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[mrwilsn]

Has anybody seen this article indicating the 2016 Zero Lineup is going to be announced Oct. 15 at the AIMEXPO?

http://www.cycleworld.com/2015/09/29/aimexpo-zero-motorcycles-set-to-launch-2016-line/

What do you think Zero has in store for us with this comment:

“In addition to great features, we have some new things in store that are the direct result of customer feedback”

Is this year just going to be another significant but still incremental update like the 2014 to 2015 or will we see big advancements?  We already know the DSR will be announced but what else is coming?

I think its a given that battery capacity will increase another 10%...more if we're lucky.  But what else do you want to see?  Personally, my wish list is the following...in no particular order.

• Factory heated grips
• Cruise control
• Fairing
• Larger and lockable tank storage...big enough for a full face helmet
• Fast charging
• Canceling turn signals
• Traction control....probably would turn it off most of the time but would be great for bad weather days
• Keyless operation
• Full color touchscreen display

Obviously it would be overly optimistic to think Zero will add everything on my list but its all doable and they would attract a lot more commuters.

[BrianTRice@gmail.com]

You didn't even think of a reverse gear? Amateur.

Seriously, half of your wish list are gimmicks that most of the market can live without or easily fixed with cheap third-party products.

The essentials are: fairing and charging.

[NoiseBoy]

+1. Some of those will just raise the price for little benefit. I can't imagine how cancelling indicators would work on a motorcycle?

Fairing option, faster charging and the touch screen are nice. Factory heated grips would be nice and they are available for the 2013 models so not sure of the reasoning. Maybe most people just fit their own?

I think the 2015 bikes are pretty good and a price drop would probably be of most benefit to the company and electric bikes in general, all things considered.

[Erasmo]

Just a matter of another relay, not a big deal at all. BMW introduced them decades ago on their motorcycles.

[kingcharles]

Will they announce the Sevcon Gen 5 controller for the 2016 bikes?

[Erasmo]

Time will tell...

[MostlyBonkers]

Tomorrow I pick up a VFR 1200. Too little too late Zero, I'm afraid. It will have the following:

Fairing.
Fast charging (petrol).
Automatic and smooth gear changes with the option to shift manually for more fun.
Panniers.
Up to 180 miles range at motorway speeds.
Enough performance to leave anything on four wheels for dust, except dragsters.
Shaft drive.
Traction control (I need it).
Excellent dealership support, if needed.
It's cheaper than the ex-demo 2014S that was for sale before Christmas and won't depreciate as quickly.
It will make a good sound.
It has Honda's reputation for build quality and reliability behind it.
It will feel like riding a proper motorcycle rather than a toy.

Sorry folks, I don't want to offend anyone and those are just facts and my personal opinion.

I could go on with the benefits over a Zero, but there are downsides too. The biggie is running costs. There are a few more too, well documented on this forum. Do I care? Not anymore.

Life is short my friends.  Just today my wife told me that one of her cousins has been given a terminal diagnosis. He's in his thirties. I just want to have some good honest fun while I can. I hope my next bike is electric but it will have to be better than the current offering.

In the meantime I'll do what I can to try and help encourage people to participate in this fledgling industry. Just because I cannot justify buying a Zero right now doesn't mean that they aren't a great option for others. I can only have one bike at a time too. One day I hope to have a garage with at least three  bikes in it. One of them will be electric and hopefully manufactured by Zero, if they have built themselves a better reputation for customer service by then...

[BrianTRice@gmail.com]

-1 for thread hijacking. Enjoy your ride, though.

[Richard230]

A few words about Zero here:  http://www.autoblog.com/2015/09/30/zero-2016-launch-international-zev-alliance/

[mrwilsn]

You didn't even think of a reverse gear? Amateur.

Seriously, half of your wish list are gimmicks that most of the market can live without or easily fixed with cheap third-party products.

The essentials are: fairing and charging.

