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[trikester]

I rode the 2013 S today and all I could say was OMG!!! It was like having a crotch rocket under me! A super bike! Handling? Wow it is good!

I like everything about the bike except the location of the helmet lock, WTF! It has got to be about the most stupid location one could find to put a helmet lock.  ZERO designers - What is wrong with the "traditional" location on the rear frame?

Other than that - what a bike!!!!!!!!! Fantastic!!!!!!!!!! 

Trikester

[mehve]

Pics or it didn't happen!! (Read: envyyyyy!)



+ m

[firepower]

Where is the helmet lock?

[oobflyer]

Way cool - amazing that Zero already has 2013 demo bikes available to check out. My local dealer promised to call me when they get some in so I can do a test ride.

As far as the helmet lock location - at least there is a helmet lock!

[trikester]

Agree, at least there is one.

It is on top of the "tank" but down in a hole. It's very hard to clip in a full face helmet when the storage unit is not there. Almost impossible when the pull out storage compartment in place.

My opinion of this bike is that there is no reason any ICE rider would not want to ride one of these unless he or she needed to go farther than the battery could take them, or "refill" and get going sooner. This is (to use an overworked term) an awesome bike!

As far as demos being available yet I don't know. I had a ZERO factory connection that got me this chance to ride one.

I've already put my order in to Hollywood Electrics for the 2013 FX ZF5.7 (since I ride more dirt than pavement and to reduce weight). I will also go with chain drive on that bike as I have on both of my DS's. The good news there is that they have changed to the more rugged 520 chain replacing the always stretching 420's.  

H.E. will be selling my 2010 DS ZF6 for me soon. It has the xenon headlamp I added but I have changed it back to the stock 16" rear wheel.

Trikester

[flar]

Most BMWs have a simple hook under the seat for the purposes of a helmet lock.  The idea isn't that you'd hook your helmet D-rings there, but that you'd get an accessory cable that hooks over that hook and goes through your helmet's D-rings or chin and loops back to the hook.  (The cable is not provided with the bike as they intend you to use the side bags for primary helmet storage...)  A similar cable could probably make the Zero helmet lock much more feasible...

Also, why the chain drive on the DS's?  Is there a problem with belts in the dirt?

Personally that is one of the main detractors for me considering an Empulse at this point.  After my first bike I kept telling myself "no more chain drive" and yet I keep running into bikes that I like that use chain.  When I was shopping before I got my F650 I actually went to the BMW dealer thinking "at least I know I won't end up with chain drive" and ended up falling in love with the only chain drive bike they ever sold...D'oh!  Now I'm on a shaft-drive RT and finally planning to sell my F650 and looking at the Empulse.  D'oh!  And, I'm itching a lot to pull the trigger on the Empulse, but I'm also hedging a wait for the '13 Zeros...

[firepower]

Rocks and debris will cut or damage a belt if it gets caught between belt and pully, that why most belt drives bikes have a full lower belt guard to stop that happening.
Because the zero has no belt guard, best for road use, not recommended for dirt , a steel chain will just crush any rocks or sticks.

I heard the zero belt was not too expensive, and belt technology has gotten lot better.

[Richard230]

Since my Zero S does not have a helmet lock, what I do is to place my helmet on the "tank" and fasten it to the center of the handlebar with a short locking cable run through the chin guard of my full-face helmet.

[ZeroSinMA]

Dammit this really bugs me. Two bikes in two years and year three I got to buy a third one just to keep up?

Why can't Zero knock it off and stop making these bikes so much better every year?

Stop working so hard!

Take some time off.

Relax.

It's not like Zero has any competition. 

[trikester]

Yes, "firepower" covered it. I get into some pretty remote places and a rock breaking a belt would be very bad for me!

Also using a chain with a master link makes it possible for me to remove the chain, for lower rolling resistance, if I had to push the bike any distance, for any reason. I also carry chain repair parts and tools (fortunately, never had to use them).

That said, I don't like chain drive and I wish it wasn't necessary for me to use it for reliability.

BTW - Several months ago I was riding through town here and saw a broken motorcycle belt lying in the middle of the road. I thought; some poor rider had a bad day!

