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[CliC]

Turned the key on on my DS today, and one of the the motor's magnets must've been right in between two Hall sensors or something, because the controller kept putting a small amount of juice to the motor, like it was "hunting". It made the motor growl a bit, the same noise it makes when you push the bike forward or back, but constant. Not exactly potato-potato-potato, but made me laugh nonetheless

Now, on to slightly more irritating topics. It's developed a rear brake squeal right before the bike comes to a stop. I was going to just spray some Disc Brake Quiet on it, but if there's a better way to fix it, I'm all ears.

Something also is being excited by a vibration from the knobbies or the motor at about 25 mph, and is lightly buzzing. Still need to pinpoint that.

Oh well, small stuff. I'm still riding it a lot.

[Richard230]

Disc brake squeal on motorcycles is usually caused by dirt in the caliper or imbedded into the brake pad.  My recommendation is to lightly flush the brake pad and caliper with clean water, lightly blow it dry and clean the disc with a cloth towel to dry. That might get rid of the squeal.  If that doesn't work, you can remove the brake pads and roughen them up with sandpaper. They might be glazed and removing the glaze should solve the problem.

[CliC]

Ah, Richard, good point. I don't think it appeared until the day after I had to ride home in the rain. I'll pursue your suggestions.

[Biff]

If you moved the bike just a bit did the noise go away?

-ryan

[blake]

Disc brake squeal on motorcycles is usually caused by dirt in the caliper or imbedded into the brake pad. 

My bike has developed the same issue after only a few days of ownership, and having only ever been ridden in dry pavement. I think something else must be amiss. I'm going to have my dealer look at it soon. Starting to get vaguely annoying...   While on the topic of the rear brake, is anyone else here feel like it hardly adds anything to the stopping power of the bike? The rear brake seems wooden and ineffective, and with the weird noise I've started to not bother using it anymore.

Another question: is the regenerative braking triggered by the rear or the front brake or both?

blake
2012 Zero S 9

[Lipo423]

Unfortunately the braking system in our bikes is medium level quality...the callipers -although made by Hayes-(they are primarily known in the bicycle industry -In Europe-), are not the best. The brake pads are a bit hard  and the rear brake stopping power, as blake pointed out is close to none...not sure if ZERO installed a 2 piston "soft" brake caliper for avoiding locking the rear wheel???
Zero "tune up" the brakes by adding unextensible/metal hosing, however stopping power is still is not enough...

I will definitely change the pads in the next couple of weeks -and eventually the callipers medium term-

[Richard230]

I concur about the operation of the brakes.  I hope I never have to make an emergency stop.  The brakes are OK under most conditions, but are really not up to modern motorcycle braking standards. Fortunately, I like to ride with plenty of distance between my bike and the vehicle in front of me.

The regen only seems to work with the throttle closed.  Using the brakes does not increase regen drag on my bike.  In Eco mode it feels like the regen is about twice that in Sport mode.  If I had my way, I would like the regen effect to double in each mode when the brakes are applied. That would be easy to do with a switch connected to the stoplight circuit - which is how it worked on my GPR-S. Closing the throttle could energize the regen and when the stop light came on, the % of regen would double.  My guess is that the controller can not accommodate four levels of regen braking.

[CliC]

Biff, yes when I rolled the bike slightly the "idle" noise ceased - hence my supposition regarding the motor Hall effect sensors.

Blake, the regen doesn't seem to be activated until the throttle is completely closed/rolled off. As Richard stated, the amount is much higher in Eco mode than in Sport - so much so that I check behind me for cars before I use it, or I engage the front brake enough to turn on the brake light. I had been doing that with the rear brake until I noticed that I practically have to stand on that pedal to get the light to come on. Maybe it's a good indicator of actual braking power in that regard

[CliC]

Hmm...got home tonight and was riding the bike (slowly into the house. At this point I had my helmet off, so I was better able to pinpoint sound sources. The squeal right before it stops rolling appears to be coming from the motor  . I turned off the bike power, to quiet the growl from the controller trying to combat the rolling, and it's still there. Need to get the g/f to help me this weekend roll it back and forth, or put it up on a stand and spin the back wheel (another bike accessory to buy , so I can confirm this.

I guess if it's going to die early, better to know now.

[Lipo423]

Could could it be a faulty bearing?

[Richard230]

For whatever it is worth, in my experience a bad roller or ball bearing tends to make a "rumbling" noise, rather than a squeaking or squealing noise. Perhaps there is something on the frame or suspension that is rubbing against a part to make the noise. Maybe the belt is touching a part on the bike. 

Getting the bike on a bike lift stand, or if you don't have one, propping it up using the front wheel, side stand and a block under the swing arm, should get the rear wheel off the ground far enough to rotate it to check for the noise.

[CliC]

I found a motorcycle jack that I apparently bought some time ago (score! I'll check it out this weekend.

[trikester]

My 2012 DS ZF 6 just did the continuous growling for the first time when I turned on the key yesterday. I've been riding the bike since Feb and it has only made the noise when I was rolling it. This time it was stationary, making the noise. I made the same assumption about it being between Hall sensors. Makes sense to me. 

Traikester

[CliC]

I cleaned the disc off last night with some solder flux solvent (doesn;t smell quite as bad as brake cleaner). There was a bit of oily residue on it. It still squeaks a little, but that vastly improved the situation.

I was wondering where the oil might have come from, and unfortunately today I might have found out. But that's a topic for another thread.

[Richard230]

My bike made the continuous growling noise and would not move when I opened the throttle one time.  Then I noticed that my kick stand was only partway up.  I kicked it back up and the growling stopped and I was then able to ride off.  It appears to me that the growling noise indicates that something is telling the controller not to function because a safety circuit (such as the side stand or the kill switch) is not happy.  The bike also doesn't seem to like to be pushed around when the ignition is turned on. That seems to elicit a growling noise, also.