Highway 142 in Washington looks like it’s straight out of a car commercial or an Instagram photo. The dramatic basalt cliffs dive into the wild waters of the Klickitat River, where fishermen in drift boats compete for Chinook salmon, all against the backdrop of Mount Hood.
But honestly, I’m not focusing on any of that. I’m anxiously glancing between the display on my electric motorcycle, which shows I have 63 miles of range left, and Google Maps, which says the next charger is 80 miles away. I’m confident I’ll make it — maybe. How far can I coast on this thing?
These are the worries that come with riding the Zero DSR-X, an advanced electric adventure motorcycle. It’s designed to handle rugged trails and daring escapades but is held back by a limited battery. It’s a contradiction, sure, but that doesn’t mean it’s not usable. Think about how well sweet and sour chicken works.
Are electric vehicles truly capable of being “adventure” vehicles? I borrowed the DSR-X to find out. But after a few weeks, I realized a better question might be: What does adventure mean to you anyway?
Zero isn’t the only company trying to take electric vehicles beyond city streets and into the wilderness. Rivian offers an electric pickup truck with a built-in camp kitchen, Polaris has an electric side-by-side for the Utah desert, and Mercury sells an electric outboard boat motor for exploring quiet waterways. These are not just commuter vehicles; they’re toys designed for adventure.
When I got the chance to test the DSR-X, I felt ready. I already owned a dual-sport motorcycle, an adventure van, and a plug-in hybrid car. I’ve even taken a microwave and fridge into the woods to test power stations, and built my own boat batteries from Alibaba parts. Trading convenience for a new experience is my thing, and that seemed to be what the DSR-X was all about.
With its angular design and stern look, the DSR-X seems ready to tackle any trail or road. And it delivers on that promise. Riding in sport mode, which unleashes 100 horsepower and 166 foot-pounds of torque, feels like hopping on an amusement park ride. Going from zero to 60 in just 3.6 seconds may be usual for gas motorcycles, but the constant torque of an electric motor makes it exhilarating in a way that an engine can’t.
What’s even more impressive is the DSR-X’s smoothness. Motorcycles are usually associated with vibration, but the electric motor, belt drive, and high-end Showa suspension system make the DSR-X glide over the pavement effortlessly, almost like you’re in a video game. Standing on the pegs enhances this feeling, making it seem like a magic carpet ride, especially when the bike disappears from your peripheral vision and everything flows silently beneath you.
But of course, you wouldn’t choose to navigate a magic carpet down a busy highway between a semi-truck and a horse trailer. The DSR-X is an adventure bike, after all.
What exactly does that mean? If you think about conquering sandy dunes, salt flats, and rugged mountains on two wheels, you get the fantasy that motorcycle marketing has sold to office workers for years. Freedom, landscapes, wildlife — adventure with a capital A.
However, most adventure bikes, like the BMW R1250GS, still primarily travel on pavement, and the smooth street tires on the DSR-X don’t challenge this norm.
Here’s the catch: Zero advertises a city range of 180 miles on the DSR-X. But once you pick up speed, that estimate drops. The bike’s small battery should theoretically charge quickly, right? Not quite. While a Tesla can charge at 250 kilowatts and the Ioniq 5 at 350kW, the Zero charges at just 6.5kW. That means the 17.3kWh battery takes about two-and-a-half hours to charge from empty using a level two charger.
Despite these limitations, I wanted to give the bike a fair shot. I planned a round trip to Klickitat County, Washington, where I had to meet a contractor. Just two hours from my home in Portland, it seemed like an ideal test for the DSR-X on a sunny day.
Starting early with a full battery, plenty of water, and snacks packed in the storage compartment where the gas tank would normally be, I hit the road. Having cashews within arm’s reach was convenient, I must admit.
However, as soon as I got on the highway, it felt like the bike was leaking energy. The DSR-X was losing about 1% of battery for every mile, meaning I could only expect about 100 miles of range. This didn’t look promising for a 100-mile trip to a place with no chargers for miles.
The bike’s display showed more details. It included watt-hours per mile, an electric version of miles per gallon. Even though I kept my speed under 70, a headwind in the Columbia River Gorge caused this number to spike, depleting the battery quickly.
I planned to charge in Hood River, Oregon, halfway to my destination, although I hadn’t expected to arrive with such a low battery. Faced with a dilemma, should I slow down to conserve energy or speed up and charge sooner? This mental calculation preoccupied me as I passed scenic spots without really noticing them.
Finally, I rolled into Hood River with 31% battery left and plugged into a level two charger urgently. At this point, my journey wasn’t the kind of daring adventure you read about in forums, but a series of strategic decisions to manage energy consumption.
Chatting with a construction worker at the charger, I explained the merits of the bike, like its smooth ride and instant torque. He seemed intrigued, especially when I mentioned the range and price. Yet, his surprise hinted that owning such a bike might make me look like the ultimate sucker in a lot filled with expensive adventure vans.
Leaving Hood River towards my appointment, the range showed 63 miles while Google Maps indicated 80 miles left. I decided to push on, confident yet uncertain. The drive through changing landscapes was peaceful as I wondered what would happen if the battery died completely.
Arriving on time, though with a depleted battery, presented another problem: the next charger was still 40 miles away. But now familiar with the bike’s capabilities, I took my time, using regenerative braking on downhill stretches and enjoying the ride along the Klickitat River.
Reaching a charger with 13% battery left felt like a triumph. I hadn’t crossed rugged terrains, but I had managed a challenging trip. The experience felt like real adventure, involving strangers curious about the bike and exploring new places for charging.
Charging at Skamania Lodge before heading back to Portland, I mused about whether this adventure would pass Hemingway’s test. Riding a gas bike might’ve been more straightforward, but the DSR-X offered a unique kind of adventure through its challenges.
Motorcycles are inherently inconvenient, subjecting riders to various discomforts. The DSR-X adds charging time to that list, but if you’re open to it, you get a clean, quiet, thrilling machine in return.
If your goal is to reach distant places quickly, this motorcycle isn’t ideal. But if you’re up for experiencing something different by doing things the hard way, the DSR-X could lead you to unexpectedly delightful journeys, even if they all ultimately lead to a charger.