ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: BikerJared on April 27, 2015, 10:52:31 PM
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(http://i.imgur.com/PxX1AbF.jpg)
I picked it up on Saturday. Its the 2014 -- I was able to get it at a discount, as it was the last one the dealer had.
What do you wish you knew right after you bought your first Zero
Thanks!
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True range per charge.
Factory and non-factory accessories.
"Proper" tire pressure.
Quality tire replacement options.
Bolt/nut torque specs.
Hot and cold weather charging and riding data.
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I always wish I knew specs and features of the next model year. Zero has a history of improvements that make the previous year technology and features look old. When they designed their own motor and replaced the brushed motor in 2012, that was a quantum leap. Same with range.
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Zero apparently doesn't use any UV inhibitors in their plastic bodywork. Keep it out of the sun.
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Explore Public Charging options when not needed - so you are practiced when they are needed.
Level 1 (NEMA 5-20R) normal outlet, if available is most often behind a panel... Scan FIRST to unlock.
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True range per charge.
Factory and non-factory accessories.
"Proper" tire pressure.
Quality tire replacement options.
Bolt/nut torque specs.
Hot and cold weather charging and riding data.
For all of these items, what did you learn? Especially around true range and range related items.
Zero doesn't use UV inhibitors...
This is very very good to know. Has anybody tried painting over the plastic parts with black paint?
Explore Public Charging options when not needed - so you are practiced when they are needed.
Level 1 (NEMA 5-20R) normal outlet, if available is most often behind a panel... Scan FIRST to unlock.
What do you mean 'scan first to unlock'? Also, do you guys just google something like "charging stations" or something or are there other resources you use?
Also, these mirrors suck. Are there aftermarket options? What are your thoughts on windscreens? Finally, does anybody make or custom built a smaller back wheel sprocket for better range?
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"Also, these mirrors suck. Are there aftermarket options?" If it is a vision problem, check Oobflyer's post. He added a nice looking extension.
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What do you mean 'scan first to unlock'? Also, do you guys just google something like "charging stations" or something or are there other resources you use?
Most charging stations will unlock based on detecting an RFID tag. Some will open for any old Tag (No shit, true story; I've heard of a Library card being used by a Leaf owner)
Look for websites that list the status of the charging stations, for example Zap-Map is good if you are in the UK.
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Try www.plugshare.com (http://www.plugshare.com) for charging stations.
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True range per charge.
Factory and non-factory accessories.
"Proper" tire pressure.
Quality tire replacement options.
Bolt/nut torque specs.
Hot and cold weather charging and riding data.
For all of these items, what did you learn? Especially around true range and range related items.
Also, these mirrors suck. Are there aftermarket options? What are your thoughts on windscreens? Finally, does anybody make or custom built a smaller back wheel sprocket for better range?
True Range -
This really depends on your riding style and terrain of riding.
- Extended fast highway speeds (70+ MPH) will deplete the battery level quicker.
- Stop and go riding will draw more power
- Aggressive riding will draw more power
- Hills will also draw more power.
- Headwinds can effect range (windscreens may help some here)
- rider weight will also come into play.
- rider riding position factors in (upright versus "streamlined/tucked")
- cold weather reduces the range
Proper tire pressure -
- initial /earlier manuals suggested tire pressure of 33PSI front and rear. This is (IMO) too low of pressure. I believe these numbers just rolled over from early Zero's and did not get updated as the wheels/tires changed in size. For the SR a better guide would be to follow the pressure used by sport bike riders. More like 38psi rear and 36psi front. More for heavier rider, two up or side/top bags with a load.
Quality tire replacements -
- While the rubber on the 2015 + models is much better than earlier years it is still a compromise of price/performance. There is another thread in this forum with good comments on alternatives that will give better performance and easier turn in.
