The company is already taking orders for the wild Zeus electric motorcycle with radial “V8” batteries and has released plans for the even wilder Hades with a bullet-shaped battery and motor.
They say these will go into production next year and cost $US75,000 (about $A106,000).
Now they have released plans for the more affordable Pysche priced at $US30,000 which is just a few bucks more than the Harley LiveWire.
Psyche
There are no tech details yet on the Psyche, but Zeus and Hades will have 201hp (150kW) of power and 199Nm of torque.
Curtiss has also released no details of the Psyche’s range, while the LiveWire has 235km of city range and 150km on the highway.
Psyche shot at Harley
CEO Matt Chambers says the Psyche is “a clean shot at Harley, exposing the hollow seemingly cynical nature of their EV effort, their own CEO (Matt Levatich) referring to their rather commodity looking Livewire example as a catalyst for their petrol line”.
“Curtiss is the precise hard knock-out punch he didn’t see coming,” he says.
“He (Harley’s boss) is way too big and spread way too thin. The volumes will be too low for the next five years.
“We have out-planned them, out-designed them, out-engineered them, out-branded them and out-promoted them.
“The market is very small, ideally suited to our core competencies, skillsets and bandwidth. We have the experience and collaborative relationships to ideally grow with this market. Harley does not.”
Zeus
Despite his rhetoric, their first electric motorcycle prototype Zeus is only now entering pre-production stage, while the Hades is still just life-like drawings.
Hades
Hades
Zeus
The LiveWire is now available in North America and Europe, but will not be available in Australia until late next year.
Harley-Davidson Australia spokesman Keith Waddell says the “US/European markets have had strong pre-order activity in the lead-up to the release”.
“For ANZ we have not moved into the pre-order phase just yet, however we have heard that some dealers are already receiving request to order, which is great given we are 13-14 months out,” he says.
“We don’t have exact timeframes for when units will be delivered into market however we are working to the normal model year release cadence.”
More than 5000 are expected to attend theFreak Show Festival of Motorcycles run alongside the return of the national Harley Owners Group (HOG) rally in Walcha, NSW, from November 15-17, 2019.
Freak Show Festival organiser David Rollins says more than 1000 entry tickets have been sold so far.
“To have had such a large number of entry tickets snapped up in the dead of winter, so many months out from the event, is remarkable,” David says.
“We are expecting around 5000 enthusiasts will roll into Walcha in November and reaching this milestone mid-July means we’re well on track to achieving those numbers.”
If these figures are accurate, the population of the small New England High Country town of Walcha will almost triple over the extended weekend.
Freak festival
Freak Show Festival features include a flat track, a dirt hill climb, custom motorcycles, the Globe of Death, wheelies, stoppies and burnouts, a ride-in cinema playing motorcycle-themed movies, live music and food and beverages.
Harley Owner’s Group will have guided rides and HOG members will lead off the Thunder Rally.
Punters will be invited to have a go at the flat track like Brisbane’s Dust Hustle event on a purpose-built track on vacant land next to the town’s racecourse.
“We have motorcyclists making the trip from all over NSW, and also as far afield as Perth, north Queensland, South Australia, and even New Zealand,” he says.
David Rollins
The NSW Tourism Department estimates the motorcycle event will deliver more than $1.7 million in visitor expenditure to the region.
“With the region being in the grip of such a prolonged drought, this event is just what Walcha needs,” David says.
Walcha welcome
Walcha Mayor Eric Noakes says the town is “100% behind the Freak Show Festival of Motorcycles”.
“We’re welcoming it with open arms,” he says.
Walcha was chosen for the event because it sits at the crossroads of some of the best motorcycling routes in NSW taking in the Oxley Highway, New England Highway, Waterfall Way and Thunderbolts Way.
The rally will be held in the Walcha racecourse and sale yards with various levels of camping right up to five-star “glamping”.
“All accommodation has been booked out in Walcha already, but there is still heaps in Armidale and Tamworth. Plus we will have on-site camping options from standard tents to Lawrence of Arabia style,” David says.
Shuttle buses to and from events, accommodation and the town centre will be provided.
