The New LiveWire S2 Del Mar will characteristic a novel frameless design constructed across the battery casing as … [+]
Harley-Davidson/LiveWire
Rumors and spy photographs preserve turning into actual merchandise at Harley-Davidson, which not too long ago debuted a brand new clean-sheet high-performance Sportster mannequin and has now lifted the veil on a second full-size electrical motorbike mannequin.
Called the LiveWire S2 Del Mar, the brand new electrical bike joins “The ONE,” the newest replace derived from the primary electrical mannequin that arrived as the unique LiveWire mannequin again in 2019, earlier than that title was spun off as its personal model for future electrical fashions. Clearly, the longer term is now.
LiveWire says the preliminary batch of 100 Del Mar “Launch Edition” machines can be particular $17,699 numbers finished up in particular paint schemes (laboriously utilized techno-zebra patterns known as Jasper Gray and Comet Indigo), and production-series machines could have a “target MSRP” of $15,000, a great non-specific value that may be hit or missed in keeping with elements like demand, components points, and incentives. If you don’t assume Harley has been promoting the LiveWire electrics, you’re mistaken, because the restricted version run is bought out, in keeping with the web site, though the phrases “Sold Out” have been struck by way of as if they could change their thoughts and make extra. LiveWire stated the primary bikes ought to arrive for homeowners and showrooms in spring of 2023.
Sold out? Or simply bought out… for now?
Harley-Davidson/LiveWire
Specific tech numbers for the S2 Del Mar should not fairly out but, however a press launch from LiveWire specifies that the brand new bike will make 80 horsepower. No torque determine was launched, which is backwards for H-D as they commonly brag on their torque figures for his or her new gas-powered bikes however received’t admit to horsepower stats, and torque is the place it’s at with electrical mobility tech lately.
LiveWire says the brand new tires and 19-inch wheels will let the Del Mar wander away street – however most likely … [+]
Harley-Davidson/LiveWire
However, some tech issues are identified in regards to the S2 Del Mar, together with the bike’s considerably distinctive structure, which makes use of the battery case because the central body aspect somewhat than wrapping a metallic body across the battery case as they did with the unique LiveWire machine – and which most rivals, together with phase chief Zero – nonetheless do. Harley CEO Jochen Zeitz says the bikes are a product of the staff working at LiveWire Labs in Mountain View, California – a Silicon Valley hub close to Apple, Google, and different main tech gamers.
LiveWire additionally dropped some efficiency numbers, together with a 0-60 time of three.5 seconds and a acknowledged vary goal of 100 miles. Weight is acknowledged as 440 kilos, which places it on the lighter finish of the size versus the ONE machine and far of Zero’s choices, most of which simply clear 500 kilos.
The preliminary batch of 100 bikes is bought out and can include a particular paint scheme.
Harley-Davidson/LiveWire
All that tech within the air seems to be settling into LiveWire designers’ espresso, because the Del Mar contains a considerably odd alternative of 19-inch wheels wrapped in specially-designed Dunlop DT1 tires which might be “equally capable on paved and dirt surfaces.” As famous, the bikes’ underpinnings are additionally all new, but additionally echo some design selections across the new gas-powered Sportster Nightster’s engine-as-a-stressed-member modular sub-frame system. Called the “ARROW” structure, the benefits embrace saving all that weight a typical body consists of whereas giving the Harley/LiveWire bikes a extra modular baseline design to construct different future bikes round. Harley/LiveWire does have a deal in place with South Korean scooter and light-weight motorbike maker KYMCO for cooperation on future fashions, however in a press launch, LiveWire stated the S2 can be constructed at Harley’s plant in Pennsylvania.
If you’re preserving rating, that places once-stodgy Harley-Davidson, lengthy the maker of neo-classic cruisers with old-tech, air-cooled pushrod engines, forward of Ducati, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, BMW, MV Agusta, Kawasaki, Aprilia and just about each different legacy motorbike maker 2-nil within the burgeoning electrical motorbike market. Sorry, scooters don’t rely at this degree. What’s subsequent? Electric bicycles? They’re already there with the Serial 1 model. Strange days certainly.