With the second DLC “The Champions’ Ballad”, Link receives one of the most unusual mounts in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Zelda series: the Master Cycle Zero. The Ancient Motorcycle is the big final reward of the DLC and is stored as an additional module on the Sheikah Slate. Link can then summon it almost anywhere in Hyrule, drive over difficult terrain, jump, drift and even fight from a motorcycle. However, the movement is not completely free, because the Eponator has a tank that you have to fill regularly with materials from your inventory.
The path to Master Cycle Zero is correspondingly long: First, all four Titans must be freed, then you complete the trial on the Great Plateau, solve the four ballads of Mipha, Revali, Daruk and Urbosa, complete a total of 16 new shrines and finally pass the final test under the Shrine of Resurrection. Only after defeating Priest Monk Maz Koshia will the Master Cycle Zero module be unlocked.
Requirements for the Master Cycle Zero
The Master Cycle Zero cannot be unlocked early in the game. You need the expansion pass or DLC 2 “The Champions’ Ballad” and you must first have freed all four titans in the base game. These include Vah Ruta among the Zora, Vah Rudania among the Gorons, Vah Medoh among the Rito and Vah Naboris among the Gerudo. Only when the main goal surrounding the four Titans has been completed does the actual warrior ballad begin.
Afterwards the DLC storyline takes you back to the Shrine of Resurrection on the Great Plateau. The so-called trial with the destroyer begins there. You can find our complete route in the chapter The Champions’ Ballad – Pilot test on the Great Plateau.
Unlock Master Cycle Zero – all steps
| Step | Task |
|---|---|
| 1 | Vah Ruta, Vah Rudania, Vah Medoh and Vah Naboris free |
| 2 | Return to the Shrine of Resurrection |
| 3 | Start trial with the destroyer |
| 4 | Four monster bearings on the Great Plateau eliminate |
| 5 | The four new shrines on the plateau complete |
| 6 | Visit four stone monuments in Hyrule |
| 7 | |
| 8 | The twelve regional DLC shrines complete |
| 9 | Defeat the four Ganon Curses in the Illusion Worlds again |
| 10 | Return to the Shrine of Resurrection and enter the Final Trial |
| 11 | Solve the large underground labyrinth |
| 12 | Priest Monk Maz Koshia defeat |
| 13 | Master Cycle Zero module received |
Complete 16 new shrines
In total, “The Champions’ Ballad” contains 16 additional shrines. Four of them appear during the trial on the Great Plateau. After you have completed this, the destroyer will split into four parts and mark four more areas on your map. The ballads of the four Champions begin there.
Each of the four stone monuments presents Link with three tasks that are based on the original tests of Mipha, Revali, Daruk and Urbosa respectively. For each successfully completed task, a new shrine appears. This adds another twelve tests. Once you have completed all three shrines in a region, you have to defeat the corresponding Ganon curse again – but this time in a memory world with a fixed and very limited equipment.
Final test under the Shrine of Resurrection
After completing the four Warrior Ballads and defeating all four Ganon Curses again, Monk Maz Koshia summons Link back to the Shrine of Resurrection. Place the Sheikah Slate back on the pedestal where Link found it at the beginning of the game. The entire space begins to move and travels deep underground. Beneath the shrine lies a massive ancient labyrinth built like another Titan.
The Final Test combines mechanics from the four well-known titans. You have to cross several areas of the labyrinth, activate terminals and move the central machine until the path to the last enemy is finally opened. This section is the final test of the entire Champions’ Ballad.
Defeat Monk Maz Koshia
In the end, it is not Ganon who awaits you, but the ancient Sheikah priest Monk Maz Koshia himself. After spending countless years motionless on his pedestal, he rises and personally challenges Link to battle. Monk Maz Koshia teleports across the battlefield, creating doppelgangers, using Sheikah technology and combining multiple attack types you already know from shrines and battles.
Fast weapons, perfect evasion maneuvers and Urbosa’s Fury+ are particularly effective. In a later phase, numerous copies of the priest are created; Area attacks help to quickly identify the real target. The Yiga’s well-known preference for maxi durians or Mighty Bananas also plays a humorous role in Monk Maz Koshia. Once you have completely drained his health, the priest will finally recognize Link as worthy.
Obtain Master Cycle Zero
After the victory, Monk Maz Koshia presents Link’s personal titan: the Master Cycle Zero. The ancient vehicle first rises on a pedestal and is then transferred to the Sheikah Slate as a new module. From this moment on, you can activate the Eponator via the module selection, similar to bombs, magnetic modules or stasis.
