Skip to main content

Behold the World’s Most Adventure-Ready Electric Motorcycle

Fossil fuels are literally dead, and our use of them is dying. The future of just about everything that relies on gasoline, oil, and the like will one day soon evolve to renewable energy. Zero Motorcycles is leading the charge (pun intended) in the two-wheeler industry. Its 2020 catalog brings to life one of the most epic electric bikes we’ve ever seen.

Zero Motorcycles’ latest DS and DSR models are among the best, most exciting electric bikes on the market. The big get for 2020, however, is its flagship DSR Black Forest Edition motorcycle. The company proudly calls this off-road-ready beast “the most capable adventure-ready electric motorcycle on the planet.” According to the numbers, it delivers. The top-of-the-line ride boasts 70 horsepower and an eye-popping 116 lb-ft of torque — more raw torque than any fuel-powered production superbike on the market. What’s more, it’s all available from a standing start with no fumes, shifting, or vibration. Not surprisingly, the bike tops out at more than 100 miles per hour.

Range is, of course, an issue for electric motorcycles. The base model Zero DS comes standard with a ZF7.2 battery good for a combined 53 miles between highway and city. Upgrading to the Zero DS Black Forest more than doubles that range, while the optional Power Tank adds 30-40 miles for a max range of more than 140 miles combined. It charges easily overnight from any standard household electrical outlet. Adding the Charge Tank option gives any DS model compatibility with Level 2 charging stations with charging that is six times faster. Depending on the battery setup, that can mean a full recharge in about an hour with an average recharge cost of just $2.

Zero Motorcycles also adds serious next-gen smartphone integration with a dedicated app. With a few digital toggles, riders can tweak almost every aspect of their bike, including customizing the top speed, torque, and max regenerative braking. The flagship Black Forest model even includes integrated luggage, a touring seat and windscreen, dual-sport drop bars, and off-road features like LED auxiliary lights and a headlight protector.

The entry-level Zero DS stickers for $11,000, while a fully kitted-out Zero DSR Black Forest with every option runs north of $25,000. With some states — we’re tipping our cap to you, Massachusetts and California — offering electric vehicle tax incentives of as much as $900, that seems like a pretty sweet deal.

If the DSR Black Forest still isn’t adventurous enough for you, check out The Speeder, the world’s first flying motorcycle capable of speeds of up to 150 miles per hour.

Mike Richard
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South…
Dax 125: American Honda brings back another small, classic motorcycle
The Honda Dax 125 is a retro-revival model, but the technology isn't stuck in the 1970s.
A person with a small dog stnding by a 2025 Honda Dax 125 parked on a beach with the ocean in the background.

In 1969, American Honda debuted the CT70, a small motorcycle built for off-road and trail use. Powered by a 72cc gas engine, the CT70 was a huge success, popular with kids and adults. With a nine-year break from 1982 to 1991, Honda sold the CT70 until 1094. Following its previous reintroduction in 2023 in Europe, Honda is bringing back the CT70 for 2025. Now called the Dax 125, with a larger motor, the super-cute go-anywhere bike joins Honda's miniMOTO series, including other small bikes such as the Honda Grom and Honda Monkey.
Why Honda brought back a 50-plus-year-old model

Honda isn't taking a risk with the Dax 125, which joins the Grom, Monkey, Super Cub, Trail125, and Navi in the miniMOTO lineup. Honda sells more than 16 million motorcycles annually worldwide, and most of the sales are small bikes.  Taking a note from the Japanese manufacturer's 1965 slogan, "You meet the nicest people on a Honda," the miniMOTO bikes put smiles on faces. Nostalgia is part of the Dax 125's appeal for adults. Younger riders who like the size and style should find its non-threatening appearance helpful when negotiating a purchase or use with their parents.
The Honda Dax's most appealing features

Read more
2024 SuperMotocross World Championship racer wins $1 million
Two brothers compete for the top prize in SuperMotocross racing
world supermotocross championship 2024 jett lawrence competing in the direct frontal view

Sunday, September 22, was a big payday for Jett Lawrence, the younger of two brothers who competed for the $1,000,000 prize in the 2024 SuperMotocross World Championship at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Jett and his brother Hunter Lawrence race as Team Honda HRC Progressive members. Jett won the big prize, and Hunter had to settle for second place with a not-too-shabby $500,000 check.
Besides the big bucks, why does this SuperMotocross race matter?
Jett Lawrence in the SuperMotocross World Championship Feld Motorsports, Inc.

Last year was the SuperMotocross World Championship's inaugural season, which includes the 17-round Monster Energy AMA Supercross indoor season and the 11-round AMA Pro Motocross outdoor season. There are also two postseason playoffs and the World Championship event. The 31-event race schedule for the 2024 season occurred in stadiums and motocross venues throughout the United States.

Read more
The Bridge: An inside look at one of the world’s most exclusive car shows
A unique and highly exclusive auto show
Cars at The Bridge

Rare cars are, as their name suggests, hard to spot. This is why car shows like The Bridge dot the calendars of the world’s most dedicated gearheads. They offer a chance to not only see some wonderful pieces of automotive history but to discuss them with equally passionate and knowledgeable people. But not all of these shows are easy to get into, and The Bridge car show ranks as one of the most exclusive shows on the planet.

Despite being a relatively new auto show in the grand scheme of things, the first gathering took place back in 2016, The Bridge still has plenty of history and heritage to draw on. It takes place on what is now a golf course but was originally an internationally-famous racetrack in the Hamptons. The owner of the current site, and main driving force behind The Bridge, Bob Rubin explains to The Manual that the track was founded:

Read more