Fire sale! Nothing gets Aussies reaching for their wallets quite so enthusiastically, especially when it’s a no reserve online auction.
That’s what happened this week as over 400 electric motorcycles from US-brand Zero went under the hammer at Pickles Auctions.
Street, adventure and all-terrain EV bikes were included, and a Pickles spokesperson told Ev Authority individual bike sale prices “ranged from $3000 to over $15,000” once the hammer fell.
READ MORE: 2025 Savic C-Series Alpha review: Is it possible to make an electric motorcycle that doesn’t suck?
READ MORE: 2025 Streetdog EV motorcycle Review: No bark and no bite, the name is about right
On Zero’s Australian website ride-away prices start at $9995 for a Zero S, while the priciest DSR/X is listed at other retailers for a chunky $46,800.
These same e-motorbike models were available at the auction, suggesting they’ve sold for around one-third their retail price.
Ouchy.
Being a no reserve auction, all have found new homes. The bulk went to individual buyers, while Pickles said a total of 33 went to two wholesalers.
Ergo, you’re soon to see around 400 new electric motorcycles on Australian roads.
For context, only 429 new e-motorcycles sold here in the whole of 2024, so Pickles’ sales has basically doubled the number of potential new registrations in a calendar year.
The sale was due to retailer Peter Stevens Motor Cycles – founded 55 years ago – being placed into administration in May, before being sold to rival Motorcycle Holdings in July.
Administrators KordaMentha had reported Peter Stevens’ $80million collapse was in part due to the company investing heavily in Zero electric motorcycles, which have now been auctioned off at a fraction of their original prices.
Quite evidently, Aussie appetite for EV motorbikes hasn’t taken off.
Why? Not great range and the hassle of charging are obvious, but they’re also pretty damn expensive.
But there’s more. I can only speak for myself, but I reckon most fellow motorcycle riders eschew electric versions because the thrill – the emotion – just ain’t there.
We want and like the noise. The vibration. The smell. The tapping up and down gears with our left boot. The joy of perfect clutch control when launching, and for we old-school riders, balancing a choke and throttle as the old girl warms up.
Sure, the e-motorbikes do the mad acceleration bit, and I accept they’ll be tranquil, clean and super smooth.
But when I take out my old Honda cafe racer it’s because I don’t want those things. If I’m seeking comfort and quiet I’ll take the car. Or sink into my couch with a single malt and slippers.
I want my ears to get battered, have a face punch of fresh air under the visor, cheek-smash the odd bug and come home smelling of old oil and new petrol.
Take Harley-Davidson’s $50,000 LiveWire electric motorcycle. For a brand best associated with beards, bellies and bikie gangs, losing the peace-shatteringly obnoxious exhaust whack to the eardrums was never going to win favour.
Our own Stephen Corby, on testing the zero-emissions Harley, declared it “the most bizarre, wrong headed and weird device I have ever encountered.
As an aside, that booming exhaust has its merits. Not just for the soul, but to warn pedestrians and wildlife of your presence. Be it old lady, schoolchild or kangaroo, the outcome for all – rider included – is never pretty when motorcycle meets mammal.
What about public charging? Some of Zero’s e-motorcycles quote up to 290km range for city use. It’ll plummet when at play on your favourite back road, so on a decent Sunday blast you must refill.
I can think of little else worse than cooking in a set of leathers while at a charger. Experience has taught me charge points are either exposed to the elements or in some grief-hole car park, and never at your favourite mountaintop bikers’ cafe.
Look, I’ve heard the e-motorbike propaganda that they’re not just tranquil and lovely to ride, but of course zero emission, hence reducing urban pollution.
All very lovely. But if it’s for town use, why get an electric motorcycle when you can get an electric bicycle? There’s no rego nor insurance to pay, you don’t need a licence, and you’ll probably get around at pretty much the same speed.
What’s that you say? E-bicycles go too slow? Check out your local roads. I’d be surprised if there’s a single e-bike left that’s not had its electronic limiter adjusted to allow speeds and acceleration not far off what e-motorbikes manage in the city.
Which, by the way, pisses me off more than you can imagine. Not only is this illegal e-bike modifying making inevitable meat crayons of our school kids, I feel an utter mug every time I drop hundreds of dollars on annual registration and insurance for the oily-bits Honda.
All things considered, I’m as committed to never owning an electric motorcycle as I am to nver holidaying in Canberra.
And as a final kick-them-when-they’re down bit of news to finish, I’ve just learned MotoE – the electric version of MotoGP – is being ditched at the end of this year after failing to attract enough fan or industry support.
Highlighting why, I’d never even heard of the series in its seven years of silent running. And I’m the sort of person who still has Valentino Rossi pyjamas.
I’ll champion many forms of electric mobility: urban and daily driver cars, buses, trucks, mopeds, boats and the like, but let’s just step back when it comes to enthusiast stuff like motorcycles and motorsport.
Life’s restricted and boring enough these days without completely robbing us of our casual joys.
Find me a motorbike rider who truly wants to ditch the aural euphoria and crotch-fizzing rumble of saddling up a petrol-sucking two-wheeler in favour of an electric version and I’ll show you a liar.
