Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[jwacree]

Hi Guys! I'm NEW!
I bought a project of Ebay, So I have zero experance.
My next post will be in the tech area.

See ya on the tech pages
jwacree

[pepeps]

Hello Everyone,
I ride and love my BMW F800ST but I feel a great commitment to get involved in the electric motorcycle revolution.  I hope to buy one soon as I see how they are improving per reports on magazines.
What do you think?  Should I take the plunge now or wait another couple of years?  The way I see it, most big improvements will be in the battery department and I hope newer batteries will be installable on today's electrics.
Please give me your experienced opinions!  Happy owners?
Cheers,
PEPE

[Richard230]

I think that the 2013 Zero S and the Brammo Empulse will be stable platforms for the next couple of years.  I don't see any big improvement in batteries available for commercial purchase within that period.  So if you have the cash and interest in electric motorcycles, I think next year would be a good time to buy one.  Both the Brammo and Zero now have enough performance to be useful for most motorcycle riders and the limited range is just something that you will have to live with. Also having an IC motorcycle solves that problem.

P.S. I love my F650GS twin, too.   

[manlytom]

Hello Everyone,
I ride and love my BMW F800ST but I feel a great commitment to get involved in the electric motorcycle revolution.  I hope to buy one soon as I see how they are improving per reports on magazines.
What do you think?  Should I take the plunge now or wait another couple of years?  The way I see it, most big improvements will be in the battery department and I hope newer batteries will be installable on today's electrics.
Please give me your experienced opinions!  Happy owners?
Cheers,
PEPE

Hi
 welcome. just sold my Harley and rely solely on my 2011 S ! Ok, figured that the riding I am doing is not long touring so an easy choice. Once hooked on riding with the fun of the Zero I always picked that. To keep the Harley going had to do occasional rides.
So for now I guess depends on your riding habits. If you do a lot of touring stick with the BMW, you might get a Zero 2011 or 2012 on side for the short rides 

[EastSider]

Howdy!
I've been following Zero bikes for a few years, and this forum for a few months and have learned a great deal from many of you, especially the frequent, experienced contributors, so thank you! I've been waiting for the range of the DS to move up to where owning one is a viable option for me living in a mountainous rural area. Anyway, I recently ordered a 2013 DS, and I can't wait! This will be my first motorcycle. Thanks again, all.
Cheers

[WindRider]

Hello All,

I am new here.  Been riding motorcycles since I was 5.  I have owned Suzuki GS400, Kawasaki GPz550, Harley Sportster 883, a Couple of Kawasaki KLR650s, Yamaha TW200, Yamaha XT250, and a Couple of Buell Ulysses, an 06 and a 2010 model.

I sold my 2010 Buell Ulysses last summer and I just used the Cash for Carbon Trade in program from Zero to Trade my XT250 in on a new 2012 Zero DS.   It will be my only motorcycle next year so I am interested in learning more about the 2012 Zero DS.   I will be mostly commuting to work (30 miles one way) and will have a place to plug and and charge while there.  I will also use the Zero for weekend trail rides, or anything else that I can use it for given it's range.

I am very excited to go all electric and get back and forth to work for a few cents on domestic energy but I am also interested in enjoying the ride and I have always found the DS to a be a great looking bike with enough power to make it interesting.   

I will miss the ability to go for a 400 mile day ride or take a long distance weekend excursion on 2 wheels but it is part of the deal to go all electric right now.

[manlytom]

Hello All,

I am new here.  Been riding motorcycles since I was 5.  I have owned Suzuki GS400, Kawasaki GPz550, Harley Sportster 883, a Couple of Kawasaki KLR650s, Yamaha TW200, Yamaha XT250, and a Couple of Buell Ulysses, an 06 and a 2010 model.

I sold my 2010 Buell Ulysses last summer and I just used the Cash for Carbon Trade in program from Zero to Trade my XT250 in on a new 2012 Zero DS.   It will be my only motorcycle next year so I am interested in learning more about the 2012 Zero DS.   I will be mostly commuting to work (30 miles one way) and will have a place to plug and and charge while there.  I will also use the Zero for weekend trail rides, or anything else that I can use it for given it's range.

