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[Verichai]

Hello! Hoping some folk here can shed some light on the following:

1) Any new info on aftermarket seats? I can't find anyone who makes a bolt-on unit, only trim shops who do custom work. Looking to make my stock seat more comfortable for a passenger.

2) When charging my bike, I notice that the battery level never goes above 97% no matter how long I leave it plugged in, why is this? Does it indicate a battery issue or battery life decay? 

3) Now at 2300 miles, I still have a very annoying squeak from the front wheel. Thinking it may be the bearing or hub since the sound is rhythmic and codependent upon my rolling speed. It's obnoxious. I had the bike in for service last year, I asked the technician about it and he swore up and down that he rode the bike for 45 minutes and didn't hear one squeak (which is simply not possible). Does anyone know of a simple solution? Should I try some lithium grease on the hub or what? I would love to solve this. The FXS is super fun, but this loud squeaking is embarrassing. 

Thanks!

[Richard230]

The issue with SOC not reaching 100% is almost surely due to a slow-rolling (which went on for a couple of years) failure with the original on-board charger. The exact same thing happened to my 2014 S. It would not charge past 98% and then slowly, over a period of months, it would stop charging at even lower SOC until it finally would not charge past 88%. So I finally replaced the OBC with a new model and everything went back to 100% normal again.

Your squeaky wheel problem will likely be solved by cleaning your brake caliper and disc surface and in particular replacing the brake pads with an aftermarket brand like EBC. Bearings don't squeak. They vibrate when going bad.  So I wouldn't look toward the front wheel bearings as making that noise.

[Verichai]

The issue with SOC not reaching 100% is almost surely due to a slow-rolling (which went on for a couple of years) failure with the original on-board charger. The exact same thing happened to my 2014 S. It would not charge past 98% and then slowly, over a period of months, it would stop charging at even lower SOC until it finally would not charge past 88%. So I finally replaced the OBC with a new model and everything went back to 100% normal again.

Your squeaky wheel problem will likely be solved by cleaning your brake caliper and disc surface and in particular replacing the brake pads with an aftermarket brand like EBC. Bearings don't squeak. They vibrate when going bad.  So I wouldn't look toward the front wheel bearings as making that noise.

Thanks for your reply. How much did the replacement OBC run you?

Also, appreciate the insight into the squeak, I'll have to examine the front brake.

I also noticed that the rear brake is really ineffective. Like, you press the pedal and there is virtually zero arrest of speed...it's hard to imagine that's how it's supposed to be, it should do something, right?

[Richard230]

The issue with SOC not reaching 100% is almost surely due to a slow-rolling (which went on for a couple of years) failure with the original on-board charger. The exact same thing happened to my 2014 S. It would not charge past 98% and then slowly, over a period of months, it would stop charging at even lower SOC until it finally would not charge past 88%. So I finally replaced the OBC with a new model and everything went back to 100% normal again.

Your squeaky wheel problem will likely be solved by cleaning your brake caliper and disc surface and in particular replacing the brake pads with an aftermarket brand like EBC. Bearings don't squeak. They vibrate when going bad.  So I wouldn't look toward the front wheel bearings as making that noise.

Thanks for your reply. How much did the replacement OBC run you?

Also, appreciate the insight into the squeak, I'll have to examine the front brake.

I also noticed that the rear brake is really ineffective. Like, you press the pedal and there is virtually zero arrest of speed...it's hard to imagine that's how it's supposed to be, it should do something, right?

I bought my most recent OBC from AF1 Racing last year to replace the one that failed on my 2018 S. It only cost $800, free shipping and no state tax.    installation took two hours. While one person can do the job, having a helper makes it easier. No installation instructions are provided because you won't need them. There are only 3 wires to connect, but getting them reconnected is kind of tough as access is very limited. Small fingers are helpful. 

I agree that the rear brake is nothing to brag about. I think Zero was worried about the rear wheel skidding when they selected the brake pad material. 

[Shadow]

FX charger is different than the S/DS charger, one probably has nothing to do with the other. There's an unknown (but definitely greater than zero) quantity of SoC calculation quirks and just wrong display information that can occur with the Gen2 main bike board, and also the battery management system. It's literally a black box for which nobody that has access to its construction can comment to us about. So there's your non-answer about that issue.     You should completely ignore any display information that contains a "%" symbol, it is lying to you. Have you ever run the bike totally out of power that it shut off yet? If not, go take a ride with a support vehicle on call and do that riding the bike until it won't go anymore, get it charging back to full until the "flashing green" charge light turns "solid green" and another hour on the charger just for grins. If a few cycles of that does not have any effect, try a BMS reset and run the bike some more cycles. This is the "caveman with a stick" version of giving the BMS enough data so it can try to guess the SoC calculation.

If the troublesome noise is from the brakes, try hitting it with a pressure washer to knock loose any embedded particles out from the rotor and brake pads, then go for a ride and repeat the bed-in procedure. There's some vibration dampening compound you can apply to the obverse of the brake pad which has seen mixed reports of success from what I can tell at my armchair. Squeaky brakes on S/DS/FX are the normal thing, if that's what it is.

[Verichai]

Very helpful info, thanks very much!

I didn't think it was the brakes because the sound is all the time, not just when I apply brake. Not sure if that matters or helps to clarify.

[DonTom]

Hello! Hoping some folk here can shed some light on the following:
2) When charging my bike, I notice that the battery level never goes above 97% no matter how long I leave it plugged in, why is this? Does it indicate a battery issue or battery life decay?

