Harley Davidson to release an Electric Motorcycle

[larry kahn]

I'll bet Erik B. is begging Hero to put an e-bike on fast forward to beat HD to the market. And you know they could.

 

[TheRobSJ]

Well I guess if I lived on the East coast (tour starts off NY, Boston, and Philly), I could demo ride it soon. But I guess California will have to wait. So what if this is where you think of when it comes to high tech, or where a lot of the money is. Take those two combined and that equals what should be the biggest potential customer base is.

Start your tour in CA. If the Livewire isn't well received here, then just cancel the whole thing because it ain't gonna sell.

JFC. Is it really that hard to run a company?!

 

[ilikefood]

Cycle World write-up

High-end electric vehicle technology... and a single brake disk with a shitty two-piston sliding brake caliper

It's not surprising that Harley is getting on the electric bandwagon, since riding range is hardly a consideration for most of their customers

 

[ilikefood]

I've never owned a H-D and their culture isn't for me, but...

In 2013:
HD sold 167,016 bikes in the US among 324,691 total new on-highway bikes sold in the US.

So >50% of all on-road bikes sold in the US in 2013 were H-Ds, and the proportion was the same in 2011 and 2012.

They are hardly the laughing stock of 90% of riders.

He did say riders, not posers, so 90% is probably correct

 

[Lunch Box]

It's not surprising that Harley is getting on the electric bandwagon, since riding range is hardly a consideration for most of their customers

I hate to disagree, but I would wager that H-D riders, on average, log WAY more miles than sportbikers. Get out on the open road in the middle of the country and you will see A LOT of Harleys. A LOT.

 

[Gabe]

Wow! 3 years ago this thread would be all about how electric motorcycles will never, ever, ever in a jillion years be a practical reality. And now there's guys saying they'll buy one in the next few years.

 

[Kurosaki]

I hate to disagree, but I would wager that H-D riders, on average, log WAY more miles than sportbikers. Get out on the open road in the middle of the country and you will see A LOT of Harleys. A LOT.

I'd wager more sit in the garage than sportbikes. But for those that actually rider their Harley's yeah, probably log more miles.

 

[Toast]

Heck, if they come out with a viable e-bike with a real world 150 mile freeway range (at 70mph) and under 9K I would pick one up in a second as a commuter/daily rider. It doesn't even have to be super fast or have a trick suspension and brakes, gimme 40hp and 35lb-ft like my thumper and I'll be happy. It won't be another 5 years is my guess before they get to that point though.

I know the new Zero SR with the bigger battery does this already but I'm not paying $20,000 for it.

 

[Gabe]

Heck, if they come out with a viable e-bike with a real world 150 mile freeway range (at 70mph) and under 9K I would pick one up in a second as a commuter/daily rider. It doesn't even have to be super fast or have a trick suspension and brakes, gimme 40hp and 35lb-ft like my thumper and I'll be happy. It won't be another 5 years is my guess before they get to that point though.

I know the new Zero SR with the bigger battery does this already but I'm not paying $20,000 for it.

Why is a bike with that capability only worth $9000?

 

[ilikefood]

I hate to disagree, but I would wager that H-D riders, on average, log WAY more miles than sportbikers. Get out on the open road in the middle of the country and you will see A LOT of Harleys. A LOT.

On average, sure, because there are a few Harley riders who really ride a lot. But I'd bet that the median Harley annual mileage is way less than median mileage for bikes from other brands. H-D "riders" TRAILER their bikes to Sturgis, Daytona, etc. so they can show them off without the discomfort of riding. My sense is that a typical Harley is a toy to impress one's friends, not a daily ride.

 

[Lunch Box]

I don't have the data, so I really can't argue. All I know is that I sure don't see many sportbikes on most of my long, or even intermediate trips. Cruisers, tourers, and ST bikes rule the super slab. Here in the land of hills, mountains, and twisties we see a lot more sportbikes. Move somewhere flat (i.e. the majority of the country) and you will see something entirely different.

 

[Toast]

Why is a bike with that capability only worth $9000?

That's what I would be willing to pay for it, until then I'd rather get a dino juice sipping NC700 instead. Once the tech price comes down to more affordable levels I'll get a electric bike over an ICE bike, but I don't have the cash to be an early adopter.

