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[benswing]

Interesting...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ctrlburn]

Hey Zev - I'm out.
Airplanes, shipping damage, now EV motorcycles.
O U T out.

Just Zero's for me.
Even if a Zev passes me on the road.

[Ranga]

What this does point out is one of the issues in developing products.  We use plastic mold houses in China to produce the parts.  You get 2 year maximum agreement to not sell anything you design to anyone else.  Development times on bikes run longer than that.  So sometimes at the tho year mark you can see versions of your design pop up with modifications so they can say they do not sell exactly what you designed.  At the 4 year mark they just sell your original.  We have seen this on some of the scooters.

I'm going to go ahead and say that you got access to their bike, and this is not your design.  It certainly explains why the ZEV has such a dinky swing arm compared to the original.



And why the controller is mounted externally.  I do hope your modifications are worth the $9,730 price difference between the two bikes, as you were so generous to point out.  You don't want your customers wondering where their money went.

In all seriousness, everyone here understands how difficult it is to develop a new electric motorcycle.  It's perfectly forgivable to start with someone else's architecture and go from there, but that should be disclosed from the start.  That it took an enthusiast to uncover it makes us ask what else you're hiding.

[Spoonman]

Spoonman
I recommend that before going off on a tangent, you look at the bike you just presented and its specs. 

Slow down there dude - I'm not tangenting anywhere - hell, that wasn't even an attack, I was just looking for some clarfications.
You can't deny that it looks like the same chassis, that's undeniable no matter how you cut it; and I've no doubt that the drivetrain you specify is different to that advertised in the add I linked, but that's something that's well within the capabilities of chinese manufacturers to produce as well at simple email request.

I even stated that there was plenty of space for added value in the development of that chinese chassis, were that what you are in fact doing.
The only real question was with regard to how the company can claim to be a US manufacturer in light of the existence of that product.



Now, if you're telling me that they've taken your plastics which you had them manufacture, and thrown them onto their own product, then OK, despite the idendical clocks and screw placements, which indicate absolutely no change whatsoever from your design, I'll agree to go along with that for the moment.

The front calipers, forks and triples all look shockingly similar as well though.

Yes, you've changed the wheel sizes, and the brake disks, looks like the rear caliper too; but the swingarm still looks too similar for comfort in many of your shots, and even the motor, though unquestionable different, has the same housing style as the original - you've even a picture elsewhere on your site of the 5kW motor which is undeniably similar to that offered on several other chinese offerings.

Of everything though, the one single detail that really sets me off  - is that center stand.

That odd, unfinished angle that it hangs at.

You're trying to tell me:

• that there's a centerstand that hangs at that god awful angle,
• on two unrelated bikes
• which just happen to differ only in basic configuration changes (as far as can be told from the photographs)
• and that these bikes aren't produced by the same manufacturer??

That's thin dude - that's seriously thin.

What exactly are you manufacturing in the USA?

[firepower]

That easy to answer ,that joke of a swingarm. ,lol. At least Zero has always stated whats their own design and what parts they source from other manufactures.

Zevs website is very lite on details and no high res photos.

[NEW2elec]

Yeah China bike from the looks of it but... I still like a lot of the features. I think the tank storage is niiiice. I'm sorry but a "good" center stand may not look cool but it makes life much easier for adjustments.  I don't know enough about hub motors to say good or bad but I know you can't get the mechanical advantage of gearing so that's limiting.  And hey fairings fairings fairings give that china link to Zero.

[Spoonman]

I'm sorry but a "good" center stand may not look cool but it makes life much easier for adjustments

I couldn't agree more - a *good* centerstand is a fantastic addition to anything but a trackbike.
A *good* centerstand usually folds neatly up to the underside of the chassis as well though.

[Justin Andrews]

Heh, for the LoLs I decided to do a reverse image search on other ZEV bikes.

This 150cc (Russian?) Scooter looks familiar.
https://tehnosklad.com/300_Motoczikly/47927_Motoczikl_tachilla_galaxy_ry150t_39_belyj

Or this
http://agromototehnika.com/p34662883-ckuter-skybike-master.html

How about this one
http://agromototehnika.com/p19498882-ckuter-yiben-yb150t.html

[Ranga]

No response from dhz yet. This is why industry managers should avoid getting too into forum discussions.

[firepower]

https://evmc2.wordpress.com/2015/11/05/zev-does-it-again-launches-motorcycle-bs/

[Fivespeed302]

https://evmc2.wordpress.com/2015/11/05/zev-does-it-again-launches-motorcycle-bs/

I don't know why I'm getting into this discussion, but this blog is from the same guy who was arguing on pages 1 & 2.  I haven't been coming around enough to know everyone's background, but the fact that he unregistered and now has guest status makes me suspicious.  As a Zero SR owner, I wish all e-bikes the best of luck.  Maybe this guy is selling vaporware, but if so, he's one hell of a con.

[firepower]

He just wanted some simple questions answered. And I also want EV to succeed but i also don't want people to spend money on vechicles that dont meet the specs advertised and poorly made. Buyer beware.

I think ted makes some valid point and asked the right questions.

[Fivespeed302]

He just wanted some simple questions answered. And I also want EV to succeed but i also don't want people to spend money on vechicles that dont meet the specs advertised and poorly made. Buyer beware.

I think ted makes some valid point and asked the right questions.

I have been reading up on the topic since that post.  It does seem as though important questions are consistently avoided.  Another point made by someone else was the lack of video.  I shot video of the first time I rode my Zero SR.  It was very simple and I don't understand why there is nothing but old scooter videos on YouTube.  If I had put in all the work to build this bike, I'd have tons of videos showing all the details I could.

[Cortezdtv]

Unless a video can prove you wrong.... Probably make sure that video never came out if you could....



To me I don't understand how the hub can stay clean or suspended if I go through a big puddle or anything g like that what about jumping off a curb will that impact hurt the hub motor?

[Spoonman]

I have been reading up on the topic...

lol - fivespeed, if you don't know who Ted Dillard is then you've still got a hell of a lot of reading to do. ;-)

I'd recommend starting here: From Fossil to Flux