Harley Electric

newmann
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Edited Date/Time 1/7/2019 8:58pm
Moto related? You decide....

https://youtu.be/wU1Hv8uuDY4



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newmann
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11/7/2018 3:57am
Looks like Goodman is supplying the motors.Wink


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stillwelding
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11/7/2018 4:13am
newmann wrote:
Moto related? You decide.... https://youtu.be/wU1Hv8uuDY4 [img]https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/394169/09B67751-A3B9-48BC-9556-3ED1661F515E_jpeg-731022.JPG[/img]
Moto related? You decide....

https://youtu.be/wU1Hv8uuDY4



Thanks Newman. That thing looks incredibly quick.
ga_pike
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Valdosta, GA US
11/7/2018 4:42am
I thin it's a market all the major players need to be looking into. This looks like a decent offering on the surface but I think a silent Harley will be a hard sell... at least to the traditional Harley enthusiast. But, with their struggles, maybe the traditional customer isn't the wave of their future.
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The Shop

motogrady
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11/7/2018 4:59am

Supposedly, it goes into production for the 2019 season.
Which makes me kinda think they really didn't need the ALTA deal, and any info they might have gleaned from it. Maybe that's why they backed out so quick. They already had prototypes years before the ALTA. The guys at HD might have realized they knew just as much, or more, than what was already out there.

Anyway, it looks like it's a game changer for sure. There is nothing out there even close to it. Looks wise, that ain't
grandpas FLH. Or any HD.

ABS, Brembo brakes, Showa suspension, dual charging system, Bluetooth, a ton of torque with a chassis supposedly
holding the motor low for handling, with the clout HD has behind it, this could be a groundbreaker.

Like the 1969 750 was for Honda.

As long as it can go 200, 250 miles on a charge, if this doesn't do it for the juicer crowd, nothing will.
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billyp330
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Dorset, OH US
11/7/2018 6:21am
motogrady wrote:
Supposedly, it goes into production for the 2019 season. Which makes me kinda think they really didn't need the ALTA deal, and any info they might...

Supposedly, it goes into production for the 2019 season.
Which makes me kinda think they really didn't need the ALTA deal, and any info they might have gleaned from it. Maybe that's why they backed out so quick. They already had prototypes years before the ALTA. The guys at HD might have realized they knew just as much, or more, than what was already out there.

Anyway, it looks like it's a game changer for sure. There is nothing out there even close to it. Looks wise, that ain't
grandpas FLH. Or any HD.

ABS, Brembo brakes, Showa suspension, dual charging system, Bluetooth, a ton of torque with a chassis supposedly
holding the motor low for handling, with the clout HD has behind it, this could be a groundbreaker.

Like the 1969 750 was for Honda.

As long as it can go 200, 250 miles on a charge, if this doesn't do it for the juicer crowd, nothing will.
Completely agree with your assessment of the Alta/Harley deal fallout. I feel the Alta is an awesome bike, but their supposedly groundbreaking tech is not actually ground breaking at all. I could be wrong, but I am pretty sure they are just using standard lipo cells in parallel and in series for their battery. Those cells have been around for quite some time and they are far from the first to use them in a configuration that provides enough power to drive a vehicle, while having a decent battery life. Their motor might be of their own design, not sure, but again, electric motors capable of driving a vehicle are nothing new either. Harley probably wanted to see if they had anything else in the works that really was groundbreaking and once they realized they didn't have anything to offer, they backed out.

This is not meant to put down Alta in any way, I think their bikes are really cool and seem to be legit ICE competitors, but they didnt reinvent the wheel like some seem to think.
Yzf916
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MS US
11/7/2018 6:57am
Although not a proponent of the "loud pipes save lives" movement. Having ridden on the street for nearly 30years. Being HEARD is very important. For whatever reason, motorists do NOT see you on a motorcycle. They pull out on you, or turn in front of you ALL THE TIME. Being heard through a reasonably loud(but not obnoxious) throaty exhaust is a great benefit when not seen. Not knocking the electric movement. But when you're hardly seen by motorists. At least being heard gives you a second chance. Barely audible streetbikes are a recipe for disaster. Again. Not bashing electric bikes. Just my experience from nearly three decades on the street. Sometimes being HEARD is the only thing that saves your ass.
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jankymike
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11/7/2018 7:34am
Harley, going from air cooled OHV engines of the 1960's, skipping OHC, and water cooling (minus the V-Rod) and going straight to electric. Laughing
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motogrady
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11/7/2018 7:37am
Yzf916 wrote:
Although not a proponent of the "loud pipes save lives" movement. Having ridden on the street for nearly 30years. Being HEARD is very important. For whatever...
Although not a proponent of the "loud pipes save lives" movement. Having ridden on the street for nearly 30years. Being HEARD is very important. For whatever reason, motorists do NOT see you on a motorcycle. They pull out on you, or turn in front of you ALL THE TIME. Being heard through a reasonably loud(but not obnoxious) throaty exhaust is a great benefit when not seen. Not knocking the electric movement. But when you're hardly seen by motorists. At least being heard gives you a second chance. Barely audible streetbikes are a recipe for disaster. Again. Not bashing electric bikes. Just my experience from nearly three decades on the street. Sometimes being HEARD is the only thing that saves your ass.


