ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: ALLVLTS on April 11, 2016, 11:17:39 PM
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I see lots of posts from the last few years about various problems with Zeros, and as a potential customer, this bothers me. However, people don't typically post about not having problems, so I wanted to give everyone the opportunity to do so here. :) It might help me and other potential customers build up a warm and fuzzy again after reading about so many issues. I know that not all Zero owners post here, but some data is better than none I think.
So, if you have a 2013+ Zero and it has not had any real problems, please post up the following info and any other info that you feel is relevant. (For the purposes of this post, don't consider occasional motor overheating as a problem if it's within its listed specifications. In other words, Zero tells you that they might overheat in certain situations depending on the year and model, so in those situations, it is performing as-designed and specified rather than being a reliability issue):
Model Year-
Model-
Purchase date (mo/yr)-
Mileage-
Modifications? If so, what?-
Primary terrain during use (city, highway, dirt, combo, etc)-
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use-
You can post up if you have had problems too, I'm just looking to hear all the good stories. :)
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There have been threads about this in the past, not easy to find because forum design ... anyway, I've listed my issues before and can only now add the 2013 battery replacement recall program. Mostly, I've had attentive and responsive dealers in Seattle and then the SF bay area and feel like the bike has been fine for me.
My prior report, with some others: http://electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=4235.msg26937#msg26937 (http://electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=4235.msg26937#msg26937)
Model Year- 2013
Model- DS 11.4
Purchase date (mo/yr)- 03/13
Mileage- 18000
Modifications? If so, what?- Luggage, windscreen, DigiNow dongle, Elcon charger.
Primary terrain during use (city, highway, dirt, combo, etc)- City, highway, occasional dirt.
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use- 100F/30F/60F
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As someone who has put over 100,000 miles combined on each model year Zero 2012 and up, I can tell you the bikes have progressively gotten more reliable each year. Not that there aren't plenty of 2013's out there that have been trouble free, and all of them are receiving the new 2015 battery pack, if having an issue here or there that might require you taking the bike to the dealer is something that will cause you stress or anxiety you are not good at dealing with, I would highly suggest getting a 2016 Zero. Not just for the better power, range, suspension, brakes, display, seat, motor redesign and cooling, tires and more, but the fine tuning of refinement to prevent issues is huge. If you haven't bought one yet, go test ride the 2016 and see if you like it enough and what you can save on gas and vehicle maintenance each month can justify the additional cost over getting a 2013, which for most people I think it will and I hope it makes sense for you too.
The other thing I have noticed, is lots of people join the forums either before they buy a bike, or after they have an issue to seek community help. Many Zero owners I know from facebook that haven't had any issues have never joined the forum as they have had no reason to. Keep that in mind. Anyway please take my advice and strongly consider a 2016. They have gotten better and less expensive each year. This month there is a "free fuel for life" program that basically will get you an additional $1000 back, reducing the cost of a new 9.8 S or DS to under $9000 with the tax credit. I want to see every new owner as happy as they can be, and I think you will enjoy a 2016 much more than what you would save by getting a 2013. Trust me. I've put in the miles on these bikes to be able to say that. :)
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Battery is still in good condition, no loss of capacity noticeable.
Model Year 2013
Model S ZF 11.4
Purchase date (mo/yr)- 07/2013
Mileage- 23000
Modifications? If so, what?- USB Outlet mounted for Smartphone; QuiQ Chargers mounted in side cases for touring
Primary terrain during use (city, highway, dirt, combo, etc)- Fun rides near my home: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franconian_Switzerland (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franconian_Switzerland)
Once a year long distance trips at WAVE Trophy: www.wavetrophy.com (http://www.wavetrophy.com)
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use min. 0 max 42 average 20 degree Celsius
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My 2014 S has been completely reliable for the past two years, after an issue with a defective power tank and an assembly issue were resolved shortly after purchase. In fact, it runs so well and has been so reliable that I don't have much of an urge to replace it with a new model. :)
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Thanks for the info so far, everyone.
