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[whirr]

Howdy all and thanks in advance for any insight you all might have.

I am considering purchasing a 2014 Zero DS 11.4 and will likely be going in for a test ride soon, but figured I might be able to get some insight here first.

First of all about me, I grew up riding dirt bikes and motorcycles in my younger years, but sold off my last bike ~15 years ago (500cc Kawasaki) and have not really done any riding since.

I am a big guy, 6'5" ~315lb.

My intentions are for a commuter bike and for a lot of neighborhood, city driving with a bit of limited highway driving.  I expect over 90% of my riding would be on roads, but I can see the need for the occasional trail ride or dirt road.

Based on my research, I think the Zero DS 11.4 seems pretty favorably reviewed and should meet my range needs.
I acknowledge that there seems to be a premium paid for an electric bike and I could probably save some money going with a gas powered bike, but I think I am willing to eat that premium for the novelty of having a much quieter bike and not needing to rely on gasoline.  I am also not a tinkerer so the idea of reduced maintenance appeals to me.

So I guess my initial questions are, have I landed on the right bike for my needs?
Am I too big for this bike?  Should I expect any noticeable reduction in performance(range or speed) due to my weight? 
Is there any negotiating in price with these bikes, or should I pretty much expect to pay the retail sticker price?

Thanks.

[kensiko]

You won't see range reduction on the road, since the main loss is coming from the wind.

In town you may loose a bit of range, but I highly doubt it will be significant, the bike is rated for more weight.

[protomech]

You should be fine with respect to weight on the bike, at least by yourself. Riding two up will probably exceed the weight rating. Definitely if you can hop on a demo and ride it around, even a 2013 should have very similar ergonomics and just make sure that you fit well on the bike.

The DS ZF11.4 is going to be a bit of a handful on more serious trails, it weighs about 400 pounds. Depending on your range needs, you might look at the smaller ZF8.5 bike.

There will be a reduction in acceleration due to weight - Zero probably rates the bikes with a smaller rider, ~150 pounds .. so an extra ~150 pounds on the ZF11.4 will reduce acceleration by approximately 20%, from 5.7s 0-60 to 7.3s 0-60.

[bigd]

 "Should I expect any noticeable reduction in performance(range or speed) due to my weight?" Even if I thought so, "At 6'5" ~315lb" I would not say you are to big for the bike  . See the smiley Frodo, and  others with reading comprehension problems, it is a joke. Seriously, im 260 id like to know how the weight effects it.

[benswing]

whirr, you will be fine.  The DS is probably best for you since it sits taller than a Zero S. 

It is a perfect bike for your needs and you'll soon find that you love commuting!  :-)

[biolife]

Am I too big for this bike?  Should I expect any noticeable reduction in performance(range or speed) due to my weight? 
Is there any negotiating in price with these bikes, or should I pretty much expect to pay the retail sticker price?

I don't have experience on an S/DS, but I can tell you my experience on my SR. When I'm on my own (I'm about 215, 6'2"), the bike is really quick. When I add another person on (say my brother, so +200lbs), the bike is noticeably slower. However, I would never say that the bike is slow with the added weight. Top speed shouldn't really be affected, since it's mostly air displacement at that point, but 0-60 on my SR with an extra 200lbs is probably a second or so slower.

On the price, I'm not sure there is much haggling room at all on the 2014 bikes, however I was able to get a deal on gear that I purchased so they're not totally inflexible. I'm sure you can get a much better deal on 2012/2013 bikes, since they probably want to move old stock.