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0         (normal maintenance and wear only, I'm very happy)

38 (50%)

1         (but I'm happy)

9 (11.8%)

1         (it still irritates me)

3 (3.9%)

2         (but I'm happy)

11 (14.5%)

2         (it still irritates me)

1 (1.3%)

>=3    (but I'm happy)

3 (3.9%)

>=3    (it still irritates me)

4 (5.3%)

too much, but I'm still happy

0 (0%)

too much, I sold the bike or never buy 1 again

4 (5.3%)

too much, I sold the bike and waiting for better times

3 (3.9%)

Total Members Voted: 76

[Curt]

Also I think most riders that are completely satisfied with their bike will also not be on a forum, because not looking for answers....

Oh, we're here, all right! 

Of 70 respondents, 57 are happy (81%).

Re: brake squeal, there are other threads on that. Anti-squeal compounds are useless. What works is to pour some water over the calipers then let the bike sit overnight. After that, 1-2 weeks of silence. I discovered this because my brakes never squealed during rainy season.

[Richard230]

Also I think most riders that are completely satisfied with their bike will also not be on a forum, because not looking for answers....

Oh, we're here, all right! 

Of 70 respondents, 57 are happy (81%).

Re: brake squeal, there are other threads on that. Anti-squeal compounds are useless. What works is to pour some water over the calipers then let the bike sit overnight. After that, 1-2 weeks of silence. I discovered this because my brakes never squealed during rainy season.

I did coat my front brake pads with anti-squeal spray yesterday and gave it a workout today.  It seems to have banished the squeal - at least for now.

However, what I really appreciated was Don's instructions regarding removing and replacing the brake pads without needing to remove the caliper from the front fork.  Just remove the circlip on the inside end of the rod at the lower rear of the caliper that holds the pads in place, then unscrew the rod using a 25T Torx bit and withdraw it. Once you do that the pads will drop out. Reverse the process to install the pads. The entire process only takes a few minutes.  Much easier than unbolting the caliper.   

If you will be installing new and thicker brake pads, just use your fingers to press against the old pads and force the caliper pistons apart. That will give you the space that you need to install the new brake pads.

[DonTom]

I did coat my front brake pads with anti-squeal spray yesterday and gave it a workout today.  It seems to have banished the squeal - at least for now.

However, what I really appreciated was Don's instructions regarding removing and replacing the brake pads without needing to remove the caliper from the front fork.  Just remove the circlip on the inside end of the rod at the lower rear of the caliper that holds the pads in place, then unscrew the rod using a 25T Torx bit and withdraw it. Once you do that the pads will drop out. Reverse the process to install the pads. The entire process only takes a few minutes.  Much easier than unbolting the caliper.   

If you will be installing new and thicker brake pads, just use your fingers to press against the old pads and force the caliper pistons apart. That will give you the space that you need to install the new brake pads.

Sorry that I forgot about that circlip! I am glad you discovered it! 

I think you will find it to be a permanent fix. But if you still hear it come back, you can spray on  top of the dry spray you already have and that should do the trick. I have had to use the anti-squeal coating many times on various cars I have owned. I have always had good luck with it. I think there was one time many years ago where I had to do the 2nd coating, but in most cases, one coating will last the life of the pads. Now I use that stuff every pad replacement, I don't wait to see if it's needed. It's too common of a problem with new pad replacement to not do it, as it's simple and cheap and only takes a few minutes.

BTW, give the credit to Shadow, as he was there when I was replacing my front ABS sensor and he told me how to replace the Zero brake  pads. FWIW, it's very common on many bikes to be that easy to replace brake pads. My 1984 Venture is another bike where I don't have to remove the calipers to remove the brake pads.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[DonTom]

Re: brake squeal, there are other threads on that. Anti-squeal compounds are useless. What works is to pour some water over the calipers then let the bike sit overnight. After that, 1-2 weeks of silence. I discovered this because my brakes never squealed during rainy season.

I found the water trick to be useless on my Zero SR which had a VERY LOUD front brake squeal. I used a pressure washer on the front brake. If it did anything, it made the problem a little worse the next day. Didn't you hear my front brake squeal there?   Really, it was LOUD!

The anti-squeal compound got rid of my squeal by around 99.9%. I sometimes now hear a very faint squeal at a very low speed stop but NOTHING like it used to be at the faster speeds where I now hear nothing at all. I consider it a fix. Perhaps a double coating would even fix that very low speed squeal, but this is so weak of a sound that I have no need to bother.

But the strange thing is the old loud squeal was at faster speed stops, never at slow speed stops, Now it's a very weak squeal at very low speed stops  and no squeal at all at faster speed stops.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[Curt]

I found the water trick to be useless on my Zero SR which had a VERY LOUD front brake squeal. I used a pressure washer on the front brake. If it did anything, it made the problem a little worse the next day. Didn't you hear my front brake squeal there?   Really, it was LOUD!

Wow, that really is LOUD!! But mine was LOUD! Maybe stock FX pads are a different material because water has been quenching the squeal reliably for a year now. I guess it would be easy enough to check my pad type by dropping them out with the Shadow technique.

[Shadow]

I have a technique? 

I did get video of DonTom doing the ABS sensor swap (to be edited pending my laptop being so very underpowered). We did really try everything the wrong way at first and this would make a nice montage of what and what not to do. I also credit Liveforphysics for mentioning this to me in person how the shape of the rotor cutout is to allow this kind of action (? not sure if I'm remembering that part correctly).

[Killroy]

List of things replaced under warranty, which I am now out of

• Replaced 2 Instrument Read Out - Water inside - lots of rain riding
  Droopy Mirror
  Body work - factory brake fluid overfill left blemish on plastic
  Onboard charger wiring harness replaced after it melted a charge cord
  Onboard Charger

I had one low power incident on the freeway at 17% of charge.  I almost had to push it to a charging station.  That was scary

I also had a complete shutdown at night splitting lanes on a expressway. Fortunately it came back to life quickly, but the cars started passing me.  That was harry. 

[Richard230]

List of things replaced under warranty, which I am now out of

• Replaced 2 Instrument Read Out - Water inside - lots of rain riding
  Droopy Mirror
  Body work - factory brake fluid overfill left blemish on plastic
  Onboard charger wiring harness replaced after it melted a charge cord
  Onboard Charger

I had one low power incident on the freeway at 17% of charge.  I almost had to push it to a charging station.  That was scary

I also had a complete shutdown at night splitting lanes on a expressway. Fortunately it came back to life quickly, but the cars started passing me.  That was harry.

What year and model is your bike?

[Evilthor]

I have a 2018 SR and the only problem I have is when I get on the road the throttle goes to maximum a lot. Of course that is me and not the bike

[Moto7575]

The numbers are very bad : there is probably a huge bias that make totally unsatisfied customers number lower than it actually is.
The customers who had so many problems they don't want to buy a Zero again probably left the forum and try not to think about it anymore. Zero really need to respect customers & dealer much more if they dont want to go bankrupt...

[dennis-NL]

I think the opposite, happy riders are less...
We will never know for sure.
But 50% never had problems is bad.
It should be 80% in my view.
 

[Moto7575]

Agree. Or 50% but 100% happy with the way it was handled with. We can all agree that developing a new technology is complex, and I am ready to support this  but not ensuring the minimal customer service when it goes wrong is what really makes me angry. This is what Zero gets totally wrong.