As someone who has put over 100,000 miles combined on each model year Zero 2012 and up, I can tell you the bikes have progressively gotten more reliable each year. Not that there aren't plenty of 2013's out there that have been trouble free, and all of them are receiving the new 2015 battery pack, if having an issue here or there that might require you taking the bike to the dealer is something that will cause you stress or anxiety you are not good at dealing with, I would highly suggest getting a 2016 Zero. Not just for the better power, range, suspension, brakes, display, seat, motor redesign and cooling, tires and more, but the fine tuning of refinement to prevent issues is huge. If you haven't bought one yet, go test ride the 2016 and see if you like it enough and what you can save on gas and vehicle maintenance each month can justify the additional cost over getting a 2013, which for most people I think it will and I hope it makes sense for you too.
The other thing I have noticed, is lots of people join the forums either before they buy a bike, or after they have an issue to seek community help. Many Zero owners I know from facebook that haven't had any issues have never joined the forum as they have had no reason to. Keep that in mind. Anyway please take my advice and strongly consider a 2016. They have gotten better and less expensive each year. This month there is a "free fuel for life" program that basically will get you an additional $1000 back, reducing the cost of a new 9.8 S or DS to under $9000 with the tax credit. I want to see every new owner as happy as they can be, and I think you will enjoy a 2016 much more than what you would save by getting a 2013. Trust me. I've put in the miles on these bikes to be able to say that. :)
Thanks for that. I am indeed considering a new 2016, not a 2013. I posted "2013+" since they are all the same generation from that point forward. I'm really only personally concerned with the 2016's since I wouldn't buy an older one, but I didn't figure there would be enough data yet to post up about 2016's alone. I know you have tons of experience with Zeros and have some ties to the people in the know so it's good to hear that you feel the 2016's should be more reliable. What specifically have they changed to address reliability for the 2016's vs 2015's (aside from the IPM motors, etc.)? Did they simply up the QC inspections and tests or have hard changes been made, or all of the above?
For example, I read about many problems with 2015 on-board chargers and as far as I can tell, those chargers carried over to 2016. Are they all-new chargers or did they fix whatever issues the 2015 units had or are they just inspecting/testing them for problems more carefully?
Zero also needs to fix the issues with service when problems do arise. I've read way too many stories on here of super long waits for diagnosis, parts, and/or repair. Be it dealer problems or factory problems, Zero needs to jump all over it if they want more people to feel comfortable about spending a relatively large sum of money on these. I understand that sometimes unexpected problems arise, but how they are handled counts for a lot. I'm one of those who has not the time or patience (because I don't have the health) to deal with months of back-and-forths without clear and concise resolution. Hopefully they have recently decided to put some serious effort into this, because if some of the previously posted experiences are what is to be expected, I'm not ready to jump in yet.
Again, thanks for all the responses (past and future).
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My experience with Zero since 2011 has been the following:
Model Year-2010
Model-DS
Purchase date (mo/yr)-June 2011
Mileage-5200km
Modifications? If so, what?- None
Primary terrain during use (city, highway, dirt, combo, etc)-City
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use- 45/0/20 degrees Celsius
General opinion: I do not recommend 2010-2011 bikes...
Model Year-2012
Model-S
Purchase date (mo/yr)-June 2013
Mileage-16000km
Modifications? If so, what?- Topcase rack, front windshield, handguards, plastic motor cover.
Primary terrain during use (city, highway, dirt, combo, etc)-City
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use- 45/0/20 degrees Celsius
General opinion: Nice bike but still not reliable enough in stock condition. With the BMS and motor change a very nice bike.
Model Year-2014
Model-S 11.4
Purchase date (mo/yr)-March 2016
Mileage-1300km
Modifications? If so, what?- Original topcase rack
Primary terrain during use (city, highway, dirt, combo, etc)-Combo
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use- 45/0/20 degrees Celsius
From my point of view the 2012 models were a big improvement over 2010 models but still had some known design flaws (mainly related to environmental resistance of the BMS and the motor).
I don´t have enough experience with my 2014 yet to give an opinion with regards to reliability, but the general feeling is that the bike is better engineered than the previous models and the performance is way better. There are a couple of things which could be better (the wiring below the seat seems too exposed and the motor cooling is not good enough) and from what I´ve read here the chargers are not very reliable... Neither does the rear shock absorber that seems to be the same used in 2012 and 2013 models.
