
Someone Built an Electric Harley-Davidson Motorcycle in 1978 - kulu2002
https://www.cycleworld.com/yes-someone-built-an-electric-harley-davidson-motorcycle-in-1978
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gerbilly
>Someone Built an Electric Harley-Davidson Motorcycle in 1978

But it never caught on because it doesn't make noise.

Where would the fun in that be?

I mean you couldn't use that bike to ride down residential streets at 3:00am
and wake everyone up!

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Isamu
The Harley sound is considered sacred.

"Harley-Davidson attempted to register as a trademark the distinctive "chug"
of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle engine. On February 1, 1994, the company filed
its application with the following description: "The mark consists of the
exhaust sound of applicant's motorcycles, produced by V-twin, common crankpin
motorcycle engines when the goods are in use." Nine of Harley-Davidson's
competitors filed oppositions against the application, arguing that cruiser-
style motorcycles of various brands use the same crankpin V-twin engine which
produces the same sound. After six years of litigation, with no end in sight,
in early 2000, Harley-Davidson withdrew their application."

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_trademark](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_trademark)

~~~
gerbilly
Gimme a break.

They use an outdated engine design, that can only achieve reasonable HP if the
engine has pipes on it that let it 'breathe', not mufflers mind you just
pipes.

Maybe if either of Mr Harley or Davidson were brought back to life today,
they'd probably laugh at the fact that people still use that design and go on
to manufacture electric crotch rockets instead.

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paulus_magnus2
This site shows a rare glimpse to what is happening underneath that enables
"free" web

[1] -> View List of Cookies Used on this Site

[1]
[https://www.cycleworld.com/consent.php?redirect=https%3a%2f%...](https://www.cycleworld.com/consent.php?redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.cycleworld.com%2fyes-
someone-built-an-electric-harley-davidson-motorcycle-in-1978)

~~~
pembrook
Pretty ridiculous I must admit, but what do you propose is the alternative?
Micropayments is a utopian fantasy that would never play out in reality and
pay walls eliminate what makes the web valuable to so many people.

I would never have run across this (actually pretty interesting) article and
information if it was hidden behind a paywall because I don't own a
motorcycle.

This kind of serendipitous exposure to a diverse set of viewpoints and
information would not be possible outside of a free-yet-cookie-filled
internet.

I know this sentiment will be unpopular around here, but personally, my
concerns around privacy begin and end with governments. X profit motivated
company wants to track my browsing activity to sell me consumer products in
exchange for paying their (already barely paid) writers? Go right ahead. If
you annoy me enough I'll just turn off cookies.

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pwagland
You know, if it was restricted _purely_ to advertising, I suspect that most
people could live with this. However when they then start to use this tracking
information for pricing discrimination people start to get twitchy. When you
start to use it for political purposes, including political advertising,
people start to get twitchy. When they start to use it for credit rating
scores, etc, etc.

~~~
tobltobs
> people start to get twitchy

You mean all the people who don't have a facebook account?

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Shivetya
An interesting find. Motorcycles and similar sized vehicles show the
limitation of batteries more than automobiles as they have less ability to
absorb the weight and space requirements. While there are some +100 mile range
bikes their range drops off very fast at highway speeds, bikes not being the
most aerodynamic.

Personally, my turn off has been lack of locking storage and good wind
protection. Both add weight and wind protection will range because of
increased drag but for those of us who like to commute on two wheels having
secure and dry storage for out gear and work items, think laptop, is always a
concern. I am really hoping for a HD EV that can use the full range of
accessories for either Softtail or Touring line with sufficient range to get
to a Poker run, ride it, and return. So figure 200 mile range at near constant
highway speeds. To displace big touring bikes it will have to be at highway
speeds

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burger_moon
Looks like Harley is releasing an electric bike next year and it looks really
good.

[https://electrek.co/2018/04/27/harley-davidson-electric-
moto...](https://electrek.co/2018/04/27/harley-davidson-electric-motorcycles-
younger/)

The electric bike options are all really great offerings but are much more
expensive than their gas counter parts. I recently picked up a small electric
dirt bike and I'm having a blast on it. I won't sell my CBR because that is
fun in a different way that an electric cannot replace but the electric has
its own positives. Not having a clutch and no engine heat burning you up in
traffic make electric bikes perfect for daily commuters.

