Tag Archives: Lightning Motorcycles

Lightning Motorcycles Files Designs for an Off-Road Motorcycle

Lightning Motorcycles, the mastermind behind the ‘Strike’ superbike (a purported contender for the ‘fastest production motorcycle in the world’) is now apparently working on an off-road motorcycle – specifically, an adventure variant that they can add to their lineup. 

This news comes via a report from Top Speed, which details filings recently submitted in China (where the brand’s bikes are manufactured). 

A view of new concept images proving that Lightnign Motorcycles is working on an adventure motorcycle for its ranks. Media sourced from Top Speed.
A view of new concept images proving that Lightnign Motorcycles is working on an adventure motorcycle for its ranks. Media sourced from Top Speed.

Phrases like ‘off-road motorcycle,’ and ‘Dakar’ are tossed about, alongside some pretty telling concept images showing off spoke wheels, knobby tires, a sharp beak, and a tall guise – more than enough proof that Lightning Motorcycles intends to capitalize on the current trend toward off-road power. 

The lightning Strike Carbon. Media sourced from Lighting Motorcycles.
The lightning Strike Carbon. Media sourced from Lighting Motorcycles. Photography executed by Spenser Robert. 

If compared to the Strike, the images of this new unit show a taller, flatter seat and generous ground clearance, a sizeable battery tank (for potential improvements to range), with the swingarm, motor mounting point, and subframe appearing identical to the concept’s current supersport sibling.

MV Agusta's RC Series. Media sourced from MCN.
The lightning Strike Carbon. Media sourced from Lighting Motorcycles.
The lightning Strike Carbon. Media sourced from Lighting Motorcycles. Photography executed by Spenser Robert. 

Given Energica’s all-new Experia (and rumors of a potential adventure bike in the lab for Damon Motors), we can’t help but wait to see what the specs of this beastie will show for zero-emission performance. 

Stay tuned via our weekly updates, drop a comment below letting us know what you think, and as ever – stay safe on the twisties. 

*Media sourced from Top Speed and Lightning Motorcycles*

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Lightning develop enclosed electric bike

A fully enclosed electric motorcycle is being developed by American company Lightning Motorcycles to overcome the inherently poor aerodynamics of bikes.

Recently the company applied for a patent for the design and now online electric vehicle site Elektrek has pictured a model in a scaled-down wind tunnel and videoed a prototype on the street.

Lightning Strike

Lightning Motorcycles started building electric bikes in 2006 and in 2014 built the world’s fastest electric motorcycle, the $US38,888 (about $55,800), 150kW (200hp) Lightning LS-218, so named because it has a top speed of 218mph (346km/h).

Their more affordable Strike (from $US12,998/$A18,700) will be available soon. 

CEO Richard Hatfield says they have been working on “a whole series of new products” including “higher performance products and more affordable products”.

He also told Elektrek that they were working on “more exciting than the things we’ve done so far”.

Enclosed project

Lightning enclosed electric motorcyclePatent drawing

He has now confirmed the enclosed motorcycle project to overcome the poor aerodynamics of motorcycles.

They developed it using a 3D-printed scale model in a small wind tunnel, but also have access to a full-sized wind tunnel.

Lightning enclosed electric motorcycleModel wind tunnel

It has now been seen in prototype out on the streets, presumably near their HQ in San Carlos, California.

Lightning enclosed electric motorcyclePrototype testing

What we really want to see is how it stays upright when stopped.

We can’t see the rider’s feet, but there appears to be a gap in the body where they may be able to put their foot down.

Perhaps they have outriggers that deploy at a certain speed or a gyroscope to keep it upright like the Honda self-balancing motorcycle or a gyroscope as in Harley-Davidson’s patent design.

Honda's self-balancing motorcycle - short season damon lastHonda’s self-balancing motorcycle

Richard told Elektrek he wanted to make electric motorcycles more efficient by improving the aerodynamics.

