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[ed5000]

That's good to know Ash.  Thanks.  I would have to say that these bikes  break in around 2000 miles to where they handle better and go farther.  Part of it may be a learning curve for the operator too.

[protomech]

40 miles on a 2011 bike is not bad if you're traveling at reasonable speeds .. say 35-45+ mph. Perhaps it's just a messed up display.

[Rewski]

Yesterday we ran it until it stopped us, all bars were gone at 20miles and the bike stopped at 40miles.

I just heard back from Zero about this issue after they just swapped out my 2010 for a "new" 2011. There is a process called the "Running In" period. It states that for the 2011 bikes (not sure about the 2012s) the first 30 cycles of the battery is the run-in period. A cycle is considered using 1/3 of your battery capacity. The first 4 charge cycles will have a preset usage rate that reflects a very conservative percentage of your charge remaining. After 4 partial charges the indicator will begin to reflect a percent charge remaining based on the previous 4 riding cycles. You will not experience full capacity and accurate gauge until about 30 partial cycles on the bike! Attached is a pic I snapped of the PDF they sent me. I can email it to you if you PM me. Hope this helps. It sure did to me!

[Electric Cowboy]

sounds like your dash is reading your charge using the voltage method not the current method. simple change in the MBB, I had this happen to me once or twice as well, but it switched back on its own after a week or so.

Voltage charge measurement is very un reliable. It is how the 2010 measured the charge.

[ZeroSinMA]

I've got 2700 miles on a 2011 Zero S after a year. Just broken in.

I get 35 - 40 miles if I ride hard... 35 - 45mph with hills, hard acceleration, plus some highway.

I get 50+ if I ride 25 - 35, accelerate slowly, avoid hills, and coast down hills.

The #1 key factor for range: tire pressure. At 40 lbs I get 40 miles but only 30 of air pressure is 30 for the same ride. Tire pressure falls in just days so refill before every ride.

The #2 key factor for range: put on a summer screen that added 5 miles range overall.

Hope that helps.

ps. I'm trading my 2011 Zero S for a ZF9 2012 tomorrow via a dealer. Love it but I'll love the 2012 even more.

[cirrus pete]

ps. I'm trading my 2011 Zero S for a ZF9 2012 tomorrow via a dealer. Love it but I'll love the 2012 even more.

Curious what kind of trade in value you were offered? As a 2011S owner I am tempted, but imagine the depreciation hit is pretty bad...

[ZeroSinMA]

ps. I'm trading my 2011 Zero S for a ZF9 2012 tomorrow via a dealer. Love it but I'll love the 2012 even more.

Curious what kind of trade in value you were offered? As a 2011S owner I am tempted, but imagine the depreciation hit is pretty bad...

I wouldn't say "depreciation hit" rather I'd say "depreciation bloodbath." 

If you double the performance of any product from one model year to the next you'd expect to take a 50% depreciation loss... and you'd be right.

The problem is not that the 2001 S was bad, the problem is that the 2012 S is so good. Even compared to the fictitious Brammo Empulse nothing comes close.

Just got back from my first 2012 S ZF9 ride since delivery this AM. First impressions:

1. A 35 mile ride that typically left me staring at two flashing bars as I approached my driveway today left me with 7 bars. I could have gone at least another 60 miles
2. A jogging fat man could beat my 2011 S off the line. Sport mode on the 2012 makes the bike fast enough that I can finally get off the line and safely in front of traffic, and accelerate reliably out of harm's way. I accelerated full throttle off the line every time today. Didn't seem to hurt the range. What's eco mode for?
3. I could feel the extra 40 lbs and I like it. They use the battery weight to move the center of mass lower to make the bike more stable and maneuverable, and less prone to get blown around in the wind
4. The ride is heavier and that's a good thing. The harshness of rough roads is smoothed out somewhat vs the 2011.

Bottom line, the bike is as fast and maneuverable as any 250CC ICE bike I've ridden. As for range, I'd get tired from riding before the battery gives out after 5 to 7 hours.

If you can stomach the depreciation, run don't walk to buy an upgrade.

[protomech]

Glad you're having a blast on the new bike!

7 bars displayed means 4 to 4.9 bars consumed. The bike has a small reserve after the last bar disappears.. think of it as an invisible "12th bar". In practice, the bars span the first 7.0 kWh of the pack, the remaining 900 Wh is the reserve.

Eco mode boosts regenerative braking and rescales the throttle input up to 70% maximum torque. Riding in sport mode if you ride in an identical manner should result in a very small -- if any -- penalty over Eco mode. The problem is keeping from dipping into the acceleration and riding at higher speeds when in Sport mode ; )

I briefly rode a 2011 S last year, approximately five months before I purchased my 2012. I didn't recall as much of a performance gap. I tell people the bike is about as fast as a 250cc bike when they ask how fast it is.

I'm going to try a 2 hour ride this weekend. Seat on the 2012s is definitely an improvement over the 2011, longer rides appreciate it.

[ZeroSinMA]

Glad you're having a blast on the new bike!

7 bars displayed means 4 to 4.9 bars consumed. The bike has a small reserve after the last bar disappears.. think of it as an invisible "12th bar". In practice, the bars span the first 7.0 kWh of the pack, the remaining 900 Wh is the reserve.

Okay, thx.

Eco mode boosts regenerative braking and rescales the throttle input up to 70% maximum torque. Riding in sport mode if you ride in an identical manner should result in a very small -- if any -- penalty over Eco mode. The problem is keeping from dipping into the acceleration and riding at higher speeds when in Sport mode ; )

You'd think the extra regen braking would do more for range. Wonder how much output the regen generates.

I briefly rode a 2011 S last year, approximately five months before I purchased my 2012. I didn't recall as much of a performance gap. I tell people the bike is about as fast as a 250cc bike when they ask how fast it is.

You were smart to wait.

I'm going to try a 2 hour ride this weekend. Seat on the 2012s is definitely an improvement over the 2011, longer rides appreciate it.

My ass appreciates the more pliable seat, too.