You may think they are gimmicks but I don't think so at all.  With the exception of the color touch screen and fast charging these items don't add a lot to the cost of the bike but they add a lot of value...in my opinion.  Reverse would be a good feature to add because I know a lot of people want it and it would help Zero sell bikes.  However, I personally don't put reverse high on my list.  In the 8K miles I have put on my 2014 Zero S I can only think of one scenario where I was parking on a VERY steep driveway where I wished I had reverse.  That said, I'm sure if I had it I would love it and use it all the time.  On the other hand, over 8K miles I have often thought of other things missing from my bike...

• Factory heated grips
• Yes, you can get third party heated grips.  I have some Oxford Heaterz that work great.  But I shouldn't have to install myself and the controls for the heated grips should be integrated with the rest of the factory controls for a clean look.
• Cruise control
• This is cheap for Zero to add and for someone like me adds tremendous value.  They already offer the ability to limit top speed in custom mode.  Cruise control only requires hand controls and some real estate on the display.  I hate hunting for a speed.  As a commuter cruise control is a way for me to set my speed at a cop friendly value....its way too easy and fun to speed on a Zero.  For longer rides cruise is a must have for the aforementioned peace of mind when passing the cops and to prevent hand cramping.
• Fairing
• Definitely not a gimmick. Essential to improve range and provide wind protection.  The fairing can also add to the aesthetics if they do it right.
• Larger and lockable tank storage...big enough for a full face helmet
• I have a top box on my Zero.  I would much rather have a larger storage area in the tank area that could be locked.  A large tank could easily be added that would look good and then for most uses the top box is no longer required.  Side cases that could be attached without needing an ugly frame and that can fit a full face helmet would actually be great too (I love the way they did it on the MV Augusta TURISMO VELOCE 800...in fact if they could just make that bike electric I would be throwing my money at them).  If I were incrementally adding additional storage the top box is the last place I would add.  Once everything else is full, go to the top box.  Right now, the top box box is the only option for a Zero that will fit a helmet.  And once again, this doesn't add a lot of cost to the bike.
• Fast charging
• Duh
• Canceling turn signals
• Not a gimmick.  I am notorious for forgetting to turn them off...which is dangerous....and lots of people are just like me.
• Traction control....probably would turn it off most of the time but would be great for bad weather days
• I can see why some call it a gimmick.  I'm not sold either way.  I have never had it on a bike and reviews I have seen can go either way.  As long as I can default it OFF if I want, any help when conditions are less than ideal would be welcomed.  Nobody's perfect all the time.
• Keyless operation and Full color touchscreen display
• The reason Tesla is winning is because they are going after the 'tech' crowd.  The 'iPhone' crowd.  The 'BMW' crowd.  Keyless operation and the color touchscreen bring that something extra that gets people excited about the product and they add a lot to the convenience of using the bike.  Especially if it included support for Android Auto and Apple Car Play so that you could put up navigation etc on the display.  MUCH better than trying to mount cell phone.  I have shattered a phone display after going over a pot hole and losing my cell phone from its mount.  I shouldn't have to risk losing my cell phone and all the data on it in order to put up nav.

Long winded...sorry 

[MostlyBonkers]

Apologies for the thread hijacking. I thought it was relevant, but you're right Brian.

[Mike Werner]

You didn't even think of a reverse gear? Amateur.

Seriously, half of your wish list are gimmicks that most of the market can live without or easily fixed with cheap third-party products.

The essentials are: fairing and charging.

You may think they are gimmicks but I don't think so at all.  With the exception of the color touch screen and fast charging these items don't add a lot to the cost of the bike but they add a lot of value...in my opinion.  Reverse would be a good feature to add because I know a lot of people want it and it would help Zero sell bikes.  However, I personally don't put reverse high on my list.  In the 8K miles I have put on my 2014 Zero S I can only think of one scenario where I was parking on a VERY steep driveway where I wished I had reverse.  That said, I'm sure if I had it I would love it and use it all the time.  On the other hand, over 8K miles I have often thought of other things missing from my bike...

