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[Crissa]

Yeah, but your SS9 is nearly twice the weight of my Zero.

Aside from scooters, the only other real motorcycle I've ridden was a giant like that.  It was really unenjoyable.  I can see how it works on the freeway... But I almost never do that, even in a car.  Like, once a month or so.  So handling all the weight would be too much for how I ride.

The extra expense... Well, I've spent alot less on my bike because it doesn't have those expensive features.  It'd be nice if my bike was all smart like that, but that costs money

-Crissa

[NEW2elec]

DonTom no I haven't.  I just have picked up an adapter to use J1772 but that may wait till spring now.  I talked to Charge Point but most still want to bill by the hour which is a kick in the wallet with a 1.3 kW charger.
They have some stations at work but at .75 an hour it's high based on the fact I don't "need" it to use back roads.  If I went interstate I would.  I guess my 17 would shut off the station at 100% SOC by opening the contactor but the 13 may just keep trying to balance for 8 hours.  I could go .50 per kWh which should still be a profit for them but I'd need a charge tank at minimum just to drop the time.

I posted before I saw your route on google maps.  It would be like a different planet from the GA country sides I ride but I see how you hop from station to station and it works for you.  I ride in an area with almost no gas stations and no charging at all.  Maybe a fire station would let me use their wall outlet if I was stuck.

Again my nearest Energica dealer would be like 7 hours away.  If I had a problem I'd be kicking myself for putting myself in that predicament.  Also I'll be honest a $20k bike wouldn't happen.  I'd have to have a used one in a few years at best.
For me they are like the Teslas and the Rivians, I'm glad they exist but they are out of my league.

[MVetter]

The extra expense... Well, I've spent alot less on my bike because it doesn't have those expensive features.  It'd be nice if my bike was all smart like that, but that costs money

A new SR with a Charge Tank is $18k

The Premium SR/F is $21.5k

A lot of these models are priced very similarly, and people tend to forget that. Probably because the LiveWire is a ridiculous $30k.

[DonTom]

DonTom no I haven't.  I just have picked up an adapter to use J1772 but that may wait till spring now.

In the Reno, NV  and Auburn, CA area, almost every J1772 is free to use all day. But some do charge to charge in the tourist trap areas, such as Truckee, CA. But it is cheaper to charge than it is to park in some of these same areas! They have no parking fees to charge.
 

I talked to Charge Point but most still want to bill by the hour which is a kick in the wallet with a 1.3 kW charger.

Do you have any quick chargers? You can buy "Y" cables and use them, but a much better safer idea is to by  your J1772 from Tucson EV that has all the outputs you want and are rated much higher than the one Zero sells. Look down the page for "J1772 To Zero Adapter".

-Don-  Williams, AZ (RV)

[Crissa]

The extra expense... Well, I've spent alot less on my bike because it doesn't have those expensive features.  It'd be nice if my bike was all smart like that, but that costs money

A lot of these models are priced very similarly, and people tend to forget that. Probably because the LiveWire is a ridiculous $30k.

And an S is $11K new, and mine cost $6K.

No one is going to be selling me an Energica for that!

-Crissa

[MVetter]

And if the type of bike is not to your liking no one should be trying to push you into it. It sounds like you primarily are interested in short range commuting. Zero is perfect for that.

[DonTom]

And if the type of bike is not to your liking no one should be trying to push you into it. It sounds like you primarily are interested in short range commuting. Zero is perfect for that.

That's mainly what I use my Zeros for.

I find my Zero DS ZF 6.5 to be the most handy bike of all. I have it with me now on my RV hitch. It rides itself up the ramp on the hitch making it very easy to load and take off the ramp.

I like the Energica more for the freeway, such as Reno to Auburn and back.  But I have also done that trip on my Zero SR several times. The SS9 is more comfy for a longer trip.

-Don-  Williams, AZ

[centra12]

I see it the same way

The Zero is just a vehicle for the way to work,scooter or something.

I also drove the new SR/F and have to say that it is a real improvement compared to the old Zeros. But she can't touch an Energica EsseEsse9. Neither of the performance, road holding and workmanship quality.

