Tuesday, December 17, 2019

The Future Draws Near

OFF THE WIRE
You you can finally preorder the future of motorcycling. It is called the Harley-Davidson LiveWire.
This morning at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Harley also put two prototypes on display: The HD Electric Concept 1 (dirt bike) and HD Electric Concept 2 (scooter).
Harley claims the LiveWire will accelerate from zero to sixty in 3.5 seconds and will go “approximately” 110 miles between charges.
According to Harley Media Relations Manager Jen Hoyer, “It’s one of our fastest production bikes ever. We’re also announcing H-D Connect, which allows riders to monitor battery charge status remotely via their smartphone and enables features like a GPS enabled anti-theft system.”

Charge Times

You can plug it into a wall outlet. If you do you can ride for about 13 miles on a one hour charge. If you use something called a Level 3 DC Fast Charge you should be able to ride about 85 miles after a one-hour charge.
The LiveWire features a “signature sound” produced by the gear set between the motor and the drive belt.
U.S. sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycle have dropped by about half since 2008 and the company has been trying to reinvent itself for at least the last five years.

The Future

According to a press release, The LiveWire represents the future of Harley-Davidson, bringing high-performance electric propulsion…and cellular connectivity to today’s rider.”
The Live Wire will retail for $29,799.
The prototype dirt bike features a swappable battery. The prototype scooter also features a removable battery and floorboards that look like a skateboard cut in half.
Harley-Davidson’s Chief Executive Officer Matt Levatich said, “We’re at a historic juncture in the evolution of mobility…Our vision for the future is all encompassing….for all ages, from urban professional to exurban retiree, and from commute-minded to thrill-seeking.”