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[Jarrett]

It seems like if you need a reliable electric adventure bike ready to go for a long distance trip, there is only one real option.  A Zero DSR.

Why did the show go with HD?  Did HD just offer to pay more money?

[JaimeC]

It seems like if you need a reliable electric adventure bike ready to go for a long distance trip, there is only one real option.  A Zero DSR.

Why did the show go with HD?  Did HD just offer to pay more money?

Got it on the first try!!

[Jarrett]

Does the Livewire have more range than say the DSR?

[TheRan]

Harley says it has 146 miles of city range, a DS has 163 or 204 with the Power Tank.

[Crissa]

And they charged exclusively level 1 so... yeah.

They also said the chargers they dropped for the Rivians weren't compatible with the Livewires?  I wonder why.

They also quoted the Zero range in the show incorrectly.

-Crissa

[Hans2183]

Have you watched the previous versions with ICE bikes? They were originally going with KTM but they refused at the last moment and BMW agreed. This is all about who wants to sponsor, and now that they have the name very likely, who pays most.

[SkyYeti]

I was pondering this very question while I've been watching The Long Way Up.

The DSR should've been at least mentioned and tested in the first episode (I suspect there may have been some T&C's from HD to prevent that maybe?)
The HD's had to be heavily modified to be trip-ready whereas the DSR's would've at least had a proper touring/offroad base to work from.
Like you have all mentioned money talks.
I hope in the future one of them opens up with the full decision making process.

I also have to say that Ewan and Charlie really disappointed me with their electric bike knowledge in the first two episodes.
They were joking about how they don't even know how to charge them and how surprised they were when the cold affected their range so much.
A week trip in Scotland (yes I know Ewan lives in LA now but he's not short of cash so he could have nipped across the pond) with a couple of electric bikes would haven given them much more info about how to ride/charge electric bikes before they headed off to South America.
Mind you, your trip is much less perilous when you've got a Mercedes Sprinter following you with a generator on-board 

Having said that, I enjoyed the show   Anything that gets elec bikes into the limelight has got to be a positive..

[togo]

HD sponsored.
It's basically an advertisement.
Zero reportedly declined.

[valnar]

I'm not surprised.  HD has the money.  Zero does not.  It doesn't matter that HD didn't have an electric motorcycle released yet.  They could fund the excursion from their ICE sales.

The thing is Zero benefits too, and without paying a cent.   If anyone becomes interested in electric motorcycles from that show, they'll do other research and discover Zero, especially once they see the LiveWire price.

[caza]

I'd argue it's better for EV's for the Harley to be featured. To so many americans, a motorcycle is a Harley and nothing else. Having the livewire on a show like this has more potential to bring curiosity to electric motorcycles, where a lot of viewers would have simply tuned out after hearing a "no name" brand like Zero.

But yeah sponsorship was absolutely the reason they went with the livewire.

[Richard230]

I'd argue it's better for EV's for the Harley to be featured. To so many americans, a motorcycle is a Harley and nothing else. Having the livewire on a show like this has more potential to bring curiosity to electric motorcycles, where a lot of viewers would have simply tuned out after hearing a "no name" brand like Zero.

But yeah sponsorship was absolutely the reason they went with the livewire.

I agree with your analysis and also Valnar's. Your comments are perfectly logical. I think we all agree, I know that Zero does, that any good public exposure by any electric motorcycle brand is good for the entire industry.

[valnar]

The thing is Zero benefits too, and without paying a cent.   If anyone becomes interested in electric motorcycles from that show, they'll do other research and discover Zero, especially once they see the LiveWire price.

Quoting myself because I missed something....

If anyone paid attention to that show closely, they'd realize that the LiveWire configuration featured is NOT available to purchase.  That might help future Adventure motorcycle buyers to look elsewhere.

[Oldun]

It seems like if you need a reliable electric adventure bike ready to go for a long distance trip, there is only one real option.  A Zero DSR.

Why did the show go with HD?  Did HD just offer to pay more money?

As a serious prospect and 3x demo-rider of the Zero series as it evolved in recent years what really put me off the Zero was no dealer support and no tech support and no parts support at all anywhere in my country, and no expressed willingness (when I asked) to support long-distance 'diagnosis' and warranty and parts. That's a really big deal-breaker, IMO.

[Crissa]

Surprised you got dealer support!  As Don was showing, it's hit or miss even in the US.

-Crissa

[Jarrett]

Ran by my local HD dealership the other day to test a LiveWire.  Huge place, tons of bikes, no LiveWire.