[JaimeC]

I think someone (Brian?) pointed this out:  Although both Zero and Energica warranty their bikes for two years, unlimited miles, Energica only warranties their batteries for three years or 31,000 miles (whichever comes first).  That is a BIG red flag for me.  It sounds like Zero has a lot more faith in their battery technology than does Energica. Considering the cost of the battery is almost 50% the cost of the bike itself, I'd definitely hesitate on that alone.

[Doug S]

It sounds like Zero has a lot more faith in their battery technology than does Energica.

Eh, maybe not. It might just be a business decision. The more coverage they provide, the more it costs. Even if things are reliable and warranty repairs are rare, they do add up.

[JaimeC]

A lifetime of experience tells me "Italian" and "Reliable" are rarely used together in the same sentence...

[NEW2elec]

DonTom I do have one quiq charger that I use at home.  I don't think I'd like to take one and surely not multiple chargers with me on the bike.  I guess long touring rides are just something I've never done so I don't miss it.  Thanks for the link though, I've read about your Y charger setup and it sounds great.  I don't have a home J1772 plug so the two circuit outlets are all I have to use in my garage and laundry room.

DonTom your in a good place in life and it sounds like your enjoying the success you'd earned, but I'm a blue collar southern guy and even a few hundred dollars makes me perk up and pay attention to what I get for it.  I love the way these bikes ride but I doubt I'd ever be in a position to just pack up and tour.  Truth be told it's hard to justify having two bikes when GA hits me up for $200 a piece per year.  It's nice having a backup though.

[Doug S]

A lifetime of experience tells me "Italian" and "Reliable" are rarely used together in the same sentence...

That may be true, but you and I are also old enough to remember when "made in Japan" meant "piece of crap". The only constant in life is change.

[MVetter]

I also have one sort of followup question for the people who are influenced heavily by the warranties as written, and it's potentially a very touchy question that may stir up a hornet's nest. It is not intended to cause drama; it is just meant to make people engage their brains on this topic. My phrasing is meant to be very diplomatic, so I'll be choosing my words carefully.

All bikes are eventually going to have some sort of problems. There have been Zeroes with part failures. There have been Energicas with part failures. Some of us here have experienced it firsthand, and some of us just read others' stories. For those of us who have read lots of other people's stories about part failures and warranty repairs, here is my question:

"How would you rate the process of getting Zero to honor a battery warranty claim?"

[JaimeC]

Back in 1998 or thereabouts, BMW changed their warranty terms from "Three years, unlimited mileage" to "Three years or 36,000 miles, whichever came first."  Back then (and to this day) I average around 15,000 miles a year on two wheels so I would've exhausted the warranty terms in less than three years.  I bought my K1200LT brand new in 1999.  In 2001, I suffered a rear bearing failure with 41,000 miles on the odometer (outside the warranty).  FORTUNATELY this was a very common failure and BMW repaired it free of charge anyway.

Fast forward to today and BMWs are NOT what they used to be.  They rank at the bottom of Consumer Reports' reliability rankings.  I had an engine failure on my 2013 BMW C650GT on a part that was replaced due to a recall.  That part WAS replaced, but it failed anyway.  Since it was two years out of warranty, BMW wouldn't do a DAMNED thing for me (not even give me a break on the $4,000.00 price tag of a new engine).  That's when I told them they could go pound sand and I will NEVER buy another BMW vehicle (no matter how many wheels it has) as long as I live.  Brand loyalty is built up over years and killed in an instant.  The irony is I had JUST gotten my 400,000 mile medallion from them.

The K1200LT is still going strong, but BMW doesn't build them like that anymore.  The foreshadowing was when they limited their warranty coverage.  They don't WANT people who want to keep a machine running; they want those people with enough disposable income to keep buying a new bike every three or four years and that AIN'T me.

I look at product warranties now as an indication of how much faith a company has in their product.  Yamaha warranties their big touring bikes for FIVE years, unlimited mileage.  They are also the most highly rated brand in the Consumer Reports ranking I mentioned above so there is a correlation.