The Master Cycle Zero is not permanently located somewhere in Hyrule and does not have to be picked up from a stable. Simply select the module and activate it on a sufficiently flat surface. The motorcycle materializes directly in front of Link and can be boarded immediately.
Master Cycle Zero control
| button | Function |
|---|---|
| A | Accelerate |
| B | Braking / descending when stationary |
| L | Zero jump |
| X | Jumping off the eponator |
| Y | Use melee weapon |
| ZR | Sheet use |
| ZL | Center/target camera |
The Eponator can be controlled much more directly than a horse and does not follow roads automatically. This allows you to make tight turns, go around enemies and climb relatively steep slopes. With L the motorcycle performs a small zero jump. If you pull back the left analog stick while driving, Link will lift the front wheel into a wheelie; Drifts are also possible when braking in a curve.
Is the Master Cycle Zero faster than a horse?
On a perfectly straight road, the Eponator is not automatically the fastest mount in the game. A bronco with five stars in Speed can be faster at full gallop. The great advantage of the motorcycle lies in its flexibility: it accelerates reliably, can be controlled extremely precisely, can jump and can handle slopes and uneven terrain where horses often slow down or refuse to ride completely.
For longer journeys over roads, a strong horse remains an excellent choice. We explain how to catch a 4-4-5 or 2-5-3 horse and improve it with an antique saddle and bridle in our guide to horses, epona and antique horse equipment. For free exploration across Hyrule, however, the Master Cycle Zero is hard to beat.
Refuel Master Cycle Zero – this is how it works
The Eponator has its own tank. As long as you drive, the energy display will slowly decrease; A completely filled tank lasts approximately six minutes when driving continuously. To refuel, turn off the Eponator, open your inventory and pick up up to five suitable materials at the same time. Then stand at the tank of the motorcycle and put the materials in it.
Almost every normal material in the game can serve as fuel: fruits, mushrooms, plants, monster parts, gems, wood, salt and even ancient components. How much the fuel gauge fills depends on the item in question. This is precisely why you shouldn’t waste rare materials when ordinary apples, bokblin parts, or bundles of wood serve the same purpose.
Ten apples for a full tank of
Apples are actually one of the best simple fuels. Each apple fills approximately ten percent of the tank. From a completely empty tank you will therefore need a total of ten apples for 100 percent. However, since Link can only hold a maximum of five materials in his hand at the same time, this doesn’t work in a single refueling process: first throw in five apples for around 50 percent and then repeat the process with five more.
Numerous other cheap items have exactly the same tank value. If you have hundreds of bokblin horns, flints, amber or bundles of wood in your inventory, you might as well use these materials and keep your food.
Good cheap fuels
| Material | tank filling per piece |
|---|---|
| Apple | approx. 10% |
| Hyrule Mushroom | approx. 10% |
| Nightshade | approx. 10% |
| Rock Salt | approx. 10% |
| Flint | approx. 10% |
| Amber | approx. 10% |
| Wooden bundle | approx. 10% |
| Bokoblin Horn | approx. 10% |
| Bokoblin Tusk | approx. 10% |
| Keese Wings | approx. 10% |
| Slime Jelly | approx. 10% |
| Ancient Screw | approx. 10% |
Our recommendation is apples or common monster parts, which accumulate huge amounts over the course of a complete playthrough anyway. However, you should save particularly rare materials for armor improvements, sales or Kilton’s monster shop.
Monster Essence and other tank multipliers
The tank mechanics have another special feature. Some rare materials such as Monster Essence, Fairies, Star Shards, Ancient Cores and Ancient Giant Cores only fill a small part of the tank on their own, but act as a multiplier on the other materials of the respective tanking process.
For example, four apples together fill approximately 40 percent. If you combine them with a monster essence, this total value is greatly increased. In practice, this method rarely makes sense, because monster essence has other uses and fairies, star shards or ancient reactor cores are far too valuable to be burned regularly in the Eponator. Ten regular apples are much easier to replace.
Which materials should not be used for refueling?
Basically, you should save everything you need for rare armor upgrades. These primarily include Star Shards, Dragon Parts, Lynel Materials, Ancient Cores and Giant Ancient Core Pieces. Even diamonds would be a complete waste as fuel. For a complete overview of the most important uses, see our guide to ingredients and materials in Breath of the Wild.
Where cannot the Master Cycle Zero be used?
