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[Doug S]

That's a very, very impressive offering, especially for a first "real" production machine.

I predict that a lot of loyal Zero riders are going to seriously consider jumping ship for their next bike....including me. Zero doesn't offer a 20kWh battery, or L3 charging, at any price. Lightning's now doing it at essentially the same price as an SR/F. And that torque output is just stunning.

My 2014 SR is getting fairly long in the tooth, and if Lightning has figured out how to sell and support this bike, I may have to switch brands. This is a compelling machine.

[Haag13]

The carbon edition is priced much more competitively than I imagined.  I didn't see any mention of ABS or traction control though and I didn't see wheel speed sensors in the pictures.  Seems like a curious omission. 

[GaryArt1]

I have to say, Lightning came out with a very impressive bike in the Strike.  The carbon edition does have some very nice numbers.  All in all a very good looking bike also.  Though not my style, I can see spoke bikes enthusists very happy.  The one thing I was waiting to see and maybe I missed is a dealer network.  Who is going to service this bike.  Yes they will ship it or you free but then are you on your own.  Also will there be opportunities to test ride.  I’m not cancelling my SR/F order but I have to give it to Lightening for what looks like a nice bike.

[ultrarnr]

Is it just my computer or do all of the images of the Strike look like very grainy computer images. I would have expected real photos of a real bike.

[GaryArt1]

So looking over the Strike page again, I have some concerns. It does seem very vague on a lot.  When Zero announced the SR/F they talked about all the details and specifications in detail.  I mean even down to the storage compartments was photographed and discussed.  The specifications and information for the Strike are very simple.   Still seems like a product in the final design phase.  So I am wondering if they are doing the Harley thing and you will find out more as they get closer to shipping.  I mean does it have ABS, traction control, etc?  Also no mention of showrooms, dealerships, warranty.  If this was a bike I would be interested in, I would be waiting to hear more info before I plopped down my money.

[Alan Stewart]

A lot of analysis and comparison with other motorcycles in this article:

https://electrek.co/2019/03/28/lightning-strike-electric-motorcycle-launch/

[Doug S]

If deliveries are really going to start in July, there's nothing unfinished about the design. Those first bikes are well into production right now.

[ultrarnr]

GaryArt1, You are spot on. I think Lightning is taking a page from H-D's play book. They gave out a few details but still a lot of unknowns. Makes you wonder if they have a functioning bike at this point or is everything is still in the design phase. Lightning sure talks a good game but Energica is the one to beat as far as electric sport bikes go. But right now everyone is going crazy over it because of the price. But there is so much we don't know so that in the end you have to decide how badly you want ABS, traction control and a lot of other features on an electric sport bike.  There is also no indications of a dealer network so I wonder what Lightning's plan for service is going to be?

[JaimeC]

Interesting write-up, and it does compare VERY well with the competition.  However, as I pointed out in a different thread:  I will NOT buy a "First Year Model" of anything; I've been burned too many times in the past.  I'll let the brave few act as "Beta Testers" and wait (I'm in no hurry).

Also, Lightning has NO experience dealing with the mass market.  Based on how well Zero seems to be handling their customer base, I'd be VERY concerned about how well Lightning will support theirs.  Zero is improving, but it's taken them thirteen YEARS to get to the point they're at now (and there are still a lot of unhappy campers out there; just not as many as before thank God).

Lightning doesn't have an established dealer/service network.  What am I supposed to do if I have a problem?  Ship the bike back to the factory at my own expense?

Nah... it looks nice and bodes well for the future but... not yet.  At least, not for me and my hard-earned dollars.

[Doug S]

Isn't it illegal to sell a bike nowadays without ABS? And with ABS, traction control is pretty much a no-brainer. I'd be very surprised if both of those things aren't on all three levels of the bike.

[GaryArt1]

Isn't it illegal to sell a bike nowadays without ABS? And with ABS, traction control is pretty much a no-brainer. I'd be very surprised if both of those things aren't on all three levels of the bike.

You can prove me wrong but I think ABS is not mandated yet in the US.  I know in Europe it is.  And as for traction control, keep in mind the SR/F is the only Zero offering it.

