ElectricMotorcycleForum.com

  • September 02, 2026, 03:00:47 AM
  • Welcome, Guest
Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Electric Motorcycle Forum is live!

Pages: [1] 2

Author Topic: production Livewire road test article  (Read 4557 times)

Richard230

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9965
    • View Profile
production Livewire road test article
« on: July 17, 2019, 04:02:04 AM »

Motorcycle.com rides and reviews the 2020 H-D livewire. Lots of interesting information about the Livewire in this review. The bike gets severely downgraded in their test score for having very poor value.  Gee, I could have told them that:    ;)
https://www.motorcycle.com/manufacturer/harley-davidson/2020-harley-davidson-livewire-review-first-ride.html
Logged
Richard's motorcycle collection:  2018 16.6 kWh Zero S, 2002 Yamaha FZ1 (FZS1000N) and a 1978 Honda Kick 'N Go Senior.

NetPro

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 204
    • View Profile
Re: production Livewire road test article
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2019, 11:08:25 PM »

Really nice looking bike!
But, reading the specs in the linked article I see: Battery    Lithium Ion, 12.8V , 24 Wh, 120 A

:o HD went for a 12V nominal battery for this 549lb machine?
Or is that the "auxiliary" battery for the bike?
Logged
2020 Zero SR/F

MVetter

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2014
    • View Profile
Re: production Livewire road test article
« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2019, 11:49:47 PM »

That's the thing that powers the lights and the USB ports and stuff.
Logged

BigPoppa

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 501
    • View Profile
Re: production Livewire road test article
« Reply #3 on: July 19, 2019, 12:01:11 AM »

At least Motorcycle.com and MotorcycleDaily.com have fairly accurate reviews. Most other reviews appear to be written by folks who haven't ridden the LiveWire's main competition (SR/F and Energicas) and are fawning all over it like it's the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Logged
2023 Can-Am Spyder F3 Limited

NetPro

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 204
    • View Profile
Re: production Livewire road test article
« Reply #4 on: July 19, 2019, 12:46:31 AM »

That's the thing that powers the lights and the USB ports and stuff.

So, the main battery voltage is not listed in the specs.
The capacity is but not the voltage. Wonder why: not to scare the un-initiated on EV technology maybe?

Whatever the reason, they are not the only ones doing it but makes you wonder what is the deal with that.
« Last Edit: July 19, 2019, 12:49:41 AM by NetPro »
Logged
2020 Zero SR/F

MVetter

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2014
    • View Profile
Re: production Livewire road test article
« Reply #5 on: July 19, 2019, 10:09:59 AM »

For the most part knowing the voltage range is unimportant other than it being over 200V so it works on CCS. Presumably, like the Energica bikes, the LiveWire operates somewhere above 200V. Zeros operate between 95-116.4 and the Lightning Strike operates around 150, so neither of those can be used with CCS currently.
Logged

Doug S

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1631
    • View Profile
Re: production Livewire road test article
« Reply #6 on: July 19, 2019, 07:38:01 PM »

For the most part knowing the voltage range is unimportant other than it being over 200V so it works on CCS. Presumably, like the Energica bikes, the LiveWire operates somewhere above 200V. Zeros operate between 95-116.4 and the Lightning Strike operates around 150, so neither of those can be used with CCS currently.

I thought I remembered seeing somewhere that the battery was ~100Ah capacity? At 15kWh, that wouldn't be over 200V. Maybe I'm not remembering correctly. I just looked again and the 12V battery spec almost fooled me, so I may have looked at it wrong before.
Logged
There's no better alarm clock than sunlight on asphalt.

