Tech > Tech Help

Zero FX 2013 died suddenly, good batteries, need help vs will sell bike

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Encephalo:
Though not new to this forum, I have only been a lurker, so thanks all for the information over the years, but now I am asking for help.

I have a 2013 FX with 1500 miles on it.  It was a lemon from the beginning and the motor, throttle, and various other parts were replaced while it was in the shop for 6 months in the 2nd year of ownership (bought it new in 2015).

It was at 70% charge when I plugged in it December 2021, as I planned to go for a spin.  An hour or two later, I was working in the garage and happened to look over and saw the flashing green light stop as I watched.  I unplugged, and re-plugged and nothing.  Turn key and nothing.  Completely dead.  I took it to WOW motorcycles (Atlanta) within 2 months (I live a long ways away and it takes a day for me to do the trip).  They let it sit until around July 22 before they could look at it (thanks guys).  At that point they told me the batteries were dead but they had no way to attempt to charge it and basically they can't fix it because they can't even test it without charging the batteries.  If the batteries are dead, they died while the bike sat...2 months my fault, but 4 months at the shop.  Zero can't help (or won't).  They can't even seem to answer as to what other year models might fit the same batteries.  They can't provide the shop with an external charger either.  If the batteries are dead, at $6000, the bike is a coat hanger.

So. Any comments on how long it would take 70% FX 7.2kwh batteries to completely die?  This bike cost me $12k and at 1500 miles, I don't feel I got my money worth.  If I could at least charge the batteries I would do an ATV project with my 4-wheeler that decided it would die last month.  (and my truck 2 months ago and my tractor 1 month ago...arghhh must have a gremlin infestation). 

Presumably there is 1 little burnt out wire somewhere that wasted $12k.  Any comments on how I can recuperate some of this?

Thanks muchly.
Jim Wilson
Middle Georgia

NEW2elec:
Hi Jim.
I don't think there is any good news for ya as 2013 FX bikes had batteries that have their connection points opposite of the other years.
I didn't think Zero ever made any newer replacements and your experience seems to confirm that.
I'm headed to WOW later today and they have been great with my bikes. 
Not trying to rub salt in a wound but for others who may read this don't do what Jim did.

Electric bikes need to be ridden often and regularly.  It's just not a gas bike that can sit and keep it's value by having low miles.  Most of the people on here with the fewest problems have bikes with 10s of thousands of miles on them.

As to what went wrong with your bike, it could be a lot of things.  To me it sounds like the main contactor may have failed which would have lost both charging and bike function as there would no longer be a connection from the batteries to the rest of the bike.  The Main Bike Board could have fried.  If the batteries were healthy (not likely from such little use and so much time) there shouldn't be much loss in 4-6 months if they were at a real (healthy) 70% SOC.

Zero still sells the Delta Q external chargers and for an extra 2-3 hundred you could get the off bike cable to pull the batteries and check them directly.  Your call but it would have to work for 2013 batteries.  Looking at about $1000 for the whole set up.

Sorry for your loss but it's new tech and we take some hits as early adopters.  A lemon 13 FX in 2015  should have cost less than $7k so there is that too.

Encephalo:
When you say "don't do what Jim did"....can I ask what you mean?  I have a Zero DS also and don't want it to die.  I drive the bikes, but the FX was for off-road and I would put 5-10 miles on it every week.  Low speed putt around the land stuff, check the fence lines.  My DS gets more miles because it is on the road.  Zero recommends storing the bikes at around 60% charge, so I tended to top it up here and there, but not keep it always 100%.  I gave up my ICE bikes because electric bikes are supposed to be low maintenance.  My FX was dead for maybe a month before I could drive to Atlanta, so maybe 6-8 weeks of sit time are my fault and they warned my their waiting list to look at the bike was 2 months, so I saw that extra time coming, but it was unavoidable.  (took them more like 4 months after all).  I didn't like the idea of the batteries not being monitored for 2 months, but what options did I have?  There aren't Zero dealers everywhere.  My gripe is not with WOW, it is firstly the inability to test components without swapping them out (i.e. $$$ just to perform diagnostics) and also a dealer's basic inability to charge the batteries without a functioning bike.

NEW2elec:
Well Jim I'm about an hour from WOW myself and it's no fun hauling it up there.  There is Blue Moon and there is a new one that just opened in Savannah.
If you have a DS have WOW or AF1 Racing order you a Delta Q external charger.  They went up in price to $700 but you can bypass the onboard charger which WILL die.

As for the FX it has an average of 150 miles a year.  Just makes it a big waste.  The first thing I'd say to someone who was thinking about getting an electric bike is do you really like to ride?  I mean 5000 miles a year at least?  If not then stay with gas.  The batteries will die from time whether you use them much or not.  Every few weeks you need to charge it up to 100% to let the cells balance.  Then you need to ride it back down to 60-80% and do it all again in a few weeks at least.

Anyway I do hate that you had a bad experience, maybe the DS will hang in longer.

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