Meet the new LiveWire S2 Del Mar — a highly anticipated bike, first 100 sold out in 18 minutes. Afterwards, admire a delicious club-style BMW R18 from California, a Kawasaki KLR from Colorado and a race-ready Honda GB350 from Japan. We wrap things up with an authentic 1960s motorcycle safety video.
New LiveWire S2 Del Mar When Harley-Davidson forked LiveWire into its own, focus on electricity brand, we wonder how long it will be before we see them release a new model.
What you see here is the S2 Del Mar, the first brand new bike since LiveWire moved out of the house. Based on the Advanced Direct Arrow Architecture, this all-electric street tracker looks like an absolute hoot. Developed in-house at LiveWire Labs in Mountain View, California, the ARROW Architecture is an extensible, modular system that will share a proprietary control system, motor, battery, and charging system with sessions future LiveWire versions.
The S2 Del Mar’s target power is 80hp and they’re aiming to keep the weight under 440lbs. The 0-60mph estimate is 3.5 seconds or less and the range around the city will be around 100 miles. Those numbers get me so excited I can almost ignore how confusing the British units are.
The paint job featured in the picture is reserved for the first 100 Del Mar models, which will be released as numbered Launch Edition models. The 19″ molded front and rear wheel designs modeled after the intricate patterns found on printed circuit boards and the flat saddle will make the S2 Del Mar a great way to get around the city.
Paint finishes and wheel designs are exclusive to the Launch version of the S2 Del Mar, priced at an MSRP of $17,699. The forward tilt of the lines on the “engine” suggests that there is an aggressive rider underneath the body of the tracker, and I can’t help but imagine the same bike with clip-on handlebars and handlebars. rear footrest. Personally, I think LiveWire has hit home with the new design and I can’t wait to see these.
100 Del Mar Launch Edition models sold out in 18 minutes. 100 lucky people will have their deliveries starting spring 2023.
If you’ve skied on the first 100 bikes, fear not. The production S2 Del Mar will ship shortly after Launch Edition, with a target MSRP of $15,000. Towards livewire.com to find more about.
Roland Sands Design’s BMW R18 BMW developing large cruisers and Harley Davidson developing electric motorcycles and adventure bikes? Is it me or is it a bit cold in hell?
Regardless of the weather, when BMW quit R18 It felt the same — as if they had dropped an R18 at us. The 1802cc, 345kg, air- and oil-cooled double boxer surprised us all. Sure, it’s an expensive kit but so is the competition. And one who feels more comfortable with big bikes and big torque is none other than Roland Sands of Roland Sands Design.
As part of the Geico Motorcycle #dreambuildoff series, RSD has transformed this R18 Pure cruiser into a powerful California Club-Style street machine. The most notable change is the addition of the Saddleman mini FXRT crank and Saddleman chair, completely changing the personality of the mod. I hope this will interest more than a few of Dyna’s brothers.
RSD bar risers are topped with ProTaper Carmichael moto bars and the beautiful paintwork is the work of Taylor Schultz. There are a number of Brembo brake enhancements and an in-house made stainless steel exhaust. RSD also machined the wheels themselves with a new size to accommodate the wider Dunlop Sportmax rubber.
There are also some changes that you can’t see — such as quick-connect wiring that allows quick exchange of parts when changing bar heights, rear subframe setup, and lighting.
“Finally, the BMW R18 has transformed from a pedestrian machine that cruises down PCH with your dad into a high-barrel R18 that roars with attitude and performance to match,” said Roland Sand. “The most exciting thing about this car is how its stock, retains much of what people love about the standard R18 but with the swagger.”
I really didn’t know what to think when BMW released the R18 but after witnessing the magic of the RSD, I think I get it now. [BMW R18 by RSD]
Kawasaki KLR650 in 485 designs Kawasaki’s venerable KLR650 dual sports car has been a staple in the Japanese company’s lineup since 1987. Euro 5 emissions standards have appeared, ominously, for the future of the KLR but even That can’t keep this big car down.
The KLR is still around today, and if you take the latest model down, you’ll find that not too much has changed in the last 34 years.
This KLR650, by 485 Designs of Littleton Colorado, has changed quite a bit. Starting with the 2006 model in bone, they quickly tore it up and threw almost the entire original bike in the bin. KLRs have never been touted as the lightest machine on the market but the 485 diet seems to be the most effective weight loss strategy I’ve seen to date. Come over, Mr. Atkins.
Now, with a GSX-R750 front end and custom Warp 9 Racing supermoto wheels, 485 has turned this bike into what they call ‘Super Cafe’ – part cafe racer, part supermoto, all in exciting. Stopping force is provided by dual, 6-piston brake calipers. The GSX-R brake package is already pretty good but now, combined with the significant reduction in mass, the KLR will come to a halt at a significant level.
485 did all the powder coating, frame modifications and electrical upgrades (with Motogadget parts scattered throughout the building). They even relocated the radiator using brackets of their own design. Rod & Custom Pinstriping’s Luke Langren has repainted the fuel tank and powerbomb exhaust system the 485 built himself. [485 Designs]
Moriwaki’s Honda GB350 A few years ago, the custom builders’ choice of bikes seemed to be the Honda CB750 or the contemporary Honda twin. At the end of 2020 (perhaps because we all needed a little cheer around that time) Honda re-released the CB in India as the H’Ness CB350. A far cry from the old CB in all its looks, the new CB350 is a 350cc single, sporty tech that you wouldn’t normally associate with an economical, small displacement motorcycle.
Shortly after its launch in India, the CB350 was released in Japan as the GB350. It’s here, where Moriwaki, the legendary Japanese engineering company, got to work. In fact, this build is based on the new GB350 S that was just released in Japan. With clip-on handlebar conversions, rear footpegs, custom exhaust, side skirts and single cafe racer seats (with racing license plates!), Moriwaki has turned a standard GB350 S into one. purebred racing bike.
Moriwaki knew they were on to a good thing here so they entered a GB350-only race, held on May 1, 2022 at Honda Safety and Riding Plaza Kyushu in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. This Moriwaki bike was ridden by Misuzu Kaneko and at the end of the day she took her place on the top step of the podium.
There’s not much else to say about the Moriwaki GB350, other than that it looks amazing and I enjoyed driving a lap around the track. Isn’t it fun to see these at Honda dealers everywhere? [Via]
The Invisible Circle — 1960s Motorcycle Safety Movie For me, motorcycling is a skill that I want to continue to develop over time. I love training videos and getting proper guidance from experts, such as at a local race day. Off the track, it’s inevitable that we run into more dangers on busy streets, and even the 1960s were aware of this.
The Invisible Circle is a motorcycle safety and training film released almost 60 years ago, in partnership with Honda USA (which is why all the motorcycles in the film are from Hondas) . While it’s worth a look for its slow-paced plot, incredible music, and fashion, I’ve picked out a few that I’ll incorporate into my usual street trip.
I especially like the part where a girl opens the door of a moving car right in front of the main character. He politely stopped, waited patiently for her to cross the street, and then shook the camera with bewilderment. It’s 28 golden minutes of educational and cinematic nature. [Via]
