DSR (MY2024)

The DSR is Zero's dual-sport idea built around one number: 144 lb-ft (195 Nm) of torque from the Z-Force 75-10X motor. Peak output of 80 hp arrives at just 3,650 rpm, so on paper this machine does its work low in the range, where a combustion engine is still waking up. The motor is a passively air-cooled, brushless internal permanent magnet unit, and Zero says it needs practically no routine maintenance. A belt handles final drive, and it all hangs in a steel trellis frame on a 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheel. There's no chain to oil. Simple hardware!

Zero says the powertrain is tailored for rough terrain, and the hardware points the same way: a 120/70-19 front, a 170/60-17 rear, manually adjustable suspension at both ends, plus ABS, traction control and ride modes. Zero also claims the concentric motor and swingarm pivot give the bike a slim waist for traffic and off-road work. Cruise control, an adjustable windscreen, a TFT display with smartphone connectivity and reverse round out a 534 lb (242 kg) machine with a 32.6 in (828 mm) seat. That reads as a bike for the rider who mixes commutes, back roads and gravel and buys into Zero's low-maintenance promise. Quiet, but serious.