Short Harley LiveWire Test Drive-Plus Test Drive Signup!

[MitchJi]

Hi,

Short Harley LiveWire Test Drive Plus a Link to signup for your own test drive!


http://gas2.org/2014/12/02/quick-drive-the-harley-davidson-livewire/

The most shocking news of 2014, as you probably heard, is that Harley Davidson beat all the Japanese OEM’s to the electric motorcycle market. While they claim the Livewire is not scheduled for production, they do have a large demo fleet touring the nation. At the International Motorcycle Show in Long Beach, CA I took one for a spin.

The demo route was a short jaunt through Long Beach, just enough to get a little taste of what the Livewire can do. Although part of the route was on the Grand Prix course, we weren’t really allowed to open it up to full capacity, but instead were led at a chill cruiser pace appropriate for the bike and the neighborhood.

Harley worked closely with leading electric powertrain developer Mission motors and the motor is excellent. The power delivery is smooth, but more impressively so is the regenerative braking. On many other electric motorcycles, especially my superlight Zero FX, full regen requires a delicate throttle roll off.

With the Livewire, you’ve got equally strong braking but it’s smooth as silk regardless of how suddenly you close the throttle. The mechanical brakes work fine too. The motor has a sound, louder than the Zero and quieter than the Energica. While the Energica sounds like some kind of alien spaceship, and can get annoying, the Livewire sounds like a proper electric motorcycle.

The bike is more café racer style than anything else. It’s low slung and has a fairly long wheelbase and excessively wide rear tire. This made for slow, heavy turns compared to the sportier electric bikes I’ve ridden. When I returned, I mentioned this and was told the steering gets noticeably heavier with as little as two psi missing. The mechanic checked and sure enough my bike was down 2psi. Another rider felt the same, but the two others on our ride said it turned fine. All of us are experienced riders.

Check out their tour schedule here and sign up to take one for a spin.

See it. ride it. tell us what you think.

Harley-Davidson's first electric motorcycle. Only available on the Project LiveWire™ Experience Tour.
See it. Hear it. Feel it.

The Project LiveWire Experience is making its way across America offering test rides and engaging displays to the public.

FAQ
What is the Project LiveWire™?

Project LiveWire™ is the next major milestone in the history of The Motor Company – The first Harley-Davidson® motorcycle with an electric engine. We’re developing this motorcycle the Harley-Davidson® way by bringing this innovation to the street to gain feedback from customers. We’re inviting customers to ride the motorcycle and tell us what they think. Even those who don’t ride yet can take a ride on Jumpstart™ Demo, a simulated riding experience that doesn’t require any experience or a motorcycle license.

How is the Project LiveWire™ motorcycle different than other electric motorcycles on the market?
It is not on the market!
It starts with this: Project LiveWire™ is a Harley-Davidson® motorcycle, a pure expression of individuality and iconic style that just happens to be electric. Think electric guitar – not electric car. From the bold styling of its longitudinally mounted electric motor to its distinctive Harley-Davidson® look, sound and feel to its responsive acceleration and braking, it’s built to be a Harley-Davidson® Motorcycle, with dimensions that are right at home on any city street.

When will Project LiveWire™ motorcycles be available for purchase?
Project LiveWire™ motorcycles are not for sale. This is a journey we’re taking with our customers to discover how good we can make the ride. We’re taking the Project LiveWire™ motorcycle experience around the country this year, and continue in the US, Canada and Europe in 2015. We’ll gain feedback from real riders on what they are looking for in this type of vehicle from Harley-Davidson® Motorcycle. Any final decisions about whether to bring an electric motorcycle to market – and when – will be made at a later date.

What does this mean for the future of air-cooled V-Twins?
Make no mistake, we love the Harley-Davidson® V-Twin engine and believe there continues to be a strong future for our traditional projects. The Project LiveWire™ motorcycle is simply one of the ways we are exploring how we might further grow the diverse family of Harley® motorcycle riders. It’s also a great example of what our people and our powerful product development process can do – much like the great customer-led product like Project RUSHMORE and the Harley-Davidson Street™ 500 and 750 motorcycles we’ve introduced in the last twelve months.

What is the Project LiveWire™ experience?
This is a customer-led, grassroots approach to product innovation that truly springs from the rebel roots of our company. We ride with our customers to develop the motorcycles that truly fulfill their dreams. This summer through our U.S. tour, we’re inviting customers to ride the motorcycle and give us feedback. Even those who don’t ride yet can contribute by riding the bike on the Jumpstart™ Demo – a simulated riding experience.

