ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: pacificcricket on October 31, 2015, 09:28:12 AM
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Hey everyone!
Purchased a Zero DS 2014 slightly over a year ago. Over 12 thousand miles on the ODO, all in the Pacific Northwest.
This week I had my second solo accident on the bike, pretty much the same as the first one in February this year :
front wheel locked during a slow right turn on a rainy day, and I fell to the right side. Minor scratches to the bike
the first time, this time I slightly bent the mirror and severely bent the brake lever. Brake lever broke when I tried to
straighten it.
The big question now is what to do about the crash bars. I've been searching for them pretty much since the beginning
of the year, and there is still nothing on Zero's or any other aftermarket manufacturer website. I've contacted Zero
about it, and they said "sorry, can't help", even though they make crash bars for the police version of DS.
Second problem is where to find the brake lever that would fit. Master cylinder says Nissin on the side, and brake
lever has 03D stamped on it, but Google search doesn't return any images of similar levers.
Any ideas ?
P.S. As much as I love my Zero, support from Zero is non-existent. We can't get their accessories or parts without a hustle,
can't find anything aftermarket either. Not something you'd expect paying that kind of money for a bike. [/rant]
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I did some more searching for brake levers, this looks like it might fit :
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Suzuki-DRZ400S-SM-00-11-Street-Brake-Lever-Silver-/310879157026?fits=Make%3ASuzuki%7CModel%3ADRZ400SM&hash=item4861d77b22:g:itIAAOxyLm9TB4Gs&vxp=mtr (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Suzuki-DRZ400S-SM-00-11-Street-Brake-Lever-Silver-/310879157026?fits=Make%3ASuzuki%7CModel%3ADRZ400SM&hash=item4861d77b22:g:itIAAOxyLm9TB4Gs&vxp=mtr)
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This one fit my '14 FX, which I believe has the same Nissin MC as yours:
Emgo 30-64881 lever (http://www.ebay.com/itm/30-64881-EMGO-BRAKE-LEVER-/201455056027?hash=item2ee7a8349b:g:fM8AAOSwAYtWLCaC&vxp=mtr)
It's too bad Zero can't just sell you the DS crash bars and let you work out the mounting brackets yourself, if that's a issue.
Any thoughts on what caused the crashes? Wet turns must be second nature to you, living in the PNW.
Ray
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I was able to buy the crashbar for an FX through my dealer. These are accessory options, I see no reason why they won't allow you to buy a replacement.
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A good example where an ABS and traction/stability control would have likely prevented the crash... What tires are you using on the bike? I wonder if top quality street tires would have helped?
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http://www.twistedthrottle.com/r-g-racing-aero-style-frame-sliders-for-the-zero-ds-13 (http://www.twistedthrottle.com/r-g-racing-aero-style-frame-sliders-for-the-zero-ds-13)
Not as good as crash bars but they might help.
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Any thoughts on what caused the crashes? Wet turns must be second nature to you, living in the PNW.
First time some guy who I thought was waiting for a bus at the corner stepped onto the road like
if he decided to cross, which made me apply too much brakes as I already started the turn. He had headphones
on, it was after dark and he didn't see me at all until I dropped a few fit away. Still not sure if he really was
about to cross (peds had a no walk signal) or was just "dancing" out of boredom.
This time I was negotiating a slow turn from a street that was curving right and had a downward grade. Rain season just started, it was my first ride on the we pavement. End of that street is a T type intersection with a Stop sign, and there was cross traffic. Again, too much brakes, but I have a suspicion my tires are getting worn too.
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A good example where an ABS and traction/stability control would have likely prevented the crash... What tires are you using on the bike? I wonder if top quality street tires would have helped?
Still original DS tires. I am convinced street tires would be much better in these conditions. I rarely take the bike
on trails, so I plan to get street tires as the next replacement.
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http://www.twistedthrottle.com/r-g-racing-aero-style-frame-sliders-for-the-zero-ds-13 (http://www.twistedthrottle.com/r-g-racing-aero-style-frame-sliders-for-the-zero-ds-13)
Not as good as crash bars but they might help.
Yeah, I found those after more digging last night, also available on Ebay from sellers in UK and Germany. Seems to be rather pricey, but I will consider.
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We have crash bars for the DS in stock. Give us a ring.
Hollywood Electrics
323-654-8271
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk
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We have crash bars for the DS in stock. Give us a ring.
Hollywood Electrics
323-654-8271
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk
Sweet! Do you have any pictures ? I checked your website, didn't them listed there.