Bolt/Nut Torque specs -
- Of importance here is the torque specs for the fork triple tree clamps, brake caliper and axle bolts. I had a nice torque spec sheet but it (with all my other notes) stayed at Zero when I left. I had recommended they (Zero) place this info on the FAQ page but now even that page appears to have been taken down. I would recommend contacting your dealer for a list of recommended torque specs. They should have access to this information on their Dealer access portal. It "should not" be considered proprietary info.
Hot/Cold weather data -
- There is a document that explains the hot and cold weather charging and riding limitations. Again... this "was" available on the Zero web page FAQ section but appears to have been taken down as I cannot find it there now. I would contact your dealer and ask if they can provide you a copy of this (one page) document. This is not secret/proprietary info and should be available to owners.
As for alternative mirrors...
I believe any after market mirrors made to fit the Yamaha motorcycle models should work on the Zero motorcycles. Just remember that the left mirror is reverse threaded.
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Thanks for the responses. This is great info. Some of this should probably be in an FAQ and pinned. Particularly, the cold weather specs, torque specs, and tire pressure specs. I appreciate the info on range as well. I ride mostly freeway, (around 70 mph). I've noticed that the range estimator goes down a lot when I'm riding that fast. It seems like the bike is happiest at around 30-35 mph.
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... these mirrors suck. Are there aftermarket options? What are your thoughts on windscreens? Finally, does anybody make or custom built a smaller back wheel sprocket for better range?
I rotated my '14SR mirrors 180 degrees for better lane-splitting clearance...
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I rotated my '14SR mirrors 180 degrees for better lane-splitting clearance...
I did, too, and I think it works well. I like the bike being narrower (in CA I tend to split lanes in traffic a lot, and two extra inches' clearance is very nice). Having the wider part of the mirror on the outside end also makes for a better field of view. However, in the "correct" orientation, the tip does extend out a bit further, so you can see directly behind yourself better. But overall I like them upside-down a bit better.
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I wish I knew the Factory settings numbers for ECO mode like Max Torque, Max Regen, Max Regen Brake. I know Sport has to be 100%. These numbers could be useful when using the app so I can adjust the Custom mode to somewhere in between ECO and Sport mode.
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I am pretty sure eco mode is going to limit the power, at one point I couldn't go past 75pmh in eco. Sport has very little max regen, not sure about the regen braking in sport though. If you change your custom to max regen 100% and regen brake to 100%, you will notice it has way more regen/engine braking than either of the other 2 modes.
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Something that new Zero owners should know about Eco mode: It takes away your ability to accelerate away from a dangerous situation. For example if you are passing a car on a four lane highway and they start coming into your lane your only option will be to brake hard because Eco mode will mute your acceleration so much you have no chance of get a accelerating away from the car.
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Something that new Zero owners should know about Eco mode: It takes away your ability to accelerate away from a dangerous situation.
I agree completely. And there's no real benefit to Eco mode either -- you can accomplish everything Eco mode does for you by simply exercising some restraint with your right wrist. Except, when you need to accelerate to get out of trouble, or just to get around a semi to hit your offramp, you can do it.
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I agree completely. And there's no real benefit to Eco mode either -- you can accomplish everything Eco mode does for you by simply exercising some restraint with your right wrist. Except, when you need to accelerate to get out of trouble, or just to get around a semi to hit your offramp, you can do it.
No use for eco mode? Guess you haven't ridden your bike in snow yet ;)
I used eco mod this winter on several icy days after dropping the bike going up a very small ramp at slow controlled speed in sport mode.
I had my eco mode set up on 50% torque (actual number not what you see in app) and modified the clutch regen lever to be softer as well.
This makes it a lot harder to spin out on ice / snow when riding ... even if you hit a bump.
Now spring is here I just keep it in sport mode ;)
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Yeah, I too use Eco mode all during our wet season to avoid traction problems. I do have a 2013 model which means I have boosted Eco torque a bit, and removed the speed restriction so I can easily escape cars. But it has a use.