Does the charge light stop blinking and turn solid or does the charging never complete?


If it never gets done and stays at 97% SOC with contactor closed it means the charging voltage is too low to fully charge the battery. Most likely means your charger is crapping out.


If charging  completes at 97% (green light solid and contactor opens and stops charging, it means your SOC is not displaying 100% when it should be, and your battery is most likely fully charged when it shows 97% SOC. Measuring the battery voltage (connector above the motor with the key on) will confirm.


It's unlikely to be a battery issue, but is possible, such if a cell or two shorts out, which could then overload the charger with excessive current being drawn.


By far, the odds are it's a charger issue. It will most likely get worse and worse with time, such as only charging up to 96, 95, 94% if it doesn't totally crap out first.


If possible, always use the OBC with 240 VAC. Charger is then more efficient which means less heat inside. Also means less current draw, which is better for the input connector that gives some people trouble.


I almost never charge with 120 VAC. Only use 120 VAC when nothing else is available which is almost never, in my case.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[Verichai]

Don, thanks for the note. In my case, the charging light stops blinking and turns solid, with the battery meter showing 97%.

As for charging, the FX/FXS only have one option, as far as I know, and that's plugging the bike directly into a standard power outlet, which is what? 140, right?

Not sure how I would charge at 240...

[DonTom]

Don, thanks for the note. In my case, the charging light stops blinking and turns solid, with the battery meter showing 97%.

As for charging, the FX/FXS only have one option, as far as I know, and that's plugging the bike directly into a standard power outlet, which is what? 140, right?

Not sure how I would charge at 240...

Sounds like you're getting a full charge at that 97% SOC.  Check your battery voltage at 97%  to confirm.


Do you also know if the contactor opens at that 97% SOC? 



IOW, perhaps your 100 SOC is displaying as 97%.


Riding down to a very  low SOC and then a full uninterrupted charge could help recalibrate your SOC so it shows 100% when fully charged.


I have wondered if too much charging when the SOC is high effects the SOC calibration, but I really don't know.  What I do know is that the SOC drop rate varies a lot between to similar bikes. I have wondered if when people recharge is what is making the difference with the SOC.


That will also effect the "reserve". I hear most can go several miles at 0 SOC. But I hear a few have had their bike go dead above 10 SOC.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[Auriga]

The BMS will terminate charging when the charger voltage is equivalent to the pack voltage. Many failing chargers sometimes can't get to the max voltage. If that's the case, it could occur at any %. If you can get the MBB logs, you should be able to see the Charged to Full Message, which indicates that has occurred.

Charging termination does not depend on the SOC percentage, it only depends on the individual cell voltages and the charger voltage as mentioned previously.

So I also think you have a slowly failing charger. DonTom is right, either check the battery voltage or try to decode the battery logs. You should be able to measure pack voltage with the bike keyed on on the large pins of the accessory charge port.

[DonTom]

As for charging, the FX/FXS only have one option, as far as I know, and that's plugging the bike directly into a standard power outlet, which is what? 140, right?

Not sure how I would charge at 240...

AFAIK, all Zeros (as well as other EVs) can charge with any voltage from around 90 to 250 VAC.


In the USA, it's usually very close to 120 VAC. Europe is twice that. However, even many USA houses have 240 VAC somewhere, such as for an all electric clothes dryer. But a dryer that uses gas will be 120 VAC. A 240 VAC clothes  dryer is a different type of outlet, but you can get an adapter to a 14-50R which is commonly used for EV granny cables. But a Zero FXS uses a 120 VAC plug, so you may have to make your own adapter from there, which I have made several of to use with my Elcon external chargers which also have 120 VAC plugs that I did not want to change 14-50P, but could have.


If you have a close by 14-50R, you could always chop off the plug on your Zero cable and put on a 14-50P. Do not use the neutral, just the ground (green) and the black and whites (240 VAC hot leads).



240 VAC almost always comes to the house breaker box unless VERY old house and not connected up.


It's usually not that expensive to have an electrician add a 240 VAC outlet (14-50R) if it can be located close to the breaker box. In one of my houses, I had one added in the garage just on the opposite of the wall from my CB box.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[mryan]

Hello! Hoping some folk here can shed some light on the following:

1) Any new info on aftermarket seats? I can't find anyone who makes a bolt-on unit, only trim shops who do custom work. Looking to make my stock seat more comfortable for a passenger.

2) When charging my bike, I notice that the battery level never goes above 97% no matter how long I leave it plugged in, why is this? Does it indicate a battery issue or battery life decay?

3) Now at 2300 miles, I still have a very annoying squeak from the front wheel. Thinking it may be the bearing or hub since the sound is rhythmic and codependent upon my rolling speed. It's obnoxious. I had the bike in for service last year, I asked the technician about it and he swore up and down that he rode the bike for 45 minutes and didn't hear one squeak (which is simply not possible). Does anyone know of a simple solution? Should I try some lithium grease on the hub or what? I would love to solve this. The FXS is super fun, but this loud squeaking is embarrassing.

Thanks!

The guy who sold me my 2015 FX says it has a custom seat on it, it has the ZERO motorcycle branding on it. I can't confirm if it actually isn't the stock seat, but the loopback plug is missing under the seat which makes me think it could be.

EDIT: Definitely not stock. It appears to be an older model seat, see this thread:
https://www.electricmotorcycleforum.com/boards/index.php?topic=5620.0
2013 Zero MX seat (P/N 24-01596 04)