I finally finished reading the March issue of
City Bike. That would be the issue that also reviewed the Empulse R. This review is a little different. The full-page article is on page 21 and is written by Maynard Hershon, a longtime monthly contributor to the magazine. The article is titled "Finally, An attractive Option".
Mr. Hershon was asked to visit Grand Prix Motorsports located in Littleton, south of Denver, CO and go for a test ride on a Zero. He never mentioned the year model that he rode, but I assume it was a 2012 S, as he said the shop had about a dozen bikes on their showroom floor and I don't think there are that many 2013 bikes floating around right now. He noted that this motorcycle shop also had a fully stocked gun store on the second floor.
Maynard says that he didn't attempt to learn anything about electric motorcycles before he went into the shop for his 15-minute test ride (following a shop employee). He decided to approach the experience as your typical uninformed IC motorcycle rider would when checking out the bikes at a motorcycle shop. After getting a few instructions about how the bike worked, he rode off and was immediately reassured about the bike's soft power delivery and reminded how much he liked small lightweight motorcycles.
Maynard goes on to say that "T
he motor just spins up without effort or fuss, making the smoothest conventional bike you've ever ridden seem rough and unsophisticated. The initial application of throttle gets you across the intersection at an automobile pace but the acceleration seems to build without fuss or any sense that it'll ever end. I saw 70 mph briefly on the digital speedo." (Apparently he didn't notice that there was also an analog speedometer, for people who can't read digits.) He goes on to mention that "
My left foot and left hand did not miss changing gears. My ears did not miss the roar and rattle of internal combustion and a drive chain. I was happy on that little electric motorcycle."He says that he wouldn't want a Zero for his only motorcycle, because he likes to take long journeys by bike. And concludes with: "
If these e-bikes are the future, hey, I'm okay with that future. I don't necessarily want to read about e-bikes, I want to read about MotoGP bikes and WSBK bikes. But I think I'd like to own an e-bike. If they get cheaper to buy and their range per charge gets longer, sign me right up."
