Just thought of something... with all this talk of the Del Mar... whatever happened to the Sondors Metacycle? Did they ever start shipping those things? I haven't seen any posts from new owners... almost as if they just dropped off the map...
I don't know anything about Sondors, but it does seem to me as if most electric motorcycle startups that come out with a concept bike and big marketing plans are initially trolling for investors and when they don't get enough funding to actually set up a manufacturing plant, distribution network, and all of the other expensive and time-consuming things you need in this age to market a vehicle, they apparently just fold up and disappear.
Just take a look at the brand sub-forums on this site that are no longer with us. And those are the old ones, lots of new brands have popped up during the last few years, never to be heard from again. I hear that even Rivan trucks, which seemed to be well funded are now on the rocks. 
It is a tough life out there for the little guy with no vehicle manufacturing experience, an established retail distribution network and really deep pockets, like H-D. Note that the big Japanese brands are still not willing to jump into the electric motorcycle market with anything more than low-power city bike concepts, which are not much more than mopeds.
They are mopeds, not in the literal sense of having pedals, but they're equivalent to 50cc scooters in acceleration & speed (top and cruising). A bit less range, though still fine for the purpose. This is really the only category where BEV 2-wheelers are already cost-effective, and as a result millions are sold per year in Asia... Also because many cities have banned 2-stroke or small ICEV scooters.
I thought the next category, 125cc-equivalent, examples of which started showing up 2-3 years ago, would establish itself quickly -- those can handle highway stretches at 70+ mph, and have a lot more range (80-100mi), so can be used for suburban commuting safely with cars. However, no signs it's happening.
You need to make money to stay in business and it seems to me that the consumer, for a variety of reasons (mostly due to cost and range) is just not willing to give up ICE motorcycles and embrace electric power as a mode of transportation, as is slowly happening with private automobiles.
The only way to do this would be via regulation. Subsidize BEV scooters and/or make ICEV ones illegal that aren't full-on motorcycles.
As for large motorcycles -- range is simply insufficient for any type of day trip or touring. That requires 3x the battery of current state-of-the-art models, with no increase whatsoever in weight or price. I don't see that anytime soon.
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Topic: 2023 LiveWire S2 Del Mar preview (Read 1558 times)