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[kirby]

Buying my first motorcycle - have tried a number of different gas models nothing seemed to really fit the bill for me. Always wanted to try a Zero but the cost is obviously not insubstantial but as soon as I sat on one I knew I had to have one.

This is where I find myself in a bit of pickle with next steps...

I really like the S Model, all below are the ZF7.2

Found a used '13 w/ windscreen and tail case for a good price that I was willing to make work.
Then the of course, end of year sale on demos + CA rebate brings the '18 S to just a little bit more and still carries a warranty.
Then the dealer says he has another '18 w/ a charge tank for just a little bit more still.

From the '13 to the '18 + charge tank is $5K span, which is what I started hoping to spend OTD on a bike at one point.

Any advice on what might be the better way to go would be very much appreciated!

Will certainly be used for fun but primary will be city commuter - work location varies but 30 miles RT would be on the long side.

Cheers!

[domingo3]

  I would probably recommend the '18 without charge tank. A couple thousand for 5 model years newer and a full warranty is surely worth it. Keep that in the back of your mind, though, that Zero resale value is not so great because of this kind of thought pattern.
  While a lot of people active on the boards find the charge tank or high power aftermarket chargers indispensable, I've never had a use for one. A 7.2 kWh will do 30 miles round trip easily, even at highway speeds in cold weather.  As a commuter, I just plug in my garage at night and have never spent any effort trying to find charging stations. If you have some specific use in mind, like going for longer weekend rides with a lunch break to charge or if you make service calls at work and need to charge to make it through the day, then it might be worth it. There's a pretty narrow set of parameters where it would make sense to want a charge tank and not also a bigger battery.  I've been commuting with my FXS for a couple of years and have never felt I would have used a charge tank. Of course, YMMV.

[Scotchman]

I purchased my first motorcycle earlier this summer, and it was a 2018 Zero S ZF7.2.  I didn't really know how I would use the bike, and now that I have a summer of using it as my primary vehicle, I can share some of my thoughts.

First, I have never used fast charging but I totally see the appeal.  When I plan trips that are on the outside of my range, the ability to stop at a station in between and add 15 minutes of juice would make all the difference.  Now a ride where I'm going 40 in a 55 and tucking uncomfortably to try to maximize range, is enjoyable again.  Not to mention that the fast charging opens up the option of going further than my total range with planned stops.  It really seems like it would be a game changer.

I was told I could add the Charge Tank after the fact, which is false.  I would very much like the Charge Tank option, so I'm a little bummed I'll have to wait for my next bike to have it as a factory option.  I am very likely going to do an offboard, DIY solution in the spring.

The other takeaway I have, is I really wish I'd gotten the ZF13.  I didn't see why I would need to go more than 70 miles between charges, but I have gotten home at 0%, including being limited down to 30mph for the last mile, and I get it now.  You can't have too much range, IF you think you will use the bike that way.  For me, I am using the bike in 100% of situations where I can use the bike, and that is greatly influenced by its range.  If you have a planned use for the bike like a 20 mile commute, and you will use a car or different bike for everything else, YMMV but I'd still highly consider more battery as it really opens up the usefulness of the bike.

Lastly, I would lean towards newer models if possible.  There seems to have been a lot of growing pains and things get better all the time.  The ability to do your own firmware updates is a big selling point on 2017+ for me.

[heroto]

Charge tank puts a lot of weight up high (although not as much as the power tank extra battery) and takes away the nifty storage. No free lunch.

I have a 2018 S 7.2. I love the top storage, side storage (one battery block, not two), and light weight with low center of gravity. It would be a good beginner bike. For me it's perfect as a fun toy and commuter. But as my only moto, it would be too limited. I also have a gas moto for longer rides and touring. I ride the zero more often, but the gas moto more miles - many more miles.

If you plan to do longer rides or tour, it can be done on a big battery Zero, and I admire the folks who do. But with current range it's much less flexible than an ICE moto even in places with a lot of stations.

Please let us know what you choose and how it works out for you.