Harley Owners Group spokesman Andrew Kidd says Walcha is a “reasonable size town with good facilities”.
“Much like the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the surrounding towns will be more than able to handle the volume of riders coming to the event,” he says.
“The local roads are renowned as some of the best riding roads in the country so come along and enjoy a great event and some fantastic roads.”
Riders in Walcha at the Royal Cafe
The whole HOG
The last HOG national rally was last held in 2015 at Tamworth and followed by open Harley Days rallies at Wollongong in 2016 and 2017.
HOG members were unhappy with the open format so there was no 2018 national rally. Now it returns at the Walcha festival.
David says the one ticket will gain access to all areas and sites.
President Donald Trump’s trade wars are hitting Harley-Davidson hard with a 22% bite in profits to $US426m after a 8.4% drop in international sales in the last quarter.
The Milwaukee company now expects to ship about 212,000 to 217,000 bikes in 2019, compared with their original estimate of 217,000 to 222,000.
Last year Harley opened a factory in Thailand to make motorcycles specifically for the European and Asian markets to avoid the hefty tariffs on US-made products in the trade wars sparked by Trump.
However, there have been delays in the necessary regulatory approvals to ship Thailand-built motorcycles to the European Union.
They have now been approved, so the results may pick up in the latter half of the year.
Harley CEO and president Matt Levatich says EU tariffs will bite about $100 million out of their annual profits.
Europe imposed duties on $2.4 billion worth of American-made products after Trump levied tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from Europe in 2018.
“Europe is the big issue for the company, about a $100 million a year run rate that we are covering in order to protect our business in Europe, protect our market share, protect our volume, protect the viability of our distribution channel,” says Levatich.
When Harley announced it would open the Thai factory to avoid EU tariffs, Trump tweeted that customers should boycott the company.
“No company wants comments like that made,” he says.
Levatich has also announced that the company will roll out new products “that play very well into strong and growing segments internationally, in particular in Europe”.
The LiveWire arrives in Australia late next year probably costing more than $A40,000.
Future growth
Despite the sales decline, Levatich is positive, saying they are now selling to a more diverse and younger customer which lays “a solid foundation for future growth”.
“The decisions and investments we’re making, within a highly dynamic and competitive global marketplace, demonstrate our intense focus to build the next generation of riders and maximise shareholder value,” he says.
He claims their US rider training participation was up, with the greatest increase among 18-34 year-olds.
Of the total US new retail sales in the last quarter, the mix of 18-34 year-olds increased 2.7%.
Tough quarter
In the past quarter, Harley ironically celebrated the sale of their five-millionth motorcycle out of their York factory while they also closed their Kansas City plant.
The 5 millionth customer was Wisconsin resident Walter Bartlett who bought a Heritage Classic.
5 millionth customer Walter Bartlett who picks up his Heritage Classic
In Kansas, about 800 jobs were lost when the factory closed. It had been assembling Harleys since 1997.
Two things stand out about the Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle: it is literally electrifying and cool!
That’s more than just a couple of gratuitous puns.
This bike is not an electric toy! It’s a real bike that is claimed to go from 0-100km/h in three seconds and we proved it on the world media launch with several impromptu drags on a lonely country road outside of Portland, Oregon. So that’s electrifying performance in anyone’s lexicon.
Many moto journos talk about the nirvana of having ultimate linear power delivery. That’s exactly what this supplies. There are no surges or lags, just a hand-of-God thrust in the back as you hurtle forward and the world tons to a blur.
And after a vigorous 110km test ride through the streets of Portland and beautiful surrounding country, the bike was still cool to the touch, even the water-cooled motor, battery and radiator.
So it doesn’t just look cool and represent a cool trend in motorcycling, it’s literally cool to touch which makes it an ideal summer commuter bike!
Price
The dual-seat LiveWire is made in Cork, Pennsylvania and has been in development almost a decade.
It finally goes on sale shortly in the USA at about $US30,000 in a choice of cool lime, a bright orange and gloss black.
It will arrive in Australia late next year probably at more than $A40,000 which is more than most of their Touring models.
It’s expensive, but it also has suitably premium components, a high quality of ft and finish (not a cadmium bolt in sight!), thick and lustrous paint, plus premium controls including a proximity key fob.