 

[Kurosaki]

I don't have the data, so I really can't argue. All I know is that I sure don't see many sportbikes on most of my long, or even intermediate trips. Cruisers, tourers, and ST bikes rule the super slab. Here in the land of hills, mountains, and twisties we see a lot more sportbikes. Move somewhere flat (i.e. the majority of the country) and you will see something entirely different.

That's because slabbing on a sportbike is uncomfortable and unfunnable (yes I made that word up.)


The primary focus of a sportbike is anything but long distance rides racking up miles so of course the bias is going to be towards cruisers.

That's kinda like saying, I'd wager more sportbikes log miles in the canyons and hills than HDs.


edit: well, yeah. you just said that too.

 

[IAmA M0t0r Ridεr]

^^^. Funny that. For me, Harley are boulevard cruisers. They have nothing to do with open road, as opposed to say, a BMW. It seems like you'd have to buy a bunch of appendages just to cure the wind blast for starters, unless you don't care having a barn door for windshield and look through it But what about the freeway joints and the 2 1/2" suspension travel? Pretty uncomfortable if you ask me. Have you open a Road King bags? Pretty small, no full face helmets there. What people fit on those things?

Now for slow speed putting from restaurant to coffee to a meet, I figure that's what I'd use one for.

 

[Kurosaki]

I'm just guessing. I've never ridden a Harley. It's got to be more comfortable than a sportbike though sitting in a straight line for a long time, right?

 

[russ69]

^^^. Funny that. For me, Harley are boulevard cruisers. They have nothing to do with open road, as opposed to say, a BMW. It seems like you'd have to buy a bunch of appendages just to cure the wind blast for starters, unless you don't care having a barn door for windshield and look through it But what about the freeway joints and the 2 1/2" suspension travel? Pretty uncomfortable if you ask me. Have you open a Road King bags? Pretty small, no full face helmets there. What people fit on those things? Now for slow speed putting from restaurant to coffee to a meet, I figure that's what I'd use one for.

Sounds like you have never ridden one. I don't own one but I have put some mileage on an Electra Glide. It was one of the smoothest and comfortable bikes I ever rode. Absolutely perfect for the superslab and no problems through the canyons. It's only weakness was lack of power plus all that weight but perfectly decent for riding across the country.

 

[ilikefood]

I'm just guessing. I've never ridden a Harley. It's got to be more comfortable than a sportbike though sitting in a straight line for a long time, right?

Cruiser =/= tourer

It seems that the cruising position would be very uncomfortable for long distances, much more so than the sportbike riding position. But a bike like the Road Glide is a totally different thing, that's much more like a Goldwing and more comfortable.

 

[byke]

A huge thumbs up to harley for even thinking about such a bike. I'm sure there's more than one pudgy bearded harley owner out there saying, "shit man, didjoo see dat damn lektrik thang harley be puttin' out? cold day in hell fore I ever sat on wonna dem. otta call it the live *pile* project nstead (bellies bouncing in group laughter)".

 

[Critter]

Looks bad ass....I still wouldn't buy one.

 

[IAmA M0t0r Ridεr]

Sounds like you have never ridden one. I don't own one but I have put some mileage on an Electra Glide. It was one of the smoothest and comfortable bikes I ever rode. Absolutely perfect for the superslab and no problems through the canyons. It's only weakness was lack of power plus all that weight but perfectly decent for riding across the country.

True. But I don't think the Electra Glide is what Harley is all about. Harley = Cruisers.

Comfortable doesn't mean compliant. An Impala from the 70's are very comfortable in that you don't feel any pothole - of course not, it's floating. But this is not a good way of going about past 55mph. There you need a compliant, absorbent ride, more like a Lexus or 7 series, no?

Cruiser =/= tourer

Exactly. But Harley are better at doing Cruisers than Tourers, IMHO.

[/QUOTE]

This is what Harleys look like to me:

I wouldn't track, ride on the twisties (look at the tires!) or much less ride to Utah on that thing. I would go to my local bar/starbucks and back in around 10miles distance.

But if I had the money, I'd built one for me. How much would that be, 50k?

Also, look at this? It's so Harley, it's pretty: