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[MVetter]

Installed this today on my SS9 and on a Zero SR/F. Recorded the process and will make it into a review once we have some footage/feedback testing it out. However we're heading down to Southern California for a week on business and won't be able to do any editing until we get back. But this thing is pretty cool so far.

[DonTom]

That was fast! I just now received my three bullet brakes.

I only have my Zero DS here in Reno, but I will soon install it, probably in the next hour or so.

Comes with a one page instructions.  Looks simple enough.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[DonTom]

What  a hassle it ended up being!

I purchased two silver and one black BB. No difference other than color and I don't see any difference or preference in either color on any of my three electric motorcycles.

Anyway, here is the full story:

I installed the black Bullet Brake (BBB) on my 2017 Zero DS which is the exact same model as in this installation video. I followed the instructions exactly, including watching the U-tube on their website. It also comes with a one page instruction sheet. Installation instructions on one side and how to use on the other side of the page. Very simple to follow.

I could not get the BBB to work no matter what! I got all the air out and such & my front brake still worked normally and all. But the BBB  did NOTHING at all! If I pushed in the "button", it would not stay in when  the front brake level was in. So it was impossible to use. So I go over everything again and again, take the BBB  out, start over. Put it back in. A few times, trying to figure out what was wrong.  Even if I tried to hold the BBB in after I let go of the front brake, there was NO brake pressure at all, the bike would roll freely no matter what I tried to do.

So I also read the instructions how to use it. I could not see where I was doing anything incorrectly. But I just couldn't give up and decided to do what I didn't want to have to do. Open a 2nd package and try another BB.

So I installed one of the Silver BBs.  I didn't do anything differently at all.  I installed the SBB exactly the same as I did with the BBB. I expected the same results, but to my BIG surprise, the SBB worked perfectly on the very first try.

In case there is a bad run, I would advise others, for now, to buy the SBB and not the BBB. However, my third one (another SBB) will not be tried for a while as my other two E-motorcycles are in Auburn.

If I had as little trouble on the first as I did with the 2nd, this would have been a 3 minute job. Very easy to install when it works! Other than Zero likes to over torque every bolt and I had to use a socket wrench with a lot of leverage to remove the banjo bolt. Luckily,  a socket wrench would fit there, as it was impossible to remove the Zero Banjo bolt with even a large open end (14 MM)  wrench. I used so much force to remove the Zero Banjo bolt,  I was afraid I was going to  crack the front brake master cylinder. But all was fine, even with many Ft-lbs of force.

I think Zero torques bolts at least ten times what they recommend for us! At least my two Zeros seem to be around that on every bolt that I never touched before.

The BBs require a 12 MM OPEN END wrench to install.

Took me more than an hour just from trying to see what I was doing incorrectly which was nothing at all! Perhaps 3 minutes to install the one that works. That simple!

The one SBB I installed works perfectly. If it stays that way, I will be very happy with it.

Looks like I will have to send one back. I will send them a note later.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[DonTom]

They sure have fast service, even with night time emails. Here is the reply I just now received:

Hi Don,

My apologies for that experience, that is unusual and far from the norm with our product.  If it were anywhere near the Norm, we would not have much of a company or me behind it so rest assured we got you.

That said, tomorrow you will have a new BB-01 in black coming your way, and I will include a prepaid return envelope for the non-functional unit, if that is ok with you.

Again, apologies and we stand  100% behind our product and we have ya covered always.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[Curt]

I think Zero torques bolts at least ten times what they recommend for us! At least my two Zeros seem to be around that on every bolt that I never touched before.

The Zero factory uses a computerized machine that torques each bolt to an exact spec and records the bike+bolt+torque in a log. I'll wager that no bolt has ever come loose on any Zero since they started doing that!

Is there no chance of this system interfering with braking or leaking fluid/air under any conditions?

How much do these cost? Their web site is down right now.

Edit: The site loads, but takes a few minutes for each click. Cost is $120. It's a beautiful idea and implementation, but I think I'd try the rubber band solution first!

[DonTom]

The Zero factory uses a computerized machine that torques each bolt to an exact spec and records the bike+bolt+torque in a log. I'll wager that no bolt has ever come loose on any Zero since they started doing that!

They probably accidentally put the decimal point to ten times the values!

Is there no chance of this system interfering with braking or leaking fluid/air under any conditions?

I doubt there will be any such issues, but only time will tell.

