ElectricMotorcycleForum.com

Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: Richard230 on August 06, 2015, 09:13:04 PM

Title: Motorcycle.com lives with a 2015 SR
Post by: Richard230 on August 06, 2015, 09:13:04 PM
Motorcycle.com has just published a long and thoughtful article describing a two-month evaluation of a luggage and PT equipped 2015 SR.

Unusual  top box. I haven't seen one like that mounted on a Zero before. It also looks like Zero loaded them down with every accessory in their catalog.  Interesting comments about trying to find a working L2 charging station. Apparently they are not being maintained as well as gas stations: 

http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/zero/living-with-a-zero-sr.html (http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/zero/living-with-a-zero-sr.html)
Title: Re: Motorcycle.com lives with a 2015 SR
Post by: benswing on August 06, 2015, 09:53:55 PM
Finding a level 2 charger is usually easy, unless you live in an area that has a lot of Blink stations.  Then it's a total crapshoot.

Also, most charging stations on Plugshare are reviewed by users so you can see which stations tend to work perfectly, and which ones don't work.  It's unclear what actually happened to him.  If he used the Chargepoint App, it would have told him if a Chargepoint station wasn't working.  However, other charging stations are also listed on the Chargepoint app, but it can't tell you what their status is since they are on other networks. 

Overall, nice review.
Title: Re: Motorcycle.com lives with a 2015 SR
Post by: Straightedg4lif on August 06, 2015, 10:37:48 PM
I really enjoyed that review. I have been reading everything I can on the Zero SR, in anticipation of getting my 2016 SR. I am on this site and youtube always looking for others' perspectives and find it very informative. I really enjoy in depth reviews.... especially the riding reviews on youtube.
Title: Re: Motorcycle.com lives with a 2015 SR
Post by: MichaelJohn on August 07, 2015, 07:24:45 AM
Wow, check out the comments below the article. Doug S is going at it hammer and tongs. Way to show some e smarts and passion Doug.
Title: Re: Motorcycle.com lives with a 2015 SR
Post by: Justin Andrews on August 07, 2015, 02:18:40 PM
Electric Bike detractors used to just laugh at electric bikes, now the detractors are getting defensive...
Title: Re: Motorcycle.com lives with a 2015 SR
Post by: Doug S on August 07, 2015, 08:11:17 PM
Wow, check out the comments below the article. Doug S is going at it hammer and tongs. Way to show some e smarts and passion Doug.

I should probably apologize for making a spectacle of myself in public, and representing....well, "passionately"....but I hate it when some know-it-all, naysaying troll tries to tell us all how things work. Tesla wouldn't be where they are if we listened to idiots like that guy.

And I spose it's a little slow around here right at the moment.
Title: Re: Motorcycle.com lives with a 2015 SR
Post by: Ron Sindric on August 07, 2015, 09:07:25 PM
I live in the  "cow and corny" Midwest ( Iowa ) and it is VERY difficult to find CHAdeMO ( http://www.chademo.com/ (http://www.chademo.com/) ) or SAE J1772 L2/L3 ( http://standards.sae.org/j1772_201210/ (http://standards.sae.org/j1772_201210/) ) CPs around.  My local coffee house lets me plug in to their outdoors 110 vAC 20S outlet when I stop for some brew and a doughnut.  Charge time is still prohibitively long.  Sure wish someone would have a top case / box that incorporates a ruggedized and weatherproof QUICK CHARGER into it.

Inductive pick-ups for electrical transfer built into major highways would also help e-biking !
Title: Re: Motorcycle.com lives with a 2015 SR
Post by: Burton on August 07, 2015, 09:21:17 PM
Sure wish someone would have a top case / box that incorporates a ruggedized and weatherproof QUICK CHARGER into it.

Ron what are you looking to do with the topcase in question (if it existed)?
Also what charge rate would you consider a "Quick charger" and what voltage / amps in?
Does the case need to be weatherproof or both the case and the charger?
Title: Re: Motorcycle.com lives with a 2015 SR
Post by: Justin Andrews on August 07, 2015, 09:26:26 PM
Charge time is still prohibitively long.  Sure wish someone would have a top case / box that incorporates a ruggedized and weatherproof QUICK CHARGER into it.


Heh, funny you should say that, I've got an old Givi top box, which I'm fitting my Elcon and charge socket into.
Title: Re: Motorcycle.com lives with a 2015 SR
Post by: Erasmo on August 08, 2015, 03:27:29 AM
I live in the  "cow and corny" Midwest ( Iowa ) and it is VERY difficult to find CHAdeMO ( http://www.chademo.com/ (http://www.chademo.com/) ) or SAE J1772 L2/L3 ( http://standards.sae.org/j1772_201210/ (http://standards.sae.org/j1772_201210/) ) CPs around.  My local coffee house lets me plug in to their outdoors 110 vAC 20S outlet when I stop for some brew and a doughnut.  Charge time is still prohibitively long.  Sure wish someone would have a top case / box that incorporates a ruggedized and weatherproof QUICK CHARGER into it.