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Dear ALLVLTS,
To put things in perspective:
Just remember, among other problems, that 1 out of 27 Audi's needs a new engine within two years time when bought brand new. However in europe, where i live, they sell like hot cakes.
Also keep in mind that consumer rights in europe are much worse then in the US.
Zero has a much better track record in that perspective, but if you want 99,5% trouble-free riding, consider a Honda.
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My 2014 Zero SR needed he charger replaced a couple of times (I'm a high frequency user), otherwise the bike has been bombproof. Riding through rain storms, riding 475 miles in a day, hot sun, no prob!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Heh.
Model Year- 2016
Model- S 13.0
Purchase date (mo/yr)- Feb 16
Mileage- 750
Modifications? If so, what?- USB charger, XKChrome light kit, Givi top case w/ Zero rack
Primary terrain during use (city, highway, dirt, combo, etc)- Suburbia
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use- Max 72F, Min 31F, Average has been around 55F
It has been a glorious, trouble free two months. :)
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2015 SR 12.5
Purchased 12/2015 with 1,511 miles, now has 2,272 miles
Completely reliable.
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My 2015 SR has been fine so far, even after a couple of rain storms that I've been through.
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Model Year- 2014
Model- SR 11.4
Purchase date (mo/yr)- Oct '14
Mileage- 10,000
Modifications? If so, what? - none
Just hit 10K miles today!
I have a short somewhere that is causing my rear right turn signal to stop functioning.
One of the allen head bolts that holds the seat on is already stripped (think I have used it twice).
Other than that the bike has been super reliable.
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Model Year- 2014
Model- SR 11.4Kwh
Purchase date (mo/yr)- 12/2015 (new old stock, early adopter program)
Mileage- ~10000mi
Modifications? rear rack, mirrors, police (SP) crash bar, horn
Primary terrain during use (city, highway, dirt, combo, etc)-
city, highway
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use- 50 - 100 F
My 2011 Zero S was pretty reliable too, except for the whole not able to get the range promised issue. (45-58 mile range, per the specs, but I could never get it to go the 35 miles for the regular trip I bought it for). They did replace throttle under warranty (it pulled a little when at full stop sometimes).
My 2014 SR has only had a couple of incidents, and they were related to running the battery very low. Don't do that. Solved by a full charge.
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Model Year- 2015
Model- Zero SR
Purchase date (mo/yr)- May '15
Mileage- just past 6000
Modifications? If so, what?- fender eliminator, removed mirrors
Primary terrain during use (city, highway, dirt, combo, etc)- mostly around town, little bit of grassy/yard riding
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use- all over the range
I've had a few issues with my Zero. First was the charger. I'm on my 4th now and seem to finally have a reliable unit. Works perfectly now, and has been for the last 6 months or so.
Next was the brake fluid reservoir, it leaked and left white spots on the red plastic. I buffed the spots out and the dealer siliconed the reservoir. No problems with that since.
Lastly, some old bag creamed the bike while parked in a parking lot. The bike was out of commission for 6 weeks. The insurance company wrote me a check for a considerable amount more than the actual repairs, and I got a new helmet (Reevu) out of the deal.
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2014 fx here and just broke 1500.
Trouble free. One time I was going through the woods jumping over logs, but when I came out the motor had a "wobble" sound like something bent. After many looks I noticed a piece of wood lodged in the front sprocket but it was compressed from the belt and you couldn't notice it without putting it on a jack. Anyways I picked it out and still runs great. Scared me a little though.
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2014 DSP 11.4
Only 5000 km since bought as ex-demo Sept 2015.
Headlight was aimed too low, Moments to adjust once I figured out the manual was telling me the wrong bolt to adjust... The seat bolts weren't even finger tight. (I think that the person who removed the Police equipment was a bit slapdash) The front brake sounds funny sometimes.
Other than that dead reliable. Original tyres (Kenda?) are gripping and wearing well, wouldn't hesitate to use them again. Scrubbed all the way to the edge.
Modifications, Old Hyosung screen cabletied to the handlebars. I carry two Elcons when touring that sit on the pillion seat. I've managed to scratch the tail. Removed the stock crash bars which seems to have added about 10% to the range.
