QUICKSPIN I 2023 Zero Motorcycles DSR/X
P98
Our first ride only lasted a few
hours, but the cockpit was
easily adaptable. Even the
standing position felt relatively
neutral as we navigated casual
fire roads.
Riding the bike off-road was
the second half of the adven-
ture. I turned off every rider
assist possible and left the
bike as raw as I could for the
chattery dirt roads ahead. The
electric motor is still super fun
off-road as it winds up fast and
gets up to speed with mini-
mal input. The off-road riding
modes are a must for this type
of terrain because rider aids
like traction control interfere
with bumpy surfaces as soon
as the rear wheel comes off
the ground. Trying to push
the bike's limits in the dirt also
reveals areas of needed im-
provement. With most of the
weight centered down near
the rider's boots, the front end
feels light and almost unstable
at speed. I had to noticeably
reduce my speed when enter-
ing turns to maintain control.
The street-oriented tires didn't
do the bike any favors, either.
The Zero will handle a light
backroad cruise with ease,
but more daring riders will
quickly discover the bike's
limitations on the dirt, where
it's best to simply soak in and
enjoy the scenery rather than
seeing it whiz on past you out
of the corner of your eyes.
The "gas" tank now
holds plenty of room for
your stuff (but not
a helmet).
