ElectricMotorcycleForum.com
General Category => Electric Motorcycle News => Topic started by: motorfiets on June 17, 2014, 05:48:42 PM
-
(http://i2.wp.com/www.asphaltandrubber.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Avengers-electric-Harley-Davidson-02.jpg?resize=635%2C473)
anyone notice this?
http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/rumors/electric-harley-davidson-spotted-hollywood-set/#more-65333 (http://www.asphaltandrubber.com/rumors/electric-harley-davidson-spotted-hollywood-set/#more-65333)
-
An interesting development, for sure. Looks very finished, although if that is the motor housing, the axis seems different from every other electric motorcycle.
-
The bottom piece is what is colloquially known as "bullshit".
IMO.
-
Motorcycle.com has more information here, along with some interesting closeup photos of the bike. They are calling it the Harley "Livewire", which is apparently a H-D trademark name. The article includes a very short video, which appears to be H-D originated. There is also mention of an H-D announcement to be made tomorrow, perhaps having to do with this motorcycle.
http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/harley-davidson/scoop-electric-harley-davidson-livewire-nearing-production.html (http://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/harley-davidson/scoop-electric-harley-davidson-livewire-nearing-production.html)
-
Video inline:
06.19.14 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7u9DTfE14M#ws)
-
http://project.harley-davidson.com/en_US (http://project.harley-davidson.com/en_US)
-
NBC News also reported on it:
http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/first-electric-harley-goes-zero-60-4-seconds-n136176 (http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/first-electric-harley-goes-zero-60-4-seconds-n136176)
Brian Williams says that there is "currently no market for electric motorcycles, but Harley is trying to create one"... huh? So much for their research team!
-
NBC News also reported on it:
http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/first-electric-harley-goes-zero-60-4-seconds-n136176 (http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/first-electric-harley-goes-zero-60-4-seconds-n136176)
Brian Williams says that there is "currently no market for electric motorcycles, but Harley is trying to create one"... huh? So much for their research team!
Modern media research equals what press releases cross their desk with the most promise to attract advertisers, plus MAYBE the first two or three links that Google returns with a poorly composed search.
-
This story was on the CBS National TV news last night. You have to give Harley credit for attracting the popular press regarding their concept EV. I don't think Zero ever made it on a national TV network news program. They really know how to promote their products.
-
The difference between Zero, Brammo and Harley:
Zero Motorcycles: 10k likes on main Facebook page
Brammo: 100k likes, but most appear to be artificial (unless their "most engaged city" is really Bogotá, Cundinamarca, Colombia)
Harley: 24k likes on their LiveWire post after 24 hours
Brammo and Zero collectively have probably sold less than 3k bikes in 6 years of operation.
Harley is targeting 300 demo rides per stop on the US tour, 30 stops.
We all know that riding changes minds, far more so than just reading about the bikes.
Could be interesting.
-
The difference between Zero, Brammo and Harley:
Zero Motorcycles: 10k likes on main Facebook page
Brammo: 100k likes, but most appear to be artificial (unless their "most engaged city" is really Bogotá, Cundinamarca, Colombia)
Harley: 24k likes on their LiveWire post after 24 hours
Brammo and Zero collectively have probably sold less than 3k bikes in 6 years of operation.
Harley is targeting 300 demo rides per stop on the US tour, 30 stops.
We all know that riding changes minds, far more so than just reading about the bikes.
Could be interesting.
It's interesting the reaction. My general news feed has 1000's of general blogs (not motorcycle related) all talking about it. They are all Harley riders, 90% in the USA. Of course the motorcycle press is writing about it, and most TV stations.
70% of my readers are from Asia, and even on Facebook where I have 140K followers, the reactions are so low, it's unbelievable. So North America and Europe, the news was a hit, Asia they're going "okay, next article please". But it's not the fact that it's an EV... my series of reviews of the Zero DS last year has passed into 7 digits, most of them from Asia. Strange.
-
My newspaper published an article written by M. I. Johnson of the AP in the business section today. So now that I see the story in print, I finally believe it. ;) The LiveWire is getting a lot more press than Zero ever did.
The article quotes H-D President Matt Levatich as saying: "We think that the trends in both EV technology and customer openness to EV products, both automotive and motorcycles, is only going to increase, and when you think about sustainability and environmental trends, we just see that being an increasing part of the lifestyle and the requirements of riders. So nobody can predict right now how big that industry will be or how significant it will be."
