While we have had the opportunity to ride both the Zero X and the Quantya Track, our time and terrain with the electric motocross machines were relatively limited. Not so for Dirt Rider Magazine. The publication had both bikes in their possession for an extended period and thoroughly put the pair through the wringer. The fact that they returned them to their respective companies in one piece says a lot for the quality of both brands.

So which bike is better? Like so many things, it all depends on what you like in a dirt bike. The Quantya was said to have a more natural seating position with better suspension and stronger spokes and brakes while the Zero was judged to have a better battery and tires. Power delivery from the X was "delayed but consistent" while the on the Track, but the mellower delivery was thought to aid traction and, therefore, be more usable. The magazine's conclusion is the the best bike would be a combination of the two, but they give the Zero a slight edge only because the battery lasts a bit longer, giving them more, very enjoyable riding time.



[Source: Dirt Rider Magazine]

Shortly after taking the 2009 Zero X electric dirtbike out for a spin, we had the opportunity to chat with company founder and Chief Technology Officer Neal Saiki, and he told us to expect a slight makeover within the next few months of the plastic bodywork that was fitted to our test bike. Apparently, that time has arrived, and the update also reportedly includes a more advanced braking system. We don't have any real details on the brake upgrade, but the new bodywork is plain to see.

While the X's new body panels are still molded from white plastic, it's now a much more attractive and coherent design. We especially like the new fenders front and rear that now match the rest of the bike in color and look far more capable of keeping the rider clear of muck thrown up from the knobbies. New front and rear side panels also feature a more streamlined appearance and seem to draw a bit of inspiration from the firm's latest Zero S electric supermoto machine.

[Source: Zero Motorcycles]

Now that Zero Motorcycles has shown America its new Zero S electric street bike, company founder Neil Saiki has taken his baby across the pond on a European tour. England was the first stop and London provided a great back drop for Neil to explain to the BBC and other press outlets the merits of his supermoto as an urban commuter. The team is now in Paris where we expect "les Français" will be equally as impressed.

Although the S should start shipping in America around the end of May, Europeans will have to wait a couple more weeks before they can get their mitts on one. With only 600 of the street bikes available for both markets and over 120 already sold, they might not want to wait too long before putting in their orders. It's not all about the street machine though, the off-road Zero X is also available with a wait of only a couple of days between order and delivery. Hit the jump for a clip of Neil showing the Zero S to the BBC.



[Source: Zero Motorcycles / BBC]

In the first battle royale between the all-electric motocross bikes from Quantya and Zero Motorcycles, it appears that Swiss precision has bested American muscle. Each manufacturer sent 5 bikes to compete in a special electric event at the AMA/Maxxis MiniMoto Supercross race and when all the laps were run and the dust settled, Quantya rider Brian Roth owned the top podium position with teammate David Lodermeier in firm possession of second. Blake Mitchell, who we've seen ride the X before, saved Zero some embarrassment by grabbing third place.

No word on when the next match up between these two might happen but we hope it's soon. Besides racing in the dirt, the two manufacturers could also meet on asphalt. Zero Motorcycles has already released a supermoto bike, the "S," for the street and Quantya has a supermoto that it's been showing off in it's homeland. While both companies are winners for offering environmentaly-friendly products like these, the real winner of this competition should be the consumer if the rivalry spurs development of even better electric bikes.



[Source: MiniMotoSX via QuantyaUSA twitterfeed]

It's on now. The Quantya Track and the Zero X all-electric dirtbikes plan to meet up in Las Vegas this Friday and we're pretty sure the rendezvous has nothing to do with getting married by Elvis and everything to do with racing. The two companies are each sending five bikes to Sin City where they will do battle at the Orleans Arena during the half time show of the AMA/Maxxis MiniMoto Supercross race.

While both bikes are equipped with knobby tires and powered by DC electric motors, there are lots of differences. At first blush it might seem that the Zero X has a definitive edge; it's 30 pounds lighter, has twice the torque and 69 per cent more horsepower. However, if you've watched the Quantya-sponsored Remotions team chew up and spit out snow-covered Alps, you can appreciate that the Track should be a formidable competitor. Will the winner be born of California sunshine or have Swiss Alp heritage flowing through its wires? We can't say who will come out on top in this first-of-its-kind meeting, but in our book, they're both already winners. Press release from Zero Motorcycles after the break.



