Photo: Terry Hershner
The Iron Butt Association (IBA) welcomes its very first electric member, a guy who set out to prove that the two-wheeled life off gas is not only possible but fun and rewarding. Hats off to Mr. Terry Hershner, a fellow we’ve featured on autoevolution on multiple occasions, as his amazing adventures have made him a famous name in electric mobility.
After crossing the US from one shore to the other and taking part in multiple other long-range trips, engaging in record-breaking activities and becoming a new herald of Craig Vetter’s aerodynamic genius, Hershner has finally reached this milestone in his life. He managed to travel 1,000 miles (1,609 km) in less than 24 hours, and did this aboard his heavily modified 2012 Zero S machine.
So his performance adds the Zero name to the list of manufacturers present in the Iron Butt Association, most of whose members are riding Harley-Davidson, Honda or BMW machinery. Iron Butt’s Saddle Sore SS1000 competition usually takes gas-powered riders between 18 and 20 hours to complete the 1,000 miles. Terry Hershner munched the 1000th mile in 22 hours and 57 minutes.
GCR reports that the toughest part of Hershner’s endeavor was preparing himself and the bike, and learning how to cope with the huge weight of the multiple uncertain things that laid ahead. Busy traffic, people using the chargers, chargers which would not work or other similar obstacles were all a major concern as they could easily make the difference between win and failure.
Hershner was not alone in this amazing adventure, as he had a bunch of people assisting him, plus Mr. Vetter making the last tweaks to the streamlined design of the Zero. As a funny and interesting detail, Terry did not use friction brakes at all, relying on the regenerative ones for stopping power, and thus squeezing more energy from his bike.
His Zero S may not be the most fashionable of bikes, but in the end, the 1,047 miles (1.866 km) of his Iron Butt admission trip cost him $21.43 (€16.63). And this is probably another record worth mentioning. Follow the GCR story for more details.
So his performance adds the Zero name to the list of manufacturers present in the Iron Butt Association, most of whose members are riding Harley-Davidson, Honda or BMW machinery. Iron Butt’s Saddle Sore SS1000 competition usually takes gas-powered riders between 18 and 20 hours to complete the 1,000 miles. Terry Hershner munched the 1000th mile in 22 hours and 57 minutes.
GCR reports that the toughest part of Hershner’s endeavor was preparing himself and the bike, and learning how to cope with the huge weight of the multiple uncertain things that laid ahead. Busy traffic, people using the chargers, chargers which would not work or other similar obstacles were all a major concern as they could easily make the difference between win and failure.
Hershner was not alone in this amazing adventure, as he had a bunch of people assisting him, plus Mr. Vetter making the last tweaks to the streamlined design of the Zero. As a funny and interesting detail, Terry did not use friction brakes at all, relying on the regenerative ones for stopping power, and thus squeezing more energy from his bike.
His Zero S may not be the most fashionable of bikes, but in the end, the 1,047 miles (1.866 km) of his Iron Butt admission trip cost him $21.43 (€16.63). And this is probably another record worth mentioning. Follow the GCR story for more details.
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