Naturally the article picked up on someone's statement somewhere that the bike will go 130 miles on a single charge and only take 30 to 60 minutes to fully recharge. Oh well, it is hard to always check facts when you are in a hurry to meet a deadline. ::)
Zero did get a mention as being the first full-size electric motorcycle to enter production in 2010 (no mention of the Electric Motorsport GPR-S, which was introduced in 2009 and was at least as full sized as the first Zero, though). Zero's vice president of Global Marketing, Scot Harden, was quoted as saying that Zero "expects" to sell 2,400 bikes this year.
The article quotes EV experts as predicting that if H-D gets into the production EV market it will be good for all electric motorcycle manufacturers as doing so will create greater awareness of and demand for electric bikes. The term "a rising tide raises all boats" was mentioned.
-
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2662470/Harley-Davidson-introduces-electric-motorcycle.html (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2662470/Harley-Davidson-introduces-electric-motorcycle.html)
-
San Jose State University police Captain Alan Cavallo helped his department buy two bikes from Zero Motorcycles, the current top-selling brand, and said officers have been 'super happy' with the quiet, environmentally friendly bikes made nearby in Scotts Valley, California.
But he said American riders who like to hit the highway would likely lose patience with the technology.
'That's the deal with the cars; you can't jump in a Tesla and drive to LA, it won't make it,' Cavallo said.
He added: 'People want the convenience of "I pull into a gas station, I pour some gas in my tank and I go."'
Emphasis added. I'm not sure how old this interview was, but it's unfortunate that (what I suppose to be) an EV proponent is this badly wrong.
Tesla S85 owners have TWO options:
* they can drive down I-5 (https://goo.gl/maps/8tC1S), stopping at Coalinga Ranch for 30m (skipping the Tejon Ranch SC if your trip ends in LA)
* they can drive down US 101 (https://goo.gl/maps/XWMyR), stopping at Atascadero for 10m and Buellton for 20m
A 5 to 6 hour trip in a gas car would normally need 1-2 stops to pee, eat, and refuel; driving in a Tesla requires a little bit of planning up front, but ultimately adds little time or inconvenience and saves 10-15 gallons of gas ($40 to $60) EACH direction.
Electric bikes have a long ways to go to match this level of convenience, but we'll get there sooner or later. The largest battery configuration of the Lightning LS-218 bike could do the trip with two 30 minute charges, if compatible DC QC stations were in place along the route.
-
Speaking of Lightning: I just received my AT&T phone book and looked up the motorcycle section in the Yellow Pages. I found Lightning Motorcycle listed there, under the "Motorcycle Performance & Racing Equipment" heading. They are located at 933 American Street, San Carlos, CA, just a 30-minute ride away from my home. :)
-
They cancelled my reservation :(
I got an email from the manager of the Harley dealership - they were informed from the big bosses at the corporate level that the individual dealerships cannot make their own list for test ride reservations... it has to be done via the 'Livewire" website.
I signed up (again) on the Livewire website, but they just put your name into a lotto drawing - there's no guarantee that I will get to ride the thing - I won't drive the 90 minutes to just look at it. They said they will let me know a week in advance if my name is drawn in the "lotto".
Cross your fingers ;-)
-
Good luck! I did the same thing and was chosen for a test ride. I think there wasn't a lot of luck necessary. Not sure how many ICE motorcycle riders are going for the test rides. If you can email livewire, mention that you ride an electric motorcycle already. They are very interested in our feedback in particular.
-
I didn't win the "lotto" to test-ride the Livewire, but my friend that also entered the drawing did. This is what he said about it:
"Rode it. Loved it. Got the T-Shirt :-)
It feels POWERFUL, I can attest to that. And it has a pretty unique sound. Apparently the motor is longitudinally mounted, and there is a bevel gear that changes the direction to run the belt to the rear wheel. I think that gear is what's making the extra noise. Its not loud or anything, but its not near silent like the Zero.
The deceleration noise sounds exactly like the noise my hybrid makes while braking. Like a generator ;-)
It handled like a dream. It has a nice balance and a low center of gravity thanks to the motor being all the way at the bottom of the bike. Even nicer than my Ninja, which I loved. I've never been a Harley fan because I'm not a big guy. They ride me rather than the other way around... The Livewire wasn't like that at all. It seemed light and nimble, and just a blast to ride."
Wish I could've tried it! Hopefully I'll have another opportunity :)