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Messages - gadget123

Pages: [1]
1
Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2012 and older / Re: 5 days with the 2012 zero x
« on: February 28, 2012, 01:23:05 PM »
Zero Hero -- yes, it is street legal. i have all my paperwork from the dealer and i am just waiting for the license plate to arrive in a few weeks. i bought the bike from the closest dealer to san diego. where do you ride in oceanside? i am new to san diego and don't really know anywhere here yet.

Jay -- i don't want to use this forum to bash a dealer. i do think i overpaid for the bike, but whatever. they don't know much about the bike, but i suppose i was able to eventually figure out what i needed. at least with this dealer i can bring my bike in for warranty work. it would suck if i had to drive it up to LA every time something happened to the bike. i really like this bike, btw. i would recommend it to anyone wanting an electric dirt bike...and even someone just wanting a commuter bike. it's really easy to ride. i think i'm gonna ride it this upcoming weekend out on a real trail. i'll post my experience here for anyone interested. if you don't care about spending $11,000 to $12,000 then i say to get it. as for how long it will last on a charge: i would now say i could get almost 25 miles with this type of ride:

6 miles at 55
6 miles at 40
6 miles at 30
6 miles under 30

there are a decent amount of hills in that 24 miles. nothing really steep but probably about 3 miles of that commute is uphill at an average grade of maybe 5% (obviously i am just making my best guess but it's probably pretty close). if you have that type of commute then i think you'll be ok. i suppose you could get 38 miles if you averaged below 30 for the entire trip and had no hills at all. i actually am considering traveling with my charger sometimes...and another member recommended mounting it on the bike (like the xu)...but i think you will have to remove it when you are on the trails. anyhow, if your drive is 7 miles to the trail then i think you're gonna be disappointed. even if you only go 30mph you'll probably only have about half a charge for the trail riding (like protomech said). i think you need the extra battery (just like me). and you have to carry it with you to the trail.

i hope the dealer didn't give me an old battery. i sorta doubt that the old battery would work with the new charger anyhow.

***i am painting all the plastic panels with the decals tomorrow or the next day. i'll post my pics here (unless it looks stupid).

lastly, if you are considering getting one then my advice (unsolicited, i know) would be to get it when it first comes out...this way you will get to enjoy it as long as possible before a better bike comes out (which will happen) and you want to upgrade to that one. one thing i am pretty sure about with electric motorcycles for the next few years: they are not going down in price...they seem to always be implementing newer/more expensive technology in each revision of their products.

2
Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2012 and older / Re: 2012 extra battery for zero x / mx
« on: February 26, 2012, 03:39:16 AM »
protomech --> thanks. that's good advice. i will wait, obviously, until they announce the battery.

would it be stupid of me to travel with the stock charger? does anyone think that moving it around all the time would cause it to possibly stop functioning? i could almost always find a plug somewhere in an emergency.

i really wish zero could have built it into the dirt-bikes...

3
Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2012 and older / 2012 extra battery for zero x / mx
« on: February 25, 2012, 03:17:02 AM »
i want to get an extra battery for my 2012 x. does anyone know when i will be able to order it? also, what it will cost?

also, i wanted to know if it would be stupid to carry the extra battery on the bike for those days that i need to commute more than 25 miles (the limit of my battery based on just a few days of riding so far)? and if i did carry it is there a side bag/box that would work?

thanks.

4
Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2012 and older / Re: 5 days with the 2012 zero x
« on: February 25, 2012, 03:11:25 AM »
Harlan -- thanks..that's pretty much what i thought. zero should have gotten this dealer more jazzed up about their line. it is definitely an afterthought at my dealer.

i'm still gonna get the extra battery though, i think.

5
Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2012 and older / Re: 5 days with the 2012 zero x
« on: February 25, 2012, 02:34:32 AM »
the dealer told me the x qualified for about $2500 in rebates. he said he even confirmed it with zero. but, i sort of doubt that he did any of that.

Harlan -- i'm pretty sure that you're right. the xu is using the same battery as the x (at least that's what it looks like) but the motor is different. i really doubt that the x could make it 38.6 miles at an average speed of 35...in fact i am 100% certain this is impossible after riding it on a full charge and only getting about 23-25 miles (given 6 or 7 of those miles were at 50-55).

i wish they could have packed a little more into that battery. but mostly i wish the dealer had not misinformed me. he was so insistent that i would get those rebates...which is basically what pushed me into buying it. does anyone know if the bike would qualify if i bought an extra battery? i would ask my dealer but i am sure he would say yes and tell me to come in with a check, without even asking.

one other thing: some people seemed to complain about mirror placements on older bikes. i don't have any problem with them. they work fine for me.

