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Harley stops production of its electric bike

3K views 24 replies 16 participants last post by  N4HHE 
#1 ·
The motorcycle manufacturer has stopped production and deliveries of its first electric bike after discovering an issue with the charging equipment, according to The Wall Street Journal. In a memo seen by the WSJ, Harley told dealers it doesn't know when deliveries will restart.

Gee, I bet those $30K Live Wires were just flying off the showroom floors. Harley would do better making $2500 mobility scooters for its aging ridership.
 
#3 ·
Based on what I have seen Ewan and Charlie are not going to get stranded whether their motorcycles run or not. Which I think agrees with your post.

I was really worried about those electric Harleys. Without Loud Pipes to save them those electric motorcycles are dangerous!
 
#7 ·
Based on what I have seen Ewan and Charlie are not going to get stranded whether their motorcycles run or not. Which I think agrees with your post.

I was really worried about those electric Harleys. Without Loud Pipes to save them those electric motorcycles are dangerous!
I have a friend with one of those fancy BMW cars. He can adjust the "engine sound" through the car speakers to make it sound more sporty - completely ridiculous, but this is a solution for our HD friends that require "loud pipes" on their electric bikes. The 12 inch sub will take a little room but will certainly save lives!
 
#9 ·
I used to think loud pipes was BS. Obnoxious pipes, I have no use for. But I've experienced loud pipes minimally making the drivers around him/her more aware that there is a bike somewhere close by. The volume draws the driver to search for the source, thereby identifying the rider.

I had a bright red Interceptor, stock pipes, was nearly hit multiple times, pulling out in front of me, invading my lane with me in it, etc.

I bought a Ducati, put Termignoni pipes on it, you can literally watch drivers turn their heads when I'm in their vicinity. "Save's lives"? Maybe. Make the rider more obvious to drivers? Definately.

Harley doesn't have a prayer with that electric bike. It'll be the biggest failure in their history.
 
#12 ·
I used to think loud pipes was BS. Obnoxious pipes, I have no use for. But I've experienced loud pipes minimally making the drivers around him/her more aware that there is a bike somewhere close by. The volume draws the driver to search for the source, thereby identifying the rider.

I had a bright red Interceptor, stock pipes, was nearly hit multiple times, pulling out in front of me, invading my lane with me in it, etc.

I bought a Ducati, put Termignoni pipes on it, you can literally watch drivers turn their heads when I'm in their vicinity. "Save's lives"? Maybe. Make the rider more obvious to drivers? Definately.

Harley doesn't have a prayer with that electric bike. It'll be the biggest failure in their history.
Nice examples of not riding fast enough. ;)
 
#10 · (Edited)
Outside of the “loud pipes” thing I believe the Livewire will continue the total Harley experience,,,,,, you know ? Standing on the side of the road waiting for a truck to come and take your bike to the dealer to repair it,, ������

Seriously though I continue to be amazed at how few Harley owners know how or actually work on their own bikes, most take their bikes to the dealers for things as simple as an oil change,, unbelievable !

I’m still Waiting to see the first Livewire parked at the local Hells Angels chapter,,,,,, �� I agree with. Luca in that I believe it’ll be an epic failure For HD.
 
#11 ·
Seriously though I continue to be amazed at how few Harley owners know how or actually work on their own bikes, most take their bikes to the dealers for things as simple as an oil change,, unbelievable !
I tried to change the oil in an 883 once. Owner didn't know how. And without a manual I wasn't certain enough about what to do. Apparently a hose has to be removed, but its not marked.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Since this is a post about "electric" read "silent" bikes, perhaps talking about "loud pipes save lives" is appropriate.

I agree with Lucas that when you are riding in a traffic column with cagers, it could help to have loud pipes, {though, having watched a BUNCH of "loud pipe" riders sift through traffic like they lived in California and were riding on the Autobahn, I can't see that most cagers ever get time to find out where that guy is} and I avoid riding in those "clumps" of cagers I find on the interstate when possible, but I do acknowledge that there are times you cannot avoid it, traffic is just too thick.

My point is that MOST of us who are killed by cagers are run into from behind at a light, or the cager turns left in front of us, or the cager pulls out from a road to our right.

In none of those three crucial times are loud pipes going to make a difference, in my opinion.
 
