Harley goes Electric?

Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 2:27 pm

This is an interesting change of direction for the old HD corp..

http://time.com/2899493/harley-davidsons-livewire-goes-electric/

Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 2:30 pm

It almost sounds like a jet turbine engine.

Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 3:48 pm

I bet at the top of its speed range it really would.

Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 5:10 pm

I wonder if it will come with a half assed speaker system so it can make that god awful noise, and mabye a paint shaker mounted to it to give the feel of a real Harley

Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 9:23 pm

Somehow I doubt it.
They are testing the waters for the long term.

Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 9:34 pm

Have you skeptics seen this? Why do people who don't ride HDs keep castigating the company?

http://www.cycleworld.com/2014/06/19/harley-davidson-livewire-electric-motorcycle-first-ride-review-photos-video/?cmpid=enews061914&spPodID=020&spMailingID=21016978&spUserID=NzM4NjMwMzEyOTMS1&spJobID=341058329&spReportId=MzQxMDU4MzI5S0

Chico

Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 10:56 pm

Very funny reading the thoughts on HD over at VFR World

Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2014 11:03 pm

I don't thnik I was Chico. Very Happy

Its a Honda crowd, I guess.. Laughing

Thanks for the link, they do seem to give it a pretty decent review. I have been watching the Zero line for a litttle while now too. The SR they mention is about the same size as a Kawi 650R (newer body style) but it is $10,000.00 more. I can still buy a lot of gas for $10k, so itd be a tough sell to me. They are saying they expect to sell these in the $22K range. And with it having less range than a Zero, would make it a even harder sell to me.

It is a awesome looking machine in my book..
I can't wait for a demo ride.. Very Happy

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 1:19 am

chico wrote:

Have you skeptics seen this?

I think it looks pretty cool and is a nice departure from the typical Harley look. Would I buy one? No, simply because it doesn't have the range or quick refueling ability. Electric motors spool up fast and can really rip, so I bet it could be a blast. But I love the sound and feel of our old clunkers. I bet my kids' kids will consider these normal and our bikes to be noisy, smelly, leaky old dinosaurs...which they already are.

chico wrote:

Why do people who don't ride HDs keep castigating the company?Chico

20 years or so ago, (give or take) HD made the brilliant move in identifying a potential new market of riders - the yuppies who wanted to assume a different identity on the weekends. And they not only sold them on the bikes, but also on all the accessories such as the boots, jackets, shirts, hats, etc. In my old neighborhood, there was a guy who owned a HD edition of the F150 and he rode a Chinese-made scooter! The logo is even a popular tattoo! So HD was extremely successful in tapping that new market and now you have riders from all walks of life on Harleys.

As far as castigating the company, we all have our reasons for being anti-HD or anti-HD rider. For me its mostly the ridiculous attitude that I've encountered on many occasions. But I've also met many great HD riders and so it would be unfair to lump them all into the same pile.

And for the record, most of my bikes have leaks of one sort or another. Wink

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 4:36 am

Buell.

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 12:06 pm

I wasn't either Chico, just spewing out the regular Harley bashing jokes.

Personally I don't think the HD crowd will be very accepting of it just as they generally do not seem wild about it, not the HD folks I know anyhow. Just like they are not wild about radiators on there bikes with the HD Twin Cool.

And I like Tom, I think it looks pretty good.

What I wonder about is why the press is almost void of coverage on their 750 & 500cc bikes

http://www.cycleworld.com/2014/03/24/2015-harley-davidson-street-750-first-ride-review-photos-dyno-run-specifications/

On the other hand I heard the tool kit will have a little bottle of 50W oil with and eye dropper cap so they can put down a few faux drops of oil under there bike when the stop.

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 1:14 pm

djhurayt wrote:

I wasn't either Chico, just spewing out the regular Harley bashing jokes.

Personally I don't think the HD crowd will be very accepting of it just as they generally do not seem wild about it, not the HD folks I know anyhow. Just like they are not wild about radiators on there bikes with the HD Twin Cool.

And I like Tom, I think it looks pretty good.

What I wonder about is why the press is almost void of coverage on their 750 & 500cc bikes

http://www.cycleworld.com/2014/03/24/2015-harley-davidson-street-750-first-ride-review-photos-dyno-run-specifications/

On the other hand I heard the tool kit will have a little bottle of 50W oil with and eye dropper cap so they can put down a few faux drops of oil under there bike when the stop.

But this particular bike is not for the HD crowd as it exists now. This is for a different type of buyer. Trying to expand their customer base.

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 1:27 pm

I know, I know, its still fun to poke at Harley owners (ride with a number of them myself) just as they like to poke fun at rice-burners Laughing

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 1:53 pm

I'm with you! Laughing

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 6:48 pm

I dont know...That new 750 Street....

For me, the way I look at motorcycles...the performance numbers are pathetic for a brand new 750. 58 at WFO? Confused

I understand the entry level aspect of it, but 58 hp and 500 pounds...

A decent dirt bike makes more power with half the weight. Literally, half.

I guess if you wanna walk around and say you've got a "Harley" to people that dont know whats what it'll work just fine. Maybe the pitch is it wont leak...

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 7:24 pm

I think it is a sign of the times.
Oil is a "non"-renewable resource, we are bound to run out eventualy..
I think it would be cool to plug in at home, instead of going to the gas station.. Very Happy

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 7:28 pm

Just think Indian built Enfields, that should be enough to make people run a mile in the other direction

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2014 7:32 pm

With Obama killing power generation what makes you think the power at home will live?

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 2:01 am

CowTownBiomed wrote:

I think it is a sign of the times.
Oil is a "non"-renewable resource, we are bound to run out eventualy..
I think it would be cool to plug in at home, instead of going to the gas station.. Very Happy

I think your quotes are apropos. There are wells in Tx that stopped producing in the 20's that started producing again. I think there's a lot more oil than anyone wants to admit.

For a short distance commuter bike an electric could work ok. What happens when the greenies figure out that tires wear, that wear runs off the streets into the ocean?

Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 2:57 am

Sure, the "easy" oil is gone and now we are looking at getting the harder stuff up.
New tech helps a lot.
Even the Oil Sands up here are only viable because the price of oil is so high.
One day, it will all run out..eventualy.
It all depends on how quickly we burn it, really..