Styling is a subjective matter, but I like the modern, minimalist look and the big cooling fins around the battery, although the gloss black model looks way too dark. Maybe they should have made the calling fins silver on that one.
Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle
The remote rear fender with number plate allows for a tidy wasp-like tail with the pillion seat suspended in mid-air.
Underneath the seat is a small lockable compartment for the the mains charger and cable that includes a handy helmet hook. Harley put the key fob under the seat so we wouldn’t lose it and it was the only mechanical sound in the whole bike. Most riders would keep it in their jacket pocket!
You can also get a small “speed screen blade”, decorative trim, different hand and foot controls and a cover that includes a charging cord port. Many traditional Harley accessories such as wheels and bars can also be fitted.
LiveWire comes with two batteries. The big 15.5 kWh high-voltage Lithium-ion battery or “Renewable Energy Storage System (RESS)” made up of Samsung battery modules has a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.
Battery
Harley chief engineer Glen Koval says the recyclable battery should last 10 years without significant loss of capacity unless it is not treated well or used extensively in extreme cold conditions.
There is also a small 12V lithium-ion battery to power instruments, lights, etc.
Harley has not said how much a replacement main battery will cost, probably because in five years from now it will cost a lot less, anyway!
Silent running
Of course, the electric LiveWire is quiet, especially at low speeds, but not exactly silent.
When you switch it on, the headlight and instrument screen lights up, but there is no accompanying motor noise.
As you take off, you can feel a gentle buzz which is induced by the rocking of magnets. Harley wanted riders feel the “heartbeat” of the machine.
When you give it the berries, the bike makes a turbine “whoosh” noise thanks to the belt drive and “meshing” of the primary spiral bevel gears. At highway speeds all you can hear is the wind.
While I missed the throbbing sound and feel of a Harley V-twin engine, I actually found it made you more aware of surrounding noises from other vehicles.
It also meant that when I listened to music, GPS directions or phone calls on my helmet intercom, I didn’t need to turn the volume up quite as high.
The lack of noise also seems to have a calming effect on the rider.
However, I was acutely aware that other road users couldn’t hear me coming and a couple of times I tapped the horn to announce my presence.
Range
Harley recently released details that claim city range of up to 235km and 152km of highway range.
While they don’t give total charging time from a mains outlet with the provided cord, they do tell us that a 120/240-volt outlet will provide about 20km (13 miles) per hour of charging. That means it will probably take at least 11 hours from flat to reach full capacity. And the cost would be less than $4.
They also claim their Fast Charge (DCFC) technology will recharge a flat battery to 80% in 40 minutes and full in 60 minutes.
Mobile DC fast chargers at work
They brought in three mobile DC fast chargers for the event which they say are not as powerful as the permanent ones that will be at Harley dealerships. These chargers were only used at the end of the day’s ride.
None of the bikes ran out of “juice” on the road test, even though we mainly rode hard and fast in the electrifying “Sport” mode.
We covered about 110km and my bike still showed 30% charge left.
The charging port is in the top of the “fuel” tank for easy access.
You can check the battery recharging status and time left to full on the instruments or on an accompanying H-D Connect app.
The Android and iOS app also alerts you if someone is tampering with your bike, includes a GPD tracker if its stolen, shows the closest charging stations and reminds you when the bike needs a service. But since the only consumables are the brake pads, servicing should be cheaper. Still, service intervals are 1600km first and then every 8000km like their conventional bikes.
Harley PR rep Joe Gustafson says the app gives the rider “peace of mind”.
H-D Connect uses a cellular telematics control unit (TCU) that functions as an LTE-enabled modem connecting LiveWire motorcycles to the cloud. Owners will get the service free for a year.
There are seven riding modes: Range, Rain, Road and Sport, plus three customisable modes.
Each mode affects the acceleration and response from the twist-and-go throttle.
It also affects the amount of “regeneration” which is like engine braking and helps to recharge the battery.
Both of these also affect the range.
The modes also vary the amount of cornering-enhanced traction control that includes a wheelie control to stop the front wheel lifting and a rear-wheel lockup control.