[Scotchman]

The storage is nice for sure.  I use the side storage compartment for the occasional-use stuff I always want to have on hand, and the "fuel tank" storage for my gloves, my coffee, and whatever I just bought and am bringing home.  They are useful for sure, but I can put on a backpack and get the same ability.  I can't put a fast charger on my back nearly as easily.

As for the weight, I've not ridden a CT-equipped model above 20mph and not when I had any feel for the bikes.  I'd like to do it again now to see.  Without knowing I can't comment but I'd be surprised if the new weight distribution was a deal breaker for me.

[DPsSRnSD]

The choice between a 2013 and 2018 should not be a hard one. The 2018 is superior in almost every way, except there might be issue with the new battery configuration (or maybe it's just climate change catching up to us). There's a lot of chatter on Facebook now about battery overheating, and thus not being able to charge, after riding with the flow of fast freeway traffic. This has always been the case, so maybe I'm just more sensitive to the valid complaints now. This just affirms an adage to buy twice as much battery as you think you need for your intended usage, if you can afford it. This will cover you in all types of weather and when you need to make an unexpected errand.
If you move around to control your bike, I wouldn't worry about the effect of extra weight on the bike, especially if it's up front. I added a pair of DigiNow's where the ChargeTank would go on my SR. Lane-splitting in heavily congested street traffic, I have no problem with stability nor flickability.

[heroto]

I'll quibble: IMO weight location does matter.  Power tank puts 45 lbs up high and makes the bike much more of a handful. Charge tank weighs less but still weight up high. The diginow solution looks really slick.

[Richard230]

I too would recommend a 2018 model over previous years. Zero has made a lot of subtle improvements during the past 5 years, especially when it comes to reliability.  In addition to the $900 CA rebate (which takes a while to arrive), there is the possibility that Congress might continue the 10% IRS credit for an electric motorcycle purchase this year, like they did for purchases last year, when the next budget law is passed, which will happen after the fall election.

Personally, I am not hung up on the on-board storage compartments as there are lots of other options for storage, such as a tank bag, seat luggage, top box and saddle bags, along with personal luggage like a back pack.

[NEW2elec]

Kirby I don't know what part of CA your in or what the current rebate value's are, but here's my 2 cents.
First as I've posted on here before, people need to be honest with their money.  These bikes are great and most people ride them trouble free for years.  The down side is "if" you have a big issue it is pretty big money.  So know that going in.
I like to calculate the price of a used bike plus the cost of some big repairs and I find it comes out cheaper most of the time.  Now your CA rebates skews that a bit so you'll have to do some math.

Second try to resist the "this is all I need" thought process.  At some point you will want to sell the bike and the market for the 1/2 bike aka 7.2 S is pretty dang small.  Most people balk at the range of a 13kWh bike if they think in ICE range terms, but the 7.2 is a city only bike IMO.
I would go with the much lighter more fun FXS in that case.

So let me leave you with this as the bike I would buy (or at least call on) if I were in CA.  No miles listed but don't think about miles in the ICE world.  Miles mean use and good working condition on electric bikes.

https://www.cycletrader.com/listing/2016-Zero-SR-ZF13.0-5003708718

The only issues I know of from the 15-17 bikes were the chargers going out but being replaced by Zero for free.  Good luck.

[DPsSRnSD]

I'll quibble: IMO weight location does matter.  Power tank puts 45 lbs up high and makes the bike much more of a handful. Charge tank weighs less but still weight up high. The diginow solution looks really slick.

I'm going to quibble too. I'm riding my SR in tight corners and even with all the weight I've added I don't have a problem with stability. Maybe by the time one adds a huge husky over a PowerTank the bike becomes a handful. But the CG of the stock bike is so low there is a huge margin between noticing that you've added weight and the bike becoming a handful. And if you move around to control the bike instead of only depending on the handlebars, that margin is larger.

[BamBam]

I would go with the latest model year that you can afford.  The performance of the models continue to improve year by year.  I would also go with the larger battery capacity, i.e. the SR vs the S model.  You will be glad you did with the added range flexibility.  I use my DSR year round for commuting and have not had a need for a charge tank.  I charge exclusively using the on-board charger and 120V outlet, both at home and at work.