I dunno. Agree, anyone that has time on the street knows, you can look someone in the eyes and they can still pullout
on you. Anyone that doesn't adapt to this usually gets killed or maimed in a few years time.

It's just the way it is.

But, I've always had a hard time accepting the "noise saves lives" thing. The pipes face rearward. How many decibels actually get to that housewife in that minivan, with the windows rolled up and the ac on, when she's pulling out of the grocery store, and you're not on the gas? Look at the Goldwings. They barely whisper going down the road.
Imo, keeping the headlight on makes one more visible than a loud set of pipes ever do.

Ah, The Road. It ain't fo everybody.
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mattyhamz2
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11/7/2018 7:38am
newmann wrote:
Looks like Goodman is supplying the motors.;) [img]https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51ECmdegGDL._SX425_.jpg[/img]
Looks like Goodman is supplying the motors.Wink


Definitely don't want one now Laughing
loftyair
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riverside, CA US
11/7/2018 8:06am
Is it possible Harley to come out with a proper off-roader?
11/7/2018 8:23am
The loud pipes saves life argument is null how many car commercials have you seen. Where they brag about having such a quiet cab it shuts out the outside world nowadays.

Most of the time when going down the road especially freeways you don't hear them unless they are right in front of you and your stereo is off and your windows are down. That might have been true 20 plus years ago but not with today's newer cars.
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JM485
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Davis, CA US
11/7/2018 8:33am
billyp330 wrote:
Completely agree with your assessment of the Alta/Harley deal fallout. I feel the Alta is an awesome bike, but their supposedly groundbreaking tech is not actually...
Completely agree with your assessment of the Alta/Harley deal fallout. I feel the Alta is an awesome bike, but their supposedly groundbreaking tech is not actually ground breaking at all. I could be wrong, but I am pretty sure they are just using standard lipo cells in parallel and in series for their battery. Those cells have been around for quite some time and they are far from the first to use them in a configuration that provides enough power to drive a vehicle, while having a decent battery life. Their motor might be of their own design, not sure, but again, electric motors capable of driving a vehicle are nothing new either. Harley probably wanted to see if they had anything else in the works that really was groundbreaking and once they realized they didn't have anything to offer, they backed out.

This is not meant to put down Alta in any way, I think their bikes are really cool and seem to be legit ICE competitors, but they didnt reinvent the wheel like some seem to think.
I think the magic with Alta was that they were the first viable alternative to gas in the moto world. It’s not all batteries and motor, the electronics that control how the power comes on (essentially what makes the bike rideable) is the real advancement. Picture what would happen if you landed from a jump on the throttle like you do on a gas bike, without the help of the electronics taking the power down at that instant you’re going to end up on your ass quicker than RV. Designing a chassis like that from the ground up is no small undertaking either, and to do it as well as they did for a first time bike is shocking honestly. Best handling bike I’ve ridden to date, and it would blow a RM250 away in corners.
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Talisker
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Houston, TX US
11/7/2018 10:22am
Im in agreement with a few other members. Not sure a Harley guy is going to throw down that kind a cash on a electric bike. His buddies will laugh their asses off and tell him he’s gay. Tough sell in my opinion.LaughingWoohooWoohooGrinning
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Torco1
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11/7/2018 10:51am
jankymike wrote:
Harley, going from air cooled OHV engines of the 1960's, skipping OHC, and water cooling (minus the V-Rod) and going straight to electric. Laughing
This is being released in 2020 as well..........

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motogrady
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11/7/2018 10:56am
Talisker wrote:
Im in agreement with a few other members. Not sure a Harley guy is going to throw down that kind a cash on a electric bike...
Im in agreement with a few other members. Not sure a Harley guy is going to throw down that kind a cash on a electric bike. His buddies will laugh their asses off and tell him he’s gay. Tough sell in my opinion.LaughingWoohooWoohooGrinning

That's something to think about.
Face it, a big reason people go HD is, well, they want a Harley. They have history, To many, they have an allure.
A kind of mystique. Doesn't matter they aren't the fastest. Or the most reliable. They just want a Harley.

Even myself, to a certain degree.
I like and ride the Honda 750s.
But, when I think about joining that unwritten kind of club, that has done the coast to coast and back on a bike thing,
for some reason, I'd like to do it on a Harley. A big dresser. A Road King, an Ultra, even an old Electra Glide if I could.
Why? I don't know. It's just that when I do, it would be coolest to do it as legions before me have done it.
On a big Harley.
Crazy, maybe so, but that's how it is for one guy.