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I use Eco mode often for moving around in tight spots. Sure it's possible in Sport mode, but the softer response is much easier to deal with when you're maneuvering slowly. I also use it whenever it's wet after I had a scary fishtail in Sport mode. I'm definitely glad that Eco mode is there.
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I use Eco mode often for moving around in tight spots. Sure it's possible in Sport mode, but the softer response is much easier to deal with when you're maneuvering slowly. I also use it whenever it's wet after I had a scary fishtail in Sport mode. I'm definitely glad that Eco mode is there.
This has been the biggest thing for me when comparing this bike to my Harley. The Harley has a very sensitive throttle response which makes slow-speed maneuvering a lot easier. The SR is harder to work with. I have a Custom program that has 5% torque just for this.
Fun question for comparing Eco/Sport -- does anybody know if your brake lights go on during regenerative slowing? I set that at 100% in a custom program and its like hitting your brakes. I could see that causing an accident if no lights come on.
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I don't know about the Zero specifically, but I suspect it does not.
For my Brammo Empluse R, I added one of these. http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/vololights-volomod-brakeless-deceleration-indicator (http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/vololights-volomod-brakeless-deceleration-indicator)
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Treat your "regen" like "engine breaking" you would do on an ICE bike and activate the brake lights yourself. It isn't hard to do :)
I actually prefer to have this control because I don't want to constantly be flashing my 60 red LED array linked to a Skene's Design IQ160 into the persons eyes behind me every time I lightly tap my regen lever.
There is a setting inside the Sevcon controller to activate break lights on "regen" but I never tested to see if it worked.
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-- does anybody know if your brake lights go on during regenerative slowing? I set that at 100% in a custom program and its like hitting your brakes. I could see that causing an accident if no lights come on.
I've always assumed the regen kicks in WHEN the brake lights go on. There are no sensors on the front or rear brakes that I'm aware of, other than the lever travel switches that turn on the brake light, so I assumed they piggy-back off the brake light to trigger the "braking" level regen.
Does anybody know if that is or isn't correct? I've just always assumed so.
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What do you mean 'scan first to unlock'? Also, do you guys just google something like "charging stations" or something or are there other resources you use?
I signed up for ChargePoint and got a card (Which I knew to do before I bought my first Zero)
I downloaded the app to find Charging Stations(Which I knew to do before I bought my first Zero)
The first few times I stopped at a charging stations I could not open them - and figured they were out of order.
I couldn't even get the charging cable out of the station they would not budge - lucky they are built tough, I might have brooken it.
It turned out you need to scan your card and the door unlocks - and the cable unlocks (Which I Wish I knew right after I bought my first Zero)
It also turns out that not every charging station is a Level 1 charging station (Which I Wish I knew right after I bought my first Zero)
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Hmm. The ones at work are level 2 charge point chargers. I was able to get a card but I need an adapter to use it.
Thier iPhone app is buggy and won't let me create an account. I'll have to try their website.
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I've always assumed the regen kicks in WHEN the brake lights go on. There are no sensors on the front or rear brakes that I'm aware of, other than the lever travel switches that turn on the brake light, so I assumed they piggy-back off the brake light to trigger the "braking" level regen.
Does anybody know if that is or isn't correct? I've just always assumed so.
Regen happens (at a set/specific level for each mode) when you roll off the throttle.
When the brakes are applied the bike senses this (through the brake light circuitry) and increases the regen level.
I cannot remember the amount of regen used at throttle roll off and then brake application.
I believe this was in the FAQ page on the Zero website (which, unfortunately doesn't seem to be there anymore).
If you (or anyone) cares to know the amount of regen used at throttle roll off and then brake application I would suggest calling Zero Customer Support. Be sure to ask the levels in each mode (ECO, Sport and Custom) as they will be different.
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If you want to find charging stations just go to Plugshare.com. They also have an app. Chargepoint is great since you can see through their app how much power you are charging at. Very easy to know when you are done charging without having to go back to your bike.