If you can hold out, you might want to wait to see if Zero is going to offer any specially priced limited edition models like they did last year with the 2017 DSR.  Great price on a DSR and it came with added accessorizes.  They ran the special during February.

[Doug S]

I'd agree with pretty much everyone else's opinion. Electric motorcycles are one area where it makes sense to reach high up the quality ladder. If that's just not possible due to your financial situation or just a frugal mentality, perhaps this isn't a market you should be in. This is still an immature technology, prices are high and manufacturers are young. It's likely you'll have at least some problems, some of which may cost a fair amount, and you're still going to have range and performance limitations, and stuff like screwy firmware to deal with.

That said, if you understand all that, it's an exhilarating field to play in. Kind of like skiing when I was younger -- an expensive hobby, especially when I blew out my knee doing it, but so worth it!

[DonTom]

I too would recommend a 2018 model over previous years. Zero has made a lot of subtle improvements during the past 5 years, especially when it comes to reliability.  In addition to the $900 CA rebate (which takes a while to arrive), there is the possibility that Congress might continue the 10% IRS credit for an electric motorcycle purchase this year, like they did for purchases last year, when the next budget law is passed, which will happen after the fall election.

Personally, I am not hung up on the on-board storage compartments as there are lots of other options for storage, such as a tank bag, seat luggage, top box and saddle bags, along with personal luggage like a back pack.

Do you have any recommendation for tank bags on my two Zeros listed below?

I find, at times,  I need all the storage I can get. Even though  my DS ZF 6.5 has saddlebags and the travel trunk, it find the extra storage space useful that is not hogged up by battery as it is on my SR with Pwr Tank, which also has the travel trunk and saddlebags.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[DonTom]

I would say first decide where you want to ride and then decide the bike.  And this is espcally true  when it comes to electric motorcycles.

If I ONLY could keep Zero, it would be my cheaper smaller one for several reasons. One is that it is light enough to carry on a ramp on the hitch of my RV. Also, there are many unpaved roads here in the Reno area, making the DS a better choice. Also has the extra storage space which I find handy during my RV trips.  I find this bike has more range than I need for the Reno area as well as for my RV trips to anywhere.

My SR with PWR tank is for the countless mountain roads in the Auburn, CA area. All are paved and need to cover longer distances than here in Reno. So there, the extra range for a bike that is for the street makes more sense. I can ride that bike a full day on the countless mountain roads in that area.

BTW, I ride my two electric bikes more than my other seven bikes combined.  I only use the ICE bikes for longer trips at higher speeds, such as  going between my Reno and Auburn home.

-Don-  Reno, NV

[Richard230]

I too would recommend a 2018 model over previous years. Zero has made a lot of subtle improvements during the past 5 years, especially when it comes to reliability.  In addition to the $900 CA rebate (which takes a while to arrive), there is the possibility that Congress might continue the 10% IRS credit for an electric motorcycle purchase this year, like they did for purchases last year, when the next budget law is passed, which will happen after the fall election.

Personally, I am not hung up on the on-board storage compartments as there are lots of other options for storage, such as a tank bag, seat luggage, top box and saddle bags, along with personal luggage like a back pack.

Do you have any recommendation for tank bags on my two Zeros listed below?

I find, at times,  I need all the storage I can get. Even though  my DS ZF 6.5 has saddlebags and the travel trunk, it find the extra storage space useful that is not hogged up by battery as it is on my SR with Pwr Tank, which also has the travel trunk and saddlebags.

-Don-  Reno, NV

Just about any generic tank bag will fit the Zero.  My Zero has a PT and I found an old expandable Marsee tank bag in my storage closet that works fine.  On my 2014 S, with PT, I bought a small $25 Cycle Case tank bag and that is still being used by my daughter on that Zero that I gave her. Just find one that is about the right size and does not use magnets to attach it to the tank. And expandable tank bag is a plus.