A new LiveWire motorcycle has arrived. This time around, LiveWire is unveiling a middleweight machine it is calling the S2 Del Mar. The new machine is LiveWire’s second model to make it to production, the first being the LiveWire One.

According to LiveWire’s press release, the company is “…set to bring advanced design, technical innovation, and engineering expertise to urban riding and beyond…”

Two S2 Del Mar versions

At launch, there will be two separate versions of the bike; an S2 Del Mar Launch Edition and a production version. There will only be 100 examples of the S2 Del Mar Launch Edition. LiveWire will only build 100 The Del Mar Launch Edition machines; they will be the first 100 units to leave LiveWire’s production line.

Launch Edition

Each of the limited-edition special machines will feature an “exclusive finish and wheel design.” The new bike’s graphics and paint come in a choice of colors, Jasper Gray or Comet Indigo The graphics are pretty novel. According to Livewire, they are applied by hand in a process that takes five days to complete.

According to Livewire, the bike’s graphics design:

“… uses an ‘opposing fade,’ representing and celebrating both the exciting and soulful experiences of riding LiveWire electric motorcycles.”

The S2 Del Mar Launch Edition also comes with 19-inch PCB cast-aluminum wheels. LiveWire says that the wheels feature an intricate pattern evoking the “…dense patterning and framework found on printed circuit boards.” They go on to say that the wheels’ “… vaulted and tapered spoke design promotes lateral stiffness for enhanced handling performance, while also pushing the boundaries of casting technology.”

S2 Del Mar production version

The production version of the S2 Del Mar is supposed to suggest an urban street tracker presence. It comes with 19-inch front and rear wheels and “custom-developed” LiveWire Dunlop DT1 tires. Interestingly, the company says the tires are capable on paved and unpaved surfaces.

A narrow seat sits atop a short, bobbed tail section. Finishing up the look is a “tracker style” handlebar with a thin flyscreen leading the way. The setup puts the rider “…in an upright position for a comfortable and controlled riding experience.”

Both Del Mars versions are based on LiveWire’s scalable ARROW architecture, which was designed at LiveWire Labs.

▽Mar performance

LiveWire released few solid specs about its new middleweight electric motorcycle other than some rough performance figures and weight. According to the LiveWire press release, the S2 Del Mar features a “targeted” output of 80 hp (59.6 kW) and delivers a “projected” 0 to 60 mph time of 3.5 seconds or less. The bike’s target weight is 440 pounds or less. Finally, LiveWire says that the S2 Del Mar’s city range is targeted to be 100 miles.

▽iveries of the S2 Del Mar Launch Edition will begin “in the Spring of 2023.” LiveWire has set the bike’s MSRP at $17,699. However, you probably won’t be able to get one. The motorcycle sold out within 18 minutes after reservations opened; however, LiveWire says that you can still sign up on the Launch Edition’s wait list.

As such, you’ll probably have to wait for the production S2 Del Mar. LiveWire doesn’t give a hard date for its release but does say that the S2 Del Mar will start deliveries “immediately after the launch edition.” The “target MSRP” for the LiveWire Del Mar production version is $15,000.

CEO comments

“The S2 Del Mar model represents the next step in the evolution of the LiveWire brand,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President, and CEO of Harley-Davidson. “The ARROW architecture underpinning the Del Mar, developed in-house at LiveWire Labs, demonstrates our ambition to lead in the EV space and establish LiveWire as the most desirable electric motorcycle brand in the world.”

▽Mar distribution and support

How Harley plans to distribute and service its electric motorcycles in the long term is unclear. For now, the LiveWire website providesa searchable list of locations where you can schedule a test rideLiveWire摩托车。有趣的是,each location shows only an address. No dealer information is provided. However, a quick Google search shows that most, if not all, are current Harley-Davidson dealers.

Enough juice for the squeeze?

The new LiveWire Del Mar is an interesting-looking machine. Its performance figures are similar to Zero Motorcycle’s FXE model. However, that machine is about 140 pounds lighter and nearly $3,000 cheaper than the production version of the S2 Del Mar.

Still, the LiveWire Del Mar looks like a more “substantial” machine; perhaps that’s the sales hook LiveWire/Harley-Davidson are counting on. When placed side by side, the S2 Del Mar looks the flat-tracker role LiveWire intends it to fill. For some people that could be more than enough motivation to at least give the bike a test ride; surprisingly to myself, I’m one of them.