What is the inspiration behind the Project LiveWire™ Motorcycle's styling?
At Harley-Davidson®, our design philosophy is this: Form follows function, but both report to emotion. This has been the basis for the iconic look of Harley-Davidson® motorcycles for decades. Project LiveWire™ Motorcycle is no exception. Racing was a key inspiration for its design. We wanted the machine to make an aggressive statement on the adrenalin-packed thrill of pure power. And, just as in our internal combustion bikes, the engine is the jewel of the motorcycle – the visual centerpiece. The Project LiveWire™ Motorcycle's longitudinal powertrain is inspired by the superchargers used on top fuel dragsters. It makes a muscular and powerful statement all by itself. Its overall proportions, including the aggressive rake angle and short tail section, evoke the classic Harley racing design. And like all Harley-Davidson® motorcycles it’s styled to look good with a rider on it. The chassis design lets the rider hug the bike and become one with the machine. The lighting and instrumentation add a futuristic look. And as a premium Harley-Davidson® product it incorporates high-quality metal finishes and coatings. It’s another example of why Harley-Davidson® motorcycles are often described as rolling sculpture. It’s technology turned into art.

Are there different licensing requirements for the Project LiveWire™?
No. Any rider with an invitation to demo and a valid motorcycle license can take a test ride. Those who don’t ride yet can take a ride on Jumpstart, a simulated riding experience, no license required.

Is Harley-Davidson® hiring EV engineers?
We are looking for experienced EV engineers who share the pioneering spirit of the four young founders who started this company more than a century ago by putting a motor in a bicycle frame. If you’d like to be part of this new journey and you’re passionate about motorcycling, we would love to talk to you about joining our team. Click the link below to see the opportunities we have available. http://jobs.harley-davidson.com/go/Electrical-Engineer-Jobs/330190/

 

[Stevil_Knevil]

Wonder if HD will include a sound device to alert other drivers and pedestrians to it's presence at lower (parking lot) speeds?

Think of the "pototoe potatoe potatoe" sound signature that they tried -unsuccessfully- to patent.

Reminded of a device that would insert a random pop and misfire on the new EVO motors at idle speed to make them sound more like classic Pan and Knucklehead HDs..

..either way, I want to ride one over a fountain of champagne..


..and stick the landing

 

[MitchJi]

Hi,

Earlier this year the Harley-Davidson LiveWire Concept wowed motorcycle fans who weren’t expecting such a forward-looking vehicle from a company built on tradition. While the reaction to the Harley LiveWire was overwhelmingly positive, with just 50 miles of range and an estimated $50,000 price tag, it’s not quite ready for primetime.

The Journal-Sentinel was on hand as the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council’s annual conference when Harley president Matt Levatich rolled in on the LiveWire. While Harley-Davidson has worked to integrate cleaner engines and lighter components into its bikes, as well as pledging to plant some 50 million trees, the LiveWire is its first attempt at a zero emissions vehicle.

It was never meant for production, but rather as a means to gauge the public’s reaction, and perhaps surprise would-be buyers as well. Many Harley fans were expecting performance on par with an electric golf kart, but as our own Susanna Schick found out, Harley made sure the performance was there for everybody to feel. Instant torque is something you only get with electric motors after all.

But as positive as the response to the power was, customers also let Harley-Davidson know that they’re only willing to pay about $25,000 for a motorcycle like the LiveWire. That’s about half what it would cost to bring the LiveWire to market today, as customers also want 100 miles of driving range compared to the 50 miles offered on the concept.

That doesn’t mean Harley is giving up on electric motorcycles though; quite the opposite in fact. Accord to Levatich, Harley-Davidson wants to be a part of the sustainable “conversation” going on in the transportation industry, and as more powerful and lower-cost batteries come to market the iconic motorcycle will be ready to enter the market with a more viable product.

In the meantime dedicated electric motorcycle companies like Brammo and Zero Motorcycles are gathering steam and building brands all their own. I understand that Harley is in no rush to roll out a half-assed electric motorcycle, and I can certainly appreciate that. On the other hand, two start-ups have already shown it’s possible to build an electric motorcycle people will buy, so here’s hoping Harley doesn’t sit on the sidelines too much longer.

From the sounds of it though, they won’t be.

http://gas2.org/2014/12/06/electric-harley-would-cost-50000-need-twice-as-much-range/