If you’ve been keeping abreast on electric motorcycles, you already know that Harley-Davidson has been creating quite a stir with its new Livewire concept. On the other hand, there are a number of manufacturers who have been churning out electric-propelled motorcycles for both tarmac and off-road use for quite some time now, like Brammo and Zero Motorcycles. The latter – often referred to as the Tesla of the motorcycling world because of its West Coast location and generous application of innovative and cutting-edge tech – recently came out with the USD 17,000 SR Streetfighter.

What is the big deal here, you ask? Well, for starters, the SR is Zero’s fastest bike with a top speed of 160km/h and 0-96km/h sprint time of 3.3 seconds which, incidentally, is faster than the Harley-Davidson LiveWire by almost a full second. Incidentally, the “R” moniker denotes a model that goes faster and accelerates harder, with the SR receiving a bigger 660-amp motor controller that provides 24 percent more power and 56 percent more torque than its siblings.

Along with a new frame and technological upgrades that let you be informed of data like charge time, average energy used per mile, and such via a cellphone app, the Zero SR even seamlessly integrates with existing iPhone and Android systems.

Slap on some add-ons and you’re looking at a bike that costs as much as a nice BMW or Ducati motorcycle. An efficient and cool way of travelling, but would you put down your cash for a motorcycle that makes whirring noises and doesn’t require any gears to run? Share your thoughts!

Here is the Zero SR’s launch video, in natural, whirring sound greatness