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Author Topic: Zero DS vs FX/S for cheap urban commuter/runaround  (Read 10790 times)

roma258

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Re: Zero DS vs FX/S for cheap urban commuter/runaround
« Reply #15 on: July 22, 2025, 09:37:03 PM »

Ok some additional context since folks are asking (didn't expect things to get so heated  :-\):

I am in the US, Mid-Atlantic area. There's a bunch of late 2010s early 2020s Zero DS and FX models in the $5k range which seems really reasonable for what you're getting. The Enegica Experia certainly has my interest, but the closest I've seen is around $15k and it's just a much bigger bike which I am trying to avoid right now. Some day though!

As far as my wrist issues, it's something that's been ongoing for a couple years now. Had my surgery last November, so it's been 8 months and I'm able to get back on the bike....interestingly, I spent a day on the SWM Superdual (400 pound dual-sport for those unfamiliar) and my wrist was more or less fine, while a day on the Tiger has me in pain over a week later. I just think the weight and the top-heavy nature of the bike don't agree with where I am right now. No idea how things will end up, but I'm assuming it's never fully going away.

Anyhoo. I think I am leaning DS, especially since the 14.4 version is still just around 400 pounds and will give me some flexibility in terms of things I can use it for. Thanks for the spirited input!!
« Last Edit: July 22, 2025, 09:39:28 PM by roma258 »
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Specter

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Re: Zero DS vs FX/S for cheap urban commuter/runaround
« Reply #16 on: July 22, 2025, 10:46:17 PM »

man i am sorry to hear about your wrists, i have those issues too, and neck and shoulder, arm, leg.
yes wrestling a heavier bike can cause your wrist to flare up on you.
I have a lot of hardware in my body, arm, neck, back, foot, so know exactly what you are in here unfortunately.

one thing that may help is learning how to ride differently and bike setup.  one thing i have learned over time, and yes i know you are not on an energica but it may help anyways, the bikes being a lot of plastic, can kind of be a bit slippery.  Because of that we tend to use our arms and hands more to control it, instead of our bodies, especially the legs if you are a short shit like me because you can't get a really good grip on the bike to actually control it properly.  At the end of the day your wrists are just aching because you've been strong arming a bike all day, a heavier one too.  Even at 400 lbs, that's still some weight to contend with.

Tank grips, so you get traction on the sides of your bike were a life saver for me.  Now i am able to use my feet much more and my legs much more to steer the bike instead of my arms to 'push it' where i needed it to be.  This also took me having to make a conscious effort to learn how to ride better / differently / properly too.  Old / Bad habits can be hard to break.  Given your situation you might be using your arms more than you need to be.  Go play around if you can, and again, a track day, no you don't have to race, but get on the track, get one of the coaches to help you with body position and control it'll do you a world of good and it's a lot of fun too.  It's actually a safety class and your insurance may even give you a discount for taking it!

for the wrists, umm yah, it's going to be a life long thing now.  i destroyed my foot last year and have issues with that too. you learn to work with it.  My wrists, this latest set of injuries is new, since march, but the original ones, yah you deal with it.

one thing you might have going on is a trigger finger, and while it may not be full on where you can absolutely see it sticking / snapping and hear it popping, like mine was at one point,  that right there, that one tendon hanging and rubbing, can  inflame your whole damned hand and just cause everything to be grief.  They can give you cortisone shots that might help relieve some of that in the wrist, if you had surgery, you were probably limited use for a while, and everything stiffens up, im in that problem right now, in therapy trying to work some movement back in my hand.  They can also do an out patient, as a last resort where they can go in and snip that sheath, and it frees things up and a lot of the swelling goes away over time, as does the inflammation and all it causes.

8 months is about right, and honestly, ive seen it take a year or more before you were really back to normal, or what passes for your new normal .vs. what they say is good enough to go back to work.  i hate to say this, and hate hearing it myself,  but yes, give it time.

I don't know what you will end up with bike wise, or health wise but hopefully some of this might help you get into a better place, and no matter what you end up, stick to it, don't let the injuries get you down. there is a lot we can do to keep riding even when we are not at 100 percent ourselves. 

As for attitudes, just ignore em, it's not worth getting all upset over the internet, some things just are not worth putting any real effort into when dealing with grumps.  people get grumpy with each other but no real malice i hope.  people have different views and ideas, thats what makes the world go round.  it'd be boring if we all did the same thing, had to think the same thing, ride the same thing etc.   :)  Agree to disagree and think differently.  Sometimes the world is bigger than 20 second chunks and ya just take it all in stride ;)

as a final question if you want to answer, do they have you on any meds for the wrist,  gabapentin, baclofen or anything like that?  I use baclofen at times, a mild muscle relaxer, and like it because it can help with the muscle aches and take that edge off, but won't stone you or put you out like a flexeril or xanaflex would do to you.  It's safe enough to use while riding i guess you could say.  it could help you not be so sore at the end of the day or next day.

if you ever come down to north florida, let me know we can get together for lunch or maybe a track day or something.
i got a neice / and sister up in chicago area i may be heading that way in a few months too, who knows maybe a side trip, lets take a track day somewhere!  i'll bring the icy hot !!

Aaron
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TheRan

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Re: Zero DS vs FX/S for cheap urban commuter/runaround
« Reply #17 on: July 23, 2025, 03:30:11 AM »

Anyhoo. I think I am leaning DS, especially since the 14.4 version is still just around 400 pounds and will give me some flexibility in terms of things I can use it for. Thanks for the spirited input!!
I will say if you have the chance to give both a 14.4 and a 7.2 a go then do so, the weight can be a bit deceptive. Even though my KTM weighs nearly 50 pounds more than my DS if I didn't know I would swear it's the other way round. It's not just that the KTM has sharper turning when riding it but even just pushing them around.
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