Zero has been building electric road bikes for years. The X line is their dirt bike, sold as something you can tax, insure and ride on the road, then take into a field. Both are still on the way in.
XB or XE
The XB is the light one, and it’s limited to 28 mph. That’s the point of it. Zero lists it on an AM moped licence or a full car licence. A 16-year-old on a moped licence is who they had in mind. If yours comes from a car pass, check it actually covers an AM bike. When you passed changes the answer. Sixty-three kilos, 19-inch wheels, seat at 832 mm. Autotrader’s Dan Trent, who’s six foot, found it a bit short in the frame and loved how easy it is to throw about. In the dirt it feels keener than that top speed suggests. On the road you meet 28 mph and that’s your lot. £3,890.
The XE is the taller, faster one. About 53 mph, 101 kg, seat at 900 mm, a 21-inch front and an 18-inch rear. Zero lists it on an A1 or a full car licence. This is the one if the XB’s speed limit would annoy you, and you’re happy with a bike that sits you up higher. £5,590.
Both batteries unclip. Charge it in the bike, or lift it out and charge it indoors off a normal socket. A second pack is how you skip the wait. The rear brake sits on the left lever, where a clutch would be, which suits anyone coming off a bicycle. Chain, brakes and tyres still need looking after. The motor won’t ask for oil. There’s a two-year warranty.
Insurance on anything that looks like an electric dirt bike can be salty. Get a quote before you get attached.
The XB
Zero call this the accessible one, and they’re right. It’s built to be ridden hard off-road, on chunky tyres and long-travel suspension you can adjust, then ridden home if the licence and the paperwork are in place. The knobblies feel a bit sketchy on tarmac. That’s a dirt-bike tyre doing what dirt-bike tyres do.
The pack is the smaller of the two, good for their “47 miles if you hold a steady 31 mph”. A charge to 95 percent takes about two and a half hours on the charger in the box. Zero sell a quicker charger if you’re impatient, and a spare battery if you’d rather not wait at all.
The XE
Same idea, much more shove, and the chassis of a bike that wants trails. The bigger front wheel tracks straight over rough ground. The seat, at 900 mm, means you’ll know about it at a stop. The pack is the 4.3 kWh one, so the steady-speed range goes out to about 65 miles, and the charge to 95 percent takes about five hours on the same charger.
Handy if you want to ride lanes that are actually roads, and hop between bits of dirt. The bike in the photo has a mirror on it for a reason. The licence Zero prints is the one you need before any of that.
Where you can ride one
Zero’s UK pages treat both of these as road bikes with a dirt bike’s manners. The XB is the AM or full car licence bike. The XE is the A1 or full car licence bike. Off-road, the landowner still has to be happy about it.
We’re at Unit 14, Emley Business Park, Leys Lane, Huddersfield. Weekdays are 10am to 4pm. Weekends are by appointment only. Delivery is £50.
Side by side
| XB | XE | |
|---|---|---|
| In a sentence | The light one, limited to 28 mph | The taller, faster one |
| Licence Zero lists | AM or a full car licence | A1 or a full car licence |
| Weight | 63 kg | 101 kg |
| Seat | 832 mm | 900 mm |
| Price | £3,890 | £5,590 |
Questions worth asking
Which Zero should I buy?
The XB if you want light, chuckable, and you’re fine at 28 mph. The XE if you want about 53 mph and you’re happy with a taller, heavier bike. Both are on the way in. Both batteries lift out.
Can I ride one on the road?
Yes, with the right entitlement. Zero lists AM or a full car licence for the XB, and A1 or a full car licence for the XE. A car pass does not always cover it on its own, and Zero say a lot of riders still need a one-day CBT. Check before you buy. And get an insurance quote, because these can be salty.
Can I take the battery out?
Yes. Both packs unclip. Charge it on the bike, or lift it out and charge it indoors. A second pack is how you skip the wait.
Where is Direct MX, and what does delivery cost?
Unit 14, Emley Business Park, Leys Lane, Huddersfield. Weekdays are 10am to 4pm. Weekends are by appointment only. Delivery is £50. Both Zeros are still on the way in.