Harley-Davidson is making an electric motorcycle

[Dietrichw]

Harley-Davidson appears to be just a day away from unveiling an electric motorcycle, and it's teasing the new bike on YouTube. In a video, a (relatively) quiet motorcycle whizzes down a highway, letting out a sharp, almost sci-fi sound that you certainly don't hear from noisy gas vehicles. That it's an electric cycle is all speculation for now, but there's some reason beyond the video to suspect that this is in fact what's coming.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7u9DTfE14M

 

A little pointless since the rumble of the motor is a major point in having a big motorcycle. 

 

http://www.theverge.com/2014/6/18/5822094/harley-davidson-electric-motorcycle-teaser-video

 

 

http://time.com/2896897/harley-davidson-electric-motorcycle/

 

Images from full release- Project Live Wire

 

 

 

with Harley-Davidson ditching the full classic Harley look and going with a sportier more modern look with classic hints in it, I WANT ONE.

 

 

 

 

but I'm a college student and broke

[AlwaysFSX]

A little pointless since the rumble of the motor is a major point in having a big motorcycle.

Exactly, this thing shouldn't exist. It doesn't deserve to!

[Askew]

I can't see the greasy leatherbacks giving up their noise.

 

Harleys are very inefficient and slow anyway, they are not chosen by their riders for efficiency but because of the way they look and sound.

[ericlee30]

OMG, that is freaking sick. Not my style, but great for the weekend worriers lol

[ZetZet]

That sound is the future.

[tharvey]

Its nice to see companies starting to make a real effort to put electric vehicles on the road..

I'd still rather have one of these. 

http://news.discovery.com/autos/drive/fully-operational-tron-light-cycle-now-street-legal-and-for-sale.htm

[Scionyde]

Well, if it is that much quieter, I would certainly hate bikers a lot less...that is, if any of them were likely to buy this thing.

[BonBon Scott]

I feel a disturbance in the force.

[Sauron]

Maybe they can insert a 800watt speaker that reproduces the characteristic noise...?

[qwertywarrior]

ugh

[flibberdipper]

It's neat, but it's not like Harley. I just hate all of the assholes that try to make their bikes as loud as possible. Like the one guy we got arrested by making him drive by the police station and his exhaust was so loud that they could hear it insude the building.

[theABCshop]

Yuck. Does Harley-Davidson keep any contact with their consumer base? Whoever buys one of these would be the laughing stock of any other "true" Harley rider.

[JaeDee884]

People who knock the loud noise don't understand the danger of a quiet bike. Noise is one way we let ignorant drivers see us. Most motorcycle accidents are caused by careless drivers. A loud noise let's stupid drivers notice us sooner

[Maxibonbits]

Doesn't sound like a Harley. But electric bikes are a great idea and can be marketed to a different demographic.

Many people ride bikes in the city since its easier to find a park, not because they care about the bikes noise.

[Xorbot]

A little pointless since the rumble of the motor is a major point in having a big motorcycle. 

 

Co-incidentally it is also the reason for compensating for much smaller things.

[Notional]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7u9DTfE14M

 

A little pointless since the rumble of the motor is a major point in having a big motorcycle. 

 And that is why other people hate motorcyclists. And why south park redefined the word "fag" to mean loud obnoxious harley rider.

[Misanthrope]

People who knock the loud noise don't understand the danger of a quiet bike. Noise is one way we let ignorant drivers see us. Most motorcycle accidents are caused by careless drivers. A loud noise let's stupid drivers notice us sooner

 

Here's another very effective way not to die with your brains spilling out of your skull and your limbs scattered through the pavement: Don't drive a fucking motorcycle, drive a cheap old car that at least gives you a realistic chance of survival.

[JaeDee884]

Here's another very effective way not to die with your brains spilling out of your skull and your limbs scattered through the pavement: Don't drive a fucking motorcycle, drive a cheap old car that at least gives you a realistic chance of survival.

Motorcyclists cause the lowest percentages of accidents out there. Where I live accidents are the biggest cause of road fatalities.

