Harley Davidson offering new electric power motorcycle

tennmike

0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds and 110 mile range.

https://www.harley-davidson.com/us/en/motorcycles/future-vehicles/livewire.html?source_cd=social_P_FBIG_LiveWirePre-OrderBNR_020119_v1&utm_source=social&utm_medium=FBIG_LiveWirePre-OrderBNR&utm_content=P_020119_v1

jaywapti

So if I want to go to Sturgis S.D as i have done before, its 2100 miles that means i have to stop 19 times to charge the batteries, I think I'll pass. Give me back my Springer with its 124" S&S.

JAY

zorba

That's downright useful - no idea of cost of course. The smart fone crap you can keep, but this would be great for daily commuting.

mitdr774

Last number I saw was right around $30k.

jaywapti

If it dont go "potato potato" it aint a Harley. 

JAY

jbp-ohio

jaywapti said:

If it doesn't leak oil it aint a Harley. 

JAY

FIFY

tennmike

jbp-ohio said:

jaywapti said:

If it doesn't leak oil it aint a Harley. 

JAY

FIFY

Silly person! Harleys don't leak oil; that's how they mark their territory!

zorba

mitdr774 said:

Last number I saw was right around $30k.

That's ridiculous.

Gene L

And 110 miles isn't specified urban (which takes more electricity) or rural.  And it takes all night with a household outlet to recharge it.  I suppose it would be fine for a 10-mile trip to work and back, but at 30K, you'd have to want one very bad and be a rich environmentalist to buy one.  It appears to be the 1900s electric car...an idea before its practical time.  About 20 years too early.

zorba

That's a LOT better - but still at least 2X overpriced. What's so damn expensive about an electric motor with a PWM controller? Not much.

Fisheadgib

I've seen several Zero motorcycles around here and they have models that range between 10,000 to 15,000. Zorba, you probably spend that on nail polish, ear rings, scarfs, and hair removal.

zorba

Not hardly - and definitely NOT on hair removal. I gots lots O hair, and keeping all of it!

Make_My_Day

Pfffftt, at least 25% of the thrill of a motorcycle is the sound of the pipes. I especially enjoy blasting the eardrums and filling the nostrils with my fuel-rich exhaust of those roadhog cross-country bicyclists that always ride 2-3 abreast on narrow country roads.

tennmike

alphasigmookie said:

https://electrek.co/2019/01/17/lightning-electric-motorcycle-strike/

Here you go Zorba. $13k, 150mph top speed, 150 miles, 35 min charge.

That's a bit better. That blue 'cafe racer' bike shown is a 'Hell NO' for me, though. They're fine for riding on smooth hard surface roads, with major emphasis on SMOOTH roads. Hit a few bumps and 'the boys' feel like they been stuck in a nut cracker, and you can't really sit up and ride comfortably unless you got arms like an orangutan.

jbp-ohio

The Harley and Ricer guys like the ICE sound to much to give it up. If they want to sell a cycle, it should be more like a scooter... 

zorba

That might work. I like scooters, but nobody likes that winy 2-stroke sound they make.

jbp-ohio

zorba said:

That might work. I like scooters, but nobody likes that winy 2-stroke sound they make.

Never understood the Dingus kids in school who pulled the baffles out of the exhaust of their mopeds to make them even louder/more annoying..... 

coolgunguy

Billy_Budd said:

I can just picture a sequel to Sons of Anarchy where all the boys are riding electric Harley's: Bzzzzzzzzzzzz.... 

I never understood the scenes in SOA where the MC would ride up to a location and surprise the folks there.  You know that folks two counties over could hear them "saving lives" from the moment they fired up their rides, let alone pulling up out front and slowly backing up to the curb while gunning the throttle. 🙄

coolgunguy

alphasigmookie said:

https://electrek.co/2019/01/17/lightning-electric-motorcycle-strike/

Here you go Zorba. $13k, 150mph top speed, 150 miles, 35 min charge.

IF (note the emphasis) this comes out at that price point and is able to meet these specs, I will have to take a look.  I honestly could give a rat's ass about top speed (yes, I WILL try it, at least once, but it's not a selling point for me) but a 35 minute recharge time puts this into the realm of real world livability, for a commuter like me.  At 13K, it still doesn't make money sense, but I'll at least look... 

They're getting closer. 

tennmike

Motorcycle sounds. This video has it all.

bullsi1911

Make_My_Day said:

Pfffftt, at least 90% of the pure annoyance of a motorcycle is the sound of the pipes. I especially enjoy some mid-level marketing manager blasting the eardrums of residents of quiet residential neighborhoods as he torques the throttle either late at night or early in the morning as he drives too and from a boring cube farm office.

