ebikes – Dispatches From The Front

Harley-Davidson, an aging brand that has faced shrinking sales over the past year, is starting an ebike company that it hopes could help it connect with a younger audience and grow its business.

Serial 1, the new Harley-Davidson venture, revealed the first glimpse Tuesday of its electric bicycle, which it says will be for sale in the first half of 2021. Harley-Davidson (HOG) originally showed off photos of a concept electric bicycle in January 2019, but the company will be a minority shareholder in Serial 1, and venture capitalists will own the majority of the new brand, though Serial 1 declined to reveal the investors.

Harley-Davidson has also launched an electric motorcycle, Livewire, to help reach new customers, but will keep that full-fledged motorcycle under the Harley name.

The current COVID-19 pandemic is forcing many to rethink how they safely travel to work, meaning an uptick in sales of ebikes and electric scooters. Kickscooter veteran Razor is looking to tap into this trend with a bunch of adult-oriented e-scooters.

All of the new e-scooters are rear-wheel drive, with Razor saying that this design improves traction and makes them easier to steer, while the bigger wheels on most of the new models should help to make uneven roads easier to travel down.

Leading the charge is the EcoSmart SUP, with 16-inch pneumatic tires front and back, a wide bamboo deck and a 350-W motor that tops out at 15.5 mph (25 km/h). The onboard battery is not going to get you as far per charge as a ebike, but its maximum 12 miles (19 km) of range could be enough for a short commute to work. Razor says that this model is ideal for adults who are new to e-scooting, and it will be available shortly for US$449

Tag: ebikes

Harley-Davidson’s ebike is here, just don’t call it a Harley | CNN

Razor’s Big Wheel Scooters | CoolBusinessIdeas.com