For Sale - Leaf Vectrix VX-1

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Aircon
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Re: For Sale - Leaf Vectrix VX-1

Hope the VX-1 proves reliable for you and that Zero can fix the SR for me! Ideally, the SR will only exhibit benign errors that can be ignored until late Fall, then Zero/dealer can be fixing it all Winter if they need to. But I am preparing that this might not be the case, unfortunately, and I will have to take it for repairs before I can ride it... And I miss the fairing and screen on the Vectrix - so exposed to wind on the SR...

Yup,.....I reckon you've made a mistake! I hope I'm wrong though.

LeftieBiker
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Re: For Sale - Leaf Vectrix VX-1

I just looked at the dealer SR pics to see if that seat tab was sticking outside the seat when I got it, and it was. You can see it in the first pic showing the whole right side of the bike. Either it's another assembly error like the stickers, or the seat was off at the dealership.

Dang it, I meant the *left side* of the bike. Anyway, I hope that you aren't saying that you plan to ride the bike if it doesn't throw any "danger" codes, Kocho! I'm guessing it will do so the first or second time you charge it, and Zero did tell me not to ride it. It'll be a PITA to leave it at a Zero dealer before riding it any more, but I thought we agreed that this was what was going to happen...

Meanwhile, I have to get a couple of longer SS screws and nuts so I can mount my license plate holder alarm on the Vectrix. I'm also going to at least look at the red VX-1 for sale near me - not because I have any foolish notions of reviving it, but because it has the one windscreen I don't have with mine. If I can strip parts from it where it sits for a couple of hundred dollars, I will. Can anyone give me a quick Primer on how to R&R VX-1 body panels and fenders? Kocho explained one or two for me. I'm guessing the big side panels are a PITA?

Kocho
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Re: For Sale - Leaf Vectrix VX-1

Duplicate.

Kocho
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Re: For Sale - Leaf Vectrix VX-1

Yeah, it will probably throw these codes again. I'm calling the two closest dealerships tomorrow and will drop it off at one of them.

As for the panels, the rear I think you may need to remove the passenger handles (bolts under the seat), then the rest of the screws should become accessible. The front panels have Philips screws holding the black plastic trim on the sides of the headlight. Another screw bottom center under headlight. Then some more bolts. I forget if the headlight had to be removed, I think yes. The turn signal wire harness needs to be unclipped. There are also screws under the rubber foot pads.

I may have a service manual - will email it if I still have the files.

As for the seat tab being off, the dealership must have taken the seat off at some point. I don't see how that tab can come out on its own - I can't bend the seat out of shape enough to push it back in. Unfortunately, the seat bolts are some special kind of which I do not have a big enough driver. I was going to take the seat off and put it back properly...

LeftieBiker
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Re: For Sale - Leaf Vectrix VX-1

Given that two of the factory stickers on the bike are misplaced, I think it's also possible that it's what used to be called a "Friday" bike: one built on a Friday by workers eager to start the weekend early. If the bolts are Torx headed, then bits should be available in automotive parts stores, but I'd definitely leave that job for the dealership. You might want to print the photo that shows it with the tab sticking out back in California, in case Zero asks if the bike was opened up by either of us.

I put my plate on the VX-1 this evening. Naturally, after taking a trip to the auto parts store for longer screws, the plate holder alarm seems to be stuck On, and unusable. I took the bike for a short ride around the suburb, after taking a few quick photos. I hadn't realized that the throttle regen would slow the bike right to a full stop! That's neat. Zero really should borrow that idea. Maybe they are afraid of bikes burning rubber in reverse...

Kocho
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Re: For Sale - Leaf Vectrix VX-1

Yup, T40 looks like. Bought one today but can't undo the bolts - they are way tighter than the 20lb/ft rating in the manual. I'll have the dealer fix that if a little "Liquid Wrench" does not loosen the bolts. I just hope they did not strip the threads. Under the seat there are fuses, a user serviceable item, so I don't think it would matter if one of us had removed the seat or not. But whoever put it back before you got the bike was clearly not up to snuff...

Edit: I undid one of the bolts, but the other won't move. They have this white paint dots that I assume are put at the factory after the bolts are tightened, to indicate when you look a them that they have not loosened. This one bolt that won't come off appears to had been overtightened past the white dot. I'm using a T-handle manual driver with the Torx bit and I still can't get it off. With this driver I'm sure I'm putting way more than 20lb/ft of torque, probably close to what the screw head can take. Hope some further soaking with LiquidWrench will loosen it enough to take the bolt out.

JimmyB
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Re: For Sale - Leaf Vectrix VX-1

Can anyone give me a quick Primer on how to R&R VX-1 body panels and fenders? Kocho explained one or two for me. I'm guessing the big side panels are a PITA?

There's a few videos on YouTube that will help. Windscreen is easy, body panels can be a PITA with screws hidden in awkward places. Take a smorgasbord of hex bits, metric sockets and screwdrivers - and an electric screwdriver / drill makes everything much quicker! If the bike is close by it's worth it for the temperature sensors, motor controller, charger etc.

