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[NearDeath]

Wanting to compile a comprehensive list of the defects in Zero Motorcycles since model year 2013 with the goal of educating dealers and owners that they may be knowledgeable and try to keep themselves safe.

[Say10 15FX 16FXS]

The biggest flaw is that I can't concentrate on work or anything else because I'd rather be riding my ZERO!!!

[DPsSRnSD]

2. People want to talk to you about your bike at stop lights while you're listening to music or podcasts.
3. Some riding gear needs replacement biyearly from daily use.

[NearDeath]

key switches
chargers

[Jarrett]

4. Face cramps from extended periods of smiling while riding.

[Richard230]

Being able to ride off in the morning without having to warm up the motorcycle before it will run properly. 

[munchie33]

2016 Zero SR,
It's the chargers. Mine failed with the scary sound of frying bacon.

[NEW2elec]

When I ride off stress at 1am the lack of noise bothering my neighbors means my stress drifts off into the air so that can't be good for the air I guess.

[DPsSRnSD]

The stress of not knowing who is a gashole being nice to your face but talking behind your back with disdain from people who are generally nice but maybe you should just accept people as they present themselves to you because that's how they want to be but then are you just being a dupe when you should be channeling your inner evholeness? 2016 SR.

[JaimeC]

2016 S:  The motor bearing failed right before the warranty expired so I did get a replacement motor free of charge.

[Moto7575]

Go to the recalls list part of zero unofficial manual, gives you a good basis to start with. By the way you should add your list to this wiki-like site, would help everybody

[NearDeath]

I had a near death experience with my key switch failing.  Now I'm hearing this has happened to dozens of others and is one of several defects that the office here has raised with HQ.  Basically the key switches are falling apart.  When this happens the bike turns off, no throttle, no lights, no horn, no ABS, no nothing. It happened to me Wednesday evening just as it had gotten dark.  Had there been any snow or ice on the road, I'd be dead.

[Moto7575]

What model / year ?

[Jarrett]

Could you still control the handlebars and use the brakes? 

If so, why was that near death?  Sounds like running out of gas on an ICE bike.

[BrianTRice@gmail.com]

Here's a quick list of what I've contributed to the wiki in various forms but not collated:

• The Sevcon DC-DC converter's connector isn't ingress-rated or protected.
• The lack of traction control and high wheel spin-up rate on traction loss are a risk factor that can lead to accidents.
• The onboard charger conducts heat into the bottom of the battery.
• The onboard charger inlet is not self-cleaning or ingress-protected and can lead to faults.
• Faults in the onboard charger and/or the DC-DC converter can impact other systems.
• The MBB/ECU's sensing lines have various lacks of electrical protection that can ruin the board.
• The accessory charging port cap shields moisture and debris from the rear but not from above or in front and can trap moisture from those directions. The port cap can also easily come off anyway.
• The dash is sealed in a way that prevents reasonable repair, or of replacement of its internal battery.
• The way the seat joins to the tail and bolts in as part of the support of the top rack or side racks is an impediment to owner road-side checking or replacement of fuses, and also is a structural flaw in the luggage rack support.
• The belt drive has no lower guard to reduce debris ingress.
• The frame's aluminum construction tends to be brittle.
• The frame's absolutely minimal internal spacing makes servicing (by dealers or owners) unnecessarily labor-intensive, and makes the platform very difficult to instrument or extend.
• The dual-BMS architecture for the X platform and the S platform's Power Tank feature has no owner-accessible diagnostic support other than Error Codes, making troubleshooting outside of a dealership require excessive effort.
• The mobile application is grossly inadequate for road-side servicing, and hasn't been attended to as a design matter for five years.
• Battery heat monitoring has extremely little support in the mobile application or dash. There are several temperature sensors and we have no idea where they are located after five years with this platform.
• The owner's manual does not specify a service interval or specification for re-greasing the various places on the bike that require it.
• The owner's manual does not convey the risk involved in an uncalibrated controller-motor alignment.