Now, this new bike, Live Wire. All that stuff above, doesn't matter imo. It's so new, nobody has any history or tradition on it, They say they are hoping this is the future, the next thing, the coming generations bike.

It's gonna be interesting to see how it pans out.
Yzf916
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11/7/2018 2:41pm
Reading comprehension is not big on this site is it? My FIRST line is "Although NOT a proponent of the loud pipes saves lives movement". And I rode a Ducati 916 with a dry clutch, open cover, and Termignoni exhaust. Then later a Ducati 1198 with a dry clutch, open cover, and Leo Vinci exhaust. Trust me. You could here me coming or going. I could clearly see the surprise on faces when people heard me after not seeing me. With cell phone distracted drivers and the like. I'd rather a bike drivers can hear versus the pleasant whirr of an electric motor. AGAIN. Let me repeat. Not bashing the electric bikes at all. They have their place in the market. But I just feel safer on the street on a bike that others can hear.
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kb228
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Mansfield, OH US
11/7/2018 2:56pm Edited Date/Time 11/7/2018 2:56pm
Its basically going to be as fast as a ktm 50cc electric but it will weigh 900lbs. Oh yea and still leaks oil
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sumdood
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11/7/2018 3:24pm Edited Date/Time 11/7/2018 3:25pm
Talisker wrote:
Im in agreement with a few other members. Not sure a Harley guy is going to throw down that kind a cash on a electric bike...
Im in agreement with a few other members. Not sure a Harley guy is going to throw down that kind a cash on a electric bike. His buddies will laugh their asses off and tell him he’s gay. Tough sell in my opinion.LaughingWoohooWoohooGrinning
Maybe they can put a potato potato horn on it
philG
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11/7/2018 3:35pm
Whoever thinks this will sell, needs help
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newmann
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11/7/2018 3:45pm
philG wrote:
Whoever thinks this will sell, needs help
The gubmint was giving away $7500.00 of taxpayers dollars for every Chevrolet Volt sold weren't they? Harley would probably line up for some of that too.
uk125250
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11/7/2018 3:51pm
peelout wrote:
[img]https://i1.wp.com/betweentworocks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/southpark.jpg[/img]
Was thinking the same thing, I can’t see a group of bikers on them.
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motogrady
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11/7/2018 4:38pm
Yzf916 wrote:
Reading comprehension is not big on this site is it? My FIRST line is "Although NOT a proponent of the loud pipes saves lives movement". And...
Reading comprehension is not big on this site is it? My FIRST line is "Although NOT a proponent of the loud pipes saves lives movement". And I rode a Ducati 916 with a dry clutch, open cover, and Termignoni exhaust. Then later a Ducati 1198 with a dry clutch, open cover, and Leo Vinci exhaust. Trust me. You could here me coming or going. I could clearly see the surprise on faces when people heard me after not seeing me. With cell phone distracted drivers and the like. I'd rather a bike drivers can hear versus the pleasant whirr of an electric motor. AGAIN. Let me repeat. Not bashing the electric bikes at all. They have their place in the market. But I just feel safer on the street on a bike that others can hear.

Didn't mean to single you out guy, it's just I've heard that argument a lot before.
motogrady
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11/7/2018 4:49pm Edited Date/Time 11/7/2018 4:56pm
peelout wrote:
[img]https://i1.wp.com/betweentworocks.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/southpark.jpg[/img]
uk125250 wrote:
Was thinking the same thing, I can’t see a group of bikers on them.
That's what you guys are missing.
From what I gather, it's not geared or aimed for the orange and black, bandanna wearing, wallet on a chain guy, looking to be the next Easy Rider.

It's for the millennial that's gonna graduate from college one day, the doctor, the lawyer, the architect.
Guys that will have the coin, and walk the walk so many, I'm not gonna say tree huggers, let's say environmentally
conscious and responsible people, that really care about the planet and it's future, that's the market they want.

Unless that's all just a bunch of hollow bullshit. If so, I agree, this project is doomed, and they will just go back to making big cruisers. It's happened before, look at the v rod. Lots were saying anything but a shaking v twin.
HD gave it to them, they didn't sell enough to make money, poof, they're gone.
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blusmbl
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11/7/2018 5:40pm
I like it but am not speaking with my wallet until I see performance specs and a projected range.
motogrady
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11/7/2018 6:25pm
blusmbl wrote:
I like it but am not speaking with my wallet until I see performance specs and a projected range.

Yeah, I'm with you guy. How much and how far is the big question.

I looked around. HD ain't saying anything about price or range until January of 2019.

But. Apparently back in 2014 they had 9 prototypes made up, which they took on a kind of tour.
Good feedback from riders kinda spurred them on. Those bikes only got 50 miles. And the description given to a few
mags say this bike is geared for the Urban sport rider. That tells me no long haul.

They also say by 2020 they will have a full portfolio of electric bikes.

Maybe they haven't forgotten dirt, and the Alta, after all......

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