Harley Davidson to release an Electric Motorcycle

[byke]

They're about doing whatever you want....as long as what you want is endless slab and/or braaping from light to light.

 

[firstbuell]

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)".

oooh!

me luvs it when you talks like BanjoBoy

 

[russ69]

...But this is not a good way of going about past 55mph...

It's sweet spot was 65mph, it doesn't have enough power to run much faster than that.

 

[UDRider]

Anyone posted this link: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27926348

Has some quotes from the customer base. For a second I thought I was reading The Onion.

Dave Scott said: "It looks OK but I'd need a real engine in it."

Another member, nicknamed Dazzlin, asked how safe it would be: "For an electric bike it has a good look, but I can't help think a silent bike is a recipe for disaster on our ever increasingly busy roads".

So those two quotes managed to capture the average HD rider mentality. It needs to have some monstrosity of an engine (doesn't matter if it produces almost no power based on size), and be loud.

 

[PetrieJ]

I heard a rumor that Mission Motorcycles was involved with the design.

If that's the case, I think the drivetrain will be stellar, but I'm worried about cost. Given the premium one already is expected to pay for HD, I don't think I'll be able to afford this, and I am considering getting an E-Bike.

 

[Gabe]

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.

So is an electric motorcycle worth any premium over a gasoline one?

It seems people want electric motorcycles to offer all the range, speed and convenience of an ICE but it should be priced the same. Is the smoothness, ease of operation, lack of maintenance and basically a free ride when it comes to recharging worth anything? And how much?

 

[VicTim]

Wow, so much useful information about Harleys from people that have never owned or ridden one. It gives the newbie wannabe sport rider plenty of ammo to parrot and try to sound intelligent and knowledgeable when talking motorcycles.

 

[VicTim]

Also, Polaris Industries the owner of Indian and Victory motorcycles owns and interest in Brammo electric motorcycles and has access to their proprietary electric vehicle powertrain technology. Maybe H.D is trying to keep up?

 

[TheRobSJ]

Wow, so much useful information about Harleys from people that have never owned or ridden one. It gives the newbie wannabe sport rider plenty of ammo to parrot and try to sound intelligent and knowledgeable when talking motorcycles.

Very much this.

However this Livewire thing is even more anti-Harley than the V-Rod is. This is no boulevard cruiser like most of the H-D lineup is. It's no long trip bike like the baggers are. It looks very much like a sport standard. Other than maybe the XR1200, and forgetting about whether it runs on gasoline or electrons, what else has had a bar and shield on it that is even remotely like this bike?

 

[IAmA M0t0r Ridεr]

Is the fire controlled re: batteries? Are they still made of lithium? I remember a bunch of Teslas consumed in fire after some torrential rain/hurricane.

Also how are these batteries cooled? Do they last as long as Tesla's, 7 years/12k a set, or how long and how much would you speculate, given a $15k cost of an Electric bike? (say 25K if it's Harley). Would you say the battery would be about 3-5k and last about 4 years?

 

[Z3n]

Is the fire controlled re: batteries? Are they still made of lithium? I remember a bunch of Teslas consumed in fire after some torrential rain/hurricane.

Also how are these batteries cooled? Do they last as long as Tesla's, 7 years/12k a set, or how long and how much would you speculate, given a $15k cost of an Electric bike? (say 25K if it's Harley). Would you say the battery would be about 3-5k and last about 4 years?

You're thinking of Fisker, not Tesla.

I don't recall what composition the batteries have - but they're thinking ~100k miles to a battery set for the Brammo, roughly 7 years of normal usage. Battery cost on the Brammo is the majority of the cost, IIRC the battery packs are roughly 2k each and there are 7. The technology is developing relatively quickly and getting significantly cheaper as time goes on, though, and Brammo is considering a program for battery recycling and replacement.

They change the charge and discharge rates on the racebikes for more power - it's a balancing act on the streetbike, performance vs. lifespan.

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?

Fuck no. At least you can stretch out on a sportbike. I can't take more than 30 minutes on any cruiser because the mid/forward controls mean you're holding on by the bars as the windblast tries to push you backwards, you're locked into one position, and you can't use your legs to cushion bumps. Also, the upright seating position with no forward lean means every bump goes straight through your spine with no functional ability for it to flex and absorb some of the impact. Oh, nowhere near the suspension travel of even a modern sportbike, let alone something like an adventure bike/supermoto.

I've done 1500 miles in 2 days on a DRZ400SM, 750 mile days with ~100 miles of dirt roads on a Daytona 675 with a handlebar on it, so it's not like distance is my problem - that seating position is fucking murder. I understand why guys trailer their bikes to sturgis, those things are a nightmare for distance. Maybe it works for some people, but it sure as fuck doesn't work for me or just about anyone else I've ever met.

 

[TheRobSJ]

Fuck no. At least you can stretch out on a sportbike. I can't take more than 30 minutes on any cruiser because the mid/forward controls mean you're holding on by the bars as the windblast tries to push you backwards, you're locked into one position, and you can't use your legs to cushion bumps. Also, the upright seating position with no forward lean means every bump goes straight through your spine with no functional ability for it to flex and absorb some of the impact. Oh, nowhere near the suspension travel of even a modern sportbike, let alone something like an adventure bike/supermoto.

