2026 Zero XE review: Stupid levels of fun

“This thing is stupid levels of fun,” I shout to Zero’s European team as I whir past them. They smile and offer a thumbs-up, and I disappear into the trees.

I’m spending the day at Desert Rose Riding Academy in East Sussex, testing the Zero XE: a barebones electric dirt bike that has completely altered my opinion of off-road riding.

The test ride had started with one of the riding academy’s team leading moto-journalists on a little loop—through some trees, across a field, back into another section of trees. But on the second time round, I got lost, speeding straight ahead where I should have turned left. The unintentional detour led me on a full exploration of Desert Rose’s roughly 80-acre site and onto a trail that is considerably more technical than I would usually attempt.

Yet there is something about the 101kg Zero XE that inspires confidence. Add in the fact that there is no clutch or gears to think about, and no rev range to maintain. You just twist the throttle and giggle. It is easy. It is fun. 

I found myself navigating over stumps, through deep ruts, across long patches of sand, and up steep inclines, all while zig-zagging between trees. By the time I found my way back to the collection of trailers where the day had started, I was drenched in sweat, panting, and having the time of my life.

Honestly: I have never enjoyed off-roading this much.

Therein lies the short version of this review: if you’ve got the £5,590 that Zero asks for the XE, it is money well spent.

Some background

This is a banner year for Zero Motorcycles: the company celebrates 20 years in existence in 2026, making it a seasoned veteran in the world of electric motorcycles. Dozens of electric motorbike makers have come and gone in that time, but no other has managed to hang in the game for so long.

Founded in Northern California in 2006 by former NASA engineer Neal Saiki, Zero has come a very long way since its early days. Its top-of-the-line bikes, such as the excellent DSR/X, have styling and build quality that matches or exceeds plenty of petroleum-driven competition, with ranges and charging times that are nominally livable, and performance that is incredible.

Dirt has been a part of the Zero DNA from the very beginning. Initially, Zero Motorcycles was known as Electricross, with its single product, the Drift, being little more than an electric mountain bike. Indeed, the first street-legal Zero didn’t arrive until three years into the company’s history.

Things came full circle last year when Zero launched its X line of street-legal off-road motorcycles: the 20.7bhp XE and 10bhp XB. They are street legal in the UK and Europe; in the United States, they are off-road-only vehicles. To be honest, with a top speed of 53 mph, the XE isn’t a bike I would want to ride on the road except to get from one trail to another.

First impressions

To a certain extent, the XE is a glorified fat-tyre mountain bike, with both front and rear brakes actuated via levers on the handlebar - no foot pedals. But it is a glorified fat-tyre mountain bike that offers up 468 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheel. (No, that’s not a typo).

The bike looks genuinely off-road ready, but not intimidating. It is tall - seat height is 900 mm, and there’s 390 mm of ground clearance - but not as overwhelming as some petrol-driven alternatives. It is approachable. Deliberately so. Zero’s team suggests it has chosen to paint its bikes white to give them an inviting and law-abiding spirit.

The XE is small for a 6-foot-1 rider. But throw a leg over and it doesn’t feel that way. It feels manageable. I’d argue that this is a good thing for an off-road vehicle. You don’t actually want ‘intimidating;’ you want ‘fully capable of being steered away from trees.’

Let’s go back to that ground clearance figure: 390 mm - or 15.3 inches - is massive. Yamaha’s WR125R is a nominally comparable petroleum-powered alternative, but it offers just 240 mm of ground clearance. Credit the XE’s clearance and narrowness to the fact there’s no engine. The battery and 15.5kW motor are slim.

Thanks to that slimness, I was able to get both feet on the ground when sitting on the bike. Not that you’d want to sit for long. The narrow saddle is VERY firm - not wholly unlike sitting on a plank of wood. Fortunately, you’ll spend most of your time on the pegs.

Looking ahead, the view mimics a mountain bike. Outside of a small, 2.4-inch TFT panel on the left grip, there is nothing on the bike to obstruct your view. The panel serves as the bike’s dash, providing information on speed, charge level, mileage, and riding mode.

Overall build quality is good. Everything looks and feels robust. Thanks to my one crash of the day (I can’t ride off-road without crashing at least once), I know that it actually is good. I sent the bike into a pine tree, and it came away unscathed.

Motor and battery: Respect the torque

I happen to have a Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Limited on loan at the moment and used it to ride to Desert Rose. On my way back, I couldn’t help but notice that the Harley, with its 95 lb-ft of torque, felt anemic on acceleration compared to the wallop of torque that comes from an electric motor.

There’s just so much of it: available in an instant, at all times. Power delivery is smooth and digitally perfect, but all that torque can bite you if you’re not careful. This was the root cause of my one crash.

Attempting to look cool for the photographer, I jammed the rear brake to get the bike to skid in the dirt. The idea was to kick up a big trail of dust, but all I managed to do was throw off my balance. A sloppy grab at the bars resulted in me whiskey-throttling the bike. It rocketed out from underneath me and hit a tree; I hit the ground.

