Zero Engineering

Fast Eddie

Fast Eddie

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Has anyone on here got any experience owning or riding a Zero Engineering bike?

Not my usual cup of tea, maybe it's a mid life thing, but they kinda interest me.
 
Alan, if you have nothing sensible or relevant to add (which would be the norm), then please be quiet.
 
I've said it before........
I am a huge fan of electric bikes! The thing I like the best is how uncomplicated they are.
A permanent magnet electric motor has only 1 moving part, the rotor. That means only 2 wearable parts.... the main bearings.
Compare that to our internal combustion engines with all of their moving parts makes it a "no brainer" to me.

Now it seems that industry is finally interested in improving battery technology and once the storage capacity hurdle is crossed, I
believe that electric bikes will become accepted as truly viable alternatives instead of the novelty vehicles that they are today.
 
If that's the case....... forget everything I just said about advancing technology and
just enjoy the mechanical achievements of a bygone era. :lol:
 
Sorry to disappoint you Mark, but I leave advancing of technology to others!

As time goes by it seems I want to go back in technology, well, with motorcycles anyway.

I'm not able to be a high mileage kinda guy, so practicality and outright performance (I wouldn't know what to do with 200bhp other than kill myself, and / or someone else, and I despise all the electro gadgetry that's required to make the things rideable)!

I want fun. And I want the feeling of being on something raw, and mechanical and the absolute antithesis of today's virtual reality, I-everything society!

But... I don't wanna break down everywhere or have to rebuild the thing every 5 minutes, and I want it to start and stop easily.

So, as BritTwit correctly surmised, it is Zero Engineering, makers of hard tail S&S engined bikes that I'm currently interested in...
 
If one of those bikes is what you want Eddie......... then Go For It!
We only live once!

As I get older, No suspension is a deal breaker for me.
 
Mark said:
If one of those bikes is what you want Eddie......... then Go For It!
We only live once!

As I get older, No suspension is a deal breaker for me.
Click to expand...

Well indeed, I guess that part of my motivation is to do it while I still can !
 
Fast Eddie said:
Sorry to disappoint you Mark, but I leave advancing of technology to others!

As time goes by it seems I want to go back in technology, well, with motorcycles anyway.

I'm not able to be a high mileage kinda guy, so practicality and outright performance (I wouldn't know what to do with 200bhp other than kill myself, and / or someone else, and I despise all the electro gadgetry that's required to make the things rideable)!

I want fun. And I want the feeling of being on something raw, and mechanical and the absolute antithesis of today's virtual reality, I-everything society!

But... I don't wanna break down everywhere or have to rebuild the thing every 5 minutes, and I want it to start and stop easily.

So, as BritTwit correctly surmised, it is Zero Engineering, makers of hard tail S&S engined bikes that I'm currently interested in...
Click to expand...

Nigel, I know where you are coming from. I had a great 2 day 1500 km ride on the Thruxton R earlier this year, but afterward I wanted to ride old bikes instead. Also haven't ridden the Daytona this year and might not get to it.
The last trip was on the Commando and it was perfect for the road ( Mountain highway)
And then some roads are Vincent roads, can't explain it, there's nothing like it.
I think part of it is that the moderns have too much power for the roads whereas a good Commando or
Vincent offers plenty of power with excellent mid range power delivery.
It's easy to say don't use the excess power of the modern, but us old guys are notorious for overdoing it. ..
But back to the Zero Engineering hardtail bike ...is that a proper hardtail or fake with hidden rear suspension?

Glen
 
worntorn said:
Fast Eddie said:
Sorry to disappoint you Mark, but I leave advancing of technology to others!

As time goes by it seems I want to go back in technology, well, with motorcycles anyway.

I'm not able to be a high mileage kinda guy, so practicality and outright performance (I wouldn't know what to do with 200bhp other than kill myself, and / or someone else, and I despise all the electro gadgetry that's required to make the things rideable)!

I want fun. And I want the feeling of being on something raw, and mechanical and the absolute antithesis of today's virtual reality, I-everything society!

But... I don't wanna break down everywhere or have to rebuild the thing every 5 minutes, and I want it to start and stop easily.

So, as BritTwit correctly surmised, it is Zero Engineering, makers of hard tail S&S engined bikes that I'm currently interested in...
Click to expand...