They label their traction control High, Medium and Low, but high is not for high intervention but high slip, so it is opposite to what it appears.
Riders can select the modes on the fly with a button on the right-hand controller. Your selected mode is displayed on the big, easy-to-read 11cm colour touchscreen which is like a mini iPad.
Sport: Full, seamless power and 80% immediate throttle response. This offers truly electrifying performance. I thought it might make it a little jerky, but it so smooth and predictable, even in slow-speed manoeuvres. Traction control is also set to High which is the lowest level of intervention. However, you can turn it off when stopped. Regeneration is also quite significant at 80% so you don’t even need to use the brakes to come to a full stop. The only time I touched the brakes was in emergency brake tests and when riding hard.
Road: This mode softens throttle response to 55%, power delivery to 80% and regen to 30%, plus medium traction control. Harley says it feels more like a traditional petrol-powered bike and they are right, but because of its twist-and-go transmission (like a scooter), you can’t slip a little clutch to smooth out power delivery for tight, feet-up u-turns. But guess what! You don’t need to. It’s super-smooth with plenty of feel, unlike any EFI fly-by-wire throttle. Medium traction control can be turned off when stopped.
Range: Obviously this is the economy mode to squeeze extra range out of the bike. Throttle response is smoother at 55%, power 40% and regen 80%, making it quite jerky when you roll off the throttle. Traction control is medium and can be turned off when stopped.
Rain: Like the rain mode on many conventional bikes, this has 0% power, 30% soft throttle response, 15% regen and Low traction means high intervention and cannot be turned off.
Three Custom Modes: You can select your own levels of power, regeneration, throttle response and traction control and save them to A, B or C modes. Power, regeneration and throttle can be adjusted from 0-100% in 1% increments, and traction can be set to Low, Medium or High intervention.
Since most riders won’t touch the brakes to slow down, the rear brake LED light will light up on regenerative braking to alert traffic behind your that you are slowing, avoiding rear-enders.
Lively LiveWire
Harley’s LiveWire electric motor
Harley says the H-D Revelation electric motor has 78kW of power. That’s not too bad for a 249kg bike which is about the same as a 1200 Sportser or Ducati Diavel.
That power figure is the same as a KTM 1190, but the porky LiveWire weighs a substantial 32kg more.
More importantly, the bike has 116Nm of torque which is substantially more than the 95Nm in the 1200 Sportster .
Full-tilt torque is available as soon as you twist the throttle, which is why traction and wheelie control is so important.
It feels lively and lithe, like many streetfighter-style bikes with its flat bars.
On the highway it’s stable, around town it’s manoeuvrable and in the twisties it feels planted and precise, thanks to the premium Showa suspension.
It’s fully adjustable, but rather than playing around with the clickers, you can go to the instrument screen and put in the weights of you, pillion and any luggage and it will calculate the right settings. How clever is that!
Some claimed it felt top heavy, but I didn’t think so. The weight is carried low in the underslung motor. It feels a little heavy coming up off the side stand, but then it feels perfectly balanced.
Clever locking sidestand
I love the use of Harley’s clever stable side stand that won’t allow the bike to roll forward when parked downhill.
The low centre of gravity makes it easy to turn and quick to change direction.
However, the seat is 779mm high and is narrow so even shorter riders can get their feet flat down on the ground. I’m 183cm tall and I could still bend my legs with my feet flat on the ground. There is also a Slammer seat that is 25mm lower.
The Brembo brakes are powerful and have plenty of feel, but with the regenerative braking of the motor, you really don’t need to use them that often, although it’s nice to know they are there when you need them in an emergency.
Conclusion
At this price, it’s going to be a hard sell, even for cashed-up, early adopters and techno nerds.
But they will find this is not just some toy. It’s a serious, full-size, hard-charging, fun motorcycle that is both easy to ride and a hard charger for the adrenalin junkie.