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They are the same bars that are used on the police bikes.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk
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They are the same bars that are used on the police bikes.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk
Understood. Called a couple of times within last 30 minutes, and got to voice mail. Will try again later.
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I'd save the money on crash bars and consider investing in a rider safety course, to be brutally honest. ;)
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I'd save the money on crash bars and consider investing in a rider safety course, to be brutally honest. ;)
Or just practice slow maneuvers in a parking lot? If you are looking for drills check out the msgroup.org page or ebook (vol 1 has the drills)
I know a lot of people who ride and freak out when it is raining, and most think I am crazy for not only riding in the rain but snow storms as well.
That said if you ride in weather more you get better at it; same goes for slow speed maneuvers. I never went down on a low speed corner because I locked the front wheel though ... what tires are you using, was it a panic stop, etc? (I only use BT45's since I ride year round and they are sticky in wet weather)
Last time I price checked the Police crash bars they were around $1300 ... I was going to use them to mount my vetter fairing in the past.
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https://evmc2.wordpress.com/2013/10/02/motorcycle-safety-and-skill-courses/
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I'd save the money on crash bars and consider investing in a rider safety course, to be brutally honest. ;)
Virtually every forum on the Internet has a person like you. I have 11 years and over 100 thousand miles of riding (commuting) experience. Last year I broke riding for 3 weeks total, when the streets froze up. If you never fly, you will never be in an airplane crash.
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ooooooOOOO! Eleven whole years? Maybe in the next eleven or so you'll learn how to not lock up the front wheel.
(...how was I supposed to pass up that line? Hell, I even re-activated my account just to do it.)
I was actually trying to be helpful, but since you're being a dick, let me just say I've been riding for over 45 years, and other than dirt riding, I've never. NEVER. dumped a bike from locking up the front wheel.
Good luck on your flying and crashing. For me, riding was a lot more fun once I learned how to do it, y'know, back in 1970.
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ooooooOOOO! Eleven whole years? Maybe in the next eleven or so you'll learn how to not lock up the front wheel.
(...how was I supposed to pass up that line? Hell, I even re-activated my account just to do it.)
I was actually trying to be helpful, but since you're being a dick, let me just say I've been riding for over 45 years, and other than dirt riding, I've never. NEVER. dumped a bike from locking up the front wheel.
Good luck on your flying and crashing. For me, riding was a lot more fun once I learned how to do it, y'know, back in 1970.
You were not helpful, and your communication style doesn't fit your age. Please don't ever reply to my posts.
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Yeah, well, you don't get to make that call. You can, however, block me if you don't want to read what I have to say. You may not be aware of that since you've only been on the group for what, a few days?
Since John hasn't gotten around to deleting my account yet, (pretty much fed up with conversations like this one, and just don't have the time or patience for it), I'll add some advice that maybe some other riders might appreciate. To wit:
Dual sport tires are pretty far from anything you should use for general-purpose street riding, especially in the wet (which, frankly, I can't believe even needs stating). The snow and ice? Not much works, short of studs, which work amazing on ice and snow, but not so much on dry road. Good street tires are by far the best choice, (I'm not sure if you can get those fancay newfangled hydrophilic tires for bikes, but for a daily commuter they'd be the balls) for any conditions where you simply have to ride, no matter what. You may think you're an expert on snow and ice over there in the Pacific Northwest, but I'm under the impression that we get a shit-ton more of that weather here in Boston than you do.
Regardless of whatever tires you're using, not knowing EXACTLY how much tread you have on them is just stupid. Does this statement offend you? I could care less. I check my tires on my daily ride every time I charge, or gas up (on my ICE bike), plus look at them when I lube and check the chain. ...a few decades of habit which I had to teach myself.
Though roadracing and canyon slamming are going to demand heavy use of the front brake, and almost no use of the rear, general advice is to use both almost evenly, and in wet conditions use the rear heavily. The trick is to get your reflexes working for you here, and frankly, though I'm loath to admit it, I ride the rear brake a lot. The front gives you better stopping power, but the rear gives you far more control. On your lockup with the pedestrian, that should have been a lockup of the rear brake, and hard braking on the front, but not a lockup.
Though, yes, I'm a traditionalist (read cranky old fuck who yells at kids on his lawn) who loves drum brakes, I'm not stupid enough to argue that ABS braking isn't a good thing. Only a squid, however, relies on ABS braking instead of learning how to brake, and by "learning" I mean training their response over repeated practice under almost every circumstance.
