Harley Davidson Sells First 100 New E-Bike Model in 18 Minutes
S2 Del Mar will be available to public next spring.
I know what you thought when you saw the headline to this story: Will the growl and roar of the Harley Davidson Milwaukee 8 be drowned out by the electric whine and scream of the company’s electric motorcycle?
Will the lope-lope of the cam be replaced by the barely discernible hum of a plug-in charger?
In short, will the traditional sound of a powerful, well-tuned, gasoline-powered engine eventually be replaced by the sound of an electric motorcycle that sounds like a high-speed blender?
E-Bikes Making In-Roads
I doubt seriously the electric bike will replace the Harley hog we all know and love, at least in our lifetimes.
That’s not to say the electric motorcycle makers aren’t trying, and that includes Harley Davidson, to the initial surprise of many since the Motor Company has a reputation of hidebound tradition.
And it is true there are signs that HD’s environmentally-friendly electric bike technology is making inroads with consumers, however slight.
Smaller and Cheaper
The Motor Company plans to launch its second electric model offering in the spring of 2023, a little less than a year from now in other words. The company offered people 100 spots to put down reservations on that model, called the S2 Del Mar, and they sold out in 18 minutes, according to Harley.
And that’s at a price of $17,599, which includes a fancy finish and exclusive wheel design. When they actually start selling them to the general public, Harley is talking about an MSRP of $15,000.
The Del Mar is the smaller and cheaper version of Harley’s first electric bike, the Livewire One, which launched in 2019. HD sold 1,648 of those units in a 33-month figure according to the company’s published results.
‘Middleweight’ or ‘Heavyweight?’
So these are your two choices if you want an electric motorcycle and you want to stick with Harley Davidson.
The Livewire One has an MSRP of $22,800. Harley claims a city/combined range of 146/95 and a top speed of 110 miles per hour and zero to 60 in 3.0 seconds. The motor is rated at 100 horsepower and 84 foot/pounds of torque.
The Del Mar has 80 horses and is a half-second slower from zero to 60. However, the Del Mar is a middleweight at about 440 pounds compared to the Livewire One which tips the scales at 562 pounds, about the size of one of the bigger sportsters, loaded down.
If convenient charging your e-bike is important to you, you might want to know that the Livewire One can charge only at 120 volts (Level 1), while the Del Mar can charge at 120 volts and/or 240 volts (Level 2). and/or 240 volts (Level 2).
Counting on Cool Kids
Harley is betting its new electric offerings will attract some crossover buyers; check out the company’s web site – or the picture at the top of this page – that shows a young, tatooed rider sitting atop one of the new e-bikes, looking cool as is possible on top of an electric vehicle.
HD honchos are certainly counting on upcoming generations to buy its e-bikes; half the company’s electric bike revenue is currently coming from its sales of children’s “electric balance bikes.”
Photos: Harley Davidson
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