Livewire S2 Del Mar EV First Ride: Taking Harley-Davidson Up On An Unexpected Offer

The EV revolution is upon us and no manufacturer is exempt, even the stalwart of tradition that is Harley-Davidson. Although the Milwaukee-based company produces motorcycles today that look fundamentally the same as they did 75 years ago using engines of the same basic architecture as 100 years ago, it has jumped into the EV headwaters along with other legacy manufacturers and a few startups. However, its first electric motorcycle, the 2019 Harley-Davidson Livewire, failed to generate the buzz needed to sustain its development, so the company spun off a separate EV-only brand dubbed Livewire to reintroduce the first bike along with some new ones.

You may have noticed on Facebook or other social media advertisements for an event to take a test ride of the new Livewire electric motorcycles from Harley-Davidson. This was true, at least, for users of the platform in the Tulsa, Oklahoma area in the weeks leading up to Livewire's July 27-29 event. Interested parties had the option to click on a link and sign up for a time to come out to Myers-Duren Harley Davidson, one of the oldest Harley dealers in the country. Since opening its doors in 1914, this dealership has weathered many changes to the brand over the years and appears to be embracing its future as well. Fortunately, SlashGear had an opportunity to check out this event to give you the skinny should you see ads for when it rolls into your town.

Oklahoma can get very hot in July and August and this weekend was a real scorcher. However, that did not stop Livewire's crew, who are brand representatives of the Harley-Davidson corporation, from setting up shop in the parking lot out in front of the dealer. It also did not stop a modest crowd of curious riders from showing up for a chance to ride the new electric bikes. They brought with them a handful of Livewire One models, which are already on sale, and some copies of the new S2 Del Mar, which will be available in dealers within the next few months.

Everything came down in a Livewire branded trailer including seven or eight people to sign people in and facilitate the rides accompanied by a large cooler full of ice-cold water and a large canopy for some much-needed shade. Before arriving, riders are asked to wear long pants, helmet, gloves, closed-toe shoes, and to bring a valid motorcycle license. Sign-in included signing a few waivers including an attestation to having riding experience. Livewire provided insurance for their motorcycles, but participants signed a waiver assuming responsibility for their own persons. For those without a helmet, several loaners were on hand, and also for those wearing shorts – it was a hot summer day after all – Livewire provided chaps on loan. This event ran for three days from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M., ending on Saturday.

The ride was set up to take out groups of about five to seven riders on an escorted route around the area with one of their employees following the groups in the rear. Anyone who has spent time shopping for a new car knows that those salesperson-directed drives can be way too short to truly get a feel for a car, often owing to the salesperson's desire to get you back to the dealer to close a sale as quickly as possible. Perhaps because this was not a situation driven by sales pressure, the ride was surprisingly long. It did not venture onto any highways and appeared to make as many right-hand turns as possible to keep the group together, but, after reviewing the course on Google Maps, the length of it was found to be 6.5 miles, and it lasted about 20 minutes.

Although speeds did not exceed 45 mph, having more than six miles for a test ride seemed to be sufficient to get a decent feel for the bikes. A more comprehensive ride would be welcomed, but, considering that many motorcycle dealers do not allow any test rides at all, this test course exceeded expectations. Even though this was a group ride to evaluate a motorcycle, it proved to be a fun jaunt through midtown. For the electric motorcycle novice, the most surprising facet of the ride is just how quiet half a dozen motorcycles cruising down Riverside Drive could be.

The Livewire One is essentially the same bike as the Harley-Davidson Livewire that came out in 2019, however, it has lost the bar and shield branding as well as the bold colors. The replacement livery is dark, with matte black in abundance on the frame and mechanicals and a gloss finish on the "tank" and fairing. Although this is made by the leader in building American cruisers, this one is a sport bike through and through. Its seating position leaves you leaning very far forward and just the bare minimum of pillion seating for passengers juts out from behind. With its brisk acceleration and abundant power, it also feels way more like a sport bike than a cruiser of any kind. Stopping not provided by regen braking comes courtesy of Brembo, two discs up front and one in the rear, and the rear swingarm is supported by a mono shock. Inverted forks complete the suspension up front.

As an EV, the torque available is instantaneous and substantial. The One provides four riding modes, street, eco, rain, and sport. Sport offers the most aggressive torque curve and regen braking, while eco tones everything down for maximum range. While on the test ride, no opportunities to twist the throttle wide open were presented, but in little spurts, you could give it a flick of the wrist and tell immediately how quickly this bike could send you flying. It can be a bit intimidating. In sport mode, the regen is substantially more aggressive, which would be good on a track, but absolutely obnoxious for everyday riding. Eco mode might be the most efficient, but it feels to be perfectly suited for more leisurely everyday driving.

