Harley-Davidson's LiveWire Has So Far Been A Flop: Report

[Philip]

https://jalopnik.com/harley-davidsons-livewire-has-so-far-been-a-flop-repor-1838852741

 

[Redwolf]

Couldn't wish them any better.

 

[Rix]

https://jalopnik.com/harley-davidsons-livewire-has-so-far-been-a-flop-repor-1838852741

Not surprised at all. Live wire costs 30k and the latest Zero road bike goes for 10k less, has the same and maybe more range, and will smoke the live wire in acceleration.

 

[Redwolf]

Not surprised at all. Live wire costs 30k and the latest Zero road bike goes for 10k less, has the same and maybe more range, and will smoke the live wire in acceleration.

And by buying a Zero, you don't have to suffer through the anguish of owning an Harley.

Win-Win!

 

[Matt]

Aside from the obvious negatives of their bike and it's cost they screwed themselves by angering the crowd of people who would be their early adopters, an important step in building a mainstream product.

 

[TCMB371]

Aside from the obvious negatives of their bike and it's cost they screwed themselves by angering the crowd of people who would be their early adopters, an important step in building a mainstream product.

I dunno. Even if Harley hadn't screwed Alta, i still wouldn't be in the market to buy any Harley Davidson motorcycle... now, or in the future.

Furthermore, i don't understand how this bike was supposed to attract new riders when it's priced about as high as the average amount of student loan debt this generation has. It would make more sense if they stated their strategy was a "top-down" approach, similar to Tesla. Release a high performer at a premium price to prove the technology, and then offer more realistic options for the average consumer later on.

 

[Philip]

Could it be that those who didn't want a Harley before will not want an electric Harley now?

 

[Trialsman]

I own a V85 TT Guzzi also and on that forum they were discussing this issue.
This was my comment;

After what they did to Alta....couldn't happen to a better company !!!

 

[Redwolf]

Could it be that those who didn't want a Harley before will not want an electric Harley now?

I think that sums it up pretty accurately.

 

[C5tor]

If I wanted to spend $30k on an electric street bike, I would buy a Lightning. Then I could really say I had cutting edge performance, range, and good looks. None of which applies to the mediocre product from the hypenated company-that-shall-not-be-named.

 

[Philip]

If I wanted to spend $30k on an electric street bike, I would buy a Lightning. Then I could really say I had cutting edge performance, range, and good looks. None of which applies to the mediocre product from the hypenated company-that-shall-not-be-named.

The way things are going, buying a Lightning or a Zero appears to be safer in terms of warranty and parts than buying a hyphenated bike.

 

[Mikec265]

Couldn't wish them any better.

I couldn't make a better post than that.
And if I was going to spend $30k on a street bike I'd buy 3 or 4 more Altas instead.

 

[Matt]

I dunno. Even if Harley hadn't screwed Alta, i still wouldn't be in the market to buy any Harley Davidson motorcycle... now, or in the future.

Furthermore, i don't understand how this bike was supposed to attract new riders when it's priced about as high as the average amount of student loan debt this generation has. It would make more sense if they stated their strategy was a "top-down" approach, similar to Tesla. Release a high performer at a premium price to prove the technology, and then offer more realistic options for the average consumer later on.

I would agree for the most part in terms of ever being interested in a Harley, however; the way the current livewire looks I find much more appealing than their other bikes. I for sure would buy a lighting or zero over it but that is mostly for cost and performance reasons. I think if they hadn't boned Alta so hard and had a more reasonable cost there would have been some overlap in buyers between Alta and Harley. These people would be very important for the bike to really take off as the early adopters are advocates and help generate more interest in the product. I think they did many things wrong with this bike but thier first mistake was pissing off the EV bike community that was and is in my opinion really their only way to get mainstream appeal for the bike as they have name recognition but need people out riding them and showing them off. Now they pay.

 

[bluefxstc]

As a Tesla and Alta owner, I have the premier electric car and motorcycle currently available, but I am cheering for the success of all EVs. I hope the Livewire is a success just like I hope the Leaf and Bolt are successes.

I have no inside knowledge of the Alta/Harley deal or why Alta failed. Would I have like the deal to go through and save Alta, absolutely, but I am not a Harley hater. This was a business deal. I think they had a tentative deal based on conditions, like full inspection of the books and technology, which is typical. Once Harley saw what they were buying, they decided it wasn’t for them, and per the deal, backed out. Harley didn’t cause Alta to fail, they just didn’t finalize a deal that may have saved Alta. Alta was already short on cash and on life support when the Harley deal was announced. Harley never took cash out of Alta, they just made a business decision not to add cash that may have saved Alta. I am sure there are a lot of reasons why Alta failed, Harley just isn’t one of them.

 

[Brillie35]

I feel the same way about it. If it was a good deal for them they for sure would helped Alta further.
Tough decisions for those company's, price to make some sales or price to make some money.
If the Alta was double the money i for sure was not interrested anymore.
I guess we all should be very happy they went for a competitive pricing.
Probably the only positive way out for them would be a heavy investor that didn't look for a quick return.

But all things considered, the Harley bike is probably only aimed at hipsters that bought bitcoins in the very beginning.

 

[Judaslefourbe]

Harley just isn’t one of them

Give us a few years and we will tell you the whole story.

For now I will leave it to this:
I firmly believe there were 3 main reasons why Alta failed.
Harley was one of them.

That being said, Harley's behavior was very rational from their point of view.

 

[Rix]

Give us a few years and we will tell you the whole story.

For now I will leave it to this:
I firmly believe there were 3 main reasons why Alta failed.
Harley was one of them.

That being said, Harley's behavior was very rational from their point of view.

So, October 2022, you will be able to fill us in?

 

[Redwolf]

And further developments in poor engineering

Harley-Davidson halts electric motorcycle production.

 

[B. FRANK]

about a year ago the guy who sold me my sm called to tell me alta was out of business and said he now worked for Harley and wanted to know if I wanted to preorder a livewire for only 29k. I do like the look of the bike but HD bought Buell and dropped them like a rock when they didn't sell well enough then they made the water cooled v rod which I kinda liked but they were having frame cracking issues early on so I waited and Harley ended up dropping them too. consequently I will never(and have never) bought a Harley and after what they did to alta my dislike of the brand increased. overweight, underpowered, under suspended , with poor handling and godawful shaking? well at least they cost twice what other bikes do. i'de rather have a liter class sport bike, an open class mx'er and a quad for the same price. but that's just me. also the tests I have read on the live wire don't tell you wether or not you can turn traction control off. who wants a bike that you can't wheelie or slide a little with?

 

[B. FRANK]

And further developments in poor engineering

Harley-Davidson halts electric motorcycle production.

if Harley really wanted to boost their sales they should release a street legal xr750, i'de buy one and I know a lot of others who would too, wouldn't you?