Concept electric bikes can be resounding hit or plain chalky eyesores. Thank god, the Zero SR-X concept motorcycle is from the former camp. Not taking the futuristic styling to unpractical realms, the electric sports bike looks ready for the showroom floors in a couple of years’ time.
The two-wheeled sigma male is a result of a collaboration between California-based Zero Motorcycles and Huge Design who have their base setup in San Francisco. This is not the first time the two motorhead camps have come together. The Zero FXE which was initially a concept design turned out to be a successful production model with some cosmetic changes of course.
Designer: Zero Motorcycles and Huge Design
Dubbed the Zero SR-X, Huge Design went wild with their imagination to create this concept. The bike is based on the Zero SR/S electric platform, and it eventually turns out into a streetfighter ready for some action. Obviously, both companies managed to hit the sweet spot for a futuristic electric motorcycle design. A perfect mix of clean sweeping lines and intricate detailing. The final result, Zero SR-X has an aggressive stance and the DNA of raw performance injected into its veins. That’s what you are destined to get when two passionate automotive camps come down to the drawing board for brainstorming.
Huge Design founder, Bill Webb passionately talks about the creation as an attempt to “define a new sub-category for high-performance electric, something between a streetfighter and a track bike.” To achieve the script for this near-perfect build, the team adopted a balanced design approach “without sacrificing raw performance look and the mechanical appeal of high-performance motorcycles.” For this, most of the SR/S bike’s base was left untouched. Other modifications were made to make the forward-leaning ride a lot wilder and more intimidating than its donor.
The sci-fi element is evident from the front-heavy silhouette accentuated by the muscular front fairing. Then it flows down to the waspish tail section from the tank cover and the tapering. To conceal the slabby look of the electric motor on the bike, Bill and his team cleverly shift the visual attention to the aesthetically sexy bodywork on the back. As all motorheads know, the biggest roadblock in marketing an electric drivetrain bike is the lack of visual appeal. Those inviting LED headlights, taillights, and bump fore of the bars having the dashboard are meticulously blended into the frame design. The inclusion of aluminum details and red outlines on the front adds pep to the bike’s appeal.
Zero SR-X is all set to change the perception of performance electric bikes and the adventurous future of motorcycle production. It gets an advanced ZF75-10 electric motor and ZF17.3 lithium-ion battery. That’s enough to generate 110 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of torque. With a top speed of 120 mph and a total range of 80 miles on a single charge, the dapper motorcycle has a high probability of making it through to a production-ready version soon. Till then, Let’s bask in the sigma status of this thrilling ride!
