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[Skull_Kid]

Hi everyone,

I'm wondering how everyone's experience with the newer Zero FX has been.  I'm intrigued by the bike and would love to try one but I have one possibly big issue.  The closest dealer is about 8 hours away.  I have no problem going there to purchase it but I'm worried about having some major warranty work.  I hear of motors being replaced and waiting for weeks but maybe it's just a vocal minority.  I have other dealers nearby but only KTM has a comparable dual sport I'd consider.  Is it really a big gamble?

Thanks

[Ranga]

Although I love my FX to death, I would not have gotten one if I didn't have a dealership on the other side of town.

[bking]

My fx is fine around town, but I would never trust it in the wilderness. The build quality, brakes and suspension are also very poor compared to my KTM. It's a good second bike.

[rayivers]

Neither of my FX's has ever left me stranded.  One worked flawlessly from the day I bought it (new), until I decided to screw with it using the Zero app; it works fine again now. The other MX-conversion bike (used) had some initial glitching fixed by a firmware update, then a motor replacement that Zero handled quite well under warranty.  I've got about 70 rides deep into the woods on this bike so far, and surely many more to come.

Ray

[teslatech]

MY15 FX is awesome.  Good suspension and brakes.  A lot of things worked out and solid platform.  I love my 14 FX.  It has been far more reliable then my two fuel bikes.  I know my Zero will turn on in the morning and make it to work.  In the past month I have had two batteries and a regulator/rectifier go out in my KTM 990 adv.  Damn fuel bikes have batteries and fuel systems to go wrong.

[Kenmc_3]

I currently have one of the batteries from my 2015 FX at the dealer for almost 2 weeks. Zero hasn't been able to talk the dealer through a fix on it, or diagnose it using their computer link to it. The dealer has worked his tail off trying to get it fixed. Zero is ignoring my calls and emails about shipping me a new one. Bike is pretty much parked with the limited range of 1 battery.


Oct 21 update:
I received a new battery from Zero last week and finally had a chance to test it out. Everything looks good. I'm glad Zero came through with a new battery.

[steven_first]

I have 3,000 miles on my 2015 FX and about 150 of those miles is off road.  I have taken my bike trail riding, hill climbing (not crazy type though), through 6 inch deep mud, gravel roads, hell even rock crawling and yet have to have any issues.  The Dual sport tires are meh offroad and the belt is something you need to keep an eye on (there is a chain kit).  The ABS needs to be disabled while riding off road as well.  The suspension for a 160lb rider is a bit too stiff but all that aside it works well off road.  Get some tires and a chain kit and it does very well.

On road the bike handles very well and feels light and can pop wheelies as easy as you please...or if you don't want it to just lean forward a bit and full throttle to top speed in 5-6 secondsish.  You can rip the hell out of the bike and no one will even know because it is so quie; it isn't silent though.

I have had no issues with my bike aside from having the front brake squeal for the first 100 miles or so but now it is wiper quiet.  2 year warranty from Zero and the ability to tune your ride...I would do it.  BUT...I recomend you wait till the show what they got for 2016 before you buy!

That is my 2 1/2 cents.

[JasonS]

I have an SR, not an FX, but I bought from a dealer 3 hours away.  Mine has left me stranded.  Twice.  And failed to operate when parked at home (semi-stranded?)... three times?

I've had to put the bike in the back of a truck and haul it to the dealer three times since buying it, twice requiring me to leave it there (so I had to drive back again weeks later to pick it up).  I like the dealer, and I like Austin (city dealer is in), but I'm not a fan of driving to Austin to drop off a bike or pick it up.  In all cases, the failures were not something that I could fix without dealer/Zero involvement (without substantial expense, anyway) - they required new parts to be installed: 12v DC-DC Converter, Instrument Panel, Power Tank.  All were fully covered by warranty.