6
Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2012 and older / 5 days with the 2012 zero x
« on: February 24, 2012, 01:08:38 PM »
i like it so far. i haven't used it on the dirt yet. i haven't ridden a bike in over 20 years so i am just riding it around my neighborhood in san diego.

i picked it up saturday, feb 18th from the dealer. total price including tax was $12,817. i don't think i get a rebate but i am trying to find out now. if anyone knows if the x qualifies for any rebate please let me know.

the dealer told me the bike was charged up for the ride home. home was 45 miles away so we (a friend followed in a car...just in case) planned to stop about 22 miles away at his house for a recharge. we made it about 14 miles and the bike was at 2 bars. it turns out that the dealer didn't charge it up. it registered 8 bars when we left the dealer so...obviously he didn't really charge it. i guess it's my fault for not really thinking about that before leaving. anyhow, after a quick charge at a restaurant we literally just made it to his driveway before the entire thing shut down.

a full charge overnight and it made it 23 miles on streets where the maximum we drove was 55 (for about 7 miles). the bike was basically empty when we arrived. one bar by the time we were a couple blocks away.

i haven't gone further than 3 miles without a charge since taking it home from the dealer.

it has plenty of power. it looks so-so. i am going to paint some of the plastic parts. i'll post them here if anyone really cares. it is louder than i thought it would be. not as loud as a combustion, obviously, but still kinda loud...maybe half as loud as a combustion when you're going over 10 mph. and it is very easy to ride..at least for me. i am 6' 1" and 190.

i am really impressed with the power. the tires are not "full size" but for me that's ok. i am not a pro. i will head out to a trail next weekend so i might post my thoughts after that. but i bought this thing to commute on as well. my full day of driving is about 25 miles of low-speed roads. i live and work in la jolla (if anyone knows how slow the beach areas are). i fully expect this bike to make it the 25 miles no problem, but i haven't tested it yet. the bike made it 22-23 miles on a full charge with 7 miles at full speed. i would assume i can go 25 at an average speed of 30-35.

i was really questioning whether or not to get this bike. i really like the look and idea of the brd redshift. but i didn't want to wait til next year and i didn't want to pay $15k (however, if they qualify for a tax rebate and the zero x doesn't then the prices would be pretty similar). i was considering waiting for brammo's dirtbike but i don't want to risk a new transmission. i wanted an electric bike for the lack of maintenance. and the brd bike has a liquid cooling system. same thing there. at least zero has several years of models. i just hope that this bike really is easy to maintain.

2 things that i wish zero had included on the x:

1) brushless motor
2) built-in charger...i know it would add weight to a mx bike but i still wish it were included. it's a pain to drag the charger everywhere

i think i'll get another battery so i can have a few hours of trail riding without having to worry about finding and waiting for a charge (at least 2 hours). that will make this bike so expensive though...at least $15k after tax.

anyhow, just posting my thoughts on this bike so far.

7
Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2012 and older / Re: Zero MX and Zero X brushed motors
« on: February 17, 2012, 07:06:10 AM »
manlytom --> i agree. i am just gonna buy the 2012 zero x.

Harlan --> if my dealer somehow drops the ball then i will come to your shop and get it. i am supposed to pick it up saturday but i haven't heard from the dealer so i kinda doubt it'll be in then. as for why it cost me $12,800....i don't know. i know it makes me sound stupid but i don't have a detailed invoice..just a receipt for $500 for the deposit and $12,317 for the remainder. do you know if the x is taking more time to deliver? the dealer has the ds and s in stock but not the x or mx. regarding your ktm question: i feel like i am buying from zero more so than my local dealer. also, do you know if the 2012 zero x qualifies for any rebates? and if so, how much?

8
Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2012 and older / Re: Zero MX and Zero X brushed motors
« on: February 16, 2012, 09:49:32 AM »
thanks for the input!

harlan --> thanks for the offer on the 2011 but i think i'll stick with the 2012. i really want as much range as possible. my entire day is 25 miles so i will need the 2012.

