Zero Below Zero

Putting it to the test.

Will an electric motorcycle work for everyday transportation all winter long in frozen Duluth Minnesota? We’re putting together a lightly winterized Zero FX, and some brave (or foolish?) volunteers to find out.

ZBZ Blog Wrap-Up
With electric,…You can be efficient and be a devastator.” – Luke Workman, former Zero development engineer, Gizmag.com interview, May 17, 2016 All year around, winter or summer, a Zero like ours can move through city traffic better than any gasoline powered bike,...
Final Rides and Thoughts
Contempt or Wheelies? They say that familiarity breeds contempt. Well I say familiarity breeds wheelies! After I became familiar with the Zero, my desire to do wheelies and other motorcycle antics kept increasing. Keeping the desire to be mischievous at bay...
Saying Goodbye To The FX
The Zero Below Zero project is now complete. We put the FX through a tough Duluth winter to see how it performed, but we also tested ourselves. It really comes down to taking the first step out of your comfort zone. Once...
Last Hurrah
3/28/16-3/30/16 The end of March brought the end of my riding time on the Zero for this project. Spring weather patterns can change quickly here in Duluth, so the first of my last few days were blessed with temps in the 40’s,...
Not The Fair Weather Rider Anymore...
When all of us test riders were talking about who was going to take the FX which day, I was pretty quick to claim last Friday. It was the nicest day of the week! When I left work for my 13 mile...
Feeling Sporty
It’s 5pm and time to head for home. With the clocks springing forward last week, the sun is noticeably higher in the sky as I walk out to the Zero and unplug the charging cord. Throwing a leg over and turning the...
March Lion
March--In like a lamb, out like a lion. Or is it the other way around? Here in Duluth, it's a big cat that shows up whenever it pleases. There is a winter storm warning, with 12-18" expected. But the severe...
A Change In The Weather
We finally had a nice sunny day in Duluth. It was my chance to finally ride the FX home. It was 31 degrees Fahrenheit and sunny as I started off on my ride home. As I drove through the streets of Duluth...
Ok, Let's Get Serious
Today it’s my ‘turn’ again…rode the Zero home last night. It’s been a few weeks. This little electric winter riding experiment will be ending soon (a month? Six weeks?), and I’ll be sad to see the Zero get crated up and head...
See Me, Hear Me...
3/8/16 Today was my turn to take ‘charge’ of the Zero again and I was more than happy to leave the car parked and jump on the FX for the ride home. After a nice warm-up (40ºF) over the last few days,...
Spring Is Coming!
Friday going home. It has been snowing light, but steady most of the day. Now, when it is time to go home it is changing from a wintry mix to freezing rain. Fortunately I managed to get home before the...
The New Routine
Not an exciting title but like Andy, Kyle and Bruce have touched on, the routine is setting in. The initial excitement and fear of the unknown is being replaced by the relaxed routine of Winter commuting. The first time you...
Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Da
3/2/16 Gearing up with extra layers under the Roadcrafter for the ride home has become pretty routine now, Warmbib, balaclava, silk scarf, insulated gloves or mittens, etc. The extra time it takes to add a few layers usually makes for a much more comfortable ride...
Not Lost... 3/1/16 - 3/2/16
Sometimes after arriving home after my daily commute, I’ll take a look at my phone and find a text message from my wife asking “Where are you?” or “Are you on your way?” or maybe even “Are you lost?”. Often...
Back In The Saddle
Monday afternoon, 2/15 After a week in Florida, it was a rude "welcome home" to sub-zero temperatures. Still, it has been a week before I was back on the Zero. While I was gone, I had a Road Grimed Astronaut patch installed on...
The Fair Weather Rider Finally Takes Her Turn!
It was a sunny 32 degrees day in Duluth. The roads were dry so I thought it was a great day for me to ride the Zero bike for the first time. The bike is a little tall for me so I...
The New Normal
2/12/16 For the 7 years I have worked at Aerostich, winter conversations among riders around the factory always seem to weave their way to talking about motorcycles. From how late you rode into the Fall, to hoping for an early...
Hurry Up and Ride!
It is getting warmer by the minute... Never did I expect there would be a time in Duluth, Minnesota when I would be rushing to get out and ride before it got any warmer. My wife was wondering why I...
Thirteen Below Zero. Cool...
Ride Back Up and Thirteen Below - 02/10/2016 - 02/11/2016 I was happy to get the keys back for another ride on the Zero tonight after nearly a week hiatus from being in the saddle. Having stayed a little later to get...
Oatmeal
Executive summary: Two items. #1 – Riding in lower temperatures has become routine. In the beginning it seemed unusual to be out on a motorcycle at fourteen above, or three below. I was self-conscious in traffic, looking paranoidly at drivers...
Keys Please!
As Bruce handed me the keys to the Zero I felt like a teenager getting the family car keys for the first time. A giddiness I haven’t experienced in years came over me. My first ride on an electric motorcycle....