Electric Harley?!??

[Scutter01]

Will it still wake up me and the rest of my neighborhood when my neighbor idles it in his driveway for 45 minutes at 7:30am on a Saturday morning?

 

[Cameramonkey]

Will it still wake up me and the rest of my neighborhood when my neighbor idles it in his driveway for 45 minutes at 7:30am on a Saturday morning?

Or revs it repeatedly at 9PM, waking nearby infants and/or toddlers? (true story...)

More importantly can it do THIS? LOL

[video=youtube;9o15EALghp0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o15EALghp0[/video]

 

[Roadie]

I don't believe Willie G would ever let anything out of the assembly line without forward contols.

Willie designed the XLCR

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I have mixed feelings about this. If "loud pipes save lives", wouldn't this be a bad idea? Granted there are a lot of "quiet" bikes out there, but I'm thinking of a story I saw a few years ago about people being hit by electric cars in Japan because they were so quiet that the pedestrians didn't hear them coming. I believe there was talk at the time about somehow making them less quiet for this reason. Given the smaller size of a motorcycle vs. a car, I would think this might be a consideration.

 

[Zephri]

The whole "Loud pipes save lives" thing always cracked me up, it should really be "Bright colors save lives" I don't remember the last time I've driven while not listening to loud music to drown out engine/tire noise among all the other noises on the road, nor have I ever driven with my eyes closed.

That cyclist with the hi-vis everything is going to get noticed far before the motorcyclist clad in all black on the noisy black bike is.

Be seen and ride like nobody sees you, that goes for all things two wheeled. At least in my book...

 

[kawtech87]

I think it looks pretty sharp, even if it looks nothing like a Harley.

No no, that IS WHY it looks pretty sharp. Because it looks nothing like a Harley. LOL

Given H-Ds track record with even simple electrical circuits I don't see this working very well. Unless this is more like the V-Rod and is built by another company and slapped with an H-D sticker.

Also this is nothing innovating. H-D is actually WAY behind the 8-ball.
100% Electric Motorcycle : Brammo Empulse and Enertia Home

 

[kawtech87]

Ha! Now that I look at it again the HD looks like a blacked out Brammo Empulse

 

[churchmouse]

Or revs it repeatedly at 9PM, waking nearby infants and/or toddlers? (true story...)

More importantly can it do THIS? LOL

[video=youtube;9o15EALghp0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o15EALghp0[/video]

There are some "STUPID" fast electric machines out there.

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

One article says 50+ miles the other says 130 miles, both say from 30 minutes to an hour to charge. Those are quotes from sales pitches. This is a better write up: Harley-Davidson LiveWire Electric Motorcycle- First Ride Video Review

"Harley didn’t share much information about the battery other than that it’s a lithium-ion unit that takes about 3 1/2 hours to charge with its Level 2, 220-volt input port. Based on the size of the bike and the area where the batteries reside, we’d say potential maximum capacity is likely in the 14-kWh range. But capacity and charging time were spec’d not by potential production needs, but rather by the demands of the demo tour and expected use in that specific environment"

My concern is, as with all electric vehicles - cost, range, charge time. Lithium Ion batteries this size and special custom build are not cheap. Hard cased lithium ion battery cells can last 5 to 7 years if they're maintained properly and nothing goes wrong. So, best case, you'll be replacing a very expensive battery in 7 years. The article above says Harley reluctantly admits about 3 1/2 hours to charge - that's probably a little more spot on.

So, a vehicle that's likely to be more expensive than a regular Harley, require an expensive battery replacement in less than 7 years, limited range (probably less than 100 miles on a full charge), and require a 3-hour recharge with a 220VAC single phase output, is not close to my market yet. Long rides are out of the question. Fuel mileage and fuel cost - right now - aren't forcing me to electric alternatives on 2 wheels.

It's a good looking bike and probably a quality bike. There. I said something nice.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

What happened to "Evolution not Revolution" in Harley's design philosophy?

Where's the "freedom" portion of the marketing campaign? The fantasy of hitting the open road and leaving your responsibilities behind? Now you have to bring an extension cord?

 

[cbseniour]

Say it ain't so!!!

