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I just picked up my new 2014 DS today. Rode home on very very blustery cold fall day here in the NYC area. My first impression is that the 2014 DS and my old 2011 S seem about as similar as an M3 and an Accord. The acceleration was certainly a lot more robust than my old bike (I scared myself a little bit on the ride home), but also the suspension was so much better, the bike felt so much more substantial, the seat geometry was greatly improved. It was no contest!  It is a lot louder (relatively speaking of course since we are still talking electric here), especially on launch. My bike makes a plaintive howl --not unlike Chewbacca  when the jump to light-speed fails on the Falcon-- when it launches from a stop under heavy acceleration. My old bike didn't do that at all... Based on other comments on the forum, this Wookie impersonation is "normal".
   

Quote from: Cortezdtv on September 12, 2015, 08:55:45 PM

All 's have alloy wheels
All ds's have spokes including the 15 which I think you believe has alloys,


All ds are spokes don't change that if your going to ride off-road!!!

The '15 DS has alloy wheels, not spokes.

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Are the 2015 DS wheels compatible with the 2014 bike?

I have tendered my Black 2011 Zero S in for a 2014 11.4 DS in orange. I was told there were no FX left available, only yellow S's and I couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger on an SR... Although I did do a quick double take after the new 2016 line up and pricing was announced. Depending on what I could sell my 2011 S for, I might actually be able to spend less to get a smaller battery new 2016 DS than taking advantage of the trade in. The catch being, my 2011 bike needed some work to get it sale-able...
So, now I am a-waiting for my new bike... Yeah!
 

Zipped up and out of the bike it really looks like a little toilet with the lid down!

I was stranded due to burnt brushes in my 2010, but never as a result of EV planning issues...

As I rode to the train station this morning, tires crunching the road salt liberally spread about after a day of snow/sleet/freezing rain, I began to wonder about the potential deleterious impact that salt might have on the engine and components of my electric bike. Zero isn't based in a region know for cold/wet winters, and I wonder how much real world testing there is of the products before they get in the hands of users. I have a 2011, therefore a brushed motor, and have no idea whether those brushes might prematurely corrode from exposure to that salt. I do know that the electrical connections and components on the bike are weather resistant/proof. OTOH, I also know from my salt water fish tank that corrosive elements like salt have an insidious way of penetrating even very well protected areas.

From those better educated on material sciences than I am, any thoughts?

I brought my bike into my mudroom last night to charge as the unheated garage just wasn't going to cut it. Bike much happier this morning, no limp mode down to the station.