The long-awaited deliveries of the brand new LiveWire Del Mar Launch Version electrical bikes have simply begun, and we’re already listening to suggestions on the rides from early clients.
The S2 Del Mar is LiveWire’s second mannequin of electrical bike, although it holds particular significance as the primary to be launched purely below the LiveWire badge.
The LiveWire One, the model’s first mannequin, was inherited from Harley-Davidson after the corporate spun off LiveWire as a 100% electrical sub-brand in 2021.
The unique Harley-Davidson LiveWire was priced at practically US $30,000, however was relaunched because the LiveWire One with a price ticket nearer to US $23,000.
The not too long ago launched LiveWire Del Mar, which is priced at US $15,500, is designed to additional open the market with a extra accessible mannequin meant for largely city riders.
With an marketed 113 miles (181 km) of metropolis vary and a 63 kW (84 hp) motor propelling the bike from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 3.1 seconds, the LiveWire Del Mar nonetheless packs fairly a punch for an urban-focused bike.
The primary Del Mars arriving now are a part of the Launch Version bikes, a restricted sequence of 100 individually numbered bikes that bought out in 18 minutes after they had been launched final 12 months.
I caught up with Del Mar Launch Version proprietor Diego Cardenas to study his supply expertise final week. Diego is a well known determine in LiveWire circles, organizing house owners teams in addition to personally embarking on cross nation rides on his H-D LiveWire, demonstrating the capabilities of DC Quick Charging for electrical bike touring.
Diego lives shut sufficient to LiveWire’s Malibu Expertise Middle that he acquired a go to from the LiveWire group for supply.
The inaugural LiveWire bike was handed over to its lucky proprietor final Wednesday on the Malibu Expertise Middle in stunning Malibu, California. Since then, there have been a handful of deliveries, together with my very own, which arrived at my doorstep final Friday. My residence is roughly 80 miles from Malibu, and I used to be lucky to benefit from the Del Mar supply expertise. The group from LW spent round two hours at my residence, offering me with a complete tutorial on methods to function the bike. It was harking back to the Tesla supply expertise from the early days of the Mannequin S.
Since then, Diego has been testing the bounds of the machine, together with on his 70-mile (112 km) commute to work with a mix of freeway and road site visitors.
Whereas the Del Mar has a 113-mile (181 km) metropolis vary, bikes are identified for important vary reductions at larger velocity as a result of drag results of the rider’s physique.
Diego’s expertise give us our first in-depth take a look at the bike’s real-world vary.
Diego shared a video on Fb detailing his 70-mile commute, the place he arrived at his workplace with 20% battery remaining. He recharged at work and left for residence with a 90% cost. On the best way again, he pushed it onerous sufficient to roll into his storage with 2% battery remaining, and was already receiving messages from his bike that he ought to contemplate searching for a plug.
After a number of rides, Diego defined that his impression is that for a 200-pound (90 kg) man like him, speeds of round 55-60 mph (88-96 km/h) lead to a variety of roughly 75-85 miles (121-137 km). That will make a Cannonball Run pretty tough, however is probably going ample for the overwhelming majority of commuter riders that make up the Del Mar’s goal market.
The Del Mar launches at a pivotal second for LiveWire, and is predicted to be the bike that units the stage for a brand new period of lighter, extra reasonably priced electrical bikes from the model designed for deeper market penetration. Whereas the H-D LiveWire and LiveWire One earned crucial acclaim for his or her design and engineering, the bikes’ larger value tags restricted their attain. With a brand new era of extra reasonably priced bikes that preserve LiveWire’s signature efficiency and design, the corporate may very well be setting a brand new course.
LiveWire and Zero Bikes at the moment account for almost all of highway-capable electrical bike gross sales within the US, in addition to a big section of these bike gross sales in Europe. Nonetheless, firms like Italian sportbike maker Energica have seen their numbers develop whereas Asian upstarts additionally purpose for a slice of the rising pie.
The LiveWire Del Mar is constructed on a modular platform round a structural battery pack that’s anticipated to lead to a number of new fashions over the subsequent few years.
With solely per week’s price of motorcycle’s delivered to date, it’s too early to say what this might imply for the model. However to date, riders appear fairly happy.
Oh, and within the subsequent few weeks I’ll be a part of these 99 different house owners of Del Mar Launch Version bikes receiving their deliveries. Keep tuned for my very own ideas.