Harley-Davidson LiveWire tech specs
Price: $US29,799 (about $A42,500)
Available: Next month in North American and Europe, late next year Australia and New Zealand
Colours: range, lime and black
Battery warranty: five-year, unlimited-km
Motor: H-D Revelation permanent-magnet, water-cooled electric motor
Power: 78kW (105hp)
Instant torque: 116Nm (86ft lbs)
Battery: Air-cooled 15.5kWh high-voltage lithium-ion battery (Rechargeable Energy Storage System)
Transmission: motor output shaft, 9.71:1 gear reduction, belt drive
Rider aids: Reflex Defensive Rider Systems (RDRS), Cornering Enhanced Anti-lock Braking System (C-ABS), Cornering Enhanced Traction Control System (C-TCS) and Drag-Torque Slip Control System (DSCS)
Technology: 4.3” colour TFT touchscreen, Daymaker LED headlamp, LED lighting, H-D Connect service connectivity and Harley- Davidson App
Riding modes: Seven selectable Ride Modes electronically control motor performance and level of RDRS intervention
Accessories: dual seat and tail, speed screen blade, decorative trim, hand and foot controls and cover with charging cord port
Touchscreen instruments
More tech specs
2020 Harley-Davidson LiveWire MODEL SPECIFICATIONS
Dimensions
84.1 in. (2,135 mm)
Overall Width
32.7 in. (830 mm)
Overall Height
42.5 in. (1,080 mm)
Seat Height, Laden / Unladen
30 in. (761 mm) / 30.7 in. (780 mm)
Ground Clearance
5.1 in. (130 mm)
Rake (steering head)
4.3 in. (108 mm)
58.7 in. (1,490 mm)
Tires, Type
Michelin® Scorcher® “Sport”
Scorcher® “Sport”
Tires, Front Specification
120/70 ZR17 58W
Tires, Rear Specification
180/55 ZR17 73W
Transmission Capacity
0.34 qt (0.32 L)
Coolant Capacity
0.8 qt. (0.72 L)
Weight, As Shipped
549 lb. (249 kg)
Weight, In Running Order
549 lb. (249 kg)
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
949 lb. (430 kg)
Gross Axle Weight Rating, Front
434 lb. (197 kg)
Gross Axle Weight Rating, Rear
580 lb. (263 kg)
Drivetrain
Primary Drive (*Cert)
Spiral bevel gear , 55/17 ratio
Final Drive (*Cert)
Belt, 3/1 ratio
Transmission
Single Speed
Gear Ratios (overall) 1st (*Cert) (X.XXX)
Aluminum cast
Aluminum cast
Front Fork
SHOWA® 43 mm Inverted Separate Function Forks – Big Piston (SFF-BP®), fully adjustable
Rear Shocks
SHOWA® Balance Free Rear Cushion Lite (BFRC-lite®), fully adjustable
Wheels, Type
Black, Split 5-Spoke Cast Aluminum
Wheels, Front Dia. / Width
17 in. (432 mm) / 3.5 in. (89 mm)
Wheels, Rear Dia. / Width
17 in. (432 mm) / 5.5 in. (140 mm)
Brakes, Caliper Type
Dual 4-piston monoblock radial mount front, dual-piston rear
All LED, low beam, high beam and signature position lamp
Lights (as per country regulation), Tail/Stop
LED with light pipe tail
Lights (as per country regulation), Front Signal Lights
Lights (as per country regulation), Indicator Lamps
High beam, turn signals, ABS, traction control, EV fault
Lights, Rear Turn Signals
LED, Amber
4.3” WQVGA 480×272 TFT Color Display with Ambient Light Sensor, 9 warning lights, Real Time Clock and Integrated Bluetooth Connectivity to a Smartphone to provide infotainment features including turn-by-turn navigation, telephone, music, and voice recognition.
Electric Power Outlet
USB C-type; output 5V at 3A
EV Specific Content: Motor
Internal Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor with Water Jacket cooling
Harley-Davidson have announced the launch of their 2019 Battle of the Kings competition, where Harley-Davidson dealers take part in a custom motorcycle build-off showcasing their knowledge and expertise, in a bid to be crowned Grand Champion.
Bangkok Harley-Davidson’s ‘The Prince’ Custom Street Bob from 2018
2018 saw a very successful ANZ campaign with Adelaide Harley-Davidson Bike Works becoming one of three grand finalists with their ‘Back To The Track’ custom creation.
