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[CrashCash]

I just noticed my '15 SR doesn't have that retarded "Parking" position on the key switch. That's AWESOME.

There have been many times I've flipped my key "just that little bit more" and come back out later to a completely dead battery and a dimly glowing tail light.

I've even disassembled the switch on my last 3 bikes and physically dyked out the contact so it wouldn't happen again. I was dreading having to do so on the SR and I don't have to!

I know it's a little thing, but for me, it's been a source of misery.

And before you say "but you should notice your light!" I say if you can see that at a glance in the Florida sun, not standing directly behind the bike, you're a better man than I, Gunga Din!

Edit: HOLY COW. The Zero also has the first effective stock horn I've seen in 30 years of bikes! My ears are still ringing! Damn, I must have jumped 2 feet. I don't have to install an air horn! YAAAAAYYYY! SNOOPY DANCE!

[jheth]

What was the "parking" position?

[vfkf]

I once killed the battery of my Honda Interceptor '84 with that parking key position but wouldn't it take days to kill a Zero battery?

[Doug S]

I once killed the battery of my Honda Interceptor '84 with that parking key position but wouldn't it take days to kill a Zero battery?

I once calculated that if you left the 55W headlight on on my 11.4kWh SR, it would take almost two hours to drain 1% of the battery capacity. So yes, leaving the taillight on probably wouldn't drain the Zero's battery too fast, but who wants to lose even a percent or two from doing that?

[NoiseBoy]

This doesn't make sense.  There is no way you can drain a battery within a week just by leaving the tail light on.

[Doug S]

The math is very simple, NoisyBoy. Multiply the battery's capacity (in kWh) by 1,000 to give it in Wh -- 11.4kWh = 11,400Wh in the case of my SR. Then divide that by the power drain of the lamp in question (55W in case of the headlight low beam) and you'll wind up with the number of hours the battery can power that load. In my case, 11,400Wh / 55W = 207 hours. As I said, that's almost exactly 1/2% drain per hour.

The brake/taillight on my bike, at least, is an LED unit that's not replaceable, and the owner's manual doesn't say how much power it draws. But 12W is a common number for incandescent taillight bulbs, which would drain the battery in 11,400 / 12 = 950 hours, which is 39.6 days. I'm sure the LED unit on the SR draws less than that, so it would drain the battery even slower.

I really do wonder why they don't put an LED headlight on their bikes. I know they're more expensive, but if any vehicle could make use of the lower current drain an LED provides, it's an EV.

[Richard230]

Manufacturing expense seems to be a major concern for Zero, Doug.  They appear to be on a tight budget when it comes to things that don't make the bike function.  I assume that Zero is doing their best to keep the retail price of the bikes down, while still making a profit on each one.  An LED headlight would be nice, but it would raise the price of the bike probably another hundred bucks and their dealers and customers wouldn't like that.

[NoiseBoy]

It would be nice as a factory fit option. I can see electric bikes going the same way as cars where you start with a Base model and then tick boxes and pay yer money for extras ie. Bigger battery, more powerful motor/controller, custom colours, LED lighting, heated leather seats and dual zone air conditioning...

[protomech]

The 2012 bikes at least will also cut 12V DC output (dash, headlamps) after an hour or two of sitting idle. "Leaving the lights on" really isn't a concern with an EV unless you're talking about weeks of time.

[SopFu]

FWIW, I turn my parking lights on about an hour before I go home from work, and I end up with between 5% and 10% less SOC on my Brammo than what it had when I parked it in the morning. I only do this when it below 50 f because turning the parking lights on also turn on the heating elements between the cells. I also assume the BMS lowers the SOC readout thanks to the drop in voltage from the cold-soaked cells. So there's likely more than just the light drawing power when your parking light is on.

If I don't turn on the lights to warm up the battery, I have trouble getting up to highway speeds, and the bike throws lots of errors - and it's worse the colder it gets. I ride down to 10 f, but as long as I warm it up, there's no problem.

[ctrlburn]

When you plug in your bike at the end of the day, expecting it to charge, but instead find because of key position it failed to charge your morning is ruined. Not compared to leaving a fully charged bike with the lights on for a few hours. It is a good engineering change to boost the user experience of not being stranded and not requiring meticulous parking antics. I have had the experience of some distraction disrupting my parking and engineering taking out one more thing that could be done wrong is an improvement.

[kingcharles]

When you plug in your bike at the end of the day, expecting it to charge, but instead find because of key position it failed to charge your morning is ruined. Not compared to leaving a fully charged bike with the lights on for a few hours. It is a good engineering change to boost the user experience of not being stranded and not requiring meticulous parking antics. I have had the experience of some distraction disrupting my parking and engineering taking out one more thing that could be done wrong is an improvement.

Funny that you mention that. Today I parked at a public charge station and by accident turned off the bike into park mode. I only noticed it when I came back and inserted the key.
I didn't notice it as I walked away from the bike because during charging the lights also come on.
But my bike charged fine and the batteries were nice and warm for my ride back.