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#15 ·
THE problem was price....with this caveat. An electric bike with a range of 130 miles is only going to be used as a commuter bike. For me, a 130 mile ride does not even qualify as a “ride”. My shortest route is 150 miles. You’re just not going to find many people willing to pay $30,000 for a commuter bike when you can but a decent car for that much money.

I am not bashing Harley....for a change. I give them credit for developing the bike. But their success with bikes out of their core market is horrible. Think Buell, MV, EBC, V-Rod.....
 
#19 ·
That Harley logo is worth some serious money.
I guess you're right... for those that drank the Kool-Aid. :grin2:

I went to an HD dealer once to buy a pair of riding gloves. Silly me. Every item in that place had the Harley logo on it.
 
#20 ·
The motorcycle manufacturer has stopped production and deliveries of its first electric bike after discovering an issue with the charging equipment, according to The Wall Street Journal. In a memo seen by the WSJ, Harley told dealers it doesn't know when deliveries will restart.

Gee, I bet those $30K Live Wires were just flying off the showroom floors. Harley would do better making $2500 mobility scooters for its aging ridership.
I bet the Live Wire is primarily a technology demonstrator to test the market.

I have a friend with one of those fancy BMW cars. He can adjust the "engine sound" through the car speakers to make it sound more sporty - completely ridiculous, but this is a solution for our HD friends that require "loud pipes" on their electric bikes. The 12 inch sub will take a little room but will certainly save lives!
Especially if you put it on the front of the bike somewhere.

I tried to change the oil in an 883 once. Owner didn't know how. And without a manual I wasn't certain enough about what to do. Apparently a hose has to be removed, but its not marked.
I know where the oil tank on a Sportster used to be (in the '70s). You mean there wasn't a drain plug on it?
 
#21 ·
I know where the oil tank on a Sportster used to be (in the '70s). You mean there wasn't a drain plug on it?
We knew where the tank was and how to keep it topped off but there wasn't a drain. Was later told we were to unbolt a hose fitting at the engine to drain a trivial amount from the engine and all from the tank.

Mounted a rear tire for him another time and had to unbolt muffler(s) which were blocking the axle.

And that is my Harley-Davidson wrenching experience. Hated it.
 
#23 ·
As other mention, the cost is prohibitive for a machine that is so limited as an electric bike is. I have zero issues with it being Harley, **** I Love Harley and would buy one in a heartbeat if I was doing more cross country traveling or travelling 2 up , etc..
Many riding partners from church ride them and all have been reliable, and many miles on them.
 
#24 ·
I've never owned a Harley or ever ridden one and probably never will especially at this stage of the game but at the same time I don't look down my nose at those that do ride them because that's their choice and who am I to judge anyway. I watch the daily Smoaks Vlogs on U-Tube. Shawn Smoaks is a service tech at Pro Caliber in Vancouver, Washington and is in fact the shops lead BMW tech and for his own personal ride seems to prefer HD and just purchased a new Harley Slim that he absolutely loves. Pro Caliber sell BMW, Indian, Honda, Yamaha and, I think, Kawasaki all at one dealership. One of these days I'm going to check out Pro Caliber and say hi to Shawn. His lovely wife also works at Pro Caliber I think in the parts department.

I say good luck to HD and I hope all works out well for them and their electric motorcycle. Oh, in a recent vlog Shawn test rode a new HD electric and was most impressed with the bike. The way battery technology is advancing I think we'll see big improvements in electric vehicle range and performance. The lithium ion battery in the HD, you can bet, isn't cheap.

As far as performing routine maintenance on a Harley being cumbersome I really can't say much for the same on my FJR when I think about it especially when it comes time for a valve check for example. Or even something as simple as changing an air filter or how about replacing the battery especially on a gen3. Oh, and if you drop your gen3 and find you have to replace the front sub frame good luck. Hmmmm...kind of glad I own a gen2 come to think of it.
 
#25 ·
As far as performing routine maintenance on a Harley being cumbersome I really can't say much for the same on my FJR when I think about it especially when it comes time for a valve check for example.
Some air-cooled V-twins have solid lifters, others hydraulic, and quite easy. But the V-Rod has solid lifters requiring the exhaust be removed and engine dropped a couple inches in the frame to get the camshaft covers off.
 
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