As previously mentioned, this is a sport bike. Its riding position is much like one of many Asian sport bikes such as the Suzuki Hayabusa or Honda CBR. You will find yourself leaning forward and reaching out toward the handlebars with your legs tucked up and almost behind you. It is perfect for screaming down the highway, but less so for a Sunday morning ride. This is just one more way that one can stress that, although this is made by Harley-Davidson, it is something else altogether. Despite its forward riding position, the bike is still relatively comfortable. The seat, although small and relatively thin, offers good padding and helps soak up the bumps. The suspension is also firm but compliant and does not transfer too much of the road surface to the seat.

The bottom line is that the One would be a fine bike for serious riders who appreciate one with lots of power and acceleration. For some people, the riding position would likely quickly become tiresome. But those who want to unleash the enormous potential of all the electrons stored within its batteries will likely appreciate it. Perhaps most importantly is that, aside from being accustomed to the electric powertrain, the rest of the bike rides like any other in its class. Livewire is obviously going for a much different customer base with this model and seems to have got the engineering mostly right in those respects.

According to the Livewire personnel at the event, the S2 Del Mar is in production and the first models available for purchase should be coming in upcoming weeks or months ahead. That said, the test bikes were all production-ready models exactly as they will be in dealers soon. The S2 Del Mar is a different beast from its stablemate.

For casual city riding, the S2 is ideal, although it could be challenging for shorter riders with its seat height of 32 inches. It feels lighter than the One both at rest and while riding, which makes it also feel a bit more nimble and easier to toss around on the road. The Livewire representative said that is partially owing to its larger wheels and 436-pound weight, more than 100 less than the One. Handling characteristics aside, the S2 goes like stink. The immediate torque delivery comes on as quickly as the throttle is twisted and, despite the limited speeds of a group ride, it is clearly also a very fast bike.

For someone who wants a bike to ride all day to run errands or for commuting, the S2 feels like it would be a good choice. Although the corners of the seat can feel a bit hard at a standstill, it feels much more pleasant while underway. The seat is slim and not very thick, but the comfort provided is sufficient, at least, for the short ride of this experience. Passengers don't have much of a pillion to support them, but it is there when needed. But most of all, the tall riding position combined with the wide handlebars feel near perfect for the city rider.

Like the One, the S2 has the same four riding modes with similar results in how the bike behaves in traffic. The gauge is a traditional circular shape filled with a thoroughly modern digital screen displaying the basics clearly and brightly. Interestingly, the turn signal controls are all on the left like most Asian and European bikes instead of the split left/right setup peculiar to Harley-Davidsons. This model is another seeking customers outside of the traditional Harley buyer. It is fun top ride and toss around and should find its own fans easily.

With everything about these bikes seemingly positive, you might think there are some downsides, and there are. Range for the One is 70 highway and 146 city, with mixed riding yielding just 95 miles. The S2 is a bit weaker with city range hitting 113 miles, while highway tops out at 70 and mixed riding makes it to 86 miles. Livewire also lists only for the S2 a highway range with sustained 70 mph speed at just 43 miles, making for very short journeys out of town. S2 level 2 charging accomplishes 20-80% in 78 minutes with no DC fast charging available. The One charge time is similar, except it can use DC fast charging to charge a dead battery in one hour.

Justin Owen/SlashGear

While the range may come up a bit short, the price runs just the opposite, but that is to be expected for a Harley-Davidson product. Livewire One pricing starts at $22,799 while the S2 is a bit cheaper at $15,499. Livewire's closest competitor is probably Zero Motorcycles, which are also American-made. For comparison, the top-line Zero SR/S with 140 ft-lb of torque and range of 187 miles starts at $19,995, and they offer a dual-sport model with 82 miles of range for $11,745.

That is a hard question to answer. It is evident that Harley has put a lot of investment and resources into getting this right, at least, after first getting it wrong. Taking a trailer full of bikes and personnel for anyone to test drive is not a common practice in the industry. The pricing of the original Livewire at nearly $30,000 was untenable, but for $22,000, it is more affordable. That said, elsewhere you can still buy a lot of bike for $22,000, electric or otherwise. 

It's clear that these were not made for buyers of Harley-Davidsons but for a younger crowd eager to embrace new technology. Challengers in the market are already offering more range for less money, it's true. However, most other electric motorcycles are built by new and unproven companies, while Livewire is backed by more than a century of manufacturing expertise with a similarly established dealer network.

The Livewire One and S2 Del Mar are both excellent bikes to ride that also offer cutting-edge technology. Range is a huge concern, but having a well-established dealer network with multiple locations in most cities could be a valuable trade-off. For most, the decision to buy a Livewire will be the first experience with electric motorcycles, and having the chance to ride one or both models is particularly important. Livewire's test ride events are ongoing around the U.S., and whether you have any plans to buy or not, getting some seat-time is never a bad idea.