Harley-Davidson's forthcoming line of electric motorcycles will sound like jet fighters, but you might have to wait 5 years to get one.
This iconic American motorcycle company has hinted at producing an electric model over the past few years, and has shown off a prototype bike, dubbed Livewire, in 2014, but as of yet, no firm details on an electric production model have been released. However, a recent statement from Bill Davidson, the great grandson of company co-founder William Davidson, hints at an electric Harley-Davidson motorcycle coming to market within the next five years, as part of a decade-long plan that will see 100 new models from the company.
One of the unique and recognizable aspects of a Harley is the sound of that V-twin engine, which Davidson describes as sounding like "potato-potato-potato," and which may represent something of a task to re-create in an electric motorcycle. But Davidson said the company's approach to the sound and feel of the electric bike will rival the thought put into the design of its traditional motorcycles with their signature exhaust notes, and that a unique sound was created for the bikes "through various technologies."
Harley fans love the sound, so this probably won't attract the same crowd. Or will it?
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Monday May 15 2017, @07:17PM
With electric cars (and trucks, and semi-tractors even), you *can* look forward to a reduction in traffic noise.
Just not with motorcycles. Cars are subject to various noise laws, and aren't allowed to make an obscene, deafening amount of noise as they drive around. For some stupid reason, however, motorcycles are not subject to these laws. Even if the laws technically apply to them, the police simply will not enforce them, with a very few exceptions (like Carefree, Arizona, where a bunch of bikers were up in arms years ago because of this new noise ordinance aimed directly at them, because they were driving through this sleepy residential area on the way to some biker bar in neighboring Cave Creek, with the local cops actively pulling them over for their loud pipes).