[Source: Quantya US / Zero Motorcycles]

Having a motocross bike that can carry you through the woods with a certain amount of stealth might be rather advantageous for riders who would prefer not scare off all the wildlife in the vicinity. While the Zero X from Zero Motorcycles can do this quite well, the only color available thus far has been the rather conspicuous white, but it seems they might have something coming that's a little more apropos for the hunters (or photographers) out there. Behold, the Zero X in camo! (pictured above. No really, try squinting)

While we can't yet say for sure whether popular pattern will be offered to the public, we're betting they're considering it since they have a page on their website dedicated to it and went through the trouble of making a little movie. The footage not only features the X showing off its new colors, it also illustrates its ability to climb over trees, rocks and get itself up a creek without a paddle. Hit the jump for a little bit of bow hunting, electric X stealth style.


[Source: Zero Motorcycles]

While the biggest news coming from Zero Motorcycles' California offices this week is undoubtedly the introduction of the new street-legal Zero S electric supermoto bike, we didn't forget about the 24 Hours of Electricoss that took place last weekend. According to reports, the event was a complete success, setting two new Guinness World Records in the process: Furthest distance traveled in an electric off-road motorcycle (over 500 miles) and the largest electric motorcycle race (50 riders, 10 teams).

Besides setting records, this 24 hour race shows just how capable the 2009 Zero X electric motorcycle can be. All 10 bikes that took part managed to finish the race, though there were just a few blown shocks, a bunch of worn brake pads and one fried motor. The winning team managed to circle the track an amazing 1,015 laps, averaging over 27 miles per hour along the way. Click past the break for a video from Wired, which helped field one of the teams.


[Source: Wired]

Is the world ready to swap its gas-burning cars and trucks for electric vehicles? It's an interesting question, to be sure, and the answer may not be as straightforward as we'd like. As much as many of us would love to ditch petroleum all together, there are a number of things to consider before making the switch (range, price...) and there aren't actually all that many vehicles from which to choose.

There are a few areas where battery-powered vehicles are making inroads against their petrol-fueled siblings, and one of them is dirtbikes. While it will probably be at least a full year before a major established player has an electric motorcycle for sale, small companies are already stepping up to the plate and building extremely capable zero emission motorcycles. One of those manufacturers is Zero Motorcycles.

We recently got the chance to spend a few hours with a 2009 Zero X electric dirtbike, and we were keenly interested to see how the machine stacks up against its gas-burning competition. Read on to see what we thought.


Photos Copyright ©2009 Jeremy Korzeniewski / Weblogs, Inc.

Zero Motorcycles, makers of electric off-road motorcycles, is planning to release its first street-legal machine next month. Speaking on Fox Car Report Live, company founder Neal Saiki let out a few intriguing details about the company's new Zero S electric supermoto bike, including the fact that it will sport 3kWhs of battery capacity. That's a whopping 50 percent more than the lithium ion unit that the firm uses in its Zero X dirtbike. Of course, batteries are heavy, so it's not surprising to hear that the S model will outweigh its off-road sibling by about 50 pounds.

Performance should be impressive, with Saiki quoting a 0-60 time of around 4 seconds and a top speed of around 70 miles per hour. Those figures, along with the bike's added mass, should make the new Zero S fully highway capable. Expect a starting price of $9,950 before any federal incentives are applied.


[Source: Hell For Leather]

If you happen to have an electric motorcycle, ATV or quad and always wanted to have your name in the record books, your chance for glory might be arriving this upcoming 4th of April. Zero Motorcycles is hosting the world's very first 24 hour off-road endurance event for battery-powered vehicles and you're invited to give it a shot. All the action happens "in the heart of San Jose" at the 408MX Motocross Track and registration (PDF), which must be sent in by March 20th, is free. While everyone that enters will get some type of prize (plus free drinks and snacks!), only the top three finishers will bring home trophies so plan on bringing your "A" game.

If you're an enthusiast and don't yet have an electric bike, Zero says they want to give you a chance to be involved and will make a "special effort" to make that happen. We're not sure exactly what they mean by that but we do know that anyone who buys a Zero X now will could get about $745 back at tax time next year due to the federal tax credits sales tax deduction now in effect. (Click here for details).While we're on the topic of Zero Motorcycles, we should mention that the video we featured last month by Blake Mitchell won that month's prize and the rider now has an extra battery to swap out. Nice.

[Source: Zero Motorcycles]