Usage by distance is about 50% freeway (in the slow lane) or rural roads 40% around town (I live in a rural town) and about 10% good dirt road. Suspension is set *****WAY***** too hard even with everything backed off to nothing (except rebound which is one up from nothing)..
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Excuse my ignorance, what is an Elcon?
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https://hollywoodelectrics.com/product/elcon-quick-charger/
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I'm glad I found this thread! I've been wanting to read reviews from people who put serious mileage on their Zeros and owned them for a few years. After all, if they're only reliable in the first year or two of owning, there's no point in wasting a ton of money on one. So far it seems to me that once 2013-2014 models starting coming out, things got a little better all around. Then 2015-16 seems to be another overall improvement to all models. The thing is, most people post on here right after they got one in the first couple hundred/thousand miles. It's great for potential customers like me to read the reviews from long term riders. Thank you all for sharing your experiences. I'm still torn between the DSR or the S and I might wait until 2017 or 2018 to get one.
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I don't fall into the long term owner category yet, but for what it's worth:
Charger failed at 500 miles, replaced under warranty and the new one has been prefect ever since.
Belt snapped at 1,500 miles. Replaced under warranty and the new one is great. I've done much more off-road riding with the new belt. The tension hasn't changed one bit and I'm confident it'll be fine until it's natural end. The jury is still out on why the original snapped. It was either misalignment or my first off-road jaunt when I got a couple of wood chips in between the belt and the sprocket. However, the belt didn't fail until weeks after that event. Still waiting for feedback from Zero as I recovered the belt and went to the effort of sending it back.
Almost at 5,000 miles now.
Get the DSR if you want to take it off road. It's a lot of fun. If you can afford a DSR then don't buy an S, get the SR. Not just for the acceleration, but for the IPM motor. The overheating does get a little annoying at times. It depends on your riding style and whether or not you anticipate spending much time at constant speeds above 70mph.
Despite having made the leap I'm still looking forward to seeing what the future models offer.
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I love feel good posts.
I agree with what has been said by Sir Terry and others knowledgeable about these motorcycles. I had a 2010 and even though I got over 15,000 miles out of it there was a lot of work and learning involved. But what fun it was.
I now have a 2015 SR. The only problem I had was a charger failure at ~2,500 miles. I was replaced immediately by my dealer. Hundreds of charges since then and no issues of any kind.
Here is my point: the customer service from Zero is exceptional. Only BMW offers the same level of customer service.
Model Year-2015
Model-SR
Purchase date (mo/yr)- July 2015
Mileage-11,000
Modifications? If so, what?-none. Just charge and ride.
Primary terrain during use (city, highway, dirt, combo, etc)- mostly highway
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use- Min temp just above freezing and max in the low 100s
Each year they get waaay better.
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I was visiting my daughter the other day and her 2012 S is still running perfectly. She keeps the bike connected to a power source 24/7, unless she is charging the batteries of one of her other IC motorcycles.
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My 2014 Zero SR with power tank was perfect during a 8,640 mile road trip this past summer! The only issue was a broken belt, but that was my fault for riding in the dirt and getting a rock caught up in there. Otherwise riding through the heat, rain, wind, altitudes, fast charging, etc. worked out great!
I had plenty of challenges along the way, but the bike was completely reliable and rock solid! (The challenges all involved securing and executing fast charging with 3rd party chargers. The onboard charger worked like a champ!)
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Model Year- 2014
Model-SR 11.4
Purchase date (mo/yr)- 05-2014
Mileage- 25,000
Modifications? If so, what?- None.
Primary terrain during use (city, highway, dirt, combo, etc)-Highway
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use- 40-100
Two major service events:
1. Problem - Bike would turn off in first 15 miles. Usually while I was on highway. Cycling power would fix it.
Fix - New motor.
Length in Shop: One month.
2. Problem - Bike would lose power (lowering speed) because of battery over temp during ride. Bike would not charge at destination because battery temp to high. Wait for charging to begin usually took 3-4 hours.
Fix - Replacement Battery. Zero upgraded me to the 13.0kWh
Length in Shop: One month and a couple days.
Thank you Hollywood Electrics and Zero.
