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Kent Manaffey works on a motorcycle at Zero Motorcycles, the only electric motorcycle company in Scotts Valley. Julia Fredenburg/Press-Banner

In two seconds flat, the Zero X can reach 30 mph from a standstill. In 4½ seconds, it blazes to 50 mph.

“I didn’t want people to have a misconception that electric vehicles are slow,” said Neil Saiki, the brains behind the bike.

Slow is the opposite of this dirt bike.

At a recent drag race at Sears Point Infineon Raceway, the Zero X burst off the line ahead of a fully loaded Yamaha YZ 250, shortly after it had blown a Ford Mustang with racing slicks off the line on the same track. The motorcycle tops out at 55 mph, but it’s not meant for speed. It’s for off-road riding.

“The reason I developed this motorcycle is there is no place (in the county) to ride off-road motorcycles — because of the noise,” Saiki said.

It’s illegal to ride off-road almost anywhere in Santa Cruz because of various property and noise regulations, but the battery-powered Zero X whispers instead of roars, making it a viable alternative.

Saiki said he has spoke with Scotts Valley city leaders about a possible open space for riders.

It’s all about the battery

Saiki, a Scotts Valley resident, and his team of mechanics built the motorcycle from scratch.
The bike’s frame is constructed from aircraft-grade aluminum, and the fully loaded version weighs in at a mere 140 pounds, about 100 pounds less than the average 250cc gas-powered dirt bike.

A custom lithium-ion battery fits underneath the seat and provides enough power for two hours on the trails or for a trip within a 40-mile radius, depending on the terrain.

If that’s not enough, the rider can swap batteries with a screwdriver in less than a minute.

“It’s 40 pounds, but it has a huge amount of energy,” said Saiki, who spent two years developing a battery with a five-year lifespan that could produce the necessary power while remaining cool.

The battery can also be replaced when the technology advances, Saiki said.

“I wanted to make a motorcycle that wouldn’t be obsolete,” said Saiki. “We are the only company thinking about upgradeability to electric vehicles.”

The battery can plug in to a regular wall socket, and takes two hours to recharge.  

Zero is making a serious splash on the national market too.

In mid-August, the company had orders for 70 new motorcycles, with more coming in almost every day.

Celebrities Jay Leno and Desperate Housewives start James Denton have purchased the bike, and motocross champion Sebastian Tortelli is a big fan as well.

The price tag on the bike is $7,450.  

The company intends to introduce a street-legal bike in November that can travel 60 miles on a charge.

For information, visit the Zero Motorcycles website .

To comment on this story, e-mail reporter Peter Burke at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , call 438-2500 or post a comment at www.pressbanner.com.

Comments (1)

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I like the idea of electric vehicles....
written by Ricky Tave, September 05, 2008

Electric vehicles are cool, especially because they can be charged from the grid at off-peak hours. or from solar panels.

An electric vehicle with a "time of use" PG&E electric meter at home, or maybe home solar panels and a backup battery ready to swap in when the initial one wears out, would be great for the environment.

I am not in favor of quiet dirt bikes being driven on private or park land, though. They should be either licensed and driven on the streets, or be used only on designated electro-cycle parks.

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