[Haag13]

Isn't it illegal to sell a bike nowadays without ABS? And with ABS, traction control is pretty much a no-brainer. I'd be very surprised if both of those things aren't on all three levels of the bike.

It's not illegal in the US but in Europe ABS is mandatory.  I bought a 2019 motorcycle in the US without ABS. 

[wavelet]

If deliveries are really going to start in July, there's nothing unfinished about the design. Those first bikes are well into production right now.

Exactly. So Why aren't we seeing more detailed specs of the bike?
Dimensions? Seat height?
GVWR / carrying capacity (from which it can be deduced whether it's suitable to base a 2-up or tourer on)?
Brake / suspension components, both vendor & adjustability ? ABS/TCS?
Not quite clear from the few pics, but looks like belt final drive?
Performance numbers? Including _sustained_ performance -- is the battery liquid-cooled, not just the motor?
Luggage options, if any?

And of course, the mundane:
How to buy?
How will service / warranty will be handled? Some countries have  strict requirements for this (in mine, the importer needs to post a fairly large bond to guarantee availability of spare parts for 7 years).
Warranty, drivetrain & otherwise?

The given specs sound a bit too good to be true... The Carbon edition 10lbs less weight than the SR/F, but with 5kWh more, a fairing and CCS DC charger.

[Richard230]

Considering the cost of the specified components on the Strike and especially the batteries, I just can't figure out how they can sell the Strike and make a profit.    Plus, I really wonder what type of batteries Lightning is using in the Strike.  To me, it just doesn't look like there is enough room on the bike to install 20kWh worth of batteries in the chassis. And then there is the weight difference between battery upgrades as mentioned in the article.  I wonder if they are using the type of lithium batteries used by the drone crowd?

Also, the video included in the electrek is kind of lame.  It really doesn't show any closeups of the Strike and to me it looked like the rider never exceeded 50 mph. I found the entire 3-minute introductory video pretty much useless.

The other thing that crosses my mind is recalling the original Brammo Empulse 10.0 introduction.  They took reservations (like mine) when the bike was originally announced.  Supposedly, they received over 1000 reservations for that model, but then Brammo decided to redesign it to accommodate a 6-speed transmission and didn't deliver the revised Empulse until two years later.  By that time, I had given up and decided to purchase a 2012 Zero S, which finally got me moving, electrically-speaking.   

Returning to the Strike for a moment: I wouldn't be surprised to hear that Lightning is collecting orders and deposits before they actually start manufacturing the bikes, so as to gauge the amount of resources and money needed to begin production of customers' bikes. This entire process just seems kind of weird to me - especially when there is no mention of retail outlets and an established distribution, service and parts system.  In the case of the H-D Livewire, you got that information before you even received the complete specs and delivery date for the bike. 

[wavelet]

Considering the cost of the specified components on the Strike and especially the batteries, I just can't figure out how they can sell the Strike and make a profit.   

Yup. According to the Electrek link above (not that they're a reliable source, or knowledgeable about motorcycles), the Carbon edition includes Brembo & Öhlins components... So those, and an additional 5kWh, and carbon-fiber body panels, and both the 6.6kW AC and CCS DC chargers for $20K ($3K above the midrange version) seems like an unbelievable deal.

Plus, I really wonder what type of batteries Lightning is using in the Strike.  To me, it just doesn't look like there is enough room on the bike to install 20kWh worth of batteries in the chassis.

Agreed. And no mention of battery cooling. If they have a liquid coolant loop system for the motor, it would be odd if that system isn't also used to cool the battery.

Returning to the Strike for a moment: I wouldn't be surprised to hear that Lightning is collecting orders and deposits before they actually start manufacturing the bikes, so as to gauge the amount of resources and money needed to begin production of customers' bikes. This entire process just seems kind of weird to me - especially when there is no mention of retail outlets and an established distribution, service and parts system.

++
My first reaction was "Hmm... I must have missed the announcement of the investor who just gave them $300M to go into production." Even if they only build a bike once they have a specific prepaid order for it (not a business model that really works for vehicles in the US), they're still going to need demo bikes.