• Factory heated grips
• Yes, you can get third party heated grips.  I have some Oxford Heaterz that work great.  But I shouldn't have to install myself and the controls for the heated grips should be integrated with the rest of the factory controls for a clean look.
• Cruise control
• This is cheap for Zero to add and for someone like me adds tremendous value.  They already offer the ability to limit top speed in custom mode.  Cruise control only requires hand controls and some real estate on the display.  I hate hunting for a speed.  As a commuter cruise control is a way for me to set my speed at a cop friendly value....its way too easy and fun to speed on a Zero.  For longer rides cruise is a must have for the aforementioned peace of mind when passing the cops and to prevent hand cramping.
• Fairing
• Definitely not a gimmick. Essential to improve range and provide wind protection.  The fairing can also add to the aesthetics if they do it right.
• Larger and lockable tank storage...big enough for a full face helmet
• I have a top box on my Zero.  I would much rather have a larger storage area in the tank area that could be locked.  A large tank could easily be added that would look good and then for most uses the top box is no longer required.  Side cases that could be attached without needing an ugly frame and that can fit a full face helmet would actually be great too (I love the way they did it on the MV Augusta TURISMO VELOCE 800...in fact if they could just make that bike electric I would be throwing my money at them).  If I were incrementally adding additional storage the top box is the last place I would add.  Once everything else is full, go to the top box.  Right now, the top box box is the only option for a Zero that will fit a helmet.  And once again, this doesn't add a lot of cost to the bike.
• Fast charging
• Duh
• Canceling turn signals
• Not a gimmick.  I am notorious for forgetting to turn them off...which is dangerous....and lots of people are just like me.
• Traction control....probably would turn it off most of the time but would be great for bad weather days
• I can see why some call it a gimmick.  I'm not sold either way.  I have never had it on a bike and reviews I have seen can go either way.  As long as I can default it OFF if I want, any help when conditions are less than ideal would be welcomed.  Nobody's perfect all the time.
• Keyless operation and Full color touchscreen display
• The reason Tesla is winning is because they are going after the 'tech' crowd.  The 'iPhone' crowd.  The 'BMW' crowd.  Keyless operation and the color touchscreen bring that something extra that gets people excited about the product and they add a lot to the convenience of using the bike.  Especially if it included support for Android Auto and Apple Car Play so that you could put up navigation etc on the display.  MUCH better than trying to mount cell phone.  I have shattered a phone display after going over a pot hole and losing my cell phone from its mount.  I shouldn't have to risk losing my cell phone and all the data on it in order to put up nav.

Long winded...sorry 

Sounds like the standard equipment on the BMW C-Evolution, including a reverse (which I didn't know I would love).

Heated grips; CHECK
Cruise Control: Nope
Fairing: CHECK
Tank storage: No Tank (the optional topcase fits any type of helmet)
Fast Charging: CHECK
Canceling Turn Signals: CHECK
Traction Control: CHECK (but can't disable it)
Keyless: Nope

The keyless thing would be great, and I have no doubt it'll arrive shortly. BMW is already doing it for their cars. Imagine using an Apple Watch et al to start the thing up.

[MostlyBonkers]

+1 for a proper frunk by the way. That's one feature I'll miss from the NC750.

[MostlyBonkers]

Mike: How do you feel about riding the C-Evolution on the motorway? I once took a 125cc scooter on the M25 for a short hop. It coped, even though it wouldn't do more than 60mph.

[Mike Werner]

Mike: How do you feel about riding the C-Evolution on the motorway? I once took a 125cc scooter on the M25 for a short hop. It coped, even though it wouldn't do more than 60mph.

 i don't. The speed is limited by software and although it's at the maximum of the motorway speed limit, you don't have any reserve to overtake if needed. But the Beemer wasn't made for motorways, it's a city scoot.

(Sorry for the hijack)....