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My 2014 Zero SR with power tank was perfect during a 8,640 mile road trip this past summer! The only issue was a broken belt, but that was my fault for riding in the dirt and getting a rock caught up in there. Otherwise riding through the heat, rain, wind, altitudes, fast charging, etc. worked out great!
I had plenty of challenges along the way, but the bike was completely reliable and rock solid! (The challenges all involved securing and executing fast charging with 3rd party chargers. The onboard charger worked like a champ!)
Did you go through a set of tires? I only got about 6k miles out of the Diablo Rosso II
Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
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Model Year- 2014
Model- Zero S 11.4
Purchase date (mo/yr)- feb 2016
Mileage- 6700 km
Modifications? If so, what?- none
Primary terrain during use (city, highway, dirt, combo, etc)- city, highway
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use- ?
trouble free motorcycle :)
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My 2014 Zero SR with power tank was perfect during a 8,640 mile road trip this past summer!
Did you go through a set of tires? I only got about 6k miles out of the Diablo Rosso II
My Pirelli Angel GT tires have lasted at least 10,000 miles so far. Still plenty of tread but they are starting to scallop. Will replace them soon.
Subscribe to Benswing on YouTube to follow my summer journeys.
Like Ben Rich - Electric Biker on Facebook.
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Well take my 2015 SR off the list of "completely reliable" bikes as previously reported and hopefully on the list of "bad chargers", and not the list of something more major.
About 5,600 miles - no more charging.
Does not acknowledge the charger is plugged in.
No Error Codes 0000 (kickstand up)
BMS - says OK too.
Delivered to the dealer and they started downloading the error logs before I got out of the parking lot so they can get "logmein" session scheduled to focus on getting it back in plenty of time for "Drive Electric Week."
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The charger is placed in a bad position under the battery and almost fully enclosed, without active cooling. I would bet those failures are in no small part related to that. Does anyone know exactly what's failing?
Well take my 2015 SR off the list of "completely reliable" bikes as previously reported and hopefully on the list of "bad chargers", and not the list of something more major.
About 5,600 miles - no more charging.
Does not acknowledge the charger is plugged in.
No Error Codes 0000 (kickstand up)
BMS - says OK too.
Delivered to the dealer and they started downloading the error logs before I got out of the parking lot so they can get "logmein" session scheduled to focus on getting it back in plenty of time for "Drive Electric Week."
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My DSR has been trouble free since late March. Just passed 2500 miles. I did have to adjust the belt a couple of times (too tight), but that's routine.
[3500 mile update] Still trouble free! Miles slowing down as its getting cold here in the North East.
Steve
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Model Year- 2016
Model- FXS
Purchase date (mo/yr)- July 2016
Mileage- 4500
Modifications? If so, what?- Integrated Radar detector, 2 - USB ports, LED turn signals (rear LED strips), added 5 - 12V accessory ports and soft saddle bags. Oh yeah, swapped stock tires for Continental ContiAttack.....MUCH better!
Primary terrain during use (city, highway, dirt, combo, etc)- Mainly paved roads but I do take a few trails 1-2 times a week to break up the monotony.
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use- Max 32C (90F) /Min 2C (35F) /Avg 25C (75F)
Enjoy the bike more everyday. About a month ago I was coming into work and it was a bit rainy. Still being a bit new to this torque monster and enjoying the bit of drift in the water I got a bit too "heavy" on the throttle when the rear tire hit a tar strip. So I laid it down and spun the bike around. After riding for 35+ years the first thing I started thinking was a checklist of items I needed to start fixing so I could get the bike ride able to get to work.....then it dawned on me. No fuel leaking, no oil leaking and the gear shift couldn't have broken off or the clutch lever. This is the best wreck I have ever had. I started pushing the bike to the side of the road and thought, why. Turned the throttle and let it push its self, man I love this bike! Straightened the bars and double checked everything and I was off to work. :-)
Note: I did kick the ground as I was going down hard enough to cause my big toe to swell up and turn nice colors (nothing broken). This through my race boots. Hate to imagine if I was wearing anything else!!
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Model Year- 2015
Model- FX 5.7
Purchase date (mo/yr)- 5/15
Mileage- 5300mi
Modifications? If so, what?- Givi top case (not through Zero), crash bars and mirrors.