Now the competition is set to return to Australia & New Zealand for the second year this July, with the 2019 contest representing a global experience as dealers from the United States join the likes of Europe, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, India, China and South America in the pursuit of the Custom King title.
Adelaide Harley-Davidson Bike Works ‘Back To The Track’
Voting for the top ANZ contenders will be open at www.h-d.com/BattleOfTheKings (link) until 15 August 2019, with five finalists then going before an expert judging panel, with the 2019 Australian & New Zealand Custom King announced late August.
For the first stage of the competition, 26 Harley-Davidson dealers from across Australia and New Zealand go head-to-head showcasing their one-off, two-wheeled creations. In a new element to the competition this year, dealerships can select their base bike from any Harley-Davidson model family (excluding CVO and Trike) to enter into one of three build categories – Dirt, Chop or Race.
Bangkok Harley-Davidson’s ‘The Prince’ Custom Street Bob from 2018
Once crowned, the ANZ winner will take to the world stage in a showdown against national champions from across the globe. Four finalists will be selected from the participating nations to be showcased at EICMA, alongside the US finalist in Milan, Italy where the 2019 Global Custom King will be revealed.
One of the most customised motorcycle brands in the world, Harley-Davidson offers a vast range of Genuine Parts & Accessories forcustomisation choices for a personalised and tailored ride.
Bologna Harley-Davidson’s “Farm Machine” from the 2018 competition
Keith Waddell – Harley-Davidson ANZ Marketing Manager
“Harley-Davidson ANZ dealers proved last year that we are a force to be reckoned with on the customisation world stage. With this year’s choice of 25 models and three design categories, dealers are excited to step up to the new challenge, showcasing not only our local talents but the range of what is possible to our customers both young and older.”
Dealers have a maximum customisation budget of up to 50% of base bike value, with at least half of the parts and accessories used in the build required to be from the 10,000+ Genuine Harley-Davidson Parts & Accessories range. Once complete, the bike must also be road legal.
Adelaide Harley-Davidson Bike Works ‘Back To The Track’
As you read this I am flying to Portland, Oregon, for a unique media launch of the Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycle.
There are many things that make this launch unique.
Unique bike
For a start, this is the first full-size electric road motorcycle from a traditional motorcycle manufacturer.
The now-axed Victory Motorcycles slapped their brand name on an electric Brammo in 2015, but it wasn’t their product. (When we tested it on a Colorado racetrack, at least we got to see it being recharged.)
MBW rides the Victory Empulse TT electric motorcycle
Honda and BMW have produced electric scooters, while Yamaha and KTM have a couple of small electric trail bikes.
BMW C evolution electric scooter
Other major motorcycle companies such as Triumph are feverishly working on electric motorcycles.
Unique guest list
The usual motorcycle media will not be present.
Magazines that usually attend Harley product launches have not been invited.
Why?
Maybe because Harley has identified electric motorcycles as appealing to a different market.
In fact, it may not appeal to any current (‘scuse the pun) Harley owners and lovers.
Instead of the motorcycle mag crew, there are newspaper, TV journos, “influencers” and, of course, websites like ours.
Unique ride
Most global motorcycle model launches feature quite a long ride, sometimes even track time.
It is not unusual for rides to go over more than one day so journos get a good feel for a motorcycle.
In this case, the ride is a mere 60km through downtown Portland and out into a little bit of country.
This is not only unique but surprising, given one of the biggest hurdles to electric motorbikes is the lack of range.
Some 26 Australian and New Zealand dealers will again take on dealers from the United States, Europe, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, India, China and South America to win the title of Custom King.
Voting for the top ANZ contenders is now open to the public here until 15 August 2019 to select five finalists.
An expert judging panel will pick the winner in late August.
Last year the donor bike had to be a ride-away Harley-Davidson Dark Custom motorcycle.
This year dealerships can select their base bike from any of the Harley-Davidson model family excluding CVO and Trike.
There will be three build categories – Dirt, Chop or Race.
Five global finalists will be showcased at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan in November when the 2019 Global Custom King will be revealed.
