It’s almost the end of 2022, and how is Marc Travels’ trip around the world on his Zero SR/F going? The previous journey was a test run, traveling through a handful of European countries as a bit of an informal feasibility study. Now that it’s almost the end of December, Marc is starting his round-the-world trip in earnest—and he and his girlfriend Maree are all in.
The pair were based in Berlin, Germany, but have committed so fully to this round-the-world adventure that they’ve officially moved all their things out of the apartment where they were living. While Marc will be riding his Zero SR/F, Maree is going along in her Suzuki Jimny, both as a companion and as a support vehicle.
If you followed along on Marc’s Zero SR/F test run around Europe earlier in 2022, you may recall that he was having some difficulties with the battery. He’d purchased the bike used, and the battery seemed to have some strange charging issues that were making it very difficult and anxiety-inducing to try to plan efficient charging stops. While Marc knew that in 2022, there’s a certain rhythm you have to adapt if you’re going to attempt long-distance travel on an electric bike like this, these issues were making that next to impossible.
After the test run, Marc’s plan was to get the battery replaced and a major service on the SR/F done in Berlin, before he and Maree would set off on the full-length journey. How’s it working out so far? It’s just the beginning, but Marc says the new battery is behaving like it should, and the range he’s getting on a charge is much more like he would expect (although he hasn’t given specific numbers just yet).
Of course, the full journey started on a day when it was –8 degrees Celsius (about 17.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in Berlin, and there was a bit of snow and ice on the ground. Still, having a support vehicle along is psychologically comforting—and doubly so when it’s your partner. It’s the beginning of the journey, but overall, the trip seems to have a pretty chilly (and chilly) vibe so far. Marc’s got battery-powered heated gloves, which is kind of a must when you’re riding in weather like this.
In the first video, they made it from Berlin down to somewhere near Nuremberg, which is in the southern half of the country. They’re riding further south, heading toward parts of Europe that should be warmer than where they started—they hope, anyway. If you want to follow along, be sure to check out the Marc Travels YouTube channel.
