Zero XU Electric Motorcycle Review and Test Drive (Video)

By Richard Backus

Richard Backus, editor-in-chief of Motorcycle Classics, gives us his thoughts as he test drives the ZeroXU all-electric motorcycle.

How did a classic motorcycle magazine end up testing the Zero XU? Well, one of our sister publications is none other than Mother Earth News, a title that bills itself as “The Original Guide to Living Wisely.” So when the editors at Mother Earth News told us they might get a Zero to test, we were all ears.

The Zero XU is a great machine for non-motorcyclists looking for an easy-to-own urban two-wheeler (maintenance is down basically to tires and brakes, with maybe the occasional inspection of forks and swingarm and steering bearings), but only a so-so machine for motorcyclists. Non-motorcyclists won’t miss its lack of personality, but old-school machine heads will, and I’m betting most of them, given the choice, would still buy a gas-powered bike before shelling out the dosh for a Zero. Read Richard’s full rundown on his blog.