Kocho
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Re: For Sale - Leaf Vectrix VX-1

OK. Finally wrestled both bolts out using a longer arm socket drive. No apparent damage to the bolts or seat. Nothing interesting under the seat either. Replaced the seat properly and put the bolts in. Using a torque wrench, tightened both bolts to 16lb/ft (not 20 as I mistakenly remembered, 20 is in N/m. From the feel of it with the torque wrench, I think they were not overtightened after all, just needed to use a socket wrench to remove them, not a screwdriver (even a solid one as I was using).

Yup, T40 looks like. Bought one today but can't undo the bolts - they are way tighter than the 20lb/ft rating in the manual. I'll have the dealer fix that if a little "Liquid Wrench" does not loosen the bolts. I just hope they did not strip the threads. Under the seat there are fuses, a user serviceable item, so I don't think it would matter if one of us had removed the seat or not. But whoever put it back before you got the bike was clearly not up to snuff...

Edit: I undid one of the bolts, but the other won't move. They have this white paint dots that I assume are put at the factory after the bolts are tightened, to indicate when you look a them that they have not loosened. This one bolt that won't come off appears to had been overtightened past the white dot. I'm using a T-handle manual driver with the Torx bit and I still can't get it off. With this driver I'm sure I'm putting way more than 20lb/ft of torque, probably close to what the screw head can take. Hope some further soaking with LiquidWrench will loosen it enough to take the bolt out.

LeftieBiker
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Re: For Sale - Leaf Vectrix VX-1

There's a few videos on YouTube that will help. Windscreen is easy, body panels can be a PITA with screws hidden in awkward places. Take a smorgasbord of hex bits, metric sockets and screwdrivers - and an electric screwdriver / drill makes everything much quicker! If the bike is close by it's worth it for the temperature sensors, motor controller, charger etc.

I'm debating whether I'd want to pay the full $500 if the seller will deliver the bike to me, or pay no more than half that and just strip the easier parts. I already got a ton of new spares from Kocho, and don't have a place to park the bike inside. I don't think I can use the temp sensors with the Leaf conversion, and is a 2008 ESD (I'm guessing) charger worth the hassle of removing it? Essentially I want the windshield, and if possible, the body panels and fenders. I already have spare wheels, although if the drive module comes off with any ease, that's very tempting... So, for the cost of a paint job, plus only 20-30X the hassle, I'd have a whole parts bike to butcher. ;-)

antiscab
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Re: For Sale - Leaf Vectrix VX-1

I'm debating whether I'd want to pay the full $500 if the seller will deliver the bike to me, or pay no more than half that and just strip the easier parts. I already got a ton of new spares from Kocho, and don't have a place to park the bike inside. I don't think I can use the temp sensors with the Leaf conversion, and is a 2008 ESD (I'm guessing) charger worth the hassle of removing it? Essentially I want the windshield, and if possible, the body panels and fenders. I already have spare wheels, although if the drive module comes off with any ease, that's very tempting... So, for the cost of a paint job, plus only 20-30X the hassle, I'd have a whole parts bike to butcher. ;-)

Do you have somewhere that's at least a bit out of the weather?
Even under a tarp would be ok

having a bike worth of spare parts around is extremely useful - if something that doesn't normally fail, does indeed fail, you can just take it off your spare

The ESD charger isn't particularly valuable, until you need a charger at short notice

Daily Ride:
2007 Vectrix, modified with 42 x Thundersky 60Ah in July 2010. Done 194'000km

LeftieBiker
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Re: For Sale - Leaf Vectrix VX-1

The ESD charger isn't particularly valuable, until you need a charger at short notice

True. I've got two non-working ESD chargers that came with my bike, and fixing one from the other would probably be harder than removing one from a dead bike...right? I can certainly put the bike under a plastic tarp, but I'd have to first roll it across my yard to keep it safe from thieves (or at least vandals) and I'll bet my housemate would just *love* having that in the back yard. Maybe I'll try to get rid of *three* of my electric bicycles instead, rather than the one or two I'm planning. ;-)

I don't suppose anyone is looking for wheels and a pack, and would like to pick up a carcass in Upstate NY after I strip what I think I need?

LeftieBiker
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Re: For Sale - Leaf Vectrix VX-1

Is there any interest in a topic on my life with Kocho's Leaf-powered VX-1? I was going to compare it to my old ZEV 5000, talk about what I like a lot and not so much about it, and about my modest plans to make slight improvements like rider-controlled active cooling and temp monitoring. If there is little interest, though, I'll just post it here, instead. ;-)

JimmyB
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Re: For Sale - Leaf Vectrix VX-1

I'd be interested, even though I no longer have a Vectrix :( (what's left of mine was delivered to MarylandBob yesterday so at least some of the parts will be useful). But who knows, one day maybe I'll get another.

Easier to start a separate thread, I think, than continue an old for-sale thread that has already wandered a little :D

LeftieBiker
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Re: For Sale - Leaf Vectrix VX-1

I'll do that, then, as soon as I get pics of the bike with the new Givi backrest installed on the topcase. I wish the damned weather would improve a lot here...

zeuz
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Re: For Sale - Leaf Vectrix VX-1

Yes, please continue to update this topic with your Vectrix experience!

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