Rider safety courses are a) fun. b) good to do for even experience riders periodically. c) can be street-riding, dirt riding, racing, or several other flavors depending on what you want. The link I gave above lists several resources for finding one. Finally, d) It takes you putting your ego back into your pants for a bit to open yourself up to the possibility that you may benefit from a class, but in my 60 years or so, I've almost always found it worth it. You can always take your ego back out of your pants afterwards. ::)
Welcome to the forum, and I hope my tone seems appropriate to my age, now, or not. I hope others here have more patience with you than I do. Ciao.
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You have never locked the front even on the dirt Ted? That means you aren't pushing hard enough. Do the pensioners wave when they overtake on their mobility scooters? ;D
I bet you won't really leave. You are like a moth to the flame of controversy.
(P.s. It is a joke before anyone gets upset)
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You really have a way with people, Ted.
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Read it again. No, I'll spare you. "and other than dirt riding, I've never. NEVER. dumped a bike from locking up the front wheel." :P
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Read it again. No, I'll spare you. "and other than dirt riding, I've never. NEVER. dumped a bike from locking up the front wheel." :P
Probably even worse being overtaken by a pensioner on the road though.
I'm pretty sure the IRC Teflon Winner tyres would lock up if you just looked at them a bit funny, so I wouldn't recommend those road tyres.
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Not wanting to get involved in anything else, I will comment on "dual sport" tires: There are some very good 90% street/10% dirt-type tires on the market. I have been used all of the name brand dual sport tires on most of my smaller motorcycles (the ones that don't need 180-width sizes) and really like them. They get much better mileage than the typical street-only tire and I have found that they stick to pavement just as well, if not better than, any pure street type tire, especially on wet roads. However, they are pretty much useless for off-road riding. For that you need knobs (the bigger the better) and you don't get those with modern "dual sport" tires.
Say, whatever happened to the $15 "European imported" "Trials Universal" tires like Sears Roebuck used to sell for their Puch motorcycles? I had a set of those on my 1965 Yamaha YA-6 when I was stationed in Massachusetts. They worked pretty well in fresh snow - not so well when the snow hardened and became icy, though. :o
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Probably even worse being overtaken by a pensioner on the road though.
I wouldn't know. You'd have to ask the last guy I passed. ;D
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I've placed an order with Hollywood Electrics for the crash bars. Thanks everyone for the input!
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I've placed an order with Hollywood Electrics for the crash bars. Thanks everyone for the input!
Pics or it didn't happen.
Really, I would like to see before and after on your bike please.
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Pics or it didn't happen.
Really, I would like to see before and after on your bike please.
Haha, looks like it's not meant to be. Here is the pic of the crash bars :
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r9huFJZFECA/Vj6QeZsYLFI/AAAAAAAAWr0/VHuxE3HDyHg/s640-Ic42/IMG_20151107_155827.jpg)
I took off all the fairings, but still no matter how I look at it I don't think these guys can be attached
to my 2014 DS without additional machining. There must be some difference in the frames between those
bikes. I will ask the dealer about it.
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What year are those crash bars?
I know the 2013 bars do require machining of the frame to install them ... and I was told this had to be done at a dealer.
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What year are those crash bars?
I know the 2013 bars do require machining of the frame to install them ... and I was told this had to be done at a dealer.
I think those are 2015. I did find some more images where I was finally able to figure out what's going on.
It seems like the lower attachment is to the skid plate, which is where I will have to drill. For upper attachment
I found the holes under the upper fairings. Might be able to get it to work after all :D
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Okay, here are the pics :
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qdPx3Wdxw7g/VkDbquwGt7I/AAAAAAAAWsI/QPvw3xID4Ac/s800-Ic42/IMG_20151109_092248.jpg)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--txM3Sf1-ck/VkDbyVpKxQI/AAAAAAAAWsQ/AMXhteXRWnw/s800-Ic42/IMG_20151109_092238.jpg)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-feo741IscVg/VkDb0lgm-DI/AAAAAAAAWsU/y8sqqg0_zHg/s800-Ic42/IMG_20151109_092227.jpg)
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@pacificcricket:
How much did those crash bars cost?
Did you end up using that middle bar piece I see in the unboxing picture?
Did you end up drilling holes in the belly pan for the lower attachment?
-Jerome
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@pacificcricket:
How much did those crash bars cost?
Did you end up using that middle bar piece I see in the unboxing picture?
Did you end up drilling holes in the belly pan for the lower attachment?
-Jerome
The price was slightly under $500. Yes, used every piece once I figured out the puzzle :D Yes, had to drill two holes on each
side for the lower attachments.