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I was just explaining the reason I was gone for 4 years.  There wasn't anything political to discuss, just the reason I was gone as I'm sure people wanted to know.  I was worried from the very beginning that douchebag would do something exactly like he did, and I was worried about it every day.  I mean, that just the facts.  And I was sure someone was going to ask me why I haven't been here in so long, so thought it was good to explain.

It was hard to get exact numbers because my pup Charger went everywhere with me, but I estimated upright you will see ~10-15%, but if you are short on range and need a boost badly, the real beauty is to be able to tuck behind it in an emergency for a ~35% increase vs upright without it.

Since getting the SR/S with a similar fairing stock, I have had someone who can watch Charger sometimes, and the tuck range increase behind the fairing really helps when you need a boost.   Zero says a 13% range increase in a tuck, but without question I have seen it become much higher if you tuck tight, put your feet on the passenger pegs, fold in the mirrors, and rest your chin on your left hand.

There is a fundraiser for Brian that I posted to facebook this afternoon.  The overwhelming support for Brian has been amazing!  Thanks everyone!  I know there are some here who don't use facebook so I'll post here also.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/brian-t-rice

**moderator edit Shadow 11-Aug**  Also for reference the thread at EMF here: A Fundraiser for Brian   was formerly set sticky and noted here for future reference.

46 Amps lol!! (and it says 30 amps (rated max) below that hahahaha)  I will check them out! 

ColoPaul you were right, I see where he later made comments adding the cost of taxes title and fees to bring it to $5800.  Still a great deal for a 2017!!  If you're looking to just keep riding electric and don't care about the latest and greatest you look for a 2013 or 2014 S model, which will still be faster and more range than the 2012 S, so still a hell of a deal.

And true while this is unexpected and not a choice, someone made the comment that if you're driving a 20 year old Volvo around, and some distracted lady comes flying through an intersection and smacks you totaling your car, you don't really have a choice in the matter either, and the insurance will only give you what they think your car is worth, not what it was worth to you.   In this deal, they are giving you full KBB, which I think is on the high end of what many would decide to part with cash for another 2012 if you see what I mean, plus $1000 on top towards another Zero, so basically a 15%-20% bonus on top.

I see a 2017 S 6.5 asking price for $8400 on Cycle Trader.  Negotiate to $8000 and take the $1500 2017 coupon and that's $6500, minus the $1000 bonus and that's $5500, add in the trade in value and your within range of the taxes and fees and have a bike that's only 1 year old vs 6 years old!  I mean really, it's hard to be complaining if you think about it.  No one wanted this to happen.  But it did.  Look at it as a great opportunity to get on something newer.  Do you see Lloyd complaining about spending $5800 to get on a 2017 SR with 50% more range and double the power, ABS brakes, Showa suspension, better ergonomics, more informed dash readout, etc.  I mean stop to really think about this and look at the glass as half full instead of half empty and it will appear as a great opportunity. 

If its just about money, and not having the best bike, you can come out ahead.  Negotiate on a 2013 or 2014 FX and you will actually profit in the deal.

Looks like I was too low in my estimation if the 2012 Zero customer is correct who messaged me this morning asking which model year Zero he should buy, in which I replied 2018 if you can for the biggest battery, or 2017 if power is mostly important to you and the biggest battery is not a priority, and if power is not important and can't qualify for financing the remainder of a 2018, to get a 2016, as it is the first year with a stronger frame for more confidence and less frame flex flicking the bike back and forth in the corners, and also has the suspension, bearing, brake, wheel and ABS upgrades that came with the 2015 model year, yet was the first year of the 13.0 battery which had almost 20% less internal resistance than the 2015 12.5 battery.

Everyone should be able to get something 2016 or newer as it looks like Zero is going above and beyond to really take care of their early adopters with a generous offer, and for that we all should be grateful.  If the customer who messaged me is correct it looks like it might be $6000 buyout, and $7000 towards a new or used Zero at a current Zero dealer.  For $7000, this means that adding perhaps $2k or $3k of your own money, you can get into the 2016 to 2018 range which i would love to see everyone do if they can.  I know at least 3 people who got used 2016 3 brick Zero S's this year for the $6k-$7k range so if you want an SR, for a little more it's totally possible.

Again i have no confirmation on this, just one single independent report, but i have been friends with this customer for 7 years and he has always been very reliable.

Range numbers listed are accurate for City, and also for highway if you ride in a tuck position.  Many choose not to, and that's ok, you just get about 30% more aero drag (30% less range) if you ride upright.   So the Zero highway number lists the potential range you can get, which is good to know what you can do if you have to, but many times we choose not to as it is more comfortable to ride in a way that is not the most aerodynamic.

Since the 2018 DSR 14.4 has a 78 mile range at 70 mph in a tuck position you have 4 choices if you want to make it the 70 miles home with some to spare.

1) Ride home on the carriage way in the slow lane behind a big slow truck for at least the first 35 miles hopefully at 60-65 mph, no more.  If you're halfway there and you have 60% or more left, you can pass the truck and ride home faster, but it's better to conserve the first half versus being forced to the 2nd half.

2) Ride at 70 mph, but do it in a full race tuck the whole way.  It helps to stuff a sweatshirt in the front of your jacket for padding and just lay on your belly with the sweatshirt as a pillow.

3) Pick a place 20 miles from your home you can stop for a warm coffee and some food, or even to do some emails or work calls on your phone for an hour or so parking your bike somewhere with a outdoor plug.  You can filter plugshare to show you where the 110 outlets are, but there are outlets in every building that has a light bulb, you just have to learn where to look.   With a 2018 DSR you will gain 1% battery every 360 seconds (6 minutes) you are plugged in.  So you can stay plugged in until you are sure you can make it.

4) Use google maps to choose a route home but under "options" check the box for "avoid highway".  Even if it is 5-10 miles longer, if the speed is 20 miles per hour less, you will be able to go almost twice as far.  You will learn how this works over time, but going just 10 mph slower at 70 mph, can boost range 20-25%.

So you have a lot of options.  And you can combine all 4 if you want.  After you have the bike for a week all of this will seem so easy, sorry if I made it sound complicated.  The easiest thing to always do is just when in doubt about if you'll make it, is ride slower the first half to be safe.

Also a pro tip:   If the bike at the dealer has been plugged in for a while unplug it.  then turn it on and connect your phone to the bike with the Zero app.  (have the dealer show you how to pair it by holding the mode button until the Bluetooth logo on the dash flashes) Go to the battery page and look at the volts.  If it doesn't say 116, (it probably says 113, 114 or 115 which is ok) then plug it in again and let it fully top off.  It's not good to keep a battery full full full all the time, so the bike doesn't continuously keep topping itself off so full it wants to burst, but if you will be riding it shortly, its best to pack up to 5% more range into the bike by topping it off to full full full right before leaving.  You'll know when its absolutely full as the green light on the dash will stop flashing and the Zero app will read 116 volts.

You're gonna love your new DSR!  If you're anything like me and others, you will enjoy riding it so much, some days you want to ride it 500 miles or more.  And you can, you just will need to get fast chargers.  But I'll let you learn about that later.  But on your 70 mph ride home, imagine riding as fast as you want, and then 10 miles from home you just plug into 2 J plugs for about 8 minutes while you take a pee, and then you can make it the rest of the way.  It's a game changer for sure.

Good luck Jeremy and let us know how it goes!  And congrats on your new bike!