It’s been about 2 years since I was involved in a collision on my Zero FXS electric motorbike. I really liked the bike and I had no intention of selling it, but there was a tiny amount if damage to the frame and my insurance company decided they would write it off. I’m sure this was a financially motivated decision, but as it was a category B so I wasn’t allowed to buy it back and put it back on the road.
First – a petrol bike
Once I’d recovered, I decided that I’d go for something different. I went back to a petrol bike – a really nice Ducati Hypermotard 950. One of the main reasons for switching from electric back to petrol was insurance. There were only one or two insurance companies that cover electric bike, so you end up being at their mercy if the decide to randomly increase your insurance one year. All insurance companies seem to do this, but at least if you have a reasonable choice, you can shop around.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the Ducati – even though I’m sure I swore I’d never one one again! (I used to have a 748 and then a Monster S4.)
An electric itch…
Just around the time I bought the Hypermotard, Zero Motorcycles really upped their game with the new Zero SR/F for 2019. It had a bigger motor than my old FXS, a bigger battery, a nice colour TFT dash. It was really lovely – but expensive. I’d only paid about £9000 for my ex-demo Ducati, so the list price of £19,500 was a bit steep. I test rode one, but parked it as “maybe one day”.
Over the last few months, I’d started seeing the odd SR/F (and faired SR/S) for some slightly more reasonable prices. A few secondhand ones popped up for £15k-ish. I decided to keep an eye on things and made a vague mental note that maybe a £13k secondhand bargain might be the trigger point.
It was meant to be!
Anyway, one weekend whilst camping with the family at the surprisingly good Carfest I received an interesting email. Car’s aren’t really my thing so when I got a email from Zero Motorcycles it took my attention away from the cars. When I read that as a loyal Zero customer they would offer me £2500 off a new SR/F I knew exactly what I would be doing when I got home!
I ended up test riding both a Zero SR/F and an Energica Eva at the excellent and very friendly electic-only Spark Motos near me in Addlestone. It seems that 21St Motor (where I got my FXS) no longer sold electric bikes. I was pleasantly surprised to find I preferred the Zero to the significantly more expensive Energica.
Anyway, I would have been keen to keep my business with the helpful local delaer who provided a test ride, but they just couldn’t get close to the £3000 off a 2019 model from another dealer. Considering the oly difference between the 2019 and 2020 models was teh choice of colours, and the fact that they could combine this with my £2500 voucher, that meant I snagged a Zero SR/F Premium for only £14k!
Electricity and petrol?
Remember hos I said that the Ducati was also a nice bike? Well, it turns out I have a nice wife too. She wasn’t exactly happy about it, but reluctantly agreed to me keeping the Ducati alongside the Zero. So, here they are – in matching red!
0xFRED 