S marks the (silent) spot

This year could go down as a seminal one for electric motorcycles, with the FIM recently giving the nod to the world's first clean emissions motorcycle race, which will be held at the Isle of Man on June 12.

The response to the TTXGP has been extremely positive, with a number of different designs - some more zany than others - based around a common theme: lithium-ion batteries.

Inevitably, some of those machines will see the light in mass-produced form, but it's a street-legal bike that's just been released in America which has piqued the interest of BikePoint.

Produced by American company Zero Motorcycles, it's the Zero S, which is capable of 100kmh with a 100km range from a full, four-hour battery charge. In America it retails for less than $US10,000, and there is also a federal 'plug-in' vehicle credit too.

The S produces 31hp and an impressive 84.6Nm of torque from its single electric motor, transferred through a clutchless one-speed gearbox.

The horsepower is certainly modest, but the S also doesn't have to lug around oils, coolants and petrol. The whole shebang weights just over 102kg which, in power-to-weight terms, makes for quite respectable performance. And it should handle like a minibike with such a low weight and a quality aluminium twin-spare frame.

Maximum torque is also instantaneous, so it's definitely got all the ingredients to make an awesome streetbike.

The Zero S follows on from the Zero X motocross bike, which was released in 2008.

For a recent BBC story on the Zero S, click here.

Meanwhile, Zero Motorcycles recently hosted a 24-hour 'electricross' race in San Jose using its Zero X. For details on that, click here.

Zero Motorcycles will soon have demo Xs and Ss available to ride in Brisbane and Sydney. For more information, click here.