Primary terrain during use (city, highway, dirt, combo, etc)- city, rarely off roads
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use- 45-55, commuting with a lot of highway miles.
No real issues, although it sometimes underestimates the SOC while recharging, making me panic. Its ran out of juice twice, both due to my mistakes.
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Model Year- 2015
Model- FX ZF6.5
Purchase date (mo/yr)- August 2016
Mileage- purchased 5500, now 7000
Modifications? If so, what?- eBay "large" windshield (from China), $25 Chinese top case, Zero rear rack, Zero drop bar, Wolo Bad Boy air horn, Comagination headlight modulator, EBC X type (TT in Europe) front brake pads, and it looks like the previous owner installed a tower type LED tail light bulb.
Primary terrain during use (city, highway, dirt, combo, etc)- Interstate and city commute (about 13 miles one way), some local errands.
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use- 32 to 90 F. Mostly 55-75.
Changed the brake pads due to howling noise when stopping. (Now they're noisy when wet.) Changed brake fluid. No problems so far.
Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk
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Model Year- 2016
Model- SR
Purchase date (mo/yr)- 6/21/16
Mileage- 4,928
Modifications? If so, what?- LED head light, blinkers, windscreen, ZERO rack and Givi top case.
Primary terrain during use (city, highway, dirt, combo, etc)- city and highway with a little canyon in between.
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use- I live in SoCal so given it doesn't get too cold here.. on chilly nights around 60's the motor temp on highway never gets about 110 but during the summer when it's 90+ I'll see temps in the mid 140's otherwise during normal city it never goes above 130 unless I'm giving it the full enchilada light to light.
Only issue I guess you can say I've had is some surging when I've got the throttle partially open on downhills and it's deciding whether it's going to use power & torque otherwise she's been trouble free ;D
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Model Year- 2015
Model- S 12.5
Purchase date (mo/yr)- July 2015
Mileage- 7500 miles
Modifications? If so, what?- Corbin Seat
Primary terrain during use (city, highway, dirt, combo, etc)- City, Highway
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use- Max 90 deg F, Min 41 deg F
The bike has been completely reliable but I did have a few issues.
1) The belt made an annoying noise at low speeds (5-18 MPH).
The dealer sprayed silicone on the belt but the noise persisted. I discovered my belt tension was way too high (45 kg).
The noise disappeared after I lowered the belt tension to 26 kg.
2) The end of the power cord would get very hot when charging. This was solved by making a cheater cord that plugs into a 220 V outlet. The charging time is the same but since the current is cut in half the cord stays at room temperature.
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2015 SR, 8000kms and completely trouble free. Daily commute in all weather and temp ranging from 1C to 45C and speeds 70 to 110kph
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2016 DSR - purchased 9/30/16 with 147 miles on it.
As of 10/26/16, Have 1543 miles on it. Daily ride, all weather, am in Houston so, it could be considered a submarine.
Mods - Skene design visibility lights front and rear. Front with turn signal, rear just brake and incorporated the stock brake light. Zero side and top case and windscreen. Planned is a water proof SAE connector for heated gear, LED running light and blinkers, USB charger, street tires.
Before any additions, my ride took 40% to 45%, after screen and bags, 30% to 35%.
Only problem was a flashing dashboard, once. turn off and back on cleared the issue.
I put about 1200/month on a bike, I will post again when I get more time.
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5300 miles on 15 fx with zero issues
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Model Year- 2016
Model- S ZF9.8
Purchase date (mo/yr)- April 2016
Mileage- 2200
Modifications? If so, what?- windscreen
Primary terrain during use (city, highway, dirt, combo, etc)- city and california highway (70 to 80mph). never in rain not because of the bike but because of California drivers can't drive in the rain
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use- don't keep track
As a side note my plan was to buy a new car a couple of months ago but as the bike as proven so reliable i've keep delaying the purchase.
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Model year: 2016
Model: DSR ZF13
Purchase date: 23rd of sept 2016
Mileage: 2000 ish
Modifications?: None yet, but windscreen/topcase and rack/Quick(ish)charger are incoming
Primary terrain during use (city, highway, dirt, combo, etc)- Highway 60miles/day and touring on secundary roads at about 50 mph average
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use- 91F/41F/57F
No problems whatsoever yet, but the local Zero shop is going to add the missing accessories this week so that might shift the balance a bit ;)
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My 2014 Zero SR with power tank was perfect during a 8,640 mile road trip this past summer! The only issue was a broken belt, but that was my fault for riding in the dirt and getting a rock caught up in there. Otherwise riding through the heat, rain, wind, altitudes, fast charging, etc. worked out great!