Trikester.

[trikester]

The beautiful 2013 ZERO S showed up at the regular monthly VintageBike OC meet (Huntington Beach CA) today. It attracted a lot of attention even though it is obviously not vintage. A lot of questions were asked of its rider.

I rode one of my Yamaha trike conversions to the meet. You can see both in this month's VintageBike OC photo gallery. www.vintagebikeOC.com

Trikester

[Richard230]

I never quite understood why the fully-enclosed chain guards that were used on many European and Japanese motorcycles during the 1950's and 1960's were completely abandoned by the manufacturers.  The last one I can recall (other than on a motor scooter) was the enclosed chain used on the Yamaha 920 V-twin "sport" bike that was sold during the early 1980's. Its chain ran in a fully-enclosed grease bath and I never heard of one wearing out or needing much maintenance.

[trikester]

I never quite understood why the fully-enclosed chain guards that were used on many European and Japanese motorcycles during the 1950's and 1960's were completely abandoned by the manufacturers.  The last one I can recall (other than on a motor scooter) was the enclosed chain used on the Yamaha 920 V-twin "sport" bike that was sold during the early 1980's. Its chain ran in a fully-enclosed grease bath and I never heard of one wearing out or needing much maintenance.

If Zero started putting a fully enclosed belt drive on the dirt and DS bikes then I would probably go back to belt drive. It sure is a lot quieter 

Trikester

[protomech]

Dammit this really bugs me. Two bikes in two years and year three I got to buy a third one just to keep up?

You don't have to buy a new bike : P

I had thought 2012 would be a real knee in the development curve. I was wrong.. the 2013s are a big upgrade. I'll probably stick with the 2012 for at least a couple of years.

It's not like Zero has any competition.  

Yeah.. it's not like there's a competing manufacturer who's also demoing bikes to customers, dealers, and should be shipping in the next couple of months..

Regardless, it's a moot point. Zero and Brammo both need to improve their bikes (and most critically, drop prices) to make bikes that appeal to more than the small niche they currently occupy.

Comparing the 2012 S vs the 2013 S, same price at $13995:
* 2013 gains passenger pegs ($300) that were formerly options
* 2013 gains a whole host of new features: smartphone integration, lockable storage, left-side drive belt, LED tail light
* 2013 gains a number of enhanced features vs 2012: large power increase, improved brakes, faster onboard charge (9.1 highway miles/hour vs 2012 5.2 highway miles/hour), CHAdeMO option

These are all very good things. But I wonder how much they really will grow the market. Most of the 2012 owners here purchased the ZF9 .. whether because the $2500 upgrade was seen as an easy choice or whether the ZF6 simply wasn't an option .. the market for $14k bikes is small. Selling a better $14k bike than they did last year will certainly help sales, but I suspect any sales growth will be around a factor of 2 rather than a factor of 10.

Consider instead if Zero price-dropped the 2012 S ZF6 to (say) $8995 and sold it alongside the $10495 2013 XU:

* 76/43/29 mile range vs 76/48/35 mile range (city/combined/highway) .. 10% higher in combined riding
* 5.3 hour 95% charge vs 7.4 hour 95% charge
* 75 mph sustained vs 77 mph (sustained?) top speed

The XU is no doubt the better bike.. especially if it were available with a 1.3 kW charger. But I think the 2012 bike, if it could be sold that cheaply while still making a profit for Zero, would win some convert sales that would not otherwise purchase electric .. and a low-price entry model will bring in more interest, many of which may well upgrade to a more expensive bike.

I do think it's more likely that next year we'll see price-dropped 2013 models, now that Zero is building the motors.

[Richard230]

Regarding motorcycle prices, I have been trying to keep up with the 2013 IC model announcements and just about every one has increased in price.  Now it is not that hard to find a $12,000 600 cc bike and larger models, especially large cruisers, Euro bikes and top-end sport bikes are all nearing or have gone over (with options) $20K.  EV performance, compared with IC models might still be lagging, at least as far as motorcycle enthusiasts are concerned, but Zero and Brammo prices are not that far off for bikes that have new technology and are built in very small volumes.