I've been in three accidents. One in a landcruiser, one in a large sedan and one on a motorbike. All three caused by other drivers in old shitty safer cars like you claimed, two of which the driver in the other car died. The motorbike one is the one one I walked away from. Motorbikes are only dangerous, because of the ineptitude of drivers or if you ride recklessly.

The amount of times being on a bike vs a car has saved my ass is 7. Seven accidents I avoided due to being on a lighter, more manoeuvrable and quicker to stop vehicle.

[LePawel]

People who knock the loud noise don't understand the danger of a quiet bike. Noise is one way we let ignorant drivers see us. Most motorcycle accidents are caused by careless drivers. A loud noise let's stupid drivers notice us sooner

With all respect piss off with this statement. You're a vehicle on the road, behave like one. You don't get any special treatment above a standard car, you're lighter than a standard car, and you're the one attempting Darwin awards when speeding between lanes because you're a bike, and expect other users to make changing lanes a dance of looking into all mirrors 3 times before you make a move. A loud noise makes a loud noise, not jumping out from nowhere makes you visible. It's the same problem with cyclists and being a part of that community makes me ashamed most of the time, everyone hates each other but there's 1 truth, the guy in the car will often drive off, and so will you, in a hearse.

[balint0808]

Never really wanted a motorcycle...now I kind of want a Harley.

[Misanthrope]

Motorcyclists cause the lowest percentages of accidents out there. Where I live accidents are the biggest cause of road fatalities.

I've been in three accidents. One in a landcruiser, one in a large sedan and one on a motorbike. All three caused by other drivers in old shitty safer cars like you claimed, two of which the driver in the other car died. The motorbike one is the one one I walked away from. Motorbikes are only dangerous, because of the ineptitude of drivers or if you ride recklessly.

The amount of times being on a bike vs a car has saved my ass is 7. Seven accidents I avoided due to being on a lighter, more manoeuvrable and quicker to stop vehicle.

 

That doesn't changes the fact that you're knowingly getting exposed to jackasses on 1 ton of steel vehicules with barely more than your puny little flesh and the cotton clothes on your body.

 

I'd love a world in which all people would be really responsible drivers but if that's not the case, I want my own 1 ton piece of steel painstakingly designed to absorb as much damage as possible from other jackasses on the road causing accidents.

[Guest]

Here's another very effective way not to die with your brains spilling out of your skull and your limbs scattered through the pavement: Don't drive a fucking motorcycle, drive a cheap old car that at least gives you a realistic chance of survival.

He is just Bi-curious.  (if you know what I mean.....from South Park)

 

[Mooshi]

The only reason you get a Harley is for the noise, otherwise you get a good motorcycle.

 

[JaeDee884]

With all respect piss off with this statement. You're a vehicle on the road, behave like one. You don't get any special treatment above a standard car, you're lighter than a standard car, and you're the one attempting Darwin awards when speeding between lanes because you're a bike, and expect other users to make changing lanes a dance of looking into all mirrors 3 times before you make a move. A loud noise makes a loud noise, not jumping out from nowhere makes you visible. It's the same problem with cyclists and being a part of that community makes me ashamed most of the time, everyone hates each other but there's 1 truth, the guy in the car will often drive off, and so will you, in a hearse.

first thing you're doing wrong is trusting your mirrors, always check physically. mirrors have crazy big blind spots and people will merge into entire freaking cars because of the mirrors. I don't do line splitting because its dangerous and just pisses people off, and i don't sit in blind spots. 

I predominately drive actual cars, but occasionally i go out on the bike, if i need to take a trip to the city or something is saves me a massive amount of fuel (got an old 4x4) and i'm not asking for special treatment over a standard car at all. if you run into a car being careless they're gonna be just as pissed as the guy on the bike. 

As i said in my second post, dangerous drivers and reckless riders are what make it dangerous. as a combination. a smart rider won't put himself in a position where he can't be seen easily, and a smart driver will be checking properly before turning into traffic or changing lanes.

[bob345]

that is the last thing i would have expected harley-davidson to make. that's almost as crazy as if chevy stopping production of v8's!