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Yeah, I too use Eco mode all during our wet season to avoid traction problems. I do have a 2013 model which means I have boosted Eco torque a bit, and removed the speed restriction so I can easily escape cars. But it has a use.
How'd you remove the speed restriction?
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Yeah, I too use Eco mode all during our wet season to avoid traction problems. I do have a 2013 model which means I have boosted Eco torque a bit, and removed the speed restriction so I can easily escape cars. But it has a use.
How'd you remove the speed restriction?
The 2013 allows programming the Eco mode and Sport mode, so I did that, but accessing the firmware settings should also work, obviously with more effort.
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Picked up my SR this morning ;D ;D ;D ;D
Things I wish I knew ...
* The wrench needed to adjust the rear preload. I had an old Sachs wrench, but no dice. Googling ...
First things I did ...
* Drain the battery by max accelerating from every light between the dealer and my house
* Remove the SR designation ... it looks so much cleaner
Things I'm in the process of doing ...
* Swapping the red panels for black ones from an S. A set of panels from the factory are $100 and should be here next week.
* Getting a longer power cord and a timer to charge off peak
Things I'm pondering ...
* Rizoma grips/mirrors and brake reservoirs ... wondering how to disassemble that plastic throttle
* Whether to remove the storage container and throw it away ... the dealer mentioned that there could be a hard "tank case" coming ...
* Top case or not ... sticking with a backpack on the commute for now which should work given that it never rains here (in SoCal)
Things I'm thankful for ...
* The bike is made in America, but it still uses metric fasteners :P
* Getting a great deal on a demo bike that had 58 miles on it :D
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How did you go about getting those black fairings? Was planning to plastidip mine, but at that price its going to be cheaper just to swap them.
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Just put a deposit down on my SR - was also thinking about a custom paint job for the panels. Wonder how much it would cost...
Cheers
--G
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I wish I had known how fun it was to ride because I would have bought it sooner!
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Bodywork is pretty minimal compared to an ICE bike, so, should be fairly reasonable ( comparatively speaking )
I have been thinking of filling the recesses on my FX with a bright green to offset the brushed grey.
Should be MUCH easier to R and R the pieces. Plus, you can still ride the bike while work is being done.
Hard to do on an ICE bike while tank is being painted.
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How did you go about getting those black fairings? Was planning to plastidip mine, but at that price its going to be cheaper just to swap them.
I asked the dealer before purchasing the bike and he ordered them from the factory as part of the purchase.
Admittedly, I don't have them in my hands yet, will update next week :)
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does anybody know if your brake lights go on during regenerative slowing?
The brake lights do not turn on with regen braking.
I also added an accelerometer to my bike so that people will know when I'm slowing down. I copied the idea from nigezero:
http://electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=4327.0 (http://electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=4327.0)
If you find that you can't see behind you - this is what I did to my bike (both of my Zeros actually):
http://electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=4580.msg30273#msg30273 (http://electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=4580.msg30273#msg30273)
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The one thing that I personally feel everyone should know before buying an EV is what to expect regarding the actual range vs. the manufacturers' range claims. Electric vehicle manufacturers should include 'best-case scenario range' and 'real-world range' estimates.
Chelsea Sexton (EV advocate) recommends calculating 'real-world range' at about 70% of the range-claims of the manufacturers, but I think 50% is the best.
By 'real-world range' I mean driving/riding like you would any other vehicle... accelerating up to freeway speeds on the onramp... accelerating to pass when necessary... traveling with the flow of traffic, even it is 5-10 MPH over the posted speed-limit, etc.
Why 50%? Because that's the range that you can count on. If you get more than that - then great - consider it a bonus.
This is not unique to Zero - I've had four EVs now - I plan on 50% for all travel.
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Things I'm thankful for ...
* The bike is made in America, but it still uses metric fasteners :P
* Getting a great deal on a demo bike that had 58 miles on it :D
It's nice to see that more and more companies finally are switching over to metric.