Harley Davidson actually has a new motorcycle that is different!

[MAJikMARCer]

From some of the interviews I've seen, H-D isn't really looking so much at their existing market for these bikes as much as to leverage their name to break into a new one. H-D is a well known brand, even among non-riders, so from a marketing perspective it has a chance. The mileage will need to increase a bit more though.

Personally I'd like to see a good electric commuter bike. Hell our NC as an electric would be damn near perfect. Of course we'd lose the frunk for battery space.

As much as I like Zero for being an early provider of electric bikes, their lineup is limited still. If I'm going to drop that kind of money on an electric bike it needs to be a bit more utilitarian, at least for me.

That may be the hard sell for the H-D bike. Americans tend to buy bikes for recreation more than general transport and electric bikes just don't have the range for the long 'iron butt' rides. 100-150 miles isn't going to cut it. Perfectly fine for commuting, but not for the long leisurely weekend rides.

We'll see!

 

[jggassert]

Speaking of electric motorcycles...

http://www.policeone.com/police-pro...-LAPD-gets-military-grade-stealth-motorcycle/


Jeremy "Doc" G
Using Tapatalk on one of my Apple devices...it's cool, I know I have a problem.

 

[mwcogburn]

Motorcycle.com did a first ride review of the Livewire. Here is a link.

 

[tew47]

What happens when you get home from work and you go to charge up your electric bike and the power goes out for hours and the bike does not get charged? WHAT GOOD IS IT THEN.

 

[CaptDL]

What happens when you find out you need $4-$5000 worth of permits and electrical upgrades to plug it in at your house?

 

[anglachel]

For a group of people who ride motorcycles (what many people call risky behavior) you guys sure seem to come up with a lot of "what if's" to argue against an electric drive train.



Consider that Tesla just started as a company ~10 years ago, and now has a series of quick charge stations that will allow drivers to travel cross country.
Go look at the map of Tesla super charge stations... then go type "Harley Dealer" into Google maps, zoom out the the whole US...

I think that if Harley decides this is something they really want to pursue finding a place to charge will be as easy as finding a Harley dealer (finding a Harley dealer might get a little harder since you won't just be able to put your ear to the wind to hear them.)

Honestly there is a lot less to go wrong on an electric bike than there is on the internal combustion bikes, fewer moving parts, over all simpler design, and electricity is much cheaper than gasoline per mile... Electric has a lot of positives going for it. I hope that Harley decides to pursue this, the more companies pursuing electric the more likely all of the "issues" that are being complained about will be worked out by at least one of them.
But even the issues that are being described, while they might be an problem for some of you, are that big of a deal for most people, power outages are rare for most people who live in the US (benefit of a 1st world country) and gas pumps don't work when the power is out either, electric bikes (zero and brammo) can be charged off a standard 15 amp breaker, they just charge slower, but if you are charging in your garage it's probably an over night charge any how, and most people don't travel much more than 50 miles a day (average commute is 16 miles).

 

[davidc83]

power outages are rare NOW; but our electric grid is at best, a catastrophe waiting to happen. With all the new EPA regulations, power plants are either going to go off-line or raise their rates $$$, and trying to get a new power plant built is a PITA for companies-people want electricity but they don't want the power plants in their backyard or town or county.

 

[anglachel]

and of course every one wants a refinery in their neighborhood...

I count about 30 light bulbs in my house, changing them out for LEDs nets me a bout 1500 watts, charging a Zero over night (9-10 hour slow charge for the big batteries) will draw about 1500 watts, during off peak times. The power grid has historically supported this kind of draw... and new infrastructure at places where charging stations are being put in will be designed to support the load.

Generation is an issue, but it's always been an issue, people have always wanted power, and they've never wanted power plants... this is nothing new, and adding electric transportation to the mix isn't going to crash the system any time soon (unless this is a really awesome bike and every one buys one immediately.)

 

[cdnuser]

Hopefully the tech will progress to where this will be something more than a short distance play thing. It is like the electric car. As testified before congress several years ago. Unless we start building power plants the grid can not support electric vehicles.

Not sure about the US but in Ontario we produce more electricity than we use. More Electric cars would be a good thing. My electric car (Volt) only costs $1.50 to charge and i spend less than $10 in gas for the generator every 3 months. I typically drive 22-23,000kms a year! Now tell me thats not a good thing! Time to educate ourselves.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cdnuser]

What happens when you find out you need $4-$5000 worth of permits and electrical upgrades to plug it in at your house?

What? Really? Please do your homework. I plug in a volt at home for the first year i used a standard plug then i upgraded to 240v which cost me the same to wire my home dryer.

Oh and if your wiring is that bad I would be more worried about a house fire than an electric bike or car.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk