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[Richard230]

While the initial expense is typically high when purchasing an electric motorcycle, such as a Zero, you can sure save a lot of money over time on maintenance compared with an gas-powered motorcycle. Check this out:

The May issue of Motorcycle Consumer News contains a full road test of the BMW G310R. What really got my attention is the cost of the 12K mile maintenance for this small motorcycle. Using an hourly rate of $130 (typical of BMW shops in California), the 12K maintenance, including a valve adjustment, totals $1075! This consists of $645 worth of labor and $430 in parts cost. Those maintenance costs were a real shocker to me for a single-cylinder motorcycle that sells for $4,750. Saving the $160 cost of the 6,000 mile servicing and that $1075 every 12K miles will really add up quickly if you buy this IC bike. I bet it will be a big surprise to its owners when they take it in to their BMW dealer for the 12K mile servicing.

[Fran K]

I will guess that includes a new chain and sprockets.  With one of their chain drive bikes they sell a one piece chain, no master link either rivet on or clip on and the swingarm is to be removed.  The Zero needs the swingrm removed no matter what does it not as the sprocket is at the swingarm pivot.  Some of these scheduled maintance in the manual is a bit silly perhaps kind of to discourage folks from claiming the warranty for the full duration.  Even my Ktm freeride says to change out the bearings in the motor pretty soon I think I recall 100  hours.  No one I know changes out main bearings like ktm calls for in the scheduled maintance.  A motorcycle is not really an economy vehicle, look at the tires, they are rounded so there is always some scuffing going on, they do not last like on an automobile or pick up truck.  Spend a lot more on clothes eye protection and the like while hardly ever needing a new winshield in a cage type vehicle.  How is the valve clearance on thet 310 need break a cam chain and remove buckets to change out shims.  Chances are it really just needs checked. 

[Richard230]

I will guess that includes a new chain and sprockets.  With one of their chain drive bikes they sell a one piece chain, no master link either rivet on or clip on and the swingarm is to be removed.  The Zero needs the swingrm removed no matter what does it not as the sprocket is at the swingarm pivot.  Some of these scheduled maintance in the manual is a bit silly perhaps kind of to discourage folks from claiming the warranty for the full duration.  Even my Ktm freeride says to change out the bearings in the motor pretty soon I think I recall 100  hours.  No one I know changes out main bearings like ktm calls for in the scheduled maintance.  A motorcycle is not really an economy vehicle, look at the tires, they are rounded so there is always some scuffing going on, they do not last like on an automobile or pick up truck.  Spend a lot more on clothes eye protection and the like while hardly ever needing a new winshield in a cage type vehicle.  How is the valve clearance on thet 310 need break a cam chain and remove buckets to change out shims.  Chances are it really just needs checked.

The specified mileage maintenance items for BMW motorcycles does not include changing chains and sprockets, coolant replacement or brake fluid.  Those items are performed at the request of the owner and are extra cost services. However, the cost of the valve adjustment would include the work required to shim one or more valves, which use the same finger-follower system as the BMW S1000R.

[Fran K]

The brake fluid is kind of puzzling to me for the pick up truck.  I can see on the wall it calls for changing it at 60,000 miles but they never ask or mention it but almost always try and get me to buy another air filter.  The most shocking scheduled maintance I have seen if for the Montesa/Honda tials bike, every six races (competitions) the engine is supposed to come completely apart and the manual has lots of pictures on how to do it.

My computations is that takes just short of 5 hours to run up $645 in labor.  My last guess was wrong, I will guess they are not changing the oil in the forks.

[MrDude_1]

Just to offer a contrast... if you take the 5min to learn to read a feeler gauge, you can check your own valves in under an hour.
That means you save $1000 on your ICE bike maintenance.


With the zero you paid that 1k upfront, no matter what... even if you dont hit 12k or 15k or whatever the maintenance point is.
Its one of the reasons that I cant declare electric motorcycles as a "money saving alternative" yet.

[Burton]

Checking isn't the same as adjusting though. I did all my own maintenance on my ICE bike over 50k+ miles and as stated in the manual. My last ICE bike was a ninja 250 2003 (pre-gen) which is easier to get to the valves and adjust vs the "new-gen" 2008+ bikes as you could turn a screw to adjust the valves.

I developed ways to make it easier but it would still take a while to check them, then adjust them, then adjust the carbs because you changed the vacuum pressure :/

On the 2008 bikes, which have shims like most bikes, this process was even longer as you had to do it twice. Once to "check" where your valves were, then a second time to install / rotate the new shims you had to order and wait a week to come in then check it all again and adjust the carbs >__<

One biggest reason I went electric was to avoid the constant maintenance I performed on my ICE bike traveling 13-16k a year ... that is 2 valve adjustments a year 0__0 ~5 oil changes, 3 filter changes, etc ... it adds up and it is time you get back when you don't have to do it on an EV bike.

If you make a spreadsheet to compare the cost of ownership over time + the cost of each bike new. Account for doing all your own maintenance, then prorate your time spent maintenance an ICE bike vs the EV bike, you still will save the full cost of your bike over 4-5 years if you ride it as much as I do. After which the ICE bike is simply costing you each year.

EV's only "save money" if you ride a lot each year (year round commuter) ... if you don't then it is just costing you money for the experience of riding electric. And motorcycles in general are not cheaper than driving a car instead ... so there is always that

[MrDude_1]

Checking isn't the same as adjusting though. I did all my own maintenance on my ICE bike over 50k+ miles and as stated in the manual. My last ICE bike was a ninja 250 2003 (pre-gen) which is easier to get to the valves and adjust vs the "new-gen" 2008+ bikes as you could turn a screw to adjust the valves.

I developed ways to make it easier but it would still take a while to check them, then adjust them, then adjust the carbs because you changed the vacuum pressure :/

On the 2008 bikes, which have shims like most bikes, this process was even longer as you had to do it twice. Once to "check" where your valves were, then a second time to install / rotate the new shims you had to order and wait a week to come in then check it all again and adjust the carbs >__<

One biggest reason I went electric was to avoid the constant maintenance I performed on my ICE bike traveling 13-16k a year ... that is 2 valve adjustments a year 0__0 ~5 oil changes, 3 filter changes, etc ... it adds up and it is time you get back when you don't have to do it on an EV bike.

I dont know about your bikes, but mine have generally not needed adjusting. I only had to adjust one valve on the 749, and while the CBR1000 did shift over time, it started out within limits, and 50,000 miles later it was still within limits. None of my other bikes had any noticeable shift.
when you do need to shim them.. yes.. the first time its a 1 day wait while your shims come in... but if you buy a shim kit for a couple bucks, you then have shims for the life of that bike.. and 90% of the other bikes on the road.