Inductive pick-ups for electrical transfer built into major highways would also help e-biking !
Dear God, not a single L2 or DC charger in the entire state if I may believe plugshare :o

Ben Swing made a nice setup with quick chargers.
Title: Re: Motorcycle.com lives with a 2015 SR
Post by: CrashCash on August 08, 2015, 03:57:28 AM
FYI, that's a "Trekker" series Givi box he's using as a topbox. See http://www.giviusa.com/givi-products/cases/trekker-series (http://www.giviusa.com/givi-products/cases/trekker-series)
Title: Re: Motorcycle.com lives with a 2015 SR
Post by: CrashCash on August 08, 2015, 03:59:30 AM
Sure wish someone would have a top case / box that incorporates a ruggedized and weatherproof QUICK CHARGER into it.

I did... I bolted 2 Elcons from Hollywood Electrics into my Givi E45 box. I had barely enough room left over for all the cables.

I mounted them so when you opened it, one was bolted to each half. so they both got ventilation.

Edit: and that's why I know about the Trekker boxes, but I can't afford one right now.
Title: Re: Motorcycle.com lives with a 2015 SR
Post by: RickSteeb on August 08, 2015, 09:20:04 AM
Sure wish someone would have a top case / box that incorporates a ruggedized and weatherproof QUICK CHARGER into it.

I did... I bolted 2 Elcons from Hollywood Electrics into my Givi E45 box. I had barely enough room left over for all the cables.

I mounted them so when you opened it, one was bolted to each half. so they both got ventilation.

Edit: and that's why I know about the Trekker boxes, but I can't afford one right now.
  I mounted my pair of 2.5kW ElCons into Givi side case bracket adapters, and enclosed them inside $20 "gun cases" I found on line.

Title: Re: Motorcycle.com lives with a 2015 SR
Post by: Ranga on August 08, 2015, 09:26:01 AM
ZERO!
Title: Re: Motorcycle.com lives with a 2015 SR
Post by: CrashCash on August 08, 2015, 09:38:14 PM
So where did you get the bracket adapters?

I have a huge supplier of Pelican cases locally but have not been able to find any decent adapters. Twisted Throttle has some, but the lock mechanism is weak. My fab skills suck so I'm not able to make something myself and have it turn out decent.
Title: Re: Motorcycle.com lives with a 2015 SR
Post by: SteveInNC on August 09, 2015, 08:06:15 AM

So where did you get the bracket adapters?

I have a huge supplier of Pelican cases locally but have not been able to find any decent adapters. Twisted Throttle has some, but the lock mechanism is weak. My fab skills suck so I'm not able to make something myself and have it turn out decent.
[/quote

Interested in this also.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Motorcycle.com lives with a 2015 SR
Post by: RickSteeb on August 12, 2015, 07:52:12 AM
So where did you get the bracket adapters?

I have a huge supplier of Pelican cases locally but have not been able to find any decent adapters. Twisted Throttle has some, but the lock mechanism is weak. My fab skills suck so I'm not able to make something myself and have it turn out decent.

The aluminum plates started out as 19" relay-rack panels; a lot of jig-sawing, drill and belt-sander work resulted in plates that fit onto the Givi pegs, with a hole that fits over the Givi latch-protrusion.  Rather than attempt a [weak] lock-snap mechanism, I drilled down through the Givi latch parts just outboard of the aluminum plate, so that a 3" long wood screw can be installed to secure each of the plates.  A kluge, but it's *very* secure!   Found the cheapo cases via Google search... on Amazon, IIRC

Disclaimer: Note that the ElCons weigh about 4x the rated capacity of a 22liter Givi side case...
Title: Re: Motorcycle.com lives with a 2015 SR
Post by: CrashCash on August 14, 2015, 03:17:03 AM
Very cool! I am stealing that latch idea. I spent a couple months 3D printing some Givi-compatible latch designs and was not happy with any of them.

FYI, Caribou Cases used to offer bolt-on "fork" brackets to fit the bottom Givi lugs, but I no longer see them on the spare parts page: http://cariboucases.com/ (http://cariboucases.com/)

Also their DIY kits look a lot like your solution: http://cariboucases.com/Do-It-Yourself-Kits/ (http://cariboucases.com/Do-It-Yourself-Kits/)  :-)