zapmc --> i like your thoughts on BRD. i really do like the look of their bike. and you make a good point about zero not being around in 2 years as well...the ktm bike: i don't know..i don't love buying a bike from a company that is not 100% electric right now. unless i hear that the bike is by far the best then i think i would prefer to spend my money on a US-based start-up. i just appreciate that a few people took a chance on my company a while ago so if it ever works out i always try to return the favor for another start-up. i didn't realize that zero had 80 employees...seems like a lot but they probably know what they're doing. they seem to be the only company i ever heard of in the electric vehicle space that actually hits their launch dates. as for the test ride on the zero -- i kind of don't have my motorcycle license yet. i haven't ridden in 20 years. i basically am getting this bike because one of my resolutions for 2012 was to try moto cross. i was actually looking at buying an electric scooter for my commute to work. i saw zero on a financial news piece and looked them up. i saw the zero x and thought that it might suit both of my needs. then i found this forum...which has been pretty helpful for me. i wish my dealer was more informed. like i wrote before, my dealer told me i get a rebate of $2500 from california and the federal gov't. i think it turns out that i get nothing at all for the x. no one there knew very much about the bikes even though they have been selling them for over a year. the reason i paid $12,800 is because the bike was about $10k and the dealer fees and tax made it $12,800. they told me i'd get $2500 back so i thought it was not too bad. i wish i had another option for a local dealer but there is only one in san diego. the zero line is definitely an afterthought for them. i am certain they don't know even know about this forum. lol...they told me to direct any questions i had about zero to their facebook page, instead of trying to get the answers for me.

9
Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2012 and older / Re: Zero MX and Zero X brushed motors
« on: February 15, 2012, 12:27:24 PM »
well, anyhow, i think i went off-topic. i apologize.

opinions wanted on whether i should just stick with the 2012 zero x as a daily commuter/weekend trail bike. or should i wait until brammo or another manufacturer (like BRD) comes out with their brushless motor bikes? i really do like the look and specs of the BRD but as i wrote earlier: i am nervous about the company not honoring the warranty because they are no longer in business. and i don't think i want to worry about an untested "gearbox" like the brammo is using on their dirtbike.

the x cost me $12,800 after tax and dealer fees. my dealer can't even tell me if i qualify for the tax credits (they also can't really tell me much of anything about the bike...which is way disappointing...). i kinda don't think the zero x has the "mileage" to qualify for a rebate from california or the federal gov't. does anyone know about this? if so then i gotta buy another battery to qualify. this will put me at over $15k. that's the same price as the BRD bike which has better specs.

i guess, basically, i don't want to buy something now and realize that if i had just waited a few months i could have gotten something much better.

10
Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2012 and older / Re: Zero MX and Zero X brushed motors
« on: February 15, 2012, 03:11:00 AM »
do you think that the employees of zero don't answer questions on this forum because they feel that they would be inundated with questions once they answered one? or do you think that it's their company policy not to answer because you never really know what an employee is going to say?

just wondering...cuz i see only a handful of posts on this forum every day (since i first knew about this forum...5 days ago).

is the electric motorbike market kinda small?

either way...thanks for all the info! i hope i made a good decision buying this bike.

and regarding the weight of the battery: wow...45-50 lbs!!??? that seems so heavy for such a small battery. i don't think i can lug that around with me. maybe if i had a long road commute then i could strap it on the bike but i really doubt i'll do that. i wonder if i'll need two batteries when i do trail riding or will one be enough?

11
Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2012 and older / Re: Zero MX and Zero X brushed motors
« on: February 14, 2012, 02:09:55 PM »
thanks for the opinions!

i wonder if anyone knows if the 2012 x and mx have new motors this year vs the 2011's? and does anyone have any idea how much the battery weighs? i want to get an extra one and was wondering if i could carry it on the bike sometimes on long rides.

i went into the dealer today to look at the ds. after talking to one of the sales guys i am now leaning towards just going with the x. i really want to ride trails and eventually hit small jumps. plus, that youtube video of the zero x going through water really impressed me. i just hope that i don't have to do any maintenance on it for a couple of years...i hope that is reasonable to expect. i plan to ride this bike over a hundred miles a week nearly every week on just commutes to work (on streets only...and through la jolla so i don't expect to ever really have to go faster than about 40).

i guess the reason they didn't put the brushless motor on the mx/x is because of the air scoop/cooling fan (or...whatever that large contraption is on the bottom of the bike) would make it impossible to ride on a track (though they do have it on the xu). i am pretty sure that they're gonna swap the motor next year for the mx/x...maybe if they stick with the same frame again next year then they'll have an upgrade kit.

zap mc -- i like the look of the BRD bike. but i am nervous about the company. they seem kind of small. at least zero has more cash so i feel better knowing they'll be more likely to be around for at least 2 years to honor the warranty. also, the BRD bike is full-sized. i like that.

12
Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2012 and older / Zero MX and Zero X brushed motors
« on: February 12, 2012, 11:27:59 AM »
do you think the zero x or mx is worth buying this model year (2012) even though they have brushed motors? i just ordered the zero x and now i am wondering if i should just just change my order to the ds since i want off-road capabilities and i want something on which i can commute about 25 miles roundtrip. but mostly i want the newest technology. if they are most likely replacing the brushed motors with the new brushless then i would rather wait.

anyhow, does anyone have an opinion on the 2012 zero x or mx...especially regarding the motor?

thanks

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