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[ZEM Tahiti]

As we just get our first bikes on our tropical and mountainous island, we really love the bikes!
But as all human in search of perfection (!) we spotted some possible improvements (very normal for young brand), and we hope it could be red by the good guys at the ZERO R&D!

- When stopping on steep grades, a Parking brake would be nice. As for big scooters, it is very convenient to be able to stop wherever you want, hands and feet free. Thermic motorbikes don't need that, you just let the first or 2nd gear, and stall the engine!
- For experienced riders, no left lever is really frustrating (I have more than 30 years with 2 fingers on both levers!), so I thought left lever could be an extra  rear brake, with possibility to lock it when stopped, ->parking brake.
- a slightly bigger, waterproof, and lockable storage in tank place (afraid that the power cable will get stolen)
- softer seat
- Last but not least, as it has been noticed by most riders, 5 to 10° more for the steering angle would considerably help maneuverability in small corners/spaces

Many Thanks

[MrDude_1]

- When stopping on steep grades, a Parking brake would be nice. As for big scooters, it is very convenient to be able to stop wherever you want, hands and feet free. Thermic motorbikes don't need that, you just let the first or 2nd gear, and stall the engine!
- For experienced riders, no left lever is really frustrating (I have more than 30 years with 2 fingers on both levers!), so I thought left lever could be an extra  rear brake, with possibility to lock it when stopped, ->parking brake.

If you swap the footbrake cyl to a stuntbike style one, you can run a front master cyl and keep the brake pedal. 
If you do that, and get an ATV master, it will have a locking lever. this could be your parking brake.

As for the seat, Corbin or any of the other aftermarket seat companies can help you.

[mrwilsn]

- a slightly bigger, waterproof, and lockable storage in tank place

+1....I'm not concerned about the charge cable getting stolen though....I want to be able to put a full face helmet in there.  Then I wouldn't need the top box for my daily commute or most other trips, just when doing things like grocery shopping or longer distance trips.

[Doug S]

As for the seat, Corbin or any of the other aftermarket seat companies can help you.

I wonder about that. Generally they have to have a seat pan to work from, and I wouldn't be too sure they've got one for the Zeros. Pretty small, niche-market bikes. It doesn't concern me too much anyhow -- even when I get my DigiNow charger, it still won't be possible to sit on the bike for hours at a time between stops anyhow, the range just won't support that.

[MrDude_1]

As for the seat, Corbin or any of the other aftermarket seat companies can help you.

I wonder about that. Generally they have to have a seat pan to work from, and I wouldn't be too sure they've got one for the Zeros. Pretty small, niche-market bikes. It doesn't concern me too much anyhow -- even when I get my DigiNow charger, it still won't be possible to sit on the bike for hours at a time between stops anyhow, the range just won't support that.

If they don't have one, you can send yours in for them to model.

[NoiseBoy]

I had a Corbin seat on my 2012 and I believe Mr. Corbin himself owns a Zero, so I'm sure he could make you a seat!

[wavelet]

- When stopping on steep grades, a Parking brake would be nice. As for big scooters, it is very convenient to be able to stop wherever you want, hands and feet free. Thermic motorbikes don't need that, you just let the first or 2nd gear, and stall the engine!
- For experienced riders, no left lever is really frustrating (I have more than 30 years with 2 fingers on both levers!), so I thought left lever could be an extra  rear brake, with possibility to lock it when stopped, ->parking brake.

If you swap the footbrake cyl to a stuntbike style one, you can run a front master cyl and keep the brake pedal. 
If you do that, and get an ATV master, it will have a locking lever. this could be your parking brake.

As for the seat, Corbin or any of the other aftermarket seat companies can help you.

That kind of solution isn't recommended -- it will eventually deform the hydraulic gaskets; brake systems aren't intended to be deployed for hours at a time . Ditto various kludges that clamp the front brake lever.
The simple solution is to do what all auto-transmission bikes I'm aware of had or have: Mechanical cable that locks one of the rotors. It wouldn't cost more than $5 or so to the manufacturer to add.
I'm surprised Zero haven't done it yet -- they'll have to after the first few lawsuits due to the bike rolling on top of something (hopefully not someone). In a lot of municipalities laws actually require all vehicles to be in gear or a parking brake applied for all parked vehicles, so it's actually illegal to park a Zero there.

[ZEM Tahiti]

Your arguments are CLEAR, Wavelet!
Hope ZERO R&D will imply that park brake before any trial!
I'm sure they can even do an electric one, with safety (can't  apply until totally stopped).

[BenS]

Last but not least, as it has been noticed by most riders, 5 to 10° more for the steering angle would considerably help maneuverability in small corners/spaces

Unfortunately, that would affect high speed stability, so that is not likely to change. Head angle is always a compromise between quick steering and stability.

Regarding wanting a "park brake", it would be nice, but if parking on a hill, parking the bike perpendicular to the slope, with the front or rear wheel stopped by the gutter works well enough, but if you don't have a gutter, you just need to get a good angle, so that it won't roll down the hill. Even with a car parked on a hill, I always have the front wheels turned, so that if it does start to roll, it won't get too far.

[Richard230]

Well, you could always carry a brick around with you.   

[ctrlburn]

On steeper hills, just lay the bike over, it is not going to leak anything.

[gborgan]

Steering:  I think the complaint is that the turning circle is too wide...unusually so for a motorcycle.  Very hard to maneuver in tight places. Nothing to do with quick, snappy steering while riding. These things steer like a PT Cruiser...which could not make u turns on ordinary streets.  I have also found the Zero will hit the locks easily when turning at walking speed.

Parking Brake: back in '83 I had a Suzuki GS 450-A(utomatic). It had a left lever with a lock just for that purpose but it was cable operated. My airplane has a hydraulic lock so it can be done. Just more parts and more money.


George in San Diego

[Richard230]

Lots of cheap "automatic transmission" scooters have parking brakes. Not rocket science, apparently.   

[BenS]

Steering:  I think the complaint is that the turning circle is too wide..

Yeah, you're absolutely correct, we've been discussing it in another thread, but when I saw 5-10° steering angle in this thread, I automatically thought he wanted to steepen the head angle, which would only help a small amount! I've only just realized what he meant by saying 5-10°: he wants 5-10° more rotation!

[ZEM Tahiti]

Yes Ben, I was meaning rotation for turning radius! Not bilingual sorry! These bikes are so light that you want to squeeze through cars in trafic jam just like a scooter...