Andy 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 sitting inside their warm cars, and at others all bundled up on the sidewalks. Now it feels almost normal...
Randy 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. The same ones that have been teasing me for years in various ads and articles on the Internet and in magazines...
Bruce Wednesday afternoon, 1/25 This looks like it will be my last chance to ride the Zero for a couple of weeks as I will be going on vacation next week. So I get the keys from Randy and prepare to go downtown. It has been snowing and it is starting to accumulate. The roads are wet, but slush is...
Kyle JUST AN EVERYDAY RIDE - 01/26/16 It’s a comfortable 28ºF today at 4:30pm as I gear up for the 5 mile ride home - Roadcrafter, WarmBib, Balaclava, Silk Scarf, Insulated Ski Gloves... Still plug in the electrics and turn on the grip heaters to chase away any chill from traveling at speed. The fresh snowfall from the last few days has been...
Bruce Thursday afternoon. Overcast, mid-20's. As I get the keys from Kyle, I am excited to ride to the YMCA for "lunch". The attendant at the parking garage there always had something positive to say when I was riding into late November. I wonder what he will say now? I see him as I am leaving the garage and his...
Kyle 01/19/16 Today was the day, it was my turn to ride the Zero FX home after work today. The afternoon seemed to crawl by as the anticipation built, and for some reason an image of Spongebob Squarepants running around while giddily chanting ‘I’m ready! I’m ready’ kept running through my head. Maybe it was just my excitement to finally get a...
Andy Executive summary: Battery warming wrap #2 still not warm enough…Stephanie making another even-warmer one now. Want these batteries to think they are still back in Santa Cruz. Lowered tire pressure a bit more yesterday. Suspension cold-stiff. Plug-in charging procedure stinks in dark, cold. Randy making a workaround for this now. Feels very strange being in traffic, the only one on...
Andy Despite our record-breaking El Niño winter warmth right now here it’s six-tenths of a degree below zero (ºf) and there’s a Zero electric motorcycle is silently sitting outside in the driveway, asleep save for a small green ‘I’m charging now’ LED blinking at the base of the speedo…Very reassuring. Today’s ride here was: Easy. And Fun. And Cool. Easy. –...
Initial Volunteer Zero Below Zero riders include (others may be added later): Andy ANDYAerostich design manager. Riding since 1970. Currently 5-8K miles annually, mostly commuting with Suzuki DRZ 400E and occasional longer trips on BMW R1200R. Rider factoid: Rode about 80 miles directly across ice-covered western end of Lake Superior in the particularly cold winter of 1994. Bruce BRUCEAerostich Website DevelopmentRides approximately...
Getting the Zero ready to face the elements of a Duluth, MN winter required adding a few farkles for improved function, comfort and safety. Aerostich Product Development Engineer, Rod H., was tasked with doing this prep work. Below is a project summary and a few of his thoughts about preparing the bike for winter riding. When asked about his initial...
Andy 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 sitting inside their warm cars, and at others all bundled up on the sidewalks. Now it feels almost normal...
Randy 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. The same ones that have been teasing me for years in various ads and articles on the Internet and in magazines...
Bruce Wednesday afternoon, 1/25 This looks like it will be my last chance to ride the Zero for a couple of weeks as I will be going on vacation next week. So I get the keys from Randy and prepare to go downtown. It has been snowing and it is starting to accumulate. The roads are wet, but slush is...
Kyle JUST AN EVERYDAY RIDE - 01/26/16 It’s a comfortable 28ºF today at 4:30pm as I gear up for the 5 mile ride home - Roadcrafter, WarmBib, Balaclava, Silk Scarf, Insulated Ski Gloves... Still plug in the electrics and turn on the grip heaters to chase away any chill from traveling at speed. The fresh snowfall from the last few days has been...
Bruce Thursday afternoon. Overcast, mid-20's. As I get the keys from Kyle, I am excited to ride to the YMCA for "lunch". The attendant at the parking garage there always had something positive to say when I was riding into late November. I wonder what he will say now? I see him as I am leaving the garage and his...
Kyle 01/19/16 Today was the day, it was my turn to ride the Zero FX home after work today. The afternoon seemed to crawl by as the anticipation built, and for some reason an image of Spongebob Squarepants running around while giddily chanting ‘I’m ready! I’m ready’ kept running through my head. Maybe it was just my excitement to finally get a...
Andy Executive summary: Battery warming wrap #2 still not warm enough…Stephanie making another even-warmer one now. Want these batteries to think they are still back in Santa Cruz. Lowered tire pressure a bit more yesterday. Suspension cold-stiff. Plug-in charging procedure stinks in dark, cold. Randy making a workaround for this now. Feels very strange being in traffic, the only one on...
Andy Despite our record-breaking El Niño winter warmth right now here it’s six-tenths of a degree below zero (ºf) and there’s a Zero electric motorcycle is silently sitting outside in the driveway, asleep save for a small green ‘I’m charging now’ LED blinking at the base of the speedo…Very reassuring. Today’s ride here was: Easy. And Fun. And Cool. Easy. –...
Initial Volunteer Zero Below Zero riders include (others may be added later): Andy ANDYAerostich design manager. Riding since 1970. Currently 5-8K miles annually, mostly commuting with Suzuki DRZ 400E and occasional longer trips on BMW R1200R. Rider factoid: Rode about 80 miles directly across ice-covered western end of Lake Superior in the particularly cold winter of 1994. Bruce BRUCEAerostich Website DevelopmentRides approximately...
Getting the Zero ready to face the elements of a Duluth, MN winter required adding a few farkles for improved function, comfort and safety. Aerostich Product Development Engineer, Rod H., was tasked with doing this prep work. Below is a project summary and a few of his thoughts about preparing the bike for winter riding. When asked about his initial...