Does Zero Have An Adventure Bike Up Its Sleeve For 2023?

Trademark and VIN filings point to Zero developing a DSR/X model.

By: Dustin Wheelen

May 23, 2022 at 4:01pm ET

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Zero has steadily upgraded and updated its electric motorcycle range over the past few years. In 2019, the SR/F flagship naked bike broke cover and the fully-faired SR/S sportbike followed the following year. Despite the pandemic, the Santa Cruz, California, firm stayed busy in 2021, delivering the futuristically-styled FXE supermoto in July and the revamped SR model in November.

Prior to the FXE’s debut, the trademark filings hinted at the model’s imminent arrival. The FXE wasn’t alone in those filings, though. Zero also submitted trademark requests for a DSR/X model, and recent VIN filings point to the brand potentially prepping the new variant for a 2023 release.

According to Motorcycle.com’s sleuth extraordinaire Dennis Chung, Zero filed additional VIN filings late in 2021 designating the DSR/X as a 2023 model. That document also revealed a new make and type nomenclature with the SDS platform branching off into the FST (Street) and FSTX (Adventure) segments. Further digging uncovered that Zero could offer the new model in 14.4 and 15.3 Z-Force battery configurations. That latter power pack is larger than the current Zero DSR’s 14.4 battery and suggests the potential adventure bike could tout more than a 163-mile range.

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However, VIN decoder information divulged that Zero could also introduce a new interior permanent magnet (IPM) 5T motor with its next lineup. Of course, that powerplant could draw more or less energy from the larger 15.3 battery, so speculating on the model’s possible range isn’t a one-to-one equation. Should Zero release the IPM 5T, it seems like it would also feature the same 3.0 kW charger and optional 12.0 kW rapid charger found on Zero’s flagship IPM F motor.

Zero previously released an adventure-adjacent trim with the DSR Black Forest in September, 2019. The variant amplified the DSR’s off-road and touring potential with side cases, a top box, crash bars, handguards, and a headlamp cover. Zero has since discontinued the Black Forest, which could clear the runway for a possible DSR/X model. As always, we won’t know any official information until Zero makes it available, but if the DSR/X is in the cards, we hope the Zero designers have long-travel suspension, wire-spoke wheels, and knobby tires on the shortlist.