ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: webster on May 24, 2015, 03:25:28 AM
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I'm new to the forum and very new to E-bikes. Just needed some advise and feedback. I'm over 6 feet 3 inches and weigh around 215 lbs. I test rode the 2015 SR and FX back to back and loved both. The SR feels more planted and solid on the street than the FX. It was also faster once rolling. From a dead stop they were pretty close. I have a motocross background which is why I liked the FX riding position, looks, seat height and handlebars . The FX is also very easy to lift the front end and I can take it in the dirt. Range is not an issue with either bike. If I went with the FX ridding would be 80% street and 20% dirt. My gut tells me to go with the SR because I love the massive torque. The SR has so much torque it's addictive. I liked it better than any ICE street bike I've ridden to date. I know these bikes are different FX enduro and SR pure street bike only. Any feedback would be appreiated. :D
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Fx supermotard
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FX is 100lbs lighter, can go off road, interchangeable/movable batteries, and cheaper. I really think that if you have any intentions on doing off road riding then you need to get the FX.
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Don't forget the FX has less than a third the range of the SR according to Zero's website.
It sounds like what you're wantin' is the DS... that's "80% street and 20% dirt" where the FX is about "100% dirt" IMHO.
Have you considered that?
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I think the real question is do you feel comfortable riding a 450-550lbs bike or do you want something under 300???
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I think the real question is do you feel comfortable riding a 450-550lbs bike or do you want something under 300???
The weight of the SR / S / DS while accurate are not representative of how they feel when you are on them. The bike feels lighter than a Ninja 250 both in flick ability and lifting it when dropped. I suspect this is because the weight is largely lower on the bike.
I have been on other 450lbs bikes and they all feel heavier than the zero. Only my ninja 250 compares. (I should say former 250 as I sold it a week ago)
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I don't care how nimble the bike is its 500lbs
Bottom line when I'm on a fx I know it's under 300 and when I've been on a s platform it's VERY obvious it's 200 lbs heavier there will be no comparison!!! The fx will be much much more agile!
Yes the s might handle "good" but it's not near as nimble as a fx
More so if you ride rough roads the s won't ever keep up
If most of ur riding is smooth high speed stretches then s or ds might be the bike of choice for you.
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Yes the FX is about 125 lbs. lighter which is huge especially when riding in the dirt. The salesman said because of it's light weight around 280 lbs this is why it's so quick and nimble. I do like the looks of the DS better than the SR, but it's to slow. The SR and FX are definitely Zero's fastest accelerating bikes. The shop where I test rode it had a customer who bought an SR and put DS tires and bars so he could ride it in the dirt. I heard that Zero is working on releasing a similar model called the DSR. "Hello" SR acceleration on a DS…this could be interesting?
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Personally I would just buy the ds suspension and a sr
I would not ride a s suspension on the dirt, unless is smooth dirt, been there done that with a friends xu with fx wheels, so same story dirt(dual sport) wheels tires and then street suspension..... You will jello the inside of the forks if you hit anything decently hard, getting any slight air going over bumps, you can literally hear the fluid separating and bubbling. Granted the Showa might take it better than the fast ace, I still wouldn't do it much if at all. I can imagine the s bikes that are I the 450 range would feel like a tank on the dirt and it would be exasperated if you had street style suspension on it.
A 3 brick monolith battery does feel nimble light, slow as piss compared to a fx
I have a 13fx with stock rear, and 14 S suspension on the front of a fx, for a little more reference, that I ride daily.
I've played with basically every model of zeros mostly x platforms adapting different S platform suspensions on most of them. You seem like your after a DSR or a
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you are probably best to wait for the DSR, Zero has trade marked that model, and after seeing how popular the SR sales are, they would be crazy not to do the same thing to the DS model.
Or if you can't wait, talk to Harlem at Hollywood Electrics, he's a mad scientist and loves to create new Zero models. DS just needs the 660A motor controller instead of the stock 420A. That way you have the long travel suspension.
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I think the DSR makes a lot of sense, but I do think it needs a styling update to fit into the ADV style currently in vogue. Right now the Zero bikes just look a little odd to me. Practical, but not very stylish. And style does sell motorcycles. ;)
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I have to stand with the FX if you want to do anything playful. But I do disagree aggressively that the FX is "100% Dirt" as this implies that the bike is 0% on road and I can tell you that this bike is a FIRM 50/50. I have put 1000 miles on my bike so far and 950 of that is on roads and it is AMAZING. I just recently got to go "trail riding" with it and it was AMAZING. Hands down, no lie, and lots of bike experience; this is the best dual sport bike I have ever ridden. And when I say trial riding I mean I beat the hell out of it riding on anything and everything I could. I didn't even once think "maybe it can't do this" because it did EVERYTHING. The best part was how nice and quiet it was. I felt like I was riding mountain bike it was so quiet and light (with one battery in the rear of the bike). The bike outlasted me between the two batteries. By the end of the day I was not able to ride any more form exhaustion. When I did drop the bike it was fine and not too heavy to pick up at all.
If you want to be serious about offroad beyond fire roads then you need the FX just end of story.
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Fx is setup more like a on road bike than off-road..... Plain and simple
Dirt bikes are "more robust" have less of a seat, less comfort more dirt suspension
The fx sits upright nicely and is clearly designed for the street, the rake suspension until now has never been able to hit more than a fire road with some bumps. Don't get me wrong you can hit trails on a fx etc, I do all the time!
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While all that is true. From Zero, if you want a off road bike the FX is the only real choice.
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I can't give an "experienced Zero opinion", 'cause I don't have my FX yet, but I went for the FX because I want a bike that'll be better off-road, even though I'll probably do a lot of road riding on it. I like the lighter weight of the FX, and I think less torque will be better on slippery surfaces. I own a '10 KTM 530exc, but prefer my older GasGas EC250(2stroke) for tight, tricky trail riding, because of the light weight and less torque; it's much easier to ride.
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Well that is the nice thing about electric. How much power do you want? 10 HP or all 45 HP? No clutch (good and bad). Really the only time I have had an issue with my bike is when I need to try to pop a wheelie at very very slow speeds. Even that though isn't a big issue. With the FX because there is no idle speed. If you want to putt along at a snails pace you can. I am thinking about gearing my bike down sometime in the future as I would rather have the extra torque for low speed wheelies and responsiveness and lose 15 MPH off the top speed.