Ordered a Zero...

[craigq]

Last update in the registration process: notified today by the MTO that I can register the bike. Got the paperwork and plates.

Went for a 33km ride around the neighbourhood. I think I have an idea of how you all feel now.

Initial impressions:

As already reported, ECO vs SPORT (or on my XU I vs II) provides quite the difference in riding experience, both in acceleration and regen braking. In ECO the regen feels a lot like engine braking on a small displacement 4T; it's barely noticeable in SPORT mode. In ECO mode if one times it correctly one can use minimal brakes to come to a stop (applying a little bit of pressure to at least get the brake light activated). The only issue is in ECO mode you really have to pay attention (more so than normal on a motorcycle) to traffic patterns and almost anticipating traffic light changes.

It gets up to 60 & 80KPH quickly enough that commuting shouldn't be a problem. The XU is light and flickable, the front brake seemed spongy/squishy at the beginning but it seems to be getting better.  Rear brake takes a while to bite, I like using it for low-speed parking lot speeds so I'll have to see if I can adjust that. The seat height is about 5.5" shorter than my WRR, so that took some time for adjustment. I only reached for the non-existant clutch and gear shifter once, while coming to a stop  

[Gavin]

Nice...Congrats.


And ride safe.



gavin

[craigq]

Yet another update: I did not receive the quick charge harness with the quick charge option to allow two inputs into the battery pack from two chargers, so I've been putting off riding the XU to work. My plan was to quick charge at an intermediate location on the return portion of my commute. Zero is working out where it is and getting it shipped to me. Today I decided to do it anyways, and I was resigned to the fact that I might have to "slow charge" at the intermediate point.

When I arrived at work there was 5 bars showing on the "fuel gauge", and I thought "maybe I'll make it home"  . The ride in was at about 13*C.

When I turned on the bike in the afternoon, temperature now 28*C, there were 6 bars showing on the gauge. I managed about 1.7 KM before the gauge dropped back down to 5 bars. Then I managed to make it home, the last 1 KM or so with the two bars flashing warning. The commute home was slower, traffic congestion is a bit higher, so I'm guessing that's a good thing 

Google Maps shows the round-trip as 46.6 KM, the XU odometer shows it as 48.6 KM, either way I got home    Hopefully the battery pack is okay with the two bars flashing. I also have to verify with a GPS about the distance, and see about reconfiguring the wheel diameter setting on the instrument cluster to try to get the odometer a bit more accurate (protomech posted the cluster manual, thanks!).

[protomech]

The battery pack is fine. The BMS will disable the battery pack before you can discharge it to an unsafe voltage (note that when and if it does so, you need to get it on a charger STAT .. < 24 hours ideally).

The S speedometer and odometer are about 4% optimistic. Sounds like the XU is the same.

Glad you made it. Is charging the battery at work an option? Or is that what the second offboard charger is for?

[Brammofan]

That's cool that you pushed through your comfort zone.  (and that everything turned out okay). 

[craigq]

Proto: Thanks for the info about the pack. Charging at work is not an option, I was planning to charge a bit on the ride home from work with the two chargers.

BF: You don't know how glad I am that it turned out ok!  I had visions of myself pushing the bike along the side of the road or sidewalk 

[Richard230]

I have heard that the last "bar" on the Zero's gauge is invisible. Apparently, you can run the battery down to where no bars are showing and it still will do another 10 slow miles or so before the BMS cuts the fun and puts you in the doghouse.