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[wavelet]

Ok so the lack of a dealer network is a sticking point.  That would be hard to fix in a short period of time but maybe a four corners approach to tech centers sort of like Energica does.  Not a vast network but not cross country.

Speaking of Hollywood Electrics and Energica I remember them being one of, if not the first, Energica dealer in the U.S. but dropped them.
I wonder if they would carry Lightning?  Of course Zero may have a no competition clause for their dealers so it might not be an option.

I know I want to see a video interview/ride of the Strike with an outside reviewer or even an in house mock interview just to get a better picture of what it is and does.

I really doubt any of their dealers/distributors (same thing in my country, where's there's a single importer/distributor/dealer; he's also the official Energica distributor, as well as various other electric 2-wheelers) have a non-compete clause -- there's not that many electric bikes being sold anywhere, and any e-motorcycle vendor (incl. Zero)  should basically be very thankful for any dealer willing to sell their electrics as long as they provide decent support for them. I also expect a lot of the overall knowledge/experience is relevant for all e-motorcycles.

Also, in the US, wouldn't such a non-compete usually bump up against restraint-of-trade laws?

[wavelet]

> The LS218 was built to order in california, not mass produced in China. They only sold a total of 40 units since 2014. ...

That many?  Where did you get that information?

I've only seen one source for that number, in some non-bike-focused publication, and it popped up the about the time when they started teasing the Strike.
Very questionable, since I've looked long & hard multiple times, and I've never ever seen a single road test of a Lightning bike, or even just a "first ride" review, anywhere -- not mainstream bike mags, not bike forums, not YouTube. Ditto for any kind of actual discussion by owners. And I've posted questions on several e-motorcycle related forums and never got any response from someone with any actual experience or information.
If there were any actual owners out there, one would  expect there'd be some actual info.

Before that "40" number cropped up, the only number for sales ever mentioned was one bike, sold in 2014 (with no mention who it was sold to or what they're actually doing with the bike).

[wavelet]

Quote from Lightning's webpage :
"Lightning product development, design, engineering and final assembly takes place at Lightning’s new global headquarters and production facility in San Jose, California."

I know you can build things for a fraction of the cost in China.  With CA being one of the most expensive places to do most anything.
The Lightning webpage is still mostly about the LS218.  The price difference I pointed out speaks more to why don't they pass that cost savings on to the LS218 and sell them for $30k and sell a few hundred instead of 40 in five years.  They haven't changed the LS218 price at all.

There were Lightning posts under a few categories but I seem to remember them saying the cheap bikes would be made in China and the Carbon bikes in CA.
There is something just not right here.

I really don't get the only $5K difference between the mid-grade and the Premium Strike, considering the cost of hand-laid carbon fiber parts, the cost of Ohlins suspension components, Brembo brake components, DC charging components and another 5kWh worth of batteries. The extra cost of those premium components is surely going to add up to much more than $5K.  But then (of course) there is that $10K upfront deposit for that model. Something really strange is going on here. 

++
I recall several sport-touring bikes with Standard and Upgraded versions, where the major difference was the suspension (all else was mostly just small-potato farkles) -- premium Öhlins components -- and the difference was ~$2k-$3K. E.g., Ducati's ST series. And that was for mass-produced bikes.

[NEW2elec]

I accepted there is not a no-compete clause for the dealers at this time.
I posted the video of the first sold bike presentation on one of the other Lightning threads.  It was the only one I've seen as well.

They have new video from a panel discussion with Hatfield and others with Harlan on stage as well so we'll see what comes of that.

[alko]

I accepted there is not a no-compete clause for the dealers at this time.
I posted the video of the first sold bike presentation on one of the other Lightning threads.  It was the only one I've seen as well.

They have new video from a panel discussion with Hatfield and others with Harlan on stage as well so we'll see what comes of that.

Can you post some links here? Deliveries weren't suppose to happen till July or so I've read.

[NEW2elec]

Sorry Alko, I was talking about the first LS218 model not the Strike.
But I guess I'll post the panel video.

[alko]

Is it just me or is there no audio with that vid?

[NEW2elec]

Others had the same comments but off my desktop I hear it just fine.

[Richard230]

Others had the same comments but off my desktop I hear it just fine.

Me too. Also on my desktop.

[NEW2elec]

So it's been over a month since the Strike reveal and not much else.
I will still try to give the company a chance to put out more info like I requested on their YT channel but so far no detailed videos of any version of the bike.  I asked for info on warranty and repair procedures and no response.
They were saying July of 2019 for first deliveries of the carbon bike but it sure doesn't seem likely.

I've followed this company since before Pike's Peak and I'm just shy of begging Lightning to put out more info to help sell their own products.

[Richard230]

Richard Hatfield talks a good game, but so far he hasn't shown me that he can also be a good vehicle manufacturer.    He has been advertising his motorcycles for sale for the past 5 years or so, but I have yet to hear of one being bought. 

[Richard230]

Here is his display in 2014.  I heard he sold one of these.  Perhaps this is the one that was sold. 

[NEW2elec]

Richard that was the show where the Lightning was under the same tent as the little scooter company from China.
There was an article of this show somewhere but I could never find it.
There was speculation then that they were going to team up to make mid range bikes and I have to assume they did.

[Richard230]

Richard that was the show where the Lightning was under the same tent as the little scooter company from China.
There was an article of this show somewhere but I could never find it.
There was speculation then that they were going to team up to make mid range bikes and I have to assume they did.

If they did, I never heard about it.  There was some talk under the tent that someone local had bought that red model. I think it was a hand-built prototype. I vaguely recall that the price and claimed performance of that model was comparable to a 2012 Zero.    It certainly didn't impress me as being anything that would best my 2014 Zero in the marketplace.

[alko]

Richard that was the show where the Lightning was under the same tent as the little scooter company from China.
There was an article of this show somewhere but I could never find it.
There was speculation then that they were going to team up to make mid range bikes and I have to assume they did.

If they did, I never heard about it.  There was some talk under the tent that someone local had bought that red model. I think it was a hand-built prototype. I vaguely recall that the price and claimed performance of that model was comparable to a 2012 Zero.    It certainly didn't impress me as being anything that would best my 2014 Zero in the marketplace.

It was more likely modified from an ICE bike  prototype, because you can see the ICE fuel tank with filler cap.