I had plenty of challenges along the way, but the bike was completely reliable and rock solid! (The challenges all involved securing and executing fast charging with 3rd party chargers. The onboard charger worked like a champ!)
So were you able to fast charge with a power tank installed? I thought the two were mutually exclusive?
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So were you able to fast charge with a power tank installed? I thought the two were mutually exclusive?
The charge tank and the power tank are mutually exclusive because they both get installed in the tank area. Fast charging and the power tank are not mutually exclusive. @benswing has 2 Elcons mounted on the side case mounts and this year he had a DigiNow Super Charger sitting on the back seat. They are all connected through the aux charge port which is the anderson connector above the motor and can be used if you have a power tank.
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My wife and I purchased 2 of the 2014 DS models. Her's has been great, outside of a contactor failure on the ride out of the dealer (I dropped off the bike, and the manufacturer delivered it to my home, 40 miles away). Mine has experienced chronic charging indicator problems, but we can live with that. We also keep them unplugged, remembering to plug in the night before a ride.
Model Year- 2014
Model- DS
Purchase date (mo/yr)- ~07/2014
Mileage- ~1500
Modifications? If so, what?- Changed tires upon purchase.
Primary terrain during use? touring through the Santa Cruz mountains
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use- 70s-90s.
We always return, after 3-4 hours of riding, with >30% charge, since most speeds are under 45 mph.
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Model Year- '15
Model- SR
Purchase date (mo/yr)- 4/15
Mileage- 2,600
Modifications? If so, what?- EBC brake pads
Primary terrain during use (city, highway, dirt, combo, etc)- Highway
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use- 90/40/75F
I bought it used at 500 miles with a known problem it had from when the first owner bought it as a demo bike. Fixed u der warranty (replaced motor controller, updated firmware). No issues at all since then, other than needing to adjust the belt tension and the squeaky brakes (mostly cured with the EBC pads). I keep it unplugged, unless I expect to ride it, and usually do not leave it 100% charged for long. Typically, do not use more than 1/2 its range before recharging.
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My wife and I purchased 2 of the 2014 DS models. Her's has been great, outside of a contactor failure on the ride out of the dealer (I dropped off the bike, and the manufacturer delivered it to my home, 40 miles away). Mine has experienced chronic charging indicator problems, but we can live with that. We also keep them unplugged, remembering to plug in the night before a ride.
Model Year- 2014
Model- DS
Purchase date (mo/yr)- ~07/2014
Mileage- ~1500
Modifications? If so, what?- Changed tires upon purchase.
Primary terrain during use? touring through the Santa Cruz mountains
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use- 70s-90s.
We always return, after 3-4 hours of riding, with >30% charge, since most speeds are under 45 mph.
So I noticed a lot of folks unplugging their bikes for extended periods of time, but the owners manual says to keep the bike plugged in for the best battery performance. I have an amp/watts in line meter and when my bike is 100% its barely pulling 1-5 Watts and voltage is in the single digits as well. I understand the BMS does some sort of cell balance cycle on occasion too. I have my ICE bike on a battery tender, because if not the damn thing struggles to start if it sits for more than a week (parasitic power drain probably). Considering the negligible energy usage when the zero hits 100%, Im leaving mine plugged in per the manual...
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Model Year- '16
Model- SR
Purchase date (mo/yr)- 10/16
Mileage- 600ish
Modifications? If so, what?- windscreen and trunk
Primary terrain during use (city, highway, dirt, combo, etc)- Highway
Max/min/average ambient temperatures during use- 90/40/75F
Only issues thus far are the wobbly ass front wheel that still needs balanced, and the dash flashed all weird once after initial power up around 300 miles on the odo. I emailed the logs to Zero and the nice rep said I might need to reprogram. Im waiting to see if it happens again, so far so good. Other than that, giving the electric motorcycle presentation to slacked jawed on lookers is getting a bit repetitive... :o
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I have my ICE bike on a battery tender, because if not the damn thing struggles to start if it sits for more than a week (parasitic power drain probably). Considering the negligible energy usage when the zero hits 100%, Im leaving mine plugged in per the manual...