Crilly

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 174
    • View Profile
Re: production Livewire road test article
« Reply #7 on: July 19, 2019, 08:58:43 PM »

The Livewire has about 300 volts, or so I been told.
Logged

NetPro

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 204
    • View Profile
Re: production Livewire road test article
« Reply #8 on: July 19, 2019, 09:27:21 PM »

Why do they even put the 12 volt battery in the specs anyway? It is of no consequence to anything  important.
The main battery on the  other hand is, if nothing else to compare with other bikes and to determine  the charging capabilities.
« Last Edit: July 19, 2019, 09:56:51 PM by NetPro »
Logged
2020 Zero SR/F

MVetter

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2014
    • View Profile
Re: production Livewire road test article
« Reply #9 on: July 19, 2019, 09:33:30 PM »

The only way to know the capacity of these is to actually do measurements if and when bikes come out. This means a 0-100% fill with a kill-a-watt meter attached. Also measure the voltage at 0% SOC vs 100% SOC. I wouldn't be surprised if H-D never publicly releases these figures.
Logged

Richard230

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9965
    • View Profile
Re: production Livewire road test article
« Reply #10 on: July 20, 2019, 03:36:50 AM »

The only way to know the capacity of these is to actually do measurements if and when bikes come out. This means a 0-100% fill with a kill-a-watt meter attached. Also measure the voltage at 0% SOC vs 100% SOC. I wouldn't be surprised if H-D never publicly releases these figures.

You may recall that historically H-D never seems to release horsepower figures for their ICE models. Just torque numbers.  So I wouldn't be surprised if they are going to be secretive about the specifications of their battery pack and maybe other things too that they would rather not compare with other bikes in the EV market.  ;)
Logged
Richard's motorcycle collection:  2018 16.6 kWh Zero S, 2002 Yamaha FZ1 (FZS1000N) and a 1978 Honda Kick 'N Go Senior.

MVetter

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2014
    • View Profile
Re: production Livewire road test article
« Reply #11 on: July 20, 2019, 04:06:04 AM »

I used to make and sell things to H-D; I'm aware how they do things. I have no interest in doing business with them at any point going forward.
Logged

DonTom

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5321
    • View Profile
Re: production Livewire road test article
« Reply #12 on: July 20, 2019, 08:41:11 AM »

You may recall that historically H-D never seems to release horsepower figures for their ICE models. Just torque numbers.  So I wouldn't be surprised if they are going to be secretive about the specifications of their battery pack and maybe other things too that they would rather not compare with other bikes in the EV market.  ;)
I don't see why they would want to keep battery voltage a secret. I think they simply figure we have no need to know.  BTW, does Zero say their battery voltage  anywhere in their advertisements or elsewhere?

We do know the most important thing about the  HD  battery, the KWH, which is more battery  than I expected.

Beside, we can easily measure the battery voltage.  The KWH isn't all that easy for us to measure.

-Don-  Auburn, CA
Logged
1971 BMW R75/5
1984 Yamaha Venture
2002 Suzuki DR200SE
2013 Triumph Trophy SE
2016 Kawasaki Versys 650 LT
2017 Blk/Gold HD Road Glide Ultra
2017 Org Zero DS ZF 6.5/(now is 7.2)
2017 Red Zero SR ZF13 w/ Pwr Tank
2020 Energica EVA SS9
2023 Energica Experia LE
2023 Zero DSR/X
2025 Energica Experia

MVetter

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2014
    • View Profile
Re: production Livewire road test article
« Reply #13 on: July 20, 2019, 09:38:55 AM »

Well it is fairly easy, but they have to deliver one first.
Logged

DonTom

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5321
    • View Profile
Re: production Livewire road test article
« Reply #14 on: July 20, 2019, 10:08:07 AM »

Well it is fairly easy, but they have to deliver one first.
Yep. And I think it was exactly the same with the Zero Motorcycles. The riders get that type of info.

-Don-  Auburn, CA
Logged
1971 BMW R75/5
1984 Yamaha Venture
2002 Suzuki DR200SE
2013 Triumph Trophy SE
2016 Kawasaki Versys 650 LT
2017 Blk/Gold HD Road Glide Ultra
2017 Org Zero DS ZF 6.5/(now is 7.2)
2017 Red Zero SR ZF13 w/ Pwr Tank
2020 Energica EVA SS9
2023 Energica Experia LE
2023 Zero DSR/X
2025 Energica Experia
Pages: [1] 2