AIMExpo is the place to see all the latest and greatest inventions in the world of motorsports. Of course, here at GritShift, we’re particularly interested in the electric dirt bike scene, and some of our team visited the 2025 AIMExpo to scout out any potential e-motos that might be about to change the game – and which ones to avoid altogether.
GritShift boss Bullet, along with Rusty and Patriot, made their way to Las Vegas early this year to get their eyes on the latest from all sorts of electric dirt bike brands. From the well-known Surron, to up-and-coming brands that have never been heard of before, and everything in between, there was a heap to see!
However, on closer inspection of the majority of e-motos on display, the team didn’t see much that was revolutionary or game-changing. Most of the e-motos looked amazing, but what we’re after in an e-moto isn’t about looks, or even super high power.
We are looking for a solid build, something that big senders and hard riders will enjoy. Even if it means a few mods, we’re up for that, but it needs to start on a solid build.
Then, as they were walking through the exhibition, it didn’t take long for the guys to spot something exciting… Let’s dive deeper into the Srpnt and the Zero.
This is what they reported back to the team:
Not looking for flashy, we are looking for a good build.
The first e-moto that caught the attention of Bullet was the Srpnt. The ergos seemed spot on with the geometry, and the bike felt light. It is around the same weight as most other similar-sized e-motos, with a good amount of power at a reasonable price.
The Srpnt has some awesome looks, and it will compete directly with the Ultra Bee. However, Bullet noticed “huge flaws with the swingarm design, the cross support sleeve that prevents bearing, and frame side loading had an excessive tolerance gap. This could indicate that the swingarm pivot bolt cannot be tightened all the way. This will then cause excessive load on bearings and also the frame, and will cause fatigue over time.”
With this in mind, although it is a great-looking bike and has some excellent potential, the guys don’t think the current version of the Srpnt will suit the GritShift style of riding. So they kept looking…
The Zero XE
The next electric dirt bike that caught the attention of Bullet and Rusty at the AIMExpo was the Zero XE. While the aesthetics didn’t jump out at them – remember, it’s not all about looks – some great engineering features grabbed their attention.
As Bullet reported back, “…But the looks of the Zero XE is not what we are excited about, it’s the actual build of the bike.” Let’s “zero in on why Zero was the top pick!” Wise words from Bullet!
Remember, when the guys visited the AIMExpo, this was the first time they saw the Zero XE. If you’ve followed us on Instagram and YouTube, you’ll know we’ve already got our hands on the Zero XE. This is a recount of what they first saw… was it the same as what they think now?
Zero XE Build Quality
While most people focus on the forks, we like to inspect the rear section of the bike. This is because it is easy to replace the forks with something that suits your riding style, but it takes some insane modifications to change the rear end. When Bullet looked closer, the “linkage and triangle design looked very promising, as well as the rear shock. It is very much a motocross-inspired design.”
“Little things like the position of the counter shaft sprocket and swingarm pivot point look to be in good alignment as well, which ‘should’ result in a better anti-squat value over the Ultra Bee.” Bullet goes on to explain, “The rear swingarm looks ok, and by just grabbing the rear wheel and applying side load, it seems fairly rigid. The brakes on the bike look really good. Rotors, sprockets, etc, all look good.”
The guys were impressed with the 21/18 wheel setup, which isn’t found on many e-motos of this size. The 15kW power output is rather average compared with the standard today. This isn’t a bad thing; 15kW is plenty, and if you really need more, there are simple ways of increasing the power output.
The bike’s ergos were really comfy. Bullet thought the seat, frame, and surrounding plastics felt great, and the rider triangle was spot on. Even the QS-based motor with internal gear reduction caught the attention of the crew. Rusty has used the QS motors on one of his own builds – the YZE, and hasn’t had any mechanical issues.
So were the guys right in their predictions?
The Zero XE Update:
Since visiting the AIMExpo, we’ve managed to get our hands on the Zero XE.
For the full rundown, check out this article or watch this YouTube video of the Zero XE from a weekend of testing.
Our initial findings have been that the Zero is shaping up to be an excellent e-moto. It handles really well, the ergos are pretty spot on, although we found the display needs to be shifted slightly to improve the line of sight – a small mod to be made!
We think the Zero XE is one of the best e-motos you can get; it’s right up there with E Ride Pro. It rides really nicely, it has sufficient power to do just about anything, and it is a great value for money. We’ll be testing this bike more and more over the coming months.
If you’re considering getting an e-moto, then I would suggest putting the Zero XE on your list of bikes to look at. Make sure to subscribe to our email newsletter to hear more about our findings with the Zero XE and what we plan to mod.
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