Nigel, I know where you are coming from. I had a great 2 day 1500 km ride on the Thruxton R earlier this year, but afterward I wanted to ride old bikes instead. Also haven't ridden the Daytona this year and might not get to it.
The last trip was on the Commando and it was perfect for the road ( Mountain highway)
And then some roads are Vincent roads, can't explain it, there's nothing like it.
I think part of it is that the moderns have too much power for the roads whereas a good Commando or
Vincent offers plenty of power with excellent mid range power delivery.
It's easy to say don't use the excess power of the modern, but us old guys are notorious for overdoing it. ..
But back to the Zero Engineering hardtail bike ...is that a proper hardtail or fake with hidden rear suspension?

Glen
Click to expand...

They do both proper hard tail on the Type 5 and a very neat softail on the Type 9.

It's the type 5 I like though as it's the simplest, lightest big twin option.

Here in the UK, the Type 5s are imported from Japan, and the yen rate makes them kinda affordable compared to the Type 9, which is actually built in the USA.
 
worntorn said:
But back to the Zero Engineering hardtail bike ...is that a proper hardtail or fake with hidden rear suspension?

Glen
Click to expand...

They have several different design types.
Most are tubular steel rigid frames that have a built-in flexibility as a type of suspension.
The Type-9 has an actual rear suspension linkage and shock absorber.
 
Might want to sample one of the hardtails before committing to that style.
I rode a hardtail bike last year. Prior to that I owned a 48 Matchless G80 hardtail, but that was in 1968 when I was 14 years old and didn't feel pain!
The recent experience was interesting. As the owner of the bike put it " when riding this bike you need to remember to brace yourself before running over the shadows of the telephone poles"

Glen
 
worntorn said:
Might want to sample one of the hardtails before committing to that style.
I rode a hardtail bike last year. Prior to that I owned a 48 Matchless G80 hardtail, but that was in 1968 when I was 14 years old and didn't feel pain!
The recent experience was interesting. As the owner of the bike put it " when riding this bike you need to remember to brace yourself before running over the shadows from the telephone poles"

Glen
Click to expand...

Indeed!

It's been a few years since I rode a hard tail, that was a Triumph chop, a few years ago now!

I might be too old and soft for it nowadays...
 
I once rode a rigid framed bike along an airstrip at about 105 MPH. I then pulled the motor out of the frame and fitted it into a BSA swing-arm frame. At 105 MPH, the rear wheel of the rigid framed bike never seemed to touch the bitumen.
 
My mate had a old Triumph 650 police special in a hard tail frame he rode for 16 years as his everyday ride, but it got the better of him his back could no longer handle it and pushing it hard around corners the back wheel left the road quite a bit.

Have you seen the new Triumphs Bobbers that look like the old hard tails of old but with hidden shocks behing the seat, not bad if you like that sort of thing, I have to see my mate who works at my Triumph dealer and take a few new models for a test ride, but I have been putting that off as I might want a new bike, I was in trouble when I brought my 2013 Thruxton new without the wifes permission, she did get over it :roll:

Ashley
 
I spent the majority of my hell raising youth on hardtail choppers.
Now, the ever present pain in my back is a constant reminder of the price i was willing to pay to be "cool".
Never again!

I really like all motorcycles, old and new, but I'm not a Luddite. I think of things like shocks as an improvement in design.
I feel the same way about fuel injection and water cooling. Even the addition of electric motorcycles.
It's progress in the evolution of transportation.

If it was about "nostalgia" for me....... I'd probably get a horse and buggy.

Different strokes of course. I'm not one to criticize anothers choice in bikes, but I think that maybe this company should
consider changing their name to Zero Reverse Engineering. :lol:
 
Had the chance to check them out at the Tokyo Motor Show 3 or 4 years ago. They look amazing and feel 'just right' to sit on for my 6'2" frame. The Type9 was my favourite. Unfortunately, didn't get the opportunity to test ride one :(
The look of the geometry and layout makes me think that they were designed for Japanese roads, the majority of which are only 50km/h max. Actually, I was surprised by the number of hardtail H-D's or their Japanese clones that I saw riding around the streets there.
Good for point and squirt boulevard cruising too, but I'm not sure that they would work well on the majority of UK roads -especially the twisty country lanes.

I think that if you want something different to cruise to the local pub or coffee shop, then it would be awesome and a real conversation starter! Or, if you don't ride much on the road and only need a niche bike. However, I think that long term it would just become an expensive, underused toy.

I'd love one, but can't justify it. If you can, go for it!
 
Looks like I'm gonna have to reserve judgement until I've ridden one of these things.

The overriding advice seems to be that they're ok for riding to the cafe or pub, but that's all.

I don't ride to the cafe or pub very often! I'm not expecting to be able to tour Scandinavia in comfort on one, but I ain't buying something just for riding to the cafe and pub... which I don't do anway!

Wonder what they're like for track days...?
 

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