I don't understand the "starting" reference,,, and assume it won't boot correctly when keying the power, a more serious problem than parasitic power loss while sitting. Our DS bikes are unplugged for 1-6 weeks during travel or cool weather, and power loss is very minor, as measured by the display, usually less than 1%/week.
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I have my ICE bike on a battery tender, because if not the damn thing struggles to start if it sits for more than a week (parasitic power drain probably). Considering the negligible energy usage when the zero hits 100%, Im leaving mine plugged in per the manual...
I don't understand the "starting" reference,,, and assume it won't boot correctly when keying the power, a more serious problem than parasitic power loss while sitting. Our DS bikes are unplugged for 1-6 weeks during travel or cool weather, and power loss is very minor, as measured by the display, usually less than 1%/week.
Just in case you're not kidding... He did say "ICE" bike. I remember those. The battery turned a "starter" that would turn the gasoline engine to make it "start" running. It's a mechanical version of "booting up". My last ICE bike seemed to also use its battery while doing nothing, and like ZeroPointZero I also leave my Zero plugged in when idle at home.
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I have my ICE bike on a battery tender, because if not the damn thing struggles to start if it sits for more than a week (parasitic power drain probably). Considering the negligible energy usage when the zero hits 100%, Im leaving mine plugged in per the manual...
I don't understand the "starting" reference,,, and assume it won't boot correctly when keying the power, a more serious problem than parasitic power loss while sitting. Our DS bikes are unplugged for 1-6 weeks during travel or cool weather, and power loss is very minor, as measured by the display, usually less than 1%/week.
Just in case you're not kidding... He did say "ICE" bike. I remember those. The battery turned a "starter" that would turn the gasoline engine to make it "start" running. It's a mechanical version of "booting up". My last ICE bike seemed to also use its battery while doing nothing, and like ZeroPointZero I also leave my Zero plugged in when idle at home.
What Clay said... :D
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My 2014 Zero SR with power tank was perfect during a 8,640 mile road trip this past summer! The only issue was a broken belt, but that was my fault for riding in the dirt and getting a rock caught up in there. Otherwise riding through the heat, rain, wind, altitudes, fast charging, etc. worked out great!
I had plenty of challenges along the way, but the bike was completely reliable and rock solid! (The challenges all involved securing and executing fast charging with 3rd party chargers. The onboard charger worked like a champ!)
So were you able to fast charge with a power tank installed? I thought the two were mutually exclusive?
Yes, I fast charged all the way across the US using a Power Tank, Elcon fast chargers and a Supercharger. Charging rates up to 11kW.
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My 2014 Zero SR with power tank was perfect during a 8,640 mile road trip this past summer! The only issue was a broken belt, but that was my fault for riding in the dirt and getting a rock caught up in there. Otherwise riding through the heat, rain, wind, altitudes, fast charging, etc. worked out great!
I had plenty of challenges along the way, but the bike was completely reliable and rock solid! (The challenges all involved securing and executing fast charging with 3rd party chargers. The onboard charger worked like a champ!)
So were you able to fast charge with a power tank installed? I thought the two were mutually exclusive?
Yes, I fast charged all the way across the US using a Power Tank, Elcon fast chargers and a Supercharger. Charging rates up to 11kW.
Thanks Ben, so I assume you documented how you hooked all that up so us neophytes can duplicate your handiwork? ::)
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Yes, I fast charged all the way across the US using a Power Tank, Elcon fast chargers and a Supercharger. Charging rates up to 11kW.
Thanks Ben, so I assume you documented how you hooked all that up so us neophytes can duplicate your handiwork? ::)
You bet I did! Here is the first of 25 videos from my 4 Corners of the USA trip this past summer.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YonTFzDaYmg
This one focuses on the equipment and the others focus on the journey itself. It is very easy to set it all up, the charging equipment is plug and play from Hollywood Electrics. I'm not an engineer, just a guy who loves road trips and electric motorcycles!