UPDATED PRICING (Post Inflation fears): Harley Livewire S2 Del Mar launching today at 12:40 CST

[Crissa]

They're pricing them at what will sell.

...And won't lose them an arm and a leg. Batteries aren't cheap, and bikes aren't make by robots.

-Crissa

 

[Throwcomputer]

This joke of a product launch is continuing to provide hits!

So they announced the pricing would be $17,600 for the limited edition version last may and the production version close to $15k. Today they launched reservations for the production version, with pricing updated to $17k.. a meager $600 less than the limited edition version. Oh but they upped the city range from 100 to 110 miles!

What a joke.

I got a refundable reservation simply to help inflate their sales projections, only to interact with a sales person and inform them they are overpriced and cancel it.

Yeah I'm spiteful! I was actually considering buying one at the $15k price despite believing its overpriced for the specs because it is literally the only electric motorcycle that doesn't look like dog shit. But that price was already a tough pill for the specs. Jacking it up another $2k is just insult to injury and pushes it out of the "this is a stupid purchase, but I'll do it" into the "screw this bike/company I'm not buying it" range. Sure they will blame it on inflation since May, but the real reason is Harley always finds a way to overcharge as much as possible.

"We struggling financially.. selling less. RAISE the prices!" They saw the speed at which 100 people dropped refundable reservations down and got greedy eyes thinking they had gold, and decided to jack up the production prices near the same thinking "we said near 15k prices.. 600 less than limited is NEARER to 15k than 17.6k!" In reality they will probably sell 80 of those 100 limited versions and 20 of them will cancel cause they weren't serious. And they will get very reduced production reservations than expected.. with many of them cancelling as well when it comes down to actually purchasing.

I'll stick to my 20 yr old second hand sportster and 40+ year old vintage vespas for the next 5-8 years and wait for the electric motorcycle market to mature enough to have real ranges and more options on styling besides "crotch rocket".

 

[LDRHAWKE]

They haven’t improved much in riding distance. Looks like it would be a pain ass to own unless you are only going for a beer. All you would have on your mind the whole time riding is where is the next power outlet to plug in.

Long Way Up Trailer - YouTube

 

[Throwcomputer]

It's like they release these things expecting them to fail, then pricing them with crappy specs to ensure they do fail. But try to rip off the few people that actually bite in the meantime. Every decision Harley makes pushes me more and more to hoping they go out of business!

On a lighter note, it looks like the del mar will have a BAW as well!!

My reservation number:09272022-1X5SWBAW

 

[Throwcomputer]

Can't wait for Tesla to start producing electric motorcycles and putting these manufacturers to shame for both pricing and specs. Then maybe we'll have some realistic options that aren't a complete rip off!

 

[CyberGus]

Can't wait for Tesla to start producing electric motorcycles and putting these manufacturers to shame for both pricing and specs. Then maybe we'll have some realistic options that aren't a complete rip off!

Missed it by THAT much

 

[carpedatum]

Elon won't do it. Every time he's asked, he recounts the same sad story about a personal motorcycle wreck when he was young. Not going to happen at Tesla. Given that, the Cyberquad is actually quite a nice surprise!

I've stared down this market so many times... nobody seems to want to build real electric touring or sport-touring bikes now and I think, at the end of the day, that's about batteries. It's just going to take another turn of the wheel on battery tech before I can get the moral equiv of my R1200RT.

 

[Crissa]

The reviews are pretty good. And there's not much wriggle room on a price of something American made.

-Crissa

 

[Cybr on]

The reviews are pretty good. And there's not much wriggle room on a price of something American made.

-Crissa

So true

 

[LDRHAWKE]

It’s coming…

Top 15 Electric Motorcycles In 2022
https://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/guides/top-15-electric-motorcycles-in-2022/

 

[Crissa]

Until there's adequate competition in the market, the price will stay high.

-Crissa

 

[HaulingAss]

Until there's adequate competition in the market, the price will stay high.

-Crissa

Right, and it's the same with electric cars.

But people forget it's not the number of competitive models, nor is it the number of competitive companies - it's total production numbers. Until there is more supply than demand, prices will remain high no matter how many competitors have low volume offerings. If only one manufacturer scales to extremely high production, prices will come down and that manufacturer will make up the lost profit by increasing volumes as prices are reduced to create a bigger market. It's not so much the competition that lowers prices but the volume of total production.

 

[Crissa]

But people forget it's not the number of competitive models, nor is it the number of competitive companies - it's total production numbers. Until there is more supply than demand, prices will remain high no matter how many competitors have low volume offerings.

Exactly. Which is why we had the $35k Tesla for a couple years... But demand moves around, and exceeds supply again.

Sure, you'll be able to get deals out there. But there's a reason my eight year old motorcycle can still sell for almost six grand in the open market. And other complaining that a new electric motorcycle isn't six grand are either fooling themselves or justifiably annoyed at being priced out the market.

-Crissa

 

[Throwcomputer]

Exactly. Which is why we had the $35k Tesla for a couple years... But demand moves around, and exceeds supply again.

Sure, you'll be able to get deals out there. But there's a reason my eight year old motorcycle can still sell for almost six grand in the open market. And other complaining that a new electric motorcycle isn't six grand are either fooling themselves or justifiably annoyed at being priced out the market.

-Crissa

I don't think it should be 6 grand new.. but I do think that pricing a motorcycle at 17k with specs less than the competitors nearest comparable model which is 2-5k cheaper and also has nearly twice the range is the definition of overpriced.

 

[HaulingAss]

I don't think it should be 6 grand new.. but I do think that pricing a motorcycle at 17k with specs less than the competitors nearest comparable model which is 2-5k cheaper and also has nearly twice the range is the definition of overpriced.

It's not overpriced if they find buyers for all of their planned production at MSRP. Legacy car makers traditionally overprice their models - they price the cars too high, then, as the model year progresses, they start offering incentives, zero percent interest, thousands of dollars of cash back, etc, until they are all gone and dealers have enough room on their lots to accept new cars.

The fact that there are so few electric motorcycles (not the number of models, the level of production), I assume they will be able to sell them all without having to slash prices but time will tell. Electric motorcycles do not yet replace my gas streetbikes because I don't use them locally, I take them to remote areas over a 8-10 state area and I doubt the charging infrastructure will be there anytime soon. But this is atypical use. When I need to run errands, shop, etc. it's just much easier to take my Model 3 EV, rather than any motorcycle, because I don't have to mess with helmets and gloves, bulky clothing, earplugs, etc.

I'm still waiting for an electric bike that is more off-road than street, that is relatively light and nimble, street legal, and has 100-mile range at 35-45 mph or so. It needs a top quality frame, suspension, wheels and brakes. I'm expecting to pay around $20K-$30K when it hits the market. It should be well under 200 lbs.