Did Zero Motorcycles Just Crack The Future Of What The Kids Actually Want In A Motorcycle?
It isn't that younger riders don't exist; it's that they want something different from motorcycling. Is Zero Motorcycles building bridges?
Hand-wringing about why The Youth™ aren't riding what oldheads think of as the only 'proper' motorcycles is so last year. Actually doing something about it, now; that's what Zero Motorcycles appears to be tackling with its Project Ventura Supermoto.
As our EIC Jonathon Klein will go on at length about if you bring it up, it's not that kids aren't riding motorcycles. It's that they're choosing e-bikes and e-motos instead; not your dad's or even your old-school, Facebook Marketplace, dino juice-powered special. "No lowballers, I know what I got" not included. Who has time for all that, anyway?
The thing is, just as with your more old-school, combustion motorcycles, people (that includes kids) move on. They learn more about themselves, and what they want out of riding. And then maybe they want to go buy something else other than whatever it is they started on. It's the circle of life, and indeed, it moves us all.
Gallery: Zero Project Ventura
Go Outside, But Quietly
As the longest-running player in the EV motorcycle game, Zero Motorcycles has had a bit more time to contemplate how to better address the needs of more riders than most other EV motorcycle makers. Coming out with the low-cost XE and XB was a solid step in the right direction, particularly as it dealt with two problems at once: Attracting younger riders, and offering a lower cost of admission to get them into the game.
But what if you don't want a dirt bike, but a street bike? And what if you want it to maybe have a little more power, and be a little more capable of being a daily runabout on the street? And what if you also want it to have a certain effortlessly cool vibe about it? Friends, that's where the Project Ventura Supermoto comes into play.
Designwise, it channels a bit of that big FXE energy, but into a more everyday kind of thing. Full specs aren't available yet, but Zero is saying it'll have "over 20 kilowatts of power" (that's over 26.8 HP), an estimated 75 miles of "real-world range," sustained top speed of 65 mph and peak top speed (only for a moment, I'm afraid) of 85 mph, and all this at a sub-USD $8,000 price tag.
Oh, and also, you can carry a pillion if you want. Which only adds to its potential practicality for everyday street use. Fun and practicality, all in one package.
Is it the right bike for the right time? It just might be, if Zero is able to deliver on all the things it's promising in this teaser. There's good reason to think they might, as they do have an established track record that makes one inclined to trust it'll be closer to what they're saying than not when the production version arrives in summer 2027 (estimated).
For young riders ready to move on from less powerful e-bikes, and up to more powerful EV street bikes that don't break the bank, Project Ventura could certainly make for an attractive option. These are exactly the kinds of bikes that anyone bringing EV motorcycles to market should be pursuing. Obviously, as with any new offering, there are potential pitfalls to avoid; but to us, it looks like there's ample reason for optimism here.
What do you think of Project Ventura, though? Let us know in the comments below.
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