I am very excited to go all electric and get back and forth to work for a few cents on domestic energy but I am also interested in enjoying the ride and I have always found the DS to a be a great looking bike with enough power to make it interesting.   

I will miss the ability to go for a 400 mile day ride or take a long distance weekend excursion on 2 wheels but it is part of the deal to go all electric right now.

welcome. may of us started to put the bikes history or collection - into the footer of our messages... its interesting to see how many of us convert or collect.

[SK]

Skademo,

Glad to join the forum. I am researching purchase of a new EM for commuting and fun. 2013 Zero S is appealing to me. Hoping to find some authentic user experience with EMs and specifically the Zero S.

I have a 35 mi round trip commute, mostly 35 - 45 mph with one small stretch of 50 MPH. I used to ride gas powered motorcycles and I am looking for something comparable. My concern, which may be a common newbie question, is how EMs perform in the rain, and are they safe electrically in a rainy environment. I live near Seattle and if you are not from here you still probably heard that it drizzles rain 6 months of the year. Nonetheless, a lot of riders commonly ride or commute year round except on the dozen or so days when there is snow or ice.

Safe Riding,

SK

[benswing]

skalups5550 - Many of us have gone on rides in the rain and have had no problems.  On 2012 versions the outlet is directly behind the front wheel, so many of us have waterproofed that but otherwise it is perfectly safe to ride in the rain.  I've personally ridden through some serious downpours and puddles that are several inches deep. 

Welcome to the forum everyone!  You're gonna love riding electric!

[BrianTRice@gmail.com]

skalups5550: I live in Seattle and unfortunately rode through yesterday's downpour on the 2013 DS. The bike provides no protection for the rider from the elements but takes care of itself very competently. It does not underperform or have electrical issues.

[TargeT]

skalups5550: I live in Seattle and unfortunately rode through yesterday's downpour on the 2013 DS. The bike provides no protection for the rider from the elements but takes care of itself very competently. It does not underperform or have electrical issues.

Well that answers one of my questions, thanks!

I just ordered a 2013 zero FX & it should be here tuesday/wed.  I live in the US Virgin Islands on St Croix (27 miles long, 7 miles wide at the widest/longest points) I commute about 20 miles to work one, the route I take is a 25-35 mph road (I guess, no one follows any traffic control devices here, with the exceptioin of stoplights... most the time) which I think will work out perfectly (especially if i can find a place to plug in at work.. haha)

But it does rain here, very heavily at times.. hopefully the fenders do a good job of keeping road grime mostly off me.

[Lipo423]

You will enjoy quite a lot the FX (I tested one last October, and had another chance for a longer ride last week 
A piece of advice. Be gentle with the throttle...especially if you never rode any electrical vehicle before...I have seen profesional bike testers getting in trouble with this one...
It is a funny bike, I may get another one too

[Humancom]

Hi my name is Ben, i live in the Netherlands. Yesterday I ordered a DS 2013. I have a daily round trip of about 135 km.  very excited about the bike and never stopping at a gas station again.  Hope to learn about ev's in this forum which I've been reading with interest for the last couple of weeks.

Thank you al for sharing and letting me learn 

[BrianTRice@gmail.com]

skalups5550: I live in Seattle and unfortunately rode through yesterday's downpour on the 2013 DS. The bike provides no protection for the rider from the elements but takes care of itself very competently. It does not underperform or have electrical issues.

Well that answers one of my questions, thanks!
[...]
But it does rain here, very heavily at times.. hopefully the fenders do a good job of keeping road grime mostly off me.

I should add one caveat to that, now that I have some more experience. The bike has enough torque to weight ratio that it can fishtail if there's enough oil on the road surface. I experienced this myself a few weeks ago. It's light enough to easily bring itself out of that situation but it was definitely eye-opening to reach that condition (on a steep onramp in a particularly sudden rain).

[Nemo]

Hi Guys! I'm NEW!
I had a project to change my motorcycle to an electrical one, but I just changed my BUELL 2009 to a brand new Zero S ZF9 2012.
i had a good deal, so
I'm here for mod, hack, or improvement.

Nemo