ElectricMotorcycleForum.com

Removed tank and fender plastics

And ICE bike in neutral has no sensation during keyless movement (except that given by the chain).

Right, or if it's not well maintained all sorts of other drag/interference can crop up. To my memory; the additional sensation of a keyed on (running) ICE bike is vibration, not resistance to being pushed.

The pulses from the zero are extremely mild sensations.  I assume you'd feel the same, or otherwise something would REALLY be wrong with your bike.

If that's how you characterize the sensation you're feeling I think it's fair to say the resistance on mine is stronger. Strong enough to where I have to exert a decent portion of my strength (I'm not that strong) to get the bike moving (once it's up to ~4-5mph it smooths out). It doesn't seem dangerous, and as far as I can tell there are no other symptoms or drawbacks, but it is annoying.

My MY13 SR with MY14 SR motor would feel the way you describe when pushing the bike when powered off.

Would you characterize the sensation as fairly weak and barely noticeable or easily noticeable and requiring more effort to push your Zero than other bikes? And do you know if the feeling was the same on/off and in either direction?

Zero says don't (or try not to) push the bike back with the bike on.  I think it messes with the motor timing but that may not be the right or only reason.

Good to know, I wonder if I've heard that before. Although this is somewhat unavoidable as there are times where it would be annoying to have to turn the bike on and off in order to back up a bit (say if you just stopped a few feet too far forward).

I back mine out of the garage and point it toward the road before I key it on, just a habit, and I haven't had any problems with the motor.

Me too, I always have myself set up and ready to go (forward) before I key on.

I never felt it was harder to push when off, I just never heard or felt the motor engage the WHRRRing sound like when it's on.

OK good, it looks like we have our first solid/clear answer. So you've never felt anything beyond the slightest detectable intermittent resistance when pushing the bike (either on or off)? Did you need to check to be sure?

Warped rotor or sticking brake pads from a dirty caliper piston.
Wheel bearings that are shot and cause a grinding feeling and will show lateral wheel movement on the rear axle.

I've already determined that the issue stems from the motor or further up in the electrical/electronic systems.

I also never push my Zero around, forwards or backwards, with the ignition on or the bike charging.  It just doesn't feel right. 

Well, if the bike is already on (I have already been going foward with power) it feels more awkward to turn the bike off in order to back it up a bit, particularly if I'm not about to turn if off anyway, rarely happens though.

Bump

Anyone able to answer this question?

No problem, I may not be the best reference now that I think about it, my motor was replaced in 2015

Humm, yeah it would be best to hear from someone with the original motor, but as long as it's the same type of motor it should work the same.

I don't think I have a dramatic difference between on/off after trying it again this morning, just a slight pulse feeling when backing it up powered on

Ha, that makes it less clear. So are you saying the pulsing is only felt when "backing the bike up with the power on"? or Is it about the same in both directions regardless of whether or not the bike is on? Do you have to exert noticeably more effort to move the bike at 1-3 mph compared to when pushing it at ~4-5 mph?

I'm asking anyone who has or has had a 2013 Zero, or anyone with a 2014/2015 (please note), to confirm whether or not they feel a notching/notchy sensation or bumpiness when manually pushing their bike at low speed (below 5mph). It would be helpful to note whether you feel the sensation only in one direction, or if turning the bike on/off makes any difference, and the intensity of the feeling as well. I have an S Model and I can feel the intermittent resistance a little better when sitting on the bike and pushing it backwards. Zero said this is normal for the 2013 model, so I just want to see if anyone else can confirm.

Supposedly it's because: "The magnets inside the motors are designed to spin when potential is applied which makes sense why it is harder to spin when no power is applied".

Thanks!

I purchased a DSR 2016 4 months ago....and the date on the DOT tire is 3314, 33 is the week and 14 the year.
Should I be concern that I bought it new (The motorcycle) with almost 3 yrs old tires? If I call the dealership where I bought it, should they replace them for newer tires or not?
I don't ride a lot... and most of the info that I found suggest that don't use tires that are 5 yrs old.

To answer your first question/concern: A 2016 (model year) vehicle was very likely built in 2015, using parts the manufacturer had before then. As Richard230 explained; the tire itself would have been manufactured up to a year prior to the motorcycle manufacturer's receipt. And after the tire is put on the vehicle it still needs to be shipped/purchased before any consumer ever gets a hold of it. So, the youngest tire I'd expect to see on a new 2016 vehicle would have been made late 2014.
And I think that answers your second question; You have a "new" tire that's about as young as original tires on a 2016 (MY) could be. If dealers were expected to replace tires that are more than about a year old they would have to replace the tires on every new vehicle.
As for the overall concern of a tire's age: You can usually see tire wear. But even without bothering to inspect the tire for wear: If a tire has been stored in a cool-dark-dry place for ~10 years it should still have a full life ahead of it (assuming excessive use within a year or two). I wouldn't buy a tire over 10 years old, even though it could be ok. 10 years is a common limit put forth by tire manufacturers, but keep in mind that they air (err) on the side of extreme caution, probably considering high-end performance.