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Author Topic: Life with one 2012 XU  (Read 4098 times)

peter

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Life with one 2012 XU
« on: March 16, 2014, 06:18:48 AM »

I've posted a couple of times stating that Zeros can be unreliable. By way of explanation, here's my Zero story. The first three paragraphs of this are excerpted from a post I made previously. Rest is self-explanatory. Our household's experience with an XU.

I've got a 2012 XU that my wife commutes back roads to work on (well, my wife owns & rides it, but I keep the household's motorcycles going, so I'm responsible for the Zero). I'm coming to this from a history of Eurobikes. My current commuter bike is a 1981 Morini 500. Picked up the 2012 XU during the "cash for carbon" deal in late March 2013. We live in the Northeast USA.

Had the bike 4 days and the horn stopped working. I traced the problem to the horn itself, took Zero 2 weeks to send out a new one. Late June the bike stopped dead a couple of miles from home, I managed to get it working long enough to get home. Then it stopped completely. My wife, who'd been riding it when it first stopped, said it sounded like something in the throttle assembly went click - so I emailed the dealer we got it from to send me out another throttle assembly. The dealer, btw, is 120 miles away, and our nearest dealer. (I pointed out that as I'd just fitted a completely new ignition system to the Morini, I was probably up to fitting a new throttle assembly). This coincided with us heading overseas for a while, so the bike sat for a couple of months.

It took me a while to get back to it, and when I did, folks at the dealer said as a warranty job, they'd have to do it and couldn't send me the part. I tried to get the head of their service dept for a chat, we did the phone tag thing a few times, and never caught up. In the end I gave up and - we don't have a truck (carbon accounting?), and hiring a truck wasn't cheaper enough, by the time I included the 240 mile round trip - so the dealer came & picked up the bike. They've got it fixed pretty quickly - just under 2 weeks from it being picked up early November 2013. Transport cost for the warranty work was $450.

We got the XU back late November. The dealer changed over the throttle assembly and “recalibrated the system” to quote their email. They had it working. Between weather, work and kids, I didn't get to ride it in to work until a bit before Christmas. So I get on the bike, turn the key and – nothing. No response. Hmm - thinks I – not so good. I turn the key a few more times, and it turns on. So – maybe a glitchy connection in the key switch.

It seemed silly to ring the dealer without trying to ride the bike, so I rode it to work (15 minutes on backroads, just what an XU is made for). Got off, turned it off, took the key out – and the lights stayed on. Oh dear, thinks I. Re-insert the key, turn it off, and it goes off. Scratch my head - bad key switch? Leave the bike in the car park, wander in to work.

Come out that evening – it's cold, raining and dark. Of course. As I walk towards the bike, I see a light shining on. Again, I say to myself - oh dear (well, not really oh dear this time). So the lights and instruments are lit up, and have been on for about an hour and a half. By magic, with the key in my pocket and me in my office the whole time. So I try turning the bike off with the key. No joy. So I turn the bike “on” with the key, roll the throttle on to see what happens. No forward motion. Seems like there's no power to the motor, or the battery's too flat. I find somewhere to leave the bike under cover, and locked, overnight. Get a lift home.

As it's after 5pm on the east coast, the local dealer's shut, so I ring Zero direct. They tell me it's likely to be a short in the MBB (main bike board) & they'll send one out to me to fit myself. I get the bike home in the back of a friend's Honda Odyssey next day. Board arrived just after New Year, I got around to fitting it Jan 19 or so. Went in just fine.

But – the battery wouldn't charge. It turns out that as MBB fault left the battery completely discharged, and as Zero can't guarantee that a fully discharged battery will operate properly again, it's set up not to charge. So – the bike needs a new battery. But, it's a 2012 XU, and this is January 2014. Zero need to make a new battery for it, they didn't have any in inventory.

I was told I'd have new battery by the first or second week in March. I pinged Zero last Wednesday, got a phone call saying the battery was ready to go. Another phone call Thursday to let me know that someone would need to sign for the battery on arrival, so I'd get a tracking number by email.

I'm waiting on the tracking number.

Peter
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kensiko

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Re: Life with one 2012 XU
« Reply #1 on: March 19, 2014, 07:08:13 PM »

Seems like you got a lemon. That's a sad story, really. In US I think you have something called lemon law? Can you use it ?
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protomech

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Re: Life with one 2012 XU
« Reply #2 on: March 19, 2014, 08:59:57 PM »

The BBB has a summary of lemon laws in the US. Each state has their own; for example, I thought most lemon laws do not apply to motorcycles. However, at least in Alabama all self-propelled vehicles that can travel on the highway are covered.

http://www.bbb.org/council/programs-services/dispute-handling-and-resolution/bbb-auto-line/learn-more-about-state-lemon-laws/

Keep us updated on the battery status.
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peter

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Re: Life with one 2012 XU
« Reply #3 on: March 20, 2014, 03:27:34 AM »

Thanks folks

Trying to make this bike work, if possible. My understanding is that we could go the lemon law route, but I'd really rather not.

Got the tracking number yesterday evening, should get the battery soon.

Will keep you posted.