I've done 1500 miles in 2 days on a DRZ400SM, 750 mile days with ~100 miles of dirt roads on a Daytona 675 with a handlebar on it, so it's not like distance is my problem - that seating position is fucking murder. I understand why guys trailer their bikes to sturgis, those things are a nightmare for distance. Maybe it works for some people, but it sure as fuck doesn't work for me or just about anyone else I've ever met.

Ever ridden a xxxxxx Glide? Big seat, floorboards, big fairing...how can that in any possible way be more comfortable for distance than a sportbike?

 

[Z3n]

Haven't ridden any of the *glide variants, just a couple of random harleys including a softail. I find anything where my feet end up in front of my knees is generally pretty uncomfortable. Ideal is the supermoto/dirtbike seating position, feet directly below my hips, with a minor leg bend.

The easiest way for me to figure out if a bike will be comfortable for long distance is figuring out if I can stand up on it without putting a significant steering input into the bars. On most Harleys, it's usually pretty much impossible without pulling on the bars. With a sportbike you can usually use your back to straighten your legs without getting too nuts on the clipons.

But I pretty much exclusively ride naked bikes/streetfighters on the street these days. Clipons are for the track.

 

[sicks]

Haven't ridden any of the *glide variants, just a couple of random harleys including a softail. I find anything where my feet end up in front of my knees is generally pretty uncomfortable. Ideal is the supermoto/dirtbike seating position, feet directly below my hips, with a minor leg bend.

The easiest way for me to figure out if a bike will be comfortable for long distance is figuring out if I can stand up on it without putting a significant steering input into the bars. On most Harleys, it's usually pretty much impossible without pulling on the bars. With a sportbike you can usually use your back to straighten your legs without getting too nuts on the clipons.

But I pretty much exclusively ride naked bikes/streetfighters on the street these days. Clipons are for the track.

Also find discomfort not true for Dyna's. Done plenty long distance on mine with solid comfort. If not for stopping for gas, I could definitely go a few hours (non stop)

 

[TheRobSJ]

Well yeah forward controls are pretty much a guarantee that it's not a long distance bike. Or you have an ass made of cast iron. That's not a Harley thing. That's simple ergonomics.

Take the most popular bike in America, the H-D Street Glide. Mid controls with floorboards, fairing with a chopped screen, and a wide seat. Forget about the other bulshit like the radio, navigation, and all that. I'd still much rather do half a day in the saddle of that than something like a FZ1 with a small screen.

 

[VicTim]

Haven't ridden any of the *glide variants, just a couple of random harleys including a softail. I find anything where my feet end up in front of my knees is generally pretty uncomfortable. Ideal is the supermoto/dirtbike seating position, feet directly below my hips, with a minor leg bend.

The easiest way for me to figure out if a bike will be comfortable for long distance is figuring out if I can stand up on it without putting a significant steering input into the bars. On most Harleys, it's usually pretty much impossible without pulling on the bars. With a sportbike you can usually use your back to straighten your legs without getting too nuts on the clipons.

But I pretty much exclusively ride naked bikes/streetfighters on the street these days. Clipons are for the track.

It's a shame you can't drive a car comfortably.

 

[Z3n]

It's a shame you can't drive a car comfortably.

And yet, you wonder why Harley riders are thought of as knuckle dragging idiots...

Well yeah forward controls are pretty much a guarantee that it's not a long distance bike. Or you have an ass made of cast iron. That's not a Harley thing. That's simple ergonomics.

Take the most popular bike in America, the H-D Street Glide. Mid controls with floorboards, fairing with a chopped screen, and a wide seat. Forget about the other bulshit like the radio, navigation, and all that. I'd still much rather do half a day in the saddle of that than something like a FZ1 with a small screen.

I actually prefer zero wind protection, because a slight forward lean balances perfectly with the wind to hold you in a neutral position - windscreens seem to inevitably direct the air straight to my forehead, which is pretty much the worst on my head and neck.

 

[TTTom]

Pretty much all the conventional wisdom about H-Ds customer base is obsolete, the last few years they've rapidly been getting younger, not older.

This shit interests me professionally so I took a look at H-Ds marketing campaign for the Livewire that kicked off this morning. It's brilliant, nobody saw this coming and they've gotten massive media coverage not just on motorcycling sites but news sites, lifestyle sites, financial, etc. It's good messaging too, focus is on innovation and cutting edge technology while directly referencing Harley's history in the pioneering days of gas powered motorcycles.

Very much targeted at their new customer demographic, working with non-traditional outlets like The Selvedge Yard that cater to an urban hipster crowd rather than the sterotypical 55 yo pirate dentist. They've also gotten really good at using social media.

Do hipsters even want electric bikes? Unknown at this point, but quite possibly yes and even if the Livewire never goes into production this marketing promotion (and that's what this really is) will be successful because of the buzz it'll generate and the way it'll enhance the image and position the brand.



P.S. H-D is trying to make flat track be part of the X Games. How about an XR Cup type race with everyone riding identical electric flat trackers?

 

[mrmarklin]

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

You really, really need to get outside the Bay Area,

 

[Lunch Box]

P.S. H-D is trying to make flat track be part of the X Games. How about an XR Cup type race with everyone riding identical electric flat trackers?

Excellent point. H-D has a rich racing history, having logged countless wins in Harley-only race classes.