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[Shadow]

If the dealership person claims there's no maintenance then they simply are uninformed.

What about all the enthusiasts that jump up and down yelling about how there is no maintenance?

"all the enthusiasts" whom? Being honest, there is regular maintenance the same as any moving vehicle with wear parts. I don't see how someone riding a motorcycle for long distances would miss this.

[Richard230]

If the dealership person claims there's no maintenance then they simply are uninformed.

What about all the enthusiasts that jump up and down yelling about how there is no maintenance?

"all the enthusiasts" whom? Being honest, there is regular maintenance the same as any moving vehicle with wear parts. I don't see how someone riding a motorcycle for long distances would miss this.

Not every motorcycle owner is in to maintenance.  My son-in-law has been riding motorcycles for 30 years and doesn't believe in maintenance.    He says it is more fun to have something break and then try figure out what went wrong and attempt to fix it as cheaply as possible.  He currently owns and rides three motorcycles, all in various states of disrepair, but still they start and are somehow able to travel long distances when needed.  As someone who spends much of his time thinking about what needs to be maintained next on my six motorcycles, that philosophy just kind of rubs me the wrong way.  However, I guess it works for him.  It has been at least 5 years now since his last crash. 

[Shocker]

 Hi guys,

So am I to gather from this thread that the Zero advertisement of firmware updates via their mobile app is incorrect. I’m a perspective buyer and been monitoring this forum for about two months just to get an idea of what all is involved with owning a Zero.  It’s been a wealth of information and I do appreciate all the topics covered.  I am very close to deciding to purchase early spring, but no one is chiming in that OTA works if you do this or that which is sort of concerning for me. The nearest Zero dealer to me is 200 miles away and I would be counting on the firmware updates over the air. After all that is what Zero advertises for their 2017, 18 models, correct. 🧐

[Doug S]

I wouldn't call it "incorrect", exactly. "Vaporware" at this point. I have no doubt Zero sincerely intended to offer, and still intends to offer, that feature. I wouldn't hold my breath, though, and I wouldn't base any buying decisions on it. On the other hand, I don't think I'd base any buying decisions on it anyhow. The bikes run quite well on existing firmware, and Zero shows no sign of providing a more accurate SoC indication, which is the one remaining thing I really want the firmware to do at this point.

[odedmaz]

Do Zero monitor this forum? Why can't we get a simple official answer to the firmware update?
It is the most professional Zero related forum, and we still base our answers on speculations.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

[Richard230]

Do Zero monitor this forum? Why can't we get a simple official answer to the firmware update?
It is the most professional Zero related forum, and we still base our answers on speculations.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

Perhaps Zero received some "push-back" from their dealers who would prefer that you visit their service departments more often, not less often.    Of course, it could also be that their owner-installed firmware updates idea was a concept that they just couldn't manage to work out. 

[Shadow]

Perhaps Zero received some "push-back" from their dealers who would prefer that you visit their service departments more often, not less often.    Of course, it could also be that their owner-installed firmware updates idea was a concept that they just couldn't manage to work out. 

Does any of our local dealers prefer we visit them with a Zero Motorcycle vehicle needing service, truly? I find that to be amazing when my local dealer misplaces the shop computer which has the "Zero software" on it, and the other Zero Motorcycles authorized dealers I've visited on the road have bungled service every time. Talking to a KTM (non-electric) motorbike company enthusiast today they mentioned the "good old days" when KTM service through dealerships was new and there were similar problems to what I describe here about trying to get accurate and timely service completed on a Zero Motorcycles vehicle.

Would any Zero Motorcycles dealership representative care to comment here, are your shops making money off service, would you rather the owners just fix their own minor problems or not?

[Richard230]

I have been buying motorcycles for 56 years and I think I have developed some thoughts about what it takes to sell motorcycles and stay in business while doing so.  Plus, I have spent some time during recent years talking to the owner of the BMW shop that I frequent.  Motorcycle dealerships don't make much money just selling "units".  As an example, recently I was told that KTM dealers only make $400 profit on each KTM 390 Duke that they sell. Larger bikes pull in more money of course, but it costs a huge amount to keep a motorcycle shop open every month, thanks to salaries, property rent, paying taxes and various fees, complying with government and franchise regulations and a lot of other "overhead" stuff that is not so obvious to anyone but the owner and their bookkeeper. Just selling bikes is not going to be enough to keep the doors open without some additional sources of income.

So where does the money come from to keep a motorcycle business open?  Profit selling the "units" is certainly a part of it, but the shop has to split the profit with their sales staff, who works (at least partially) on commission.  Sales of parts and accessories used to bring in some decent money, but now with internet sales of just about everything, not so much anymore.  The real steady "cash cow" is the service department, sometimes referred to as the "backroom".  Motorcycle dealers in the SF Bay Area typically charge about $130 an hour for their mechanics' labor. My understanding is that money typically gets split about 50/50 between the shop owner and the technician.  If they can keep service customers coming in nonstop, which is what happens at most shops in California (just try to get a service appointment within a few days of your request).  I can't recall seeing any service department technicians standing around doing nothing - except maybe the service "advisors".  So service departments are the only real source of steady income for a motorcycle shop and they need to make the most of it. Therefore I doubt any dealership would want to discourage anyone from bring in their motorcycle for service or repair - even a Zero.  And if they do, they are just shooting themselves and their profit margin in the foot.

[Richard230]

The MBB firmware installed on my 2018 S is: revision 1536, board revision 125, Model W.