I don't think you'll have to worry about the Power Tank issue on an FX

[Skull_Kid]

These are some interesting stories.  It seems like if you get a lemon, the manufacturer support is hit or miss.  I couldn't imagine having to do multiple 8 hours drives to go get my bike fixed once...  Maybe I need to coax one of my local dealers to pickup Zero haha

[grmarks]

On a different note, my 2015 Zero SR needs to be serviced every 7,000 km, which seems overkill for an electric vehicle, but I have had  a minor issue with SOC so I don't want to risk my warranty, so I will comply until the warranty is up. This would be a big issue if you live 8 hours away.
The SOC issue is really cosmetic as the bike's motor and controller have been flawless the whole time. Meaning nothing has stopped me from riding it. It would seem from the posts here that quality is a bit hit and miss at the moment, but I love my bike despite this. This just means some pain until any faulty parts are replaced. 

[Erasmo]

Just curious, what do those services consist of? Apart from running diagnostics and a visual check I can't think of anything that would need service.

[Skull_Kid]

I run about 4000-5000km a year so it's not that much use, we have pretty long winters in Northern Ontario.   Never heard about those service checks though.  I'm very curious to see what the 2016 FXs will be like.

[NoiseBoy]

Grmarks; looking at the schedule in the manual for my 2014 SR there isn't anything I couldn't do myself in 5 mins until repacking the steering bearing at 25k miles. So that would be the first dealer service. Where do you get 7k from?

[BenS]

Skull_Kid, I'm in a similar situation to you, as I had to drive more than 10 hours to pick up my bike from the closest dealer, and was really worried about getting a dud, but so far, so good. I did find a loose spoke on the rear wheel after a couple of rides, which seems to be stripped from the factory, it won't tighten. I've broken spokes on my other bikes while riding, but never had a stripped one.
I've only put a few hundred km's on my '15 FX, including trail riding, but haven't had a major problem yet(I recommend to definitely turn ABS off, for off-road!). The Showa suspension seems decent enough for casual trail riding. The only thing I don't really like is the small front brake disc, which is also noisy(it howls), which somewhat hampers the stealthability. The kick stand can get snagged on trail obstacles, so I've removed mine, but had to modify the switch harness so that I can still turn ABS off. I don't intend to push the FX as hard as my other bikes, but it's been great for being able to go places I can't go on a noisy bike. I also love the lack of maintenance needed!

[Cortezdtv]

^ you should email zero or your dealer they will most likely replace that wheel for you no questions asked!!!


I have a few FX's non of which have ever left me stranded!!!! O ok well Im wrong I vagely recall one time where I was being an Idiot jumping up hillclimbs will the belt, landing with wide open throttle putting all the weight on the rear to get that extra "jump/bump" I needed.... ya I snapped the belt. I consider that completely my fault, my offroad mobber has since had a chain on it hightly reccomended if your going to jump, hillclimb, mud, anything where the tire may leave the ground and you need that snap on the throttle.


I have a 13 so dont have showa or ABS but Ive probably put 15000 miles of offroad riding spread between a few bikes. All narrow trails, hill climbs so steep your guarenteed to loop the bike, so you just lay it on the side or flip it upside down real quick to aid in the turning around.

As far as the motors having issues; from what I've seen you called it best skull_kid the few that do experience issues are tipcailly the most vocal, but have also many of thoes issues were taken care of already. Some have had their motor or parts replaced and havent posted about it and wont, so it seems like its hard to get a perfect intake of information.



I LOVE my fx's and many electric owners on a model year 13 or newer will never go back to a gas bike.....
I know I wont....they just cant compare and the distance between the two is only going to increase as batteries become stronger, the motors and controllers will fallow becomming more efficient.

80HP/80ftlbs gas VS 80 HP/ 80ftlbs electic   are not the same thing.... not even close

To me acceleration to 60 is really everything, when do you exceed 60 mph on a dirt bike, in the dirt?   ...... EXTREMELY rarely.....leading to the huge DISadvantage (when trail riding), of electric you get up to 60+ much quicker and without shifting it is very hard to judge your speed compared to a gas bike! Racing into the turn under extreme braking you also have no downshifting so your harder on the brakes unless you have a regen lever or different regen settings.