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Both the E|Harley and the Brammo pictures... Man those bikes look good!

Not a motorcycle guy question: I presume that a "presumably" lower center of gravity on the Electric HD would mean a rather stable-at-speed ride? With the sport-bike look and a seemingly short wheelbase, would it handle as well as a traditionally gas-powered short-wheel-base bike IF the CoG is lower?

 

[HoughMade]

Concept? Electric motorcylcles have been in production and available to the public for years in the United Kingdom.

I know and things like the original Brammo Enertia and various Zero models have been available here for years, but there has been a price penalty, a performance penalty and a range penalty until relatively recently.

I like the idea of an electric motorcycle, but they are, just in the last couple of years, getting to a point of development that will work the way most Americans use them. I'm not interested in 50mph top speeds and 40 mile ranges (which characterizes the earlier Brammo and Zero). This Harley (hopefully), the Brammo Empulse, the Zero SR, Mission, these are electric bikes without excuses.

I won't switch to a new technology until it is genuinely better than the old in some useful way. That being said, I ride a 35 year old motorcycle with 2 carbs and a kicker, just in case. The chances of me being an early adopter in any event, are pretty slim.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

What happened to "Evolution not Revolution" in Harley's design philosophy?

Where's the "freedom" portion of the marketing campaign? The fantasy of hitting the open road and leaving your responsibilities behind? Now you have to bring an extension cord?

You're still free to hit the open road... Just don't expect to leave your responsibilities more than 130 miles behind you.

 

[remauto1187]

I know and things like the original Brammo Enertia and various Zero models have been available here for years, but there has been a price penalty, a performance penalty and a range penalty until relatively recently.

I like the idea of an electric motorcycle, but they are, just in the last couple of years, getting to a point of development that will work the way most Americans use them. I'm not interested in 50mph top speeds and 40 mile ranges (which characterizes the earlier Brammo and Zero). This Harley m(hopefully), the Brammo Empulse, the Zero SR, Mission, these are electric bikes without excuses.

I won't switch to a new technology until it is genuinely better than the old in some useful way. That being said, I ride a 35 year old motorcycle with 2 carbs and a kicker, just in case. The chances of me being an early adopter in any event, are pretty slim.

What many people do when buying electric vehicles are only take in to account the mileage ability of the electric vehicle they are considering purchasing. They buy it after they get over the mileage (range) on a full charge and then X amount of years down the road they find out the true cost when it comes time to replace the battery pack or the DC motor(s) which are very expensive.

 

[kawtech87]

What happened to "Evolution not Revolution" in Harley's design philosophy?

Where's the "freedom" portion of the marketing campaign? The fantasy of hitting the open road and leaving your responsibilities behind? Now you have to bring an extension cord?

You're still free to hit the open road... Just don't expect to leave your responsibilities more than 130 miles behind you.

No no you're both wrong. You pack a Dynamo charger.

Eton FRX3 Hand Turbine AM/FM/Weather Radio w/ USB Charger & LED Light (Black) - Blade HQ

Makes about as much since as packing a tire plug kit and pump on a bike with tube type tires though.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

No no you're both wrong. You pack a Dynamo charger.

Eton FRX3 Hand Turbine AM/FM/Weather Radio w/ USB Charger & LED Light (Black) - Blade HQ

Makes about as much since as packing a tire plug kit and pump on a bike with tube type tires though.

And after cranking the dynamo charger for 3 1/2 hours...

 

[ces6508]

Never sell - doesn't scream "LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME"

 

[HoughMade]

Never sell - doesn't scream "LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME"

I just had a vision of a guy pulling up to a Chipotle on a Softail open carrying a AR with a quad rail, 2 optics, a flashlight, a laser....

 

[JettaKnight]

Never sell - doesn't scream "LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME"

Harley's scream look at me? Maybe I don't hear it since it's lost in the cacophony of the HD shirst, stickers, rags, underwear, etc. I've never understood that cult, so I can't say house this bike will be received. I'd think they want to try it out in a "sub-brand" to mitigate potential HD image problems.


I saw a HD billboard with something to the effect of "Be different, buy a HD". Oh, sweet irony.