I haven't seen any electric vehicles yet that can claim that they can handle offroading stuff where you're getting way off the beaten path. I mean, they'll get you there, but you won't have enough juice to get back out.
https://ridebdr.com/news/bdr-partners-with-zero-motorcycles/Seattle, WA – (October 17, 2022) Charging headfirst into the future, the adventure motorcycling non-profit Backcountry Discovery Routes® (BDR®) announced a multi-year partnership with Zero Motorcycles®, the worldwide leader in electric motorcycles and powertrains. Building on a shared vision of preserving riding opportunities and driving positive economic impact for neighboring communities, the Zero-BDR partnership includes OEM sponsorship of upcoming BDR and BDR-X routes. This exciting new alliance will raise awareness of and help grow the network of charging stations along 13 existing and future BDR routes
With its all-new DSR/X model, Zero’s impressive entry into the Adventure Bike category represents an increasingly important opportunity for adventure riders to explore the backcountry with minimal impact while taking advantage of the unmatched power delivery and reliability inherent in EV (Electric Vehicle) technology.
Potential concerns about the ability of EV bikes having the range required for true backcountry exploration will be put to the test by BDR on multi-day, long-distance scouting and filming expeditions. Most notably, the DSR/X will be challenged during the creation of the upcoming Northern California BDR (CABDR-North) and the Black Hills, SD BDR-X routes slated for release in the next two years.
![[popcorn]](http://www.armedpolitesociety.com/Smileys/default/mf_popcorn.gif "Popcorn")
Good luck getting charge infrastructure in towns like Tin Cup and Pitkin, Colorado. Or Young or Crown King, AZ.
I've been on several 500+ mile group ADV rides in the last year, including one that was nearly 3000 miles to Wyoming and back recently. There is no god-damned time to wait for an E-motorcycle to recharge on a ride like that. We've all got families and jobs to get back to.
The recent one I went on that was 9 days long:
-Day 1 was Phoenix to Cortez, CO. Nearly 500 miles. We cut across the Navajo reservation in order to cut 75 miles off the typical route, and to have more interesting scenery. Even if there was EV charge infrastructure somewhere in the middle of the rez, there's nowhere decent to eat and the vast majority of the rez doesn't want to cater to passers-by or travelers. Staying at a charge point for an hour or more would be quite uncomfortable. It was a long-ass day even with the convenience of a gas bike, and only taking 5-10 minutes to top off.
-Days 2-6 were all sub-200 mile days, but they were off-road almost entirely. It might have been possible for an EV to keep up on days we stayed in hotels... but we camped far more than used hotels.
-Days 7-9 were a mix of longish highway jaunts plus 30-50 miles of offroad exploration at a time. We came from the southern border of Wyoming back through Colorado to Gypsum, across to Moab Utah, south to Winslow Arizona, across the Rim to Young and through to Globe, and back to Phoenix. In 3 days.
A group member on a Zero would be a massive hindrance to getting any miles done. It would have been impossible to hit Arches like we did, or Colorado National Monument, or Rifle Falls.