FIFY

coolgunguy

bullsi1911 said:

Make_My_Day said:

Pfffftt, at least 90% of the pure annoyance of a motorcycle is the sound of the pipes. I especially enjoy some mid-level marketing manager blasting the eardrums of residents of quiet residential neighborhoods as he torques the throttle either late at night or early in the morning as he drives too and from a boring cube farm office.

FIFY

"Saving lives"🤣

Fisheadgib

tennmike said:

Motorcycle sounds. This video has it all.

That's a strange one as it's from a UK website but subtitled in Hungarian.

Bigslug

Ok. . .I just looked at the USA site for what I believe are refurbed vintage Vespa scooters.  One claims just shy of 100 MPG on just over a 2 gallon tank.

I would LOVE to see this new Harley in a Top Gear-style race against one of those Vespas on Jaywapti's 2100 mile Sturgis trip - the puttering top speed of a Vespa versus the electric batteries mind-numbing recharge time.

tennmike

Vespa scooters are unsuitable for city streets in America. The potholes would swallow them whole, and rider and Vespa would never be seen again.

breamfisher

bullsi1911 said:

Make_My_Day said:

Pfffftt, at least 90% of the pure annoyance of a motorcycle is the sound of the pipes. I especially enjoy some mid-level marketing manager blasting the eardrums of residents of quiet residential neighborhoods as he torques the throttle either late at night or early in the morning as he drives too and from a boring cube farm office.

FIFY

Some bikers I know like to call Bike Week and Biketoberfest "The Orthodontists' Convention."  Allegation being that many of the guys who show up don't ride that often.

Fisheadgib

breamfisher said:

bullsi1911 said:

Make_My_Day said:

Pfffftt, at least 90% of the pure annoyance of a motorcycle is the sound of the pipes. I especially enjoy some mid-level marketing manager blasting the eardrums of residents of quiet residential neighborhoods as he torques the throttle either late at night or early in the morning as he drives too and from a boring cube farm office.

FIFY

Some bikers I know like to call Bike Week and Biketoberfest "The Orthodontists' Convention."  Allegation being that many of the guys who show up don't ride that often.

Having been born and raised in Milwaukee, I got to witness lots of "authentic" bikers and a lot of them were dirtbags. The only article of Harley clothing they might have would be a ratty t shirt from their favorite bike shop. Nowadays most Harley dealerships sell as much clothing as they do bikes and all the orthodontists, insurance salesmen, and other assorted white collar bikers that come down here for "Thunderbeach" own just about every article of Harley clothing that's made. They trailer their bikes down here behind shiny new trucks, unload them, put on their Harley doo rag, t-shirt, vest, gloves, boots, and probably underwear, and then ride up and down Hwy 98 in the traffic.

breamfisher

Agreed.  Harley Davidson has become a "lifestyle brand."  Kinda like Gibson Guitars, Remington, Apple, Nike, and the like.  I know a fellow who bought a Harley and his main activity on the weekends is hanging out at the dealership. 

bullsi1911

breamfisher said:

bullsi1911 said:

Make_My_Day said:

Pfffftt, at least 90% of the pure annoyance of a motorcycle is the sound of the pipes. I especially enjoy some mid-level marketing manager blasting the eardrums of residents of quiet residential neighborhoods as he torques the throttle either late at night or early in the morning as he drives too and from a boring cube farm office.

FIFY

Some bikers I know like to call Bike Week and Biketoberfest "The Orthodontists' Convention."  Allegation being that many of the guys who show up don't ride that often.

We have the “Republic of Texas Biker Rally” (ROTRally) here in Austin.  Same thing- bikes trailered in, marketing managers, dentists, orthodontists, etc... blasting around side streets trying to avoid traffic to get out to the hill country back roads that are clogged by out of town bikers.

Great time to take a vacation and get out of town.

mitdr774

I had a Buell Blast for a few years.  Half a HD engine and all the problems.  It was a neat and fun bike when it decided to allow me to take it out for a ride.

coolgunguy

breamfisher said:

Agreed.  Harley Davidson has become a "lifestyle brand."  Kinda like Gibson Guitars, Remington, Apple, Nike, and the like.  I know a fellow who bought a Harley and his main activity on the weekends is hanging out at the dealership. 

We call it "living the lifestyle".  🙄

Harley Davidson.  It's not just a statement... well actually, yeah it is.