This Electrifying Moto Duo Is Lowering the Barrier to Off-Road Bliss

A now-iconic bike brand has found a sweet spot with lightweight, torque-y two-wheelers that let even noobs rip it up on the trails.

Two dirt bikes with knobby tires on a sandy trail, riders wearing black gear and boots.

Add Gear Patrol as a Preferred Source on Google

By Steve Mazzucchi

Published December 27, 2025

·

Updated December 27, 2025

If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more

The OG electric motorcycle brand, Zero has been at this game for nearly two decades now.

While they’ve garnered praise for their innovative street, supermoto and adventure bikes, price and range barriers have often stopped them short of perfection.

GP100: Gear Patrol’s annual roundup of the most important releases collects key watches, cars, outdoor gear and more. Browse the full list or catch up on last year’s winners.

Turns out the ideal venue for all their hard-won R&D is something that probably wasn’t even on the radar a few years back: lightweight dirt bikes.

Person wearing black and white gear riding a white dirt bike on a sunlit forest trail. — The X Line bikes help newer riders get accustomed to the ups and downs of off-roading without the added burden of shifting and braking with the feet.

It’s true. We’ve enjoyed motos from the brand’s S, DS and FX Lines, but the two X Line offerings, the XB and XE, blew us away with how they welcome new riders to the off-road space (and grizzled vets to the electric space) by connecting on a bunch of levels.

The two sizes reduce intimidation for beginners while slaking the big bike thirst of experienced folks. (The former is especially true thanks to the XB’s 139-pound curb weight and 32.7-inch seat height.)

Motorcycle handlebar with digital display showing speed, mode, battery level, and control buttons. — The 2.4-inch full-color TFT dash lets riders toggle between Sport, Standard and Eco ride modes as well as activate features like cruise control and traction control. A little button on the backside enables low-speed reverse.

The shifting of all controls to the handlebars (throttle and front brake on the right, rear brake and, yes, reverse on the left) lets noobs step up to off-roading without the additional stress of shifting and braking with their feet while standing and sitting.

The unbelievable torque — several times greater than gas options — amps the adrenaline to 11 while the silent engines let you chat with friends mid-ride.

Person in black gear and white helmet holding a large battery above the frame of a black and white electric dirt bike. — Both bikes have batteries that can be swapped in seconds. (Their removable nature also means they can be charged anywhere, without the bike itself, say, tracking mud all over your living room floor.)

The range (65 miles for the XE, 40 miles for the XB) is more than enough for a day in the backcountry, especially when you can swap in fresh batteries in seconds.

It all adds up to a level of fun that far outweighs the fear, and that’s without even mentioning one of the biggest barrier-lowering factors: a starting price (for the XB) under $4,400.