LiveWire

LiveWire Mulholland By Ben Purvis

The still largely Harley-Davidson-owned LiveWire brand remains one of the most ambitious (and controversial) entries to the electric motorcycle market yet and, with the new S2 Mulholland, it adds a third model to its range and a second derivative of its clever Arrow modular motorcycle platform.

While the LiveWire One, formerly known as the Harley-Davidson LiveWire, remains the flagship model in terms of price and performance, it's getting old in terms of electric bikes, and the Arrow platform that underpins the S2 Del Mar and the new S2 Mulholland points to the future pathway the company is likely to follow. With the Mulholland, LiveWire expands its appeal with a city-oriented machine with a more laid-back style than the flat-track inspired Del Mar.

Mechanically, the modular nature of the S2 platform means the Mulholland doesn't stray far from the Del Mar, with the same 84 hp (63 kW) electric motor that puts out a remarkable 263 Nm of torque. The 10.5 kWh battery is the same, too, with identical charging times as the Del Mar - ranging from 78 minutes for a 20%-80% charge on a Level 2 charger to 9.1 hours for a 0%-100% refill via a slower Level 1 socket. 

The differences come in the Mulholland's looks and geometry. Where the Del Mar has 19-inch wheels at both ends, the Mulholland has a 19-inch front and 17-inch rear, the latter fitted with a 180/55-17 Dunlop Roadsmart that's 40 mm wider than the Del Mar's 140/80-19 rear Dunlop DT-1. At the front, the Mulholland gets a relaxed 29 degrees of rake, 5 degrees more than the Del Mar, contributing to a 1,468 mm wheelbase that's 15 mm longer than the older bike.

The suspension is different, too. The 43 mm upside-down forks are listed as being Hitachi supplied, compared to the Del Mar's Showas (although Showa is a Hitachi subsidiary) and the rear monoshock is also a Hitachi unit. The Mulholland's drooping tail makes for a lower rear end, dropping the seat height from 785 mm to 768 mm.

Despite the identical power units, the Mulholland is claimed to have a slightly longer range at city speed than the Del Mar, covering up to 195 km between charges - 13 km further than its sister model under the same conditions. At highway speeds, it manages 117 km before the battery is flat. Meanwhile, the acceleration and top speed are both fractionally slower than the Del Mar, suggesting the Mulholland has taller gearing.

Unlike the two-seat Del Mar, the Mulholland is a single-seat design without any pillion pad or passenger pegs, and the styling is revised with a lower rear end, shorter dummy 'fuel tank' section ahead of the seat and circular headlight, as well as taller bars. It's lighter than the Del Mar, too, coming in at 196 kg against 198 kg for the existing model.

The Mulholland is likely to reach dealers in the U.S. market first, but will be shipped to LiveWire dealers globally eventually.

Alpinista - An Electric ADV?

LiveWire has filed trademark applications to use the name 'Alpinista' on a future motorcycle model in a move that points clearly towards an upcoming electric adventure machine. The Alpinista looks likely to be the next addition to the range - meaning 'mountaineer' in Italian and Spanish, it leaves little doubt that the bike it will be fitted to will have at least some level of off-road ability.

It's almost certain that the Alpinista will be developed on the same modular 'Arrow' platform that's used for the S2 Del Mar and S2 Mulholland. There's a strong chance the Alpinista will be another 'S2' bike with the same components - maximizing parts commonality and minimizing R&D and tooling costs while expanding the range into a new market segment.

Later, LiveWire intends to add an 'S3' version of the modular platform to the range, to use on smaller, cheaper electric bikes. It's currently developing that platform in partnership with KYMCO. After that, a new heavyweight 'S4' platform is planned to create a range of large bikes to supersede the LiveWire One.