Thanks for putting this up. It has piqued my interest a bit and now, I'd like to test ride one. It's not the bike for me; I like to travel and it just doesn't have the range I'd like. But still, it sounds like it would be a fun bike to ride.
I like the Fllow. There were a couple of peeps that did not like the look. The Fllow reminds me a little of the XB lightning. It is smaller than my Lightning and seemed a perfect size to (5'7") me. It is very comfortable to sit on.
I rode the Flluid and was quite impressed. It assisted seamlessly.
I do find the Livewire interesting. The forward weight bias to the look reminds me a bit of the original S1 Lightning, actually. I just don't think it's worth $30K. Giving it DC Fast Charging is a good thing. Making it charge at Level2 no faster than Level1 is pretty stupid, though. Energica does it right, with Level1, Level2, and Level3 support at the expected charging speeds.
The biggest criticism leveled at Zero is the lack of Level3 support but that doesn't really bother me. Level2 stations still far outnumber Level3. And if I plan on taking a trip, I'd leave any electric motorcycle home and take one of my ICE machines.
When electric can match the convenience I have with my K1200LT of making a five minute gas stop and giving myself another 280 miles of range well... THAT'S when I'll transition to fully electric. In the meantime my Zero is more than sufficient for 90% of my riding these days. For other trips, I have the K1200LT or the XMAX.
I'd go for a 15 minute stop on a bike, but yes charging is an issue. Also the price, this is meant to be an exclusive product, only a few will buy them, which is sad.
With more and more shopping malls installing free Level2 charging stations around here it's pretty easy to kill an hour or an hour and a half while the bike recharges. Next summer I want to do an "Around Long Island" day trip by mapping out the available Level2 stations available. Right now the farthest east station I've found is on Shelter Island. There may be more by the time I'm ready to put it all together.
I too liked the look and concept of the Fuell "Flow". It didn't try to pretend to be something it isn't. It's not a fat tired, upswept tail sport bike, (though reports say around town its pretty sporty up to 50). Its not a festooned duck-walkers road sofa either. It is a practical tool for commuting modest distances in urban environments. It has room to store your Chinese takeout, as long as you wear your helmet home. (Though I would prefer to also see some side bags for rain gear on one one side and a bottle or two of wine to go with dinner on the other.) Is it my kind of bike? I don't think its for me right now, but I once said the same about an 1190 SX, and there's one of those wintering in my garage. My S3 is looking a bit tired so...
Ignoring details like cost and range, my objection is that they still keep Willie G. Davidson's ghostly fingers messing with the design. So ugly only a mother could love.
Hey; maybe KTM will build an electric bike that looks like a mass of razor blades brazed together! It would just be a small extension of their usual styling.
The Livewire really doesn't look like ANYTHING else Harley offers, with rearset pegs, a short wheelbase, radial brakes and USD forks. I remember at one time there were similar looking bikes in Harley dealerships but that was a decade ago...
I don't mind the look of the Livewire, if they gave it to me for $10k I'd ride it (and probably so would a lot of other people!). $8k would be even better.
I'm thinking about getting one of the cheap China electrics soon, something like a Z125 with an 8kw motor and probably Lithium batteries. Would be a nice commuter to work and back, would easily charge on 120v over night.
I finally figured out what it is about the Livewire's styling that I find so jarring. Maybe not as strongly as Court's opinion above, but jarring enough. It's almost like the front half of the bike and the back half of the bike were designed by two different teams that didn't talk to one another...
That is a quick study of it. But there is not a flow top to bottom, front to rear, etc., etc., etc. Nice flare at the rear of the seat, but it doesn't even play with the rear fender. The front tries to say harley, sort of. It is an artistic disaster. On an electric bike less should be more. The only thing they didn't do was put a playing card in the spokes. Oh, I shouldn't have said that.
I don't find the Live Wire ugly. I don't find it beautiful, but it's a damned sight prettier that , say, a Suzuki B King or pretty much any KTM or BMW.
It's nowhere near as sweet looking as an S3-T, but not too many motorcycles are.