ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: phoenix on July 13, 2017, 07:19:52 PM
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I've picked up my new sr from the dealer 2 days ago, and yesterday morning i had my first ride in heavy rain.
6 or 7 hours later i noticed that the entire inside of the tank storage area was wet, there were no puddles at the bottom but that is probably because there is a small drainage hole at the bottom.
My dealer says that the tank storage is not suppose to be waterproof.
It was a serious downpour and the bike was outside in the rain for at least 3 hours but i did not expect the tank storage to be completely soaked with water.
Unfortunately i forgot to take a picture of the amount of water inside.
Is it normal for the tank storage to leak this much?
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Wow sounds like a simple molded lip and O ring would have solved that but hey mine has a zipper so at least it's a step in the right direction. :-\
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My storage area was replaced by a Power Tank, which as far as I know doesn't leak in the rain. ;) However lots of motorcycle hard luggage in the past has leaked due to riding in wet weather. That is why many BMW riders used to line their luggage with plastic garbage bags. ::) I bet a 1 gallon plastic storage bag would work for you. ;) As to whether leaking is normal or not, I have no idea. ???
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Just for those who are new to Zero motorcycles as of 2017, prior years have a fabric tank bag closed with a zipper, sitting in a similar bin with a drainage hole. They generally would get a good soaking in the rain without a large windscreen or something else covering the tank. So, the new bin seems more protective than prior years, at least.
One positive suggestion is that sealing it might not take much effort. See whether you can find a liner for the cover that improves it.
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Zero's lockable tank was largely based off the one that I made. If you notice in the picture, mine has a gasket seal. Zero probably didn't include this to save on cost and complexity of manufacturing but you can buy gasket material at Ace Hardware and install it your self. Look in the weather stripping for doors section.
I live in Florida and have driven through some pretty serious storms and the storage compartment stays bone dry.
(https://scontent.ftpa1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/19961285_1511090312281899_9087249414023163916_n.jpg?oh=8991d33abaf9d9bf9ffbab2905ea8835&oe=59C90AD6)
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Thanks, Dan! I've made a stub entry on the wiki for this, to expand later:
http://zeromanual.com/index.php/Common_Modifications#Lidded_Tank_Waterproofing (http://zeromanual.com/index.php/Common_Modifications#Lidded_Tank_Waterproofing)
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https://m.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=70987196
This is the product I used. I have it installed on the tank part, not the lid. I used superglue on the flange of the gasket material to secure it to the inside rim of the tank. It sounds low tech but it has worked for years now.
Zero's design is a little different because they tried to use the lid as the "gasket" part. It might be possible to glue the gasket material to the rim of the lid on a 2017 bike but the gasket might be too thick and not allow the lid to close all the way.
Alternatively, I would recommend using this:
https://m.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=70987166
But they sell thinner versions of it. It has adhesive on the back so you just peel and stick. I would stick it on the tank portion. There's a nice flat surface to stick it to. It's flexible so you can curve it around the corners. The rim of the lid should pressed against it when its closed and make a waterproof seal.
But like I said, the product I linked is probably too thick but I know for a fact they sell thinner versions of it in the store. They also sell them in "closed cell" or "open cell" variants. The "closed cell" variant is the waterproof one.
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That sounds about right. I may get my hands on a 2017 tank for my 2013 bike, in which case I'll try something like that out. A thin closed-cell weatherstripping tape seems fine, and yeah I have something that is probably nearly identical lying around for my fairing work.
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There is a rubber gasket on the lid, but if you look from the side it looks like there is a gap between the gasket and the tank of approximately 5mm.
It almost looks like the lid is bend out of shape, i will make some better pictures tomorrow during the day.
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Yikes well there's your problem. That's definitely bent out of shape.
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Checked, mine is warped too :(
And now I recall it was damp after a heavy rain before I got the windshield. got my hat all wet..
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The lid itself looks fine, no visible warping or damage, closing the lid does not warp or bend the lid in any way.
with the lid closed the rubber gasket touches the tank except at both front corners, there is a small gap at the left corner and the gap at the right corner is about twice as large.
I will stop by the dealer on next Tuesday,
https://stack.gsnoek.nl/s/n8SCTOM5rK8rzC4 (https://stack.gsnoek.nl/s/n8SCTOM5rK8rzC4)
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The lid itself looks fine, no visible warping or damage, closing the lid does not warp or bend the lid in any way.
with the lid closed the rubber gasket touches the tank except at both front corners, there is a small gap at the left corner and the gap at the right corner is about twice as large...
https://stack.gsnoek.nl/s/n8SCTOM5rK8rzC4 (https://stack.gsnoek.nl/s/n8SCTOM5rK8rzC4)
Ditto here. I just picked mine up yesterday, and didn't notice the poor fit of the lid until this morning.
If your dealer orders a new lid, I wouldn't be surprised if it fits just like the original. I'm going to try applying a little heat with a blow dryer. Maybe it can be reshaped a little.
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Well I tried the blow drier. I got a little improvement, but there is still a gap at the forward corners. I may mess with it more later if my stuff gets wet.
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The lid itself looks fine, no visible warping or damage, closing the lid does not warp or bend the lid in any way.
with the lid closed the rubber gasket touches the tank except at both front corners, there is a small gap at the left corner and the gap at the right corner is about twice as large.
um, that is the definition of warped.
Mold is made to what would fit.
plastic is injected into mold.
plastic does not touch at corners after cooling from the mold.
plastic is warped, and does not fit.
Solution: make the mold so that when it cools it shrinks to final dimensions that fit the bike, which is not the same dimensions as the final part when it's hot.