“The overall conclusion is that motorcycles are pretty poor aerodynamically. Improving the aerodynamics is perhaps the best opportunity to reduce the battery pack size while maintaining good highway range and higher speed riding,” he says.

However, it doesn;’t seem very “mororcycle-ishj” withn what l;ooks like a steering wheel.

Enclosed motorcycles are not new. The BMW C1 scooter had a roof and companies as diverse as Yamaha, Toyota and AKO have plans for enclosed leaning two- and three-wheelers.

The driving force (pun intended) for these designs is to make riding safer and more accessible to more people.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Cleveland CycleWerks goes electric

American fun bike manufacturer Cleveland CycleWerks is the latest to join in the electric motorcycle trend that will define Whirring Twenties decade.

For years now, the Ohio-based company has been designing small-capacity fun machines that have been built in China and retail for less than $50000.

Cleveland CycleWerks Heist and Ace
Cleveland CycleWerks Heist and Ace

However, in March 2020 they plan to unveil their first American-built bike and it will be powered by an electric motor.

It will join other American motorcycle manufacturers Harley-Davidson, Lightning Motorcycles and Zero Motorcycles in the race to win market share of this nascent market.

There is not much detail yet except the blurred image at the top of this page and this video on their Facebook page where they talk about electric bikes with another bike under a blanket in the background.

The photo and video show a light and basic street model with a sit-up-and-beg riding position, MX-style bars, upside down forks, bench seat, sprocket for chain drive, electric motor and battery forward of the footpegs and same-size road tyres front and back on spoked wheels. 

So it’s not an off-roader to replace the now-defunct Alta Motors electric company which folded in 2018.

Alta Redshift MXR Harley-Davidson electric motorcycles EV doomed
Alta Redshift MXR

We can’t see a clutch lever, so it could be twist-and-go, although they do talk about the use of a clutch on another electric bike in the Facebook video.

If it’s like their other product, it will be aimed at the bargain end of the market, not the top end like Harley, Lightning and Zero.

This is the official Cleveland CycleWerks announcement:

A New Concept in E-Mobility, to be released live to the world 03-20-2020 @ the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum in Cleveland Ohio.

This will be our first made in the USA product, which is exciting in itself.

This will be the first bike we have ever run pre-orders on, which will come soon. The project’s code name Falcon Rising represents our brand’s rise in the E vehicle space. It also brings a new chapter to our company, looking inward and local to grow globally. We have wanted to product bikes ourselves, here in Cleveland for 10 years. The time is now, and we are seizing the opportunity.

This vehicle represents 10 years of consumer insight, feedback from loyal customers, and a unique take on the market, that Cleveland has always had.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Electric Lightning Strike strikes out

Electric motorcycles may be poised to become the next big thing, but the much-anticipated Lightning Strike strikes out three times as a big disappointment.

There was much anticipation that Californian electric startup Lightning Motorcycles would make an attractive and affordable version of its $US38,888 LS-218 which at 350km/h (218mph) is the world’s fastest electric motorcycle.

Instead, the Strike strikes out as a disappointment in style, price and specifications.

Style strikes out

After all, it’s just another sports bike in a world where sports bikes are on a fast downhill slide in popularity.

We expected it might be a more utilitarian bike with an upright riding stance and styling that would appeal to a mass market.

The Strike just looks like any petrol-powered sports bike. It’s ok, but nothing spectacular or appealing to a wider group of buyers that might consider an electric alternative.

Price strikes out

Granted, it is more affordable than the LS-218 and the $US29,990 (about $A42,300) Harley-Davidson LiveWire due in the US and Europe in September and Australia next year.

Harley-Davidson Livewire electric motorcycle specs strikes
Harley-Davidson Livewire

Prices start at $US12,998 ($A18,300) and rise to $19,998 ($A28,200). Those prices do not include on-road costs.

The basic model sounds like a reasonable price and it’s comparable to some of the Zero models which ranged from $A18,000 to $A25,000 on the road when they were last available in Australia in 2017.

However, the devil is in the detail of the specifications.