As practical as the motorcycle is, it cannot be used everywhere. Particularly important exceptions are the Gerudo Desert and the burning hot areas around the Death Mountain. The Eponator also cannot be used in buildings, houses, stables, shrines and other indoor spaces. It is also not available within the corridors of Hyrule Castle.
When summoning, the motorcycle also needs a sufficiently flat or only slightly inclined surface. On extremely steep rock faces, a message appears stating that the module cannot be used at this point. However, once you are on the Eponator, it can handle much steeper inclines than a normal horse.
What happens in the water?
The Master Cycle Zero is not an amphibious vehicle. If you drive into deep water, the motorcycle will disappear and then have to be summoned again using the module. Small streams and very shallow water, on the other hand, usually do not pose a problem. The same applies to serious collisions: If you drive head-on into a wall or a large tree at high speed, the Eponator can disappear and Link will be damaged.
You cannot permanently destroy the motorcycle. Unlike a horse, it does not have permanent health and never needs to be revived at Malanya. Simply summon it again after an accident.
Fight from Master Cycle Zero
Just like on a horse, Link can also use melee weapons and bows from the Eponator. The motorcycle offers a big advantage: it doesn’t automatically stick to the roads and can be steered much more closely around opponents. This allows you, for example, to circle Bokoblin camps, attack with spears while on the move, or ram an opponent with the motorcycle itself.
If you jump up with the zero jump and then draw the bow, you can also activate slow motion for a short time. This makes the Eponator an excellent platform for precise headshots and offers some unusual options when fighting larger opponents.
Master Cycle Zero or Antique Horse – which is better?
| Master Cycle Zero | Horse with Antique Equipment |
|---|---|
| Extremely precise control | Can automatically follow roads |
| Zero jump possible | Up to seven permanent gallop spurs possible |
| Very good off-road | 5-star horse on roads faster |
| Can be summoned almost anywhere | Antique saddle teleports horse to Link |
| Cannot die permanently | Horse can die but can be revived at Malanya |
| Requires fuel | Does not require fuel |
| Cannot be used in Gerudo Desert / Death Mountain | Horses also cannot be used everywhere |
Which mount is better depends on the situation. On long roads, a very fast wild horse is extremely efficient, especially with Antique Bridle and Antique Saddle. When freely exploring hills, ruins and impassable landscapes, the Eponator shows off its better controls and off-road capabilities.
Master Cycle Zero for 100% – does the motorcycle count towards the card score?
The Master Cycle Zero does not increase the official percentage of the world map. Other things like shrines, Koroks, titans, and discovered map locations count towards the 100.00% map rating. Anyone who follows our 100% walkthrough for Breath of the Wild including the expansion pass should definitely unlock the Master Cycle Zero: It is the final reward for completely completing the most extensive DLC storyline.
By defeating Monk Maz Koshia you have also completed all 16 DLC shrines, completed all four additional warrior ballads, received the improved variants of Mipha’s Grace, Revali’s Gale, Daruk’s Protection and Urbosa’s Fury and unlocked the final DLC memory. The Eponator is also visible proof that you have completely mastered the central challenge of “The Champions’ Ballad”.
Master Cycle Zero – Checklist
| Target | status |
|---|---|
| All four Titans free | Prerequisite |
| Start trial | Shrine of Resurrection |
| Four plateau shrines complete | Requires |
| Complete Mipha’s Ballad | Requires |
| Complete Revali’s Ballad | Requires |
| Complete Daruk’s Ballad | Requires |
| Complete Urbosa’s Ballad | Requires |
| Complete 12 regional DLC shrines | Requires |
| Defeat Four Ganon Curses again | Requires |
| Complete last check | Requires |
| Monk Maz Koshia defeat | Final battle |
| Master Cycle Zero module received | Completion Reward |
Is the Master Cycle Zero worth it?
If you play “The Champions’ Ballad” anyway, the answer is clearly yes. Although the Master Cycle Zero comes very late in the game and is no faster on straight roads than any high-quality horse, it is one of the most flexible means of transportation in Breath of the Wild. You can summon him directly in front of Link at almost any time, traverse difficult terrain much more easily, make controlled jumps and fight from a motorcycle. At the same time, the running costs are practically meaningless because the tank can be completely filled with just ten apples or other common materials.
For our complete score, the Eponator is also the ideal conclusion Breath of the Wild DLC content. After that, only the final regional collection tasks, Hyrule Castle and the final battle against Ganon stand between Link and full completion Hyrule’s.