At the beginning of this month, Zero Motorcycles put the industry on notice, announcing its new Zero SR/F electric street bike.
Details were light at the time, with the California motorcycle brand saying only that the new model was based on a new platform from Zero.
It didn’t take long for our Bothan spies to leak us details on the Zero SR/F though, and what we were told was very impressive. Nearly 20 kWh of battery pack, a 120hp motor, and high-tech goodies like cornering ABS, a TFT dash, and quality components.
From some more biased sources, we have heard that the Zero SR/F makes some strong strides in the design department as well, and today we get some confirmation of that news, as Zero Motorcycles has released a new teaser image.
We have blown out some of the darkness in Zero’s photo to show the lines of the SR/F with more clarity, and so far we like what we see.
The fuel tank, tail, and headlight lines are all visible from the dark image, and we see that Zero has picked a more classic look for its new flagship street bike.
Of course, what really interests us is what is below the black, as we can’t see the frame, swingarm, and bodywork around the battery pack. This is critical as those three elements have always been the weakest links in Zero’s design language.
Will Zero Motorcycles finally make the leap as a creditable motorcycle manufacturer with the SR/F? Or, will the brand see this bike as its last grasp for mainstream adoption?
Research firm Polk pegged Zero’s sales figure at 750 units last year, which is not a good sign for the two-wheel brand.
With the SEC tracking constant cash infusions from investor Invus into Zero Motorcycles, it is clear that the electric brand is still below the profitability line, and at 750 units per year, that fact shouldn’t be surprising.
A bike like the Zero SR/F could help bolster sales of the brand’s two-wheelers, however. Rumors are the price tag will be north of $20,000 though, so it will be interesting to see if Zero can meet the expectations that come with that price tag.
We now only have one more month to wait. Until then.
Photo: Zero Motorcycles
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