Keith Waddell, Harley-Davidson ANZ Marketing Manager says:
Harley-Davidson ANZ dealers proved last year that we are a force to be reckoned with on the customisation world stage. With this year’s choice of 25 models and three design categories, dealers are excited to step up to the new challenge, showcasing not only our local talents but the range of what is possible to our customers both young and older.
Dealers have a maximum customisation budget of up to 50% of base bike value.
At least half of the parts and accessories used in the build must come from the 10,000+ Genuine Harley-Davidson Parts & Accessories catalogue.
Savic Motorcycles founder, Dennis Savic, tells us they will be accepting orders for the first 50 production bikes of all three C-Series variants (Alpha, Delta, Omega).
“We will be at the festival this year launching our production prototype,” he says, although the electric Cafe Racer prototype has already been unveiled at the Melbourne Moto Expo on 23 November 23, 2018.
“We hope to make it available for test rides.”
Savic orders
You can place orders for the three Cafe Racer production versions at the festival:
It will be available in Australia at probably more than $A40,000 late next year.
We will be in Portland this week to test the LiveWire so stay tuned.
LiveWire
Savic motorcycles will be made in Melbourne and Taiwan and delivered in 2020.
Each model comes with several battery pack options. The largest offered in the Alpha will provide range of up to 250km, while the smallest option in the Omega will have 50km range.
Like all electric vehicles, peak torque is instantaneous and Dennis says his bike will accelerate from 0-100km in four seconds.
By comparison, the LiveWire will have city range of about 235km and highway range of about 150km and reach 100km/h in three seconds.
Savic customers will be able choose a range of options in brakes, suspension, wheels, tyres and three colours – Spectre, Stealth, and Rustic.
Aftermarket upgrades will also be offered.
The bikes feature a fully integrated, stressed, liquid-cooled motor and energy storage system.
Depending on the model and battery pack a customer selects, a single charge can provide up to 11kWh. That costs only $3 compared with about $15 for a petrol bike to travel 250km.
Prototype design
Dennis, 27, spent more than 650 hours designing and building the prototype.
“This is a bit of a dream come true,” he says.
“When I was 14, I decided I wanted to design and build my own vehicles one day. So I did my engineering degree and when I graduated about three years ago I got stuck into it. It’s been a long time coming.
“These motorcycles are a unique offering with the most advanced features and functionality that the materials, engineering, electronic controls, electrical technology and 3D printing can offer today.
“We have created a unique design featuring a perfectly rolled (not bent) backbone frame and developed our own powertrain package.”
Harley-Davidson is poised to make history with the launch next week of their LiveWire electric motorcycle while a little bit of Harley history will also go up for sale next month.
I the second instance, Elvis Presley’s last motorcycle, a 1972 1200cc FLH Electra Glide, will go up for sale on 31 August 2019 at Kruse GWS Auctions along with his ’73 Lincoln Continental and ’67 GMC pickup.
The “King” bought the FLHin California, shipped it to Memphis and sold it 90 days before he died in 1977, aged just 42.
The Harley has been on display at the Pioneer Auto Museum in Murdo, South Dakota, since the late 1980s.
Electric history
Next week, Harley will make a significant shift from history to the future with the world media launch of their first electric motorcycle, the LiveWire.
We will be at the event in Portland, Oregon, to ride the bike through the city streets and out into the country.
Unfortunately, we will only be riding a disappointing 61km, which means we won’t even ride the bike’s full range of up to 160km, nor get the opportunity to see them charged up again.
However, this is still a significant event, not just for Harley, but for motorcycling.
Harley will become the first traditional motorcycle manufacturerto bring their own full-size electric motorcycle to the market.
The now-axed Victory Motorcycles slapped their brand name on an electric Brammo in 2015, but it wasn’t their product. (When we tested it on a Colorado racetrack, at least we got to see it being recharged.)
MBW rides the Victory Empulse TT electric motorcycle
Honda and BMW have produced electric scooters, while Yamaha and KTM have a couple of small electric trail bikes.
BMW C evolution electric scooter
Other major motorcycle companies such as Triumph are feverishly working on electric motorcycles.
They will all be watching how this LiveWire is received by you, the motorcycle public, as well as further riders.
