ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: ut-zero on August 05, 2014, 11:09:38 PM
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What bike did the Zero replace as your daily rider?
Is the Zero now your only motorcycle?
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I replaced a 2012 V-Strom 650 with a 2013 Zero DS as my commuter. The V-Strom is now my trip/travel/weekend bike. I have not owned a car since I started riding a previous V-Strom in 2007.
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I traded in a 2012 Triumph Street Triple r for my 2013 Zero S. I also own a 2015 FZ-07 and a 2014 Vespa 300.
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The insurance money from a totaled 2003 Triumph Sprint ST 955i partially paid for my Zero, it was between that and a Street Triple. My 1997 Honda Magna 750 (red/black behind, the maroon '84 in the foreground is my dad's) stays as the DX bike, the 2008 Kawasaki Versys 650 I bought this last January to replace the Sprint and serve as a commuter is now for sale.
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I went from:
1970 Triumph Daytona T100R
2000 Triumph Tiger 885i
to:
2013 Zero FX (commuter and dirt bike)
2005 Triumph Sprint ST 1050 (touring and occasional commute)
I still have the Daytona but it needs work to be road-worthy. Pretty much my ideal lineup now, until electric can cover the touring and trackdays too!
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My 2014 Zero S replaced a 2012 Zero S, which replaced a 2010 72-volt sepex Electric Motorsport GPR-S, which replaced a 2008 60-volt Electric Motorsport GPR-S. Meanwhile, my IC motorcycle collection has remained stable. ;)
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2012 Zero S ZF9 replaced 2006 Suzuki GS500.
I put as many miles in 9 months on the Zero as 3 years on the Suzuki..
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My day-trip bike is currently an Aprilia Mana 850. Before the SR, I had a 2013 BMW C650 GT, before that a Piaggio mp3 500, and before that a Piaggio mp3 250. My first bike was a Kawasaki EX 500.
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Preceding my 2014 FX, in my stable was a '98 Honda Superhawk VTR-1000, a '04 Ninja ZX-6R streetfighter w/ dirtbike handlebar, and a '00 SV650 Naked.
The VTR was the main instigator of my Zero buy, with how it fervidly drank gas. Loved the curve-twisting torque on that thing (80 ft/lb), but my FX hits the same sweet spot. Sold it first, before I got the FX.
The ZX-6R had that frantic high-horsepower bite that I really liked; it took me quite a bit of pondering to finally decide on selling it. The $400 valve adjustment job plus the need to upgrade its handlebar (necessitating more money for new cables, etc) pushed me to sell it. My next bike will be a SuperSport-type electric bike, hopefully. Would love more than 115 hp next time. Sold it 3 weeks after I got the FX.
The SV, I still have. It's for sale. I'm okay with not selling it immediately - it's a damn good bike.
Really, the recent sudden desire to stop burning oil helped me deflate my gas-burner stable and start preparing for an electric stable. It'll be a decade until I can have pickings from the used-ebike market, which I'm most sad about. :)
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I had a Suzuki DRZ-400S, used for occasional shopping and fun, mainly in town, because I had 70/30 tires and they were almost useless in anything other than solid ground.
I would possibly have bought the FX if it had a bigger battery, to stay in the same bike type. But the S is definitely a lot of fun and much more comfortable on the road.
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2007 Vectrix VX-1 was my ride before getting a 2012 Zero S. Been riding all electric since 2007.
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Various year Suzuki GSXR 1000s and 600s.
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I went from a '06 Kawasaki Ninja 500 to a 2013 Zero S. The S is my daily commuter. The Ninja 500 was a great commuter bike that made weekly trips from San Diego to LA. I don't make those commutes any longer so the S is perfect around town commuter for me.
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My 2012 S replaced a race tuned KTM 690 SMC as I had to ride it like a lunatic to enjoy it. My bike was daily rider for 9 years, 18 months on the S, but I now have to commute by car. Which I hate because it's ICE.
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I rode a 2003 BMW F650GS for 11 years, until the engine died on it. I got 60k miles out of it.
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I've got a Diversion 900 that owned before getting my Zero-S, however I still use it for longer trips.
I've had a fair few bikes in my time, everything from off roaders, to supersports and tourers. The only thing I've not really owned is a cruiser.
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What bike did the Zero replace as your daily rider?
Is the Zero now your only motorcycle?
12 Zero DS replaced a Yamaha XT250 as a commuter bike. It was my ONLY motorcycle for a season. It was a great commuter bike but I missed longer rides.
Now I have a 13 Zero FX5.7 which makes an excellent commuter bike AND it is just a kick in the pants to ride as it has much more thrust and power than the 12DS did although I have missed the range of that 9KW battery pack at times.
After one season of electric only riding I decided that I missed the call of the open road and longer trails so I added a Yamaha WR250R to the stable. Between the 2 bikes I can take on most any ride that I want to.
If Zero could add fast charging options to their bikes that would work in the real world I would consider going electric only again. For me I would need around 170 miles of range and the ability to recharge at least to 80% in 30 minutes or less and being able to do that in rural areas. I don't see that coming for several years. It is pretty easy to pour in 3 gals of gas in the WR and roll for another 200 miles.
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My '88 Honda Magna 750 was a joy to ride, almost "electric" in its smoothness. It became [even more] high-maintenance at about 60,000 miles, and I finally parked it in my garage for so many years that the carbs are frozen. I test rode 2011 S and DS models late in 2011, and, on Halloween day, cut a purchase check for a 2011 DS, with the condition that the dealer hold off on transferring the title for 8 days until the impending EICMA show, when the '12's would be revealed. The new AC motor and regen sold me, so I had effectively made a BIG deposit on the '12 model, which I received in January 2012. I really like my DS ZF6, but it tends to overheat when I try to ride it like my Magna on the highway, which accounts for 80%+ of my daily commute. A test ride on the SR convinced me that it would solve any speed/acceleration shortcomings. Sure enough, I am VERY happy with my SR ZF 14.1! =D
...AND I don't miss the cost of those 16-valve tune-ups!! 8)
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Quite a diverse crowd here. My wife forced me to sell my old Honda Blackbird to get the Zero.
Things I miss: extended tours, excessive speed, that $15K in savings
Things I don't miss: engine noise, clutching, shifting, filter changes, chain adjustments, oil changes, gas stations
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Vespa 50 S! (I'm sticking with 'S' models for now)
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First year S1000RR. I really do not miss getting fried at stop lights here in S. Florida.
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My 2014 Zero DS 11.4 with powertank replaced my 2011 H-D XR1200 and I don't miss the engine heat! I enjoy the reduced sound from the DS as I ride through the Santa Cruz mountains. Previous bikes have included Triumph Bonneville 850, Norton Commando, Yamaha DS400, H-D dresser, and many smaller machines over the past 30 years.