.
What upgrades are you giving yourself again to make you worth 10k? :)
Not comparing the bikes. The point was building a ~200mph bike for $10,000.00 without regard to usefulness, gas mileage or anything else. basically a suicidal redneck drag bike. :-D
Provide a link for this magical bike sale.
I'm not buying one, I'm just saying that you can do it. I don't ride sport bikes. My wife won't let me have one.
If you want a decent priced used Ducati, the best bet is too look at swap meets. I was up at Carlisle, PA for Ford Fun Weekend and they had a Ducati swap meet the same weekend. They had frames, motors, you name it.