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[Snafuperman]

Will I need to have a smartphone, pad, or laptop to connect  to a new 2020-2021 Zero?  I don't have any of those devices.  I don't plan to upgrade or modify the new Zero I buy, just ride it.

[valnar]

There is a custom drive mode that you'll probably want to play with.  Also the Android/iOS app is useful for downloading logs in case something goes wrong.
https://zeromanual.com/wiki/Drive_Modes

It's a modern vehicle and you'll probably want to get a modern device to support it.  I'd just buy an older Android tablet for cheap.  'No need to pay for any cellular service.

[Snafuperman]

There is a custom drive mode that you'll probably want to play with.  Also the Android/iOS app is useful for downloading logs in case something goes wrong.
https://zeromanual.com/wiki/Drive_Modes

It's a modern vehicle and you'll probably want to get a modern device to support it.  I'd just buy an older Android tablet for cheap.  'No need to pay for any cellular service.

I have a recent model Kawasaki which has a couple of engine power modes and a couple of traction modes, but these can be changed using the bike's dashboard.  The Zero isn't like that?

[DonTom]

Will I need to have a smartphone, pad, or laptop to connect  to a new 2020-2021 Zero?  I don't have any of those devices.  I don't plan to upgrade or modify the new Zero I buy, just ride it.

Nope. But understand you can buy a very cheap SmartPhone and NOT activate it and it will work fine with BlueTooth. That is what I do. It's probably not a great idea to not be able to do the updates, but the bike will still run as well as the day you bought it.

Don't spend more than $50.00 for  a Smartphone for your bike.

But I also have a wireless hotspot which sometimes helps with some charge stations. I use it with the inactivated Smartphone.

BTW, even though you will NOT be using the cell service, I discovered those which are NOT cell capable  will NOT work with Zeros (such as Galaxy Players). The processors are not compatible with the Zero apps.

So buy a cheap Smartphone and do NOT  activate it and use it with your Zero, such as the one I linked to above.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[DonTom]

I have a recent model Kawasaki which has a couple of engine power modes and a couple of traction modes, but these can be changed using the bike's dashboard.  The Zero isn't like that?

My Zeros have three modes. Eco, Custom and Sport.

The custom mode is the ONLY mode I use. It can be set exactly the way we each want.  That requires the Smartphone with its Bluetooth. But the defaults will probably work well enough for you anyway.

I like to keep my regen up high (higher than any of the modes) , and control it from the throttle.

All the buttons really do is give you limitations. Everything can be set at the max in custom mode  and just use the throttle for everything. For one example, I have near max regen in custom mode, but I can still use the throttle to have NO regen at all. I just had to get used to never releasing the throttle until I really want to do a complete stop.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[Snafuperman]

OK, thanks for the responses.

[valnar]

BTW, even though you will NOT be using the cell service, I discovered those which are NOT cell capable  will NOT work with Zeros (such as Galaxy Players). The processors are not compatible with the Zero apps.

Interesting.  I wasn't aware of that.  I use my iPhone so never hit that limitation.

[Curt]

My FX is 4 years old and I've connected the app maybe twice out of curiosity. I tried the only meaningful thing the app can do, which was to set the custom mode to different regen percentages from 0% to 100%. I didn't like any setting better than Sport mode or Eco mode, which Zero tuned perfectly IMO.

If I wanted to update firmware (which the app can't do for my bike), I'd have the dealer do it at some point. But it ain't broke so I don't plan to fix it.

[Gains]

I don t have a smartphone . On my first zero s 2013 there was no bleutooth connection. On my  2017 sr ,I just asked my dealer to adapt the custom mode to my desires . Once it is like you want it ,you don t change it anymore, so why should you buy something that most people have ,to use it once.

[Snafuperman]

Thank you Curt and Gains. 

[hotrob]

I don't have a smartphone either.  For my 2018 SR I use an Android tablet.  It has WiFi and bluetooth but no mobile phone connection (otherwise it would be a smartphone!).  I used it to setup the custom mode as I want it (max regen, max torque, max speed of 100mph) and I will probably never change that.  I've also used it to download the log files because the charge tank wasn't working when I got the bike.  Now that's fixed I probably won't download the log files again, unless there's another problem (although I did download the log file again when the charge tank had been replaced so that that I could see how much it heated up the battery compared with the onboard charger - it heats it up less!).

So the cheapest solution, if you don't have/want a tablet or smartphone, is to ask someone you know who has one to download the Zero app and let you use it to setup custom mode.  Or maybe the dealer will setup the custom mode for you?