Rode the Morini to work today. Glorious.
Peter
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protomech

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Re: Life with one 2012 XU
« Reply #4 on: March 20, 2014, 06:23:20 AM »

Zero has gone the extra mile to fix issues under warranty with me, though at times they are exceptionally slow. Hopefully they will come through for you as well.
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peter

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Re: Life with one 2012 XU
« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2014, 06:01:31 AM »

Thanks protomech. Hopefully this will work out.  By way of update - the battery arrived yesterday, I fitted it yesterday afternoon.

With the battery connected, the key in, and the key switch on off (or for that matter, with the key out and in my pocket, it makes no difference) - the lights all stay on -  headlight, taillight, instrument panel all on. The blinkers / horn / headlight flasher all work as well. But - there's no power to the motor. The little red warning lights on the instrument panel do not come on. The green light indicating that the headlight is on - it is on. All the indicator lights on the instrument panel - for high beam or for the turn indicators - they work as well.

Switching the key to the "on" position, there's an audible click after ~ 3 seconds, and the red warning lights (little triangle with the ! in it, and the "fuel level" light) come on, then go off. The motor works when I use the throttle.

I'm not convinced that the battery charge level indicator works properly with the switch either on or off.

I chatted with Zero about this yesterday. Next step over the weekend is to disconnect the ignition switch to ensure that it isn't a dud. Given the click when I turn it to "on" I have a feeling that it's not, but it needs checking to be sure. A wiring diagram would be handy at this point...

Needless to say the battery's disconnected now so it won't go flat.

Coming up on a year's ownership, and the bike's gone <400 miles.
ever onward
Peter
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peter

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Re: Life with one 2012 XU
« Reply #6 on: March 23, 2014, 02:28:41 AM »

Further update -

So I just disconnected the ignition switch, connected up the battery - and the lights etc still come on. So it's not the nice simple option of the ignition switch.

Out of interest, has anyone else experienced this?

not totally thrilled
Peter
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peter

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Re: Life with one 2012 XU
« Reply #7 on: April 06, 2014, 03:50:27 AM »

New update -

Zero sent me a new DC-DC converter yesterday and I fitted it this afternoon. Finally - success. The lights go off when they're meant to, and everything seems to be working okay. Key works and everything.

chirpily
Peter

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kensiko

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Re: Life with one 2012 XU
« Reply #8 on: April 06, 2014, 07:23:11 AM »

Good! Let's hope it will be reliable now.
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protomech

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Re: Life with one 2012 XU
« Reply #9 on: April 15, 2014, 06:08:14 AM »

Any update peter?
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peter

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Re: Life with one 2012 XU
« Reply #10 on: April 16, 2014, 06:16:45 AM »

Yep. Bike's running like a little gem now. My wife's started riding it to work again.

Fingers crossed, it's fine!
Peter
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peter

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Re: Life with one 2012 XU
« Reply #11 on: April 26, 2014, 05:13:57 AM »

Hmm - so a few days ago I took the XU for a spin. Turned it on, waited for everything to show up on the dash, rolled the throttle and - nothing. Turned it off, turned it on again and it went fine.

My wife's been riding it to work, and has had no issues so far. I just took it for a spin this evening to see how it's running. At one point, at an intersection, I switched to "sport" mode, went to take off and it kinda sputtered and did nothing. Rather like dropping the clutch and bogging the engine on an ICE bike. Happened twice, then ran fine. I played about with the sport / eco setting while riding and the problem didn't occur again.

Leaves me feeling a little uncomfortable. We'll see what happens over the next couple of weeks.
Peter
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motorfiets

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Re: Life with one 2012 XU
« Reply #12 on: April 27, 2014, 08:35:04 AM »

Curious... what kind of range are you getting?

Hmm - so a few days ago I took the XU for a spin. Turned it on, waited for everything to show up on the dash, rolled the throttle and - nothing. Turned it off, turned it on again and it went fine.

My wife's been riding it to work, and has had no issues so far. I just took it for a spin this evening to see how it's running. At one point, at an intersection, I switched to "sport" mode, went to take off and it kinda sputtered and did nothing. Rather like dropping the clutch and bogging the engine on an ICE bike. Happened twice, then ran fine. I played about with the sport / eco setting while riding and the problem didn't occur again.

Leaves me feeling a little uncomfortable. We'll see what happens over the next couple of weeks.
Peter
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peter

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Re: Life with one 2012 XU
« Reply #13 on: April 27, 2014, 08:05:57 PM »

Range is ~ 45 minutes of suburban riding. Riding to work is ~8 miles through streets with speed limits of either 40mph or 25mph (so ~15 minutes). Return trip to & from work is no problems at all, probably 4 bars left on the battery indicator. For the rest it's used for running small errands that wouldn't allow my bike (Morini 500) to warm up properly.

hth
Peter
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peter

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Re: Life with one 2012 XU
« Reply #14 on: May 29, 2014, 03:45:59 AM »

So - an update.

Yesterday my wife had trouble starting - she thought maybe she hadn't got the sidestand up properly, nudged it, it worked fine. I went ride it this morning - to get this year's inspection sticker. Didn't go on the first turn of the throttle then went.

And then today, the light's started staying on when the key turns off. Again. It's intermittent & currently the Zero's in the garage. Right now, the light goes off with the key, but I've disconnected the drain side of battery anyway. The charging side is still connected, but I don't want to find the bike with the light on tomorrow morning.

So this time, the bike's worked from the end of the first week in April to the last week in May. Not very impressive.

rather irritated
Peter
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