I was fine, the bike was fine, but the incident illustrated the need to approach the XE’s throttle with respect. It will bite you.

One solution would be to put the bike into ECO mode. The bike has three riding modes - ECO, Standard, and Sport. I’d assume that ECO would tame throttle response. I didn’t test the modes, because Standard felt right, and I was too busy having fun to fiddle with settings.

Meanwhile, the obvious benefit of such a torque-rich motor is that you will never be left wanting. You will never run out of puff and stall on a hill.

As mentioned, the top speed is 53 mph. That’s plenty for me off-road, and enough on-road to connect green lanes. Meanwhile, an electric bike opens up your off-road riding options. The primary issue people have with off-road riders is noise. But if someone can’t hear you, they’re highly unlikely to care about you.

I am willing to bet that a rider with a friendly disposition would have no problem riding an XE in some spots where off-road bikes aren’t technically allowed. I am willing to bet, too, that Zero Motorcycles would discourage you from riding in illegal areas. But, you know, I’m just saying…

Hours of battery-swappable fun

Zero claims a range of 65 miles for the XE, which is almost certainly irrelevant in an off-roading context. That figure is determined by riding at a constant 31 mph. I think it’s best to think of range in terms of time.

I spent two sweaty hours riding the XE in twisting, hilly terrain (ie, very few fast straights). At the end of it, I was exhausted, probably wouldn’t have wanted to ride a great deal more, and the bike still had 67 percent charge.

That suggests - unscientifically - that the battery is good for five to six hours of riding. When it comes to an activity as physically demanding as off-roading, five to six hours is a good day, in my opinion.

The best part is that the battery is removable. The majority of off-road riders have to transport their bikes to a location in a van. The removable battery means you can bring a spare. Although, the cost of an additional battery is a spicy £2,309.

And for a rider whose garage does not have electricity, the removable battery means ownership remains a viable possibility.

Chassis and brakes

The XE comes equipped with knobby tyres from CST - a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear on spoked rims. They are quite narrow, adding to the ‘glorified mountain bike’ feel.

The fully adjustable suspension was set up just right for my tastes. It worked on bumps, rocks, logs, ruts, and small jumps. I’d class myself as an intermediate off-road rider, leaning toward novice. The XE’s suspension offered everything I needed for my current skill level and allowed me to step things up a notch. It’s a bike I feel I could improve with.

The huge ground clearance helps, as does the relatively light weight - achieved in part thanks to a forged aluminium frame and swingarm. The brakes worked well, too. The front brake is set up so that it will not lock up, though I didn’t aggressively test this.

Fancy stuff

The XE feels straightforward, but it has a fair bit of tech hiding within. There are the three aforementioned riding modes, adjustable levels of regenerative braking, switchable traction control (which Zero’s team suggested shutting off off-road), hill hold control, and a tip-over sensor that kills the throttle when the bike is dropped.

There’s even a reverse “gear” - an excellent feature that gives you the confidence to explore further. Ridden into a tight situation? Just press a button on the left grip and back out at walking pace.

The TFT dash is easy to read, understand, and navigate. Although, Zero’s decision to place it on the handlebar means it isn’t easy to glance at when riding.

Verdict: I want one

Despite having some off-roading experience, I would not have described myself as a fan of the dirt until recently. My mindset was that I didn’t want to take on heavy technical stuff. A nice dirt road on a sunny day was my kind of thing. But the XE opened my mind to taking on trickier terrain.

Outside of the confidence boost, there is the greater sense of connection that comes from an electric motorcycle. An electric motorcycle awakens your hearing. As I was zipping through narrow gaps in trees, I was able to hear birdsong: a sound that an internal combustion engine would not only drown out but frighten away.

Power-wise, the XE is on par with a 125cc machine, but in terms of rear-wheel torque, it’s on the level of a full-size American pickup truck.

I’d genuinely like to have one of these in my garage. Riding the Zero XE delivered the best off-road riding experience I’ve ever had. At the end of my time with the bike - drenched in sweat, breathing heavily, and heart still racing - I was manic with glee. The XE is hilarious, thrilling.

Mountains of instant, grin-inducing torque. No clutch levers or shifters to occupy brain space. No noise to wear on my nerves. Just the light whirring of a motor, the clack of the chain, birds singing, and the sound of my breathless, giddy laughter.

Being electric, it also saves you time, money, and effort in servicing. Bits like brake pads, tyres, and chains will wear out, but you’re not messing with grubby, complicated engines.

The XE is not really a road bike, despite its legal status as such, but it is pure joy when the pavement ends.

Gear worn in photos

• HELMET: HJC RPHA 60
• JACKET & TROUSERS: Spada Vanguard
• GLOVES: Richa Altantic GTX
• BOOTS: Sidi Taurus GTX

2026 Zero XE specs