The ADV Harley is a concept at this point. As mentioned, Indian is working on an ADV bike, so Harley is testing the waters. Watch them put a rock susceptible belt on an ADV bike.
Not so with the Lightning E-Bike. They started building prototypes and refining in a focused ways several years ago. Their technology on those is now pretty firm and while we don't have any numbers or details, it is a real functional motorcycle that ought to hit the market before too long. There are plenty of light little E-bikes but this one will be the first cruiser. It'll be interesting to see how it sells after the initial and expensive splash.
I totally agree that Harley ought to split off a new brand, ala Yamaha with Star, Honda with Acura, etc. Buell was the right idea, but Eric just went way too far on what HE believed right, rather than than doing real market research. The other fatal flaw was his business and money management. To me, Indian is a great study in what Harley could have done business-wise when they overly trusted the judgement of one guy.
Not so with the Lightning E-Bike. They started building prototypes and refining in a focused ways several years ago. Their technology on those is now pretty firm and while we don't have any numbers or details, it is a real functional motorcycle that ought to hit the market before too long. There are plenty of light little E-bikes but this one will be the first cruiser. It'll be interesting to see how it sells after the initial and expensive splash.
I totally agree that Harley ought to split off a new brand, ala Yamaha with Star, Honda with Acura, etc. Buell was the right idea, but Eric just went way too far on what HE believed right, rather than than doing real market research. The other fatal flaw was his business and money management. To me, Indian is a great study in what Harley could have done business-wise when they overly trusted the judgement of one guy.