Spec strikes out

The base model costs around the same as the base model Zero, but only has range up to about 160km while the Zero has about 275km.

Zero SR/F strikes
Zero SR/F

If you want better range, you have to buy the Strike Carbon Edition which has up to 320km of range.

That surpasses the flagship Zero SR/F with 130km highway range and 260km city range and a top speed of 200km/h.

The Strike has higher top speeds of 217-240km/h.

But top speeds are beside the point. You can’t do those speeds on our highways and we can guarantee that if you did them on the race track, range would be dramatically reduced to just a few laps of your favourite circuit.

Then it would be time to recharge the bike.

Once again, the Strike strikes out.

The standard bike’s 10kWh battery takes up to three hours to charge with the 3.6kW onboard charger.

You can drop that time by about an hour if you buy the $US1500 ($A2100) 6.6kW onboard charger.Lightning Strike strikes out

The Strike Carbon Edition has a 20kWh battery and standard 6.6 kW charger and you can buy a Level 3 DC fast charger to bring charging time down to about 35 minutes.

There is no word on how much the charger would cost, but it’s probably about double the 6.6kW charger.

However, fast charging is not good for the life of your battery and should only be done occasionally.

Fast charging will also only charge a battery to 80% of its capacity. To completely charge a battery, you need to do a full charging cycle.

Conclusion: 3 strikes – you’re out!

Lightning Strike strikes out
Lightning Strike scores third strike

Lightning Motorcycles plans to release the Strike for sale in the US in July with no announcement yet for the rest of the world.

It will not become a big player in the market and it will not be the spark that ignites the electric revolution.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Lightning Strike at Harley’s electric LiveWire

The world’s fastest electric motorcycle, the 351km/h Lightning LS-218, will soon have a mass-market brother called the Strike that beats Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire electric.

A teaser photograph of the Strike above) shows a Ducati-esque set of headlights.

It will start at $US12,998 (about $A18,000) when it is released in March, compared with the LS-218 at $US38,888 (about $A51,150).

That’s even cheaper than the Zero SR at $US16,495 (about $A23,000).

When the company pulled the plug on importing to Australia in 2017 their prices ranged from $18,000 to $25,000 on the road.

2017 Zero motorcycles have increased range 360km hit battle lightning strike
2017 Zero motorcycles

Lightning Strike

The Strike is also a lot more affordable than the Harley-Davidson LiveWire at $US29,799 ($A41,699) plus on-road costs when it arrives in North America and Europe in September. It will not come to Australia and New Zealand until 2020.

Harley electric LiveWire battle lightning strike
Harley LiveWire

When it comes to tech specs, the Strike is also a lot more electric bike than the LiveWire.

Harley promises just 177km of range, a top seed of 190km/h and 0-100km/h in “under 3.5 seconds”.Lightning Strike

In its photographic teaser of the Strike’s headlights, Lightning Motorcycles claim the bike will have 150 miles of range (about 240km) and a top speed of 150mph (240km/h).

Lightning Motorcycles say the Strike will charge in just 35 minutes on a DC fast charger.

There are no details yet on the LiveWire’s battery size or charging times, power.

Lightning Motorcycles does not yet import to Australia and is a small-scale company.

However, its price and tech specs should cause concern to both electric newcomer Harley-Davidson and the world’s biggest electric bike company, Zero Motorcycles.

Meanwhile, Zero also promises a new “effortlessly powerful” naked bike this year.

Their SR/F will be unveiled on February 25.

Zero SR-F teaser photo lightning strike
Zero SR-F teaser photo

It’s looking like a big year for electric motorcycles – at least overseas.

Curtiss electric motorcycles is now taking orders for their Zeus electric bikes which will not be released until 2020.

Their Zeus Bobber and Cafe will each cost $US60,000 (about $A83,000, £46,845, €53,000) with a holding deposit of $US6000.

The aluminium and carbon bikes have 140kW of power, 196Nm of torque and maximum range of 450km although they don’t indicate how that was achieved.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com