Edit: The site loads, but takes a few minutes for each click. Cost is $120. It's a beautiful idea and implementation, but I think I'd try the rubber band solution first!

I had the price a few messages back, where I said I ordered three for  $359.85 USD.

You get what you pay for. I find this setup a lot easier to use. I also have the Zero yellow front brake holds. I won't bother with them any more.

I have not yet road tested my BB yet. But in the garage, it is working perfectly, Locks up the wheel very tightly. The bike won't roll  anywhere with it activated and it fully releases when the brake is pressed in again. Very simple to use and it's always in the same place. I won't have to look for it. I will get in the habit of setting it on every time I park, even if on level ground.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[Richard230]

My recollection is that hydraulic banjo bolts use a strange open-end wrench that distributes the torque more evenly around the bolt head than does a typical open-end wrench. I have one of those wrenches in my tool box, but I haven't needed to use it since I replaced a rubber brake line with a braided steel line about 15 years ago.

[DonTom]

My recollection is that hydraulic banjo bolts use a strange open-end wrench that distributes the torque more evenly around the bolt head than does a typical open-end wrench. I have one of those wrenches in my tool box, but I haven't needed to use it since I replaced a rubber brake line with a braided steel line about 15 years ago.

Do you mean a flare wrench?

-Don-  Reno, NV

[Richard230]

My recollection is that hydraulic banjo bolts use a strange open-end wrench that distributes the torque more evenly around the bolt head than does a typical open-end wrench. I have one of those wrenches in my tool box, but I haven't needed to use it since I replaced a rubber brake line with a braided steel line about 15 years ago.

Do you mean a flare wrench?

-Don-  Reno, NV

I guess I missed responding to your comment in a timely manner after it was posted. My response would be yes. A flare wrench is what should be used to loosen and tighten brake line fittings.

[DonTom]

I received my replacement Bullet Brake yesterday, but no return envelope. Perhaps they don't want the nonfunctioning one.

I will install the other two today and see how that goes. And then I will send them a note asking if they want me to return the nonfunctioning one.

-Don-  Auburn, CA

[DonTom]

I now have a Bullet Brake on all three of my electric motorcycles. On my DS it has passed the real world test. My other two bikes work perfectly but  they are in the garage until I ride them again. But I can tell, they all work very well.

What a hassle that  the very first one I tried didn't work the other day. All the others worked perfectly and were simple to install. And all worked on the first try.

BTW, if you find you can move the bike at all when the BB  is locked, bleed the front brake master  cylinder. Only takes a few seconds. The Zero  brake bleed screw is about a half inch above the banjo bolt. On the Energica, it is on the opposite side of the brake lever on my SS9, about two inches  above of the banjo bolt.

-Don-  Auburn, CA

[DonTom]

I find the BB very handy. It can be used as a hill hold, to hold the bike on a hill at a red light so my brake light isn't flashing and I can relax and the bike will hold me just fine. I trust it a lot, when it's once set.

And more importantly, I can now park the bike facing downhill in my driveway to get off the bike to open doors or whatever.

Yeah, I have many small garage door opener remotes, but I have not yet put one on my Energica and set it with my system.

-Don-  Auburn, CA

[DonTom]

Now that I have used the BB  a lot on three different bikes, I will now give another report here.

I don't know how I got by without the BB in the past! Very handy and for more than parking, such as a hill hold.

However, one mistake is possible. And that is, when it is set, to not release it by pressing in the front brake and trying to take off.  When the BB is activated, the bike won't go anywhere, not even with all that torque from the rear wheel. Good thing I am in the habit of very slowing accelerating from a start. The bike instantly lets me know the front brake is locked when there is a little power  on the rear wheel.  I made that mistake a couple of times and I am now trying to get in the habit of always pressing in the front brake before moving the bike, even if the BB is not set.

Bottom line is that I highly recommend the BB on all electric motorcycles unless you only ride where it is flat and will never need it.

I will consider adding them to my ICE bikes as well. Sometimes it is handy to park bikes on a hill for a short while  and want to leave the engine running.

I now often park my electric bikes facing downhill in my driveway. The BB is NOT going to let the bike move an inch!  Just do not touch the front brake while it's parked!

-Don-  Auburn, CA

[DonTom]

The Bullet Brake I installed last September on my Zero DS failed yesterday. It worked perfectly until then.  It has the exact same symptoms as I had in reply number 17 in this thread.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[Curt]

Gosh that sucks for a $120 product. A $0.50 Velcro cable tie is looking pretty good about now?