2022 Zero FXE Review - First Ride

If you feel like you’ve seen the 2022 Zero FXE somewhere before, there’s a good chance that you have – or at least something similar. In 2019, Zero teamed up with industrial design firm, Huge Design to create the Zero SM concept for the Portland-based One Moto Show. While Huge Design is mostly known for consumer product design, they had been collaborating with Zero at the component level for some time prior.

The response to the Zero SM concept was overwhelmingly positive – and not just from attendees of the custom motorcycle show, but from dealers and other interested parties. The FXS model on which the SM concept was built has been the company’s most popular model for some time. While supermoto racing has gone in and out of total obscurity here in the U.S., popularity hasn’t waned so much in Europe, where we’re told Zero sales have surpassed the US since 2018.

The original design of the SM concept was approached by breaking the motorcycle down into a hierarchy of design elements: the seemingly one-piece billet aluminum fuselage inspired by consumer products and aerospace designs that sits on a “machine core” of technology. Zero sees an essential surface that represents all of the touchpoints with the rider floating over that core of technology which – being electric –has allowed Zero to take a more pragmatic approach to the machine core while celebrating the “cleanliness” of the design that was able to be achieved with an electric motorcycle.

This means the Zero FXE offers a claimed 100/60 mile range of city versus highway out of its 7.2 kWh battery. The Z-Force 75-5 passively air-cooled, high efficiency, radial flux, interior permanent magnet, (!) brushless motor is said to produce 78 lb-ft of torque and 46 horsepower giving it an 85 mph top speed. A 100-percent charge is reached in 9.7 hours, though this time can be reduced by nearly 75 percent when linking (four) accessory chargers ($600 msrp). And although it is possible, Zero has some ominous warnings about connecting four chargers that should make one more than a little leery about doing so.

Riding the machine, it’s quite similar to the FXS – as one might imagine. It’s 298 pounds are hardly noticed while moving as the machine is light and nimble on its Pirelli tires, an excellent feature of a bike that’s meant to dart around urban sprawls the world over. Braking components also offer more than enough power to get the bike slowed in a hurry and are easily modulated, though they have a slightly aggressive initial bite.

It’s a stylish rendition of the fun canyon carver the FXS has proven itself to be. The instantaneous torque is quelled by Zero’s software to ensure you don’t loop yourself out in perpetuity, but the FXE still scoots pretty good once you get past the danger zone. Spirited riders with poor BP will surely feel the kickstand trying to wrench the rear tire from the ground whilst feeling their oats, but there is more than one way to fix that problem. The riding position is supermoto over-the-handlebar, but not so much as to be uncomfortable.

Brian Wissman, VP of Product Development at Zero also drilled home during the presentation just how obsessed the engineering and design team was in staying true to the concept, which, if you’ve seen the Zero SM concept ( Google it), they did an incredible job. Not only did the team produce a visually stunning motorcycle, they did so while creating the new styling with components that feel solid. There’s no plastic squeaking or flexing as you’re riding it as though the company just slapped some plastic on the FXS in the cheapest way possible. The finishes exude quality and feel that way. For $11,795, the FXE holds a $500 premium over the FXS. We’re told the FXS will remain around for a while but will likely be fully replaced by the FXE within the next two or three years.

Zero will be hosting a 20-stop demo tour which will take place in conjunction with the International Motorcycle Show Outdoor series in addition to other stops along the way. But you don’t have to take it from me, if you’re interested and the claimed range could work for you, catch a